tm2333808-1_s1a - block - 31.1508618s
TABLE OF CONTENTS
As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 22, 2024.
Registration No. 333-275004
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT NO. 4
TO
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Waystar Holding Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
7373
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
84-2886542
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
1550 Digital Drive, #300
Lehi, Utah 84043
(844) 492-9782
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Matthew R. A. Heiman
Chief Legal & Administrative Officer
888 W. Market Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
(844) 492-9782
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s agent for service)
With copies to:
William B. Brentani
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
2475 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, California 94304
Tel: (650) 251-5000
Fax: (650) 251-5002
Xiaohui (Hui) Lin
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
425 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Tel: (212) 455-2000
Fax: (212) 455-2502
Jason M. Licht
Christopher J. Clark
Latham & Watkins LLP
555 Eleventh Street, NW—Suite 1000
Washington, D.C. 20004
Tel: (202) 637-2200
Fax: (202) 637-2201
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement is declared effective.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box: ☐
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act:
Large accelerated filer
Accelerated filer
Non-accelerated filer
Smaller reporting company
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities nor a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to completion, dated                 , 2024
Prospectus
              Shares
[MISSING IMAGE: lg_waystar-4c.jpg]
WAYSTAR HOLDING CORP.
Common stock
This is Waystar Holding Corp.’s initial public offering of common stock. We are offering                 shares of common stock. Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. We expect that the initial public offering price of our common stock will be between $      and $      per share. We have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “WAY.”
Investing in our common stock involves risks. See “Risk factors” beginning on page 17 of this prospectus to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of our common stock.
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and, as such, we have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this prospectus and may elect to do so in future filings. See “Prospectus summary—Implications of being an emerging growth company.”
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Per share
Total
Initial public offering price $             $            
Underwriting discount(1) $             $            
Proceeds, before expenses, to us $             $            
(1) See “Underwriting” for a description of the compensation payable to the underwriters.
We have granted the underwriters the right, for a period of 30 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to        additional shares of common stock from us at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discount.
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares against payment in New York, New York on or about    , 2024.
J.P. Morgan Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC Barclays
William Blair
Evercore ISI
BofA Securities
RBC Capital Markets
Deutsche Bank Securities
Canaccord GenuityRaymond James
The date of this prospectus is                 , 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS
[MISSING IMAGE: cv_waystar01-4c.jpg]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
[MISSING IMAGE: cv_waystar02-4c.jpg]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
[MISSING IMAGE: cv_waystar03-4c.jpg]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
[MISSING IMAGE: cv_waystar04-4c.jpg]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
[MISSING IMAGE: cv_waystar05-4c.jpg]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Table of contents
Page
iii
iii
iii
iv
1
17
53
56
57
58
59
61
77
99
107
122
125
127
136
138
141
150
150
150
F-1
Through and including the 25th day after the date of this prospectus, all dealers that effect transactions in these shares of common stock, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligations to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus, or any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with information or representations other than those contained in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus, or any free writing prospectus prepared by us or on our behalf. Neither we nor any of the underwriters take any responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. The information in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus, or any applicable free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus, or any applicable free writing prospectus, as the case may be, or any sale of shares of our common stock. Our business, results of operations, and financial condition may have changed since such date.
 
i

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
For investors outside the United States: we are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. Neither we nor any of the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus, or any applicable free writing prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus, or any applicable free writing prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares of common stock and the distribution of this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus, or any applicable free writing prospectus outside the United States.
 
ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
INDUSTRY AND MARKET DATA
Within this prospectus, we reference information and statistics regarding the industry in which we operate. We have obtained this information and statistics from various independent third-party sources, independent industry publications, reports by market research firms, and other independent sources. Some data and other information contained in this prospectus are also based on management’s estimates and calculations, which are derived from our review and interpretation of internal surveys and independent sources, as well as third-party reports commissioned by us. The information is as of its original publication dates (and not as of the date of this prospectus). Data regarding the industries in which we compete and our market position and market share within these industries are inherently imprecise and are subject to significant business, economic, and competitive uncertainties beyond our control, but we believe they generally indicate size, position, and market share within these industries. While we believe such information is reliable, we have not independently verified any third-party information, and our internal company research, data, and estimates have not been verified by any independent source.
In addition, assumptions and estimates of our and our industry’s future performance are subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in “Risk factors.” These and other factors could cause our future performance to differ materially from our assumptions and estimates. See “Forward-looking statements.” As a result, you should be aware that market, ranking, and other similar industry data included in this prospectus, and estimates and beliefs based on that data may not be reliable. Neither we nor the underwriters can guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information contained in this prospectus.
TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS, TRADENAMES, AND COPYRIGHTS
We own a number of registered and common law trademarks and pending applications for trademark registrations in the United States. Unless otherwise indicated, all trademarks, service marks, trade names, and copyrights appearing in this prospectus are proprietary to us, our affiliates, and/or licensors. This prospectus also contains trademarks, tradenames, service marks, and copyrights of third parties, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, tradenames, service marks, and copyrights referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ®, TM, SM, or © symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensors to these trademarks, tradenames, service marks, and copyrights. We do not intend our use or display of other parties’ trademarks, tradenames, service marks, or copyrights to imply, and such use or display should not be construed to imply, a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other parties.
BASIS OF PRESENTATION
The following terms are used in this prospectus and have the following meanings unless otherwise noted or indicated by the context:

“Bain” means those certain investment funds of Bain Capital, LP and its affiliates;

“CPPIB” means Canada Pension Plan Investment Board;

“Credit Facilities” means, collectively, the First Lien Credit Facility, the Revolving Credit Facility, the Second Lien Credit Facility, and the Receivables Facility;

“Derby Topco” means Derby TopCo Partnership LP, our direct parent entity prior to the Equity Distribution, in which the Institutional Investors, other equity holders, and certain members of management hold equity interests;

“DGCL” means the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended;

“EQT” means those certain investment funds of EQT AB and its affiliates;

“Equity Distribution” means the following transaction which is expected to occur in connection with this offering: the distribution of shares of common stock of the Company held by Derby TopCo to the limited partners
 
iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
of Derby TopCo in accordance with the limited partnership agreement of Derby Topco. The number of shares of common stock of the Company to be so distributed to such limited partners will be on the basis of a ratio that takes into account the value of distributions that the holder thereof would have been entitled to receive had Derby TopCo been liquidated on the date of such distribution in accordance with the terms of the distribution “waterfall” set forth in such limited partnership agreement. Following the Equity Distribution, EQT, CPPIB, Bain, and other equity holders, including members of management, will directly hold shares of common stock of the Company;

“Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;

“First Lien Credit Facility” means the term loan credit facility under the first lien credit agreement, dated as of October 22, 2019, by and among Waystar Technologies, Inc. and the lenders party thereto, as amended from time to time;

“GAAP” means U.S. generally accepted accounting principles;

“Institutional Investors” means EQT, CPPIB, and Bain, and their respective affiliates;

“JOBS Act” means the U.S. Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended;

“Net Revenue Retention Rate” means the total amount invoiced to clients in a given twelve-month period divided by the total amount invoiced to those same clients from the prior twelve-month period. See “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations—Key performance metrics and non-GAAP financial measures—Net Revenue Retention Rate;”

“Receivables Facility” means the receivables facility under the receivables financing agreement, dated as of August 13, 2021, by and among Waystar RC LLC, PNC Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, Waystar Technologies, Inc., as initial servicer, and PNC Capital Markets LLC, as structuring agent, as amended from time to time;

“Revolving Credit Facility” means the revolving credit facility under the first lien credit agreement, dated as of October 22, 2019, by and among Waystar Technologies, Inc. and the lenders party thereto, as amended from time to time;

“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission;

“Second Lien Credit Facility” means the term loan credit facility under the second lien credit agreement, dated as of October 22, 2019, by and among Waystar Technologies, Inc. and the lenders party thereto, as amended from time to time;

“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

“Stockholders Agreement” means the stockholders agreement to be entered into by and among the Institutional Investors, certain stockholders, and certain members of management in connection with this offering;

“underwriters” means the firms listed on the cover page of this prospectus; and

“Waystar,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” mean the business of Waystar Holding Corp. and its subsidiaries.
Numerical figures included in this prospectus have been subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, numerical figures shown as totals in various tables may not be arithmetic aggregations of the figures that precede them.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
This prospectus contains “non-GAAP financial measures” that are financial measures that either exclude or include amounts that are not excluded or included in the most directly comparable measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, we make use of the non-GAAP financial measures “Adjusted EBITDA” and “Adjusted EBITDA margin.” Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin have been presented in this prospectus as supplemental measures of financial performance that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. We believe they assist investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance
 
iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are useful to investors in highlighting trends in our operating performance, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate, and capital investments. Management uses Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin to supplement GAAP measures of performance in the evaluation of the effectiveness of our business strategies, to make budgeting decisions, to establish discretionary annual incentive compensation, and to compare our performance against that of other peer companies using similar measures. Management supplements GAAP results with non-GAAP financial measures to provide a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting the business than GAAP results alone provide.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are not recognized terms under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) or net income (loss) margin as measures of financial performance or cash provided by operating activities as a measure of liquidity, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. Additionally, these measures are not intended to be a measure of free cash flow available for management’s discretionary use, as they do not consider certain cash requirements such as interest payments, tax payments, and debt service requirements. The presentations of these measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Because not all companies use identical calculations, the presentations of these measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies and can differ significantly from company to company. For a discussion of the use of these measures and a reconciliation of the most directly comparable GAAP measures, see “Summary—Summary historical financial and other data.”
 
v

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information that is presented in greater detail elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding to invest in our common stock. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, including “Risk factors,” “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations,” and our financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, before making an investment decision. This summary contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Our Mission
Our mission is to simplify healthcare payments through our modern cloud-based software, enabling our healthcare clients to prioritize patient care and optimize their financial performance.
Overview
Waystar provides healthcare organizations with mission-critical cloud software that simplifies healthcare payments. Our enterprise-grade platform streamlines the complex and disparate processes our healthcare provider clients must manage to be reimbursed correctly, while improving the payments experience for providers, patients, and payers. We leverage internally developed artificial intelligence (“AI”) as well as proprietary, advanced algorithms to automate payment-related workflow tasks and drive continuous improvement, which enhances claim and billing accuracy, enriches data integrity, and reduces labor costs for providers.
Put simply, our software helps providers get paid faster, accurately, and more efficiently, while ensuring patients receive a modern, transparent, and consumer-friendly financial experience.
The healthcare payment ecosystem is highly complex, beginning with pre-service patient onboarding and extending through post-service revenue collection, with dozens of interdependent steps in between. Within this multi-step workflow, the process for determining how much a provider should be reimbursed involves millions of permutations of variables, such as over 10,000 diagnosis codes that are constantly changing and unique payer contracts, each with individual rules, processes, and reimbursement requirements. The burden borne by providers of tracking and managing all of these variables, coupled with a constantly evolving regulatory framework, often results in incorrect payments or denials that require time-consuming appeals procedures to resolve. Historically, healthcare providers have relied upon a patchwork of manual processes and systems to navigate these complexities and support their payment functions. However, this legacy approach has resulted in workflow delays, lost revenue, and slower time to payment. Our purpose-built software platform addresses these challenges and optimizes healthcare payments across all stages of the patient journey. Our clients utilize our software to manage pre-encounter workflows such as eligibility checks and prior authorization approvals, as well as mid- and post-encounter workflows such as co-pay collection, claims submission and monitoring, and payer remittances.
Our software is used daily by providers of all types and sizes across the continuum of care, including physician practices, clinics, surgical centers, and laboratories, as well as large hospitals and health systems. We currently serve approximately 30,000 clients of various sizes, representing approximately one million distinct providers practicing across a variety of care sites, including 18 of the top 22 U.S. News Best Hospitals. Our client base is highly diversified, and for the year ended December 31, 2023 our top 10 clients accounted for only 11.3% of our total revenue. Our business model is designed such that as our clients grow to serve more patients, their claims and transactional volumes increase, resulting in corresponding growth in our business. In addition, our clients frequently adopt a greater number of our solutions over time and introduce our solutions across new sites of care. The number of clients from whom we generate over $100,000 of revenue has grown from 733 in the twelve months ended March 31, 2021 to 1,046 in the year ended December 31, 2023, driven by large, new client wins and successful cross-selling and up-selling efforts. In 2023, we facilitated over 4 billion healthcare payments transactions, including over $1.2 trillion in gross claims volume, spanning approximately 50% of patients in the United States.
 
1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Our platform benefits from powerful network effects. Our cloud-based software is driven by a sophisticated, automated, and curated rules engine, employing AI to generate and incorporate real-time feedback from millions of network transactions processed through our platform each day. Every transaction we process provides additional data insights across providers, patients, and payers, which are embedded in updates that are deployed efficiently across our client base. This results in cumulative benefits to us over time — as we capture more data from each transaction we process, we leverage that data to continue to improve the Waystar platform through embedded machine learning, advanced algorithms, and other in-house AI technologies to deliver added value to our clients. In turn, the more value we create for our clients, the more likely it is that they will continue to use our products, allowing us to continue to capture more data that results in tangible improvements to our platform. As a result, our clients benefit from faster and more efficient performance from software that is evolving to meet ever-changing regulatory and payer requirements, enabling accurate and timely reimbursement.
We have demonstrated an ability to drive recurring, predictable, and profitable growth. Over 99% of our revenue is either recurring subscription or based on highly predictable volumes. For the year ended December 31, 2023, our Net Revenue Retention Rate was 108.6%. For the year ended December 31, 2023, we generated revenue of $791.0 million (reflecting a 12% increase compared to revenue of $704.9 million in the prior year), net loss of $51.3 million (compared to net loss of $51.5 million in the prior year), and Adjusted EBITDA of $333.7 million (reflecting a 12.9% increase compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $295.5 million in the prior year).
 
2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
[MISSING IMAGE: fc_automation-4c.jpg]
Industry Background
Healthcare is one of the largest and most complex vertical end-markets within the U.S. economy, accounting for 18.3% of the U.S. gross domestic product as of 2021. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”), total U.S. healthcare spending was $4.3 trillion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a 5% annual rate to $6.8 trillion in 2030. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the annual cost of wasteful spending in healthcare has ranged from $760 billion to $935 billion in recent years, or nearly one-quarter of total healthcare spending. Of this, $350 billion is administrative-related, which is inclusive of healthcare payments-related waste.
 
3

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The Waystar platform is purpose-built to address the administrative headwinds faced by healthcare providers, including:

Antiquated, legacy technology systems and data silos. The historically slow pace of digital adoption by healthcare organizations has led to a patchwork of disparate software point-solutions that lack the interoperability and scalability of a modern cloud-based technology architecture.

Reliance on inefficient, manual processes. Poorly integrated legacy systems have led many healthcare organizations to employ labor-dependent solutions to address the critical demands of their businesses, often resulting in suboptimal financial performance for providers and a substandard experience for patients.

Increasing labor and administrative costs. Staffing costs continue to present a major challenge, with clinical labor costs in 2021 increasing an average of 8% per patient day when compared to a pre-pandemic baseline period in 2019, according to an analysis by Premier, Inc.

Reimbursement complexity and collection challenges. Determining reimbursement to a provider from a payer or a patient is dependent on a myriad of factors that are both highly complex and constantly evolving. Providers bear the burden of navigating reimbursement obstacles, and missteps can ultimately result in lost revenue or delayed cash flow. In addition, healthcare providers often struggle to convert patient bills (i.e., patient responsibility) to cash payments as patients are also tasked with navigating ever-changing benefits policies and interacting with outdated technology.

Accelerating consumer demand for digital tools. Patients are bearing a greater burden of healthcare costs than ever before, with more than 50% of American employees enrolling in high deductible health plans according to SHADAC Data (2022). Out-of-pocket costs constituted 12% of total U.S. personal healthcare expenditures in 2021 according to CMS, and the estimated average patient lifetime spending is $1.4 million, based on a 2021 Health Management Academy Research report. Despite these trends, patients lack access to digital tools and accurate information for healthcare payments, such as transparency in insurance coverage and out-of-pocket cost estimates pre-service, as well as flexible payment arrangements to pay for care, resulting in 40% of patients paying their bills late, according to a Company survey.
Our Market Opportunity
Over time, administrative workflows that were traditionally insourced by healthcare providers have undergone a meaningful transformation. Seeking more effective solutions to address industry challenges, providers initially outsourced these functions to third-party specialized services vendors. However, with advances in technology infrastructure and cloud-based software, as well as increased interoperability between systems, providers are increasingly utilizing automated software solutions to further enhance efficiency. We believe the healthcare payments workflow is currently undergoing such an evolution, and that Waystar is well-positioned to benefit from providers gravitating towards more modern, software-oriented solutions.
We estimate that our total addressable market (“TAM”) with respect to our current software solution set is approximately $15 billion today. To estimate our market opportunity, we categorized the United States healthcare provider market into tiers based on setting of care and size of practice. We then applied our average pricing by product, accounting for pricing differences at varying sized providers, and multiplied the average product price by the corresponding practice count per setting of care to determine our TAM.
Based on a third-party study commissioned by the Company, we believe our TAM has the potential to increase to almost $20 billion in 2027, reflecting a 5% compounded annual growth rate (“CAGR”) over the next five years, driven by growth within healthcare payments (notably, in prior authorizations, patient payments, and revenue cycle management analytics), increased outsourcing in revenue cycle management, as well as secular technology tailwinds such as greater utilization of AI. We expect to expand our TAM further over time as we develop new solutions and address adjacent workflows.
We believe we have consistently grown in excess of the market since 2016 and expect we will continue to grow our market share in the future by virtue of our differentiated platform and capabilities. We believe the market share
 
4

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
of our solutions within the hospital segment and ambulatory practice segment is approximately 3% and 7% (calculated as a percentage of our revenue as compared to our TAM estimates by setting of care), respectively, demonstrating the ample white space in which we can continue driving our growth.
The Waystar Platform
Our innovative, cloud-based software platform is purpose-built to simplify our clients’ payment-related challenges. We believe our platform significantly outperforms those of our competitors, who lack either modern functionality or the ability to address the full end-to-end payments workflow.
The key components of our platform include:

Modern, differentiated software. We provide modern, cloud-native, scalable healthcare payments software solutions. Our single-instance, multi-tenant infrastructure is underpinned by an event-driven microservices architecture, all of which we have built in-house.

A comprehensive solution set. Our software addresses the entire healthcare payments workflow, from pre-service patient onboarding and prior authorization through post-service payment collection, allowing our clients to address the full demands of their organizations with a single software platform.

Seamless integrations. Our solutions are integrated with a broad range of systems provided by over 200 channel partners, including enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) applications, as well as practice management (“PM”) and electronic health record (“EHR”) systems.

An expansive network. Our extensive network of clients and counterparties, which we have built over two decades of industry experience, underpins our platform and has allowed us to develop a large database of information to generate insights and drive continuous improvements.

Advanced AI capabilities driven by proprietary data asset. We build predictive scoring capabilities using extensive training data sets and advanced machine learning which we apply to data that passes through our platform. Using these machine-learning models, we are able to predict an outcome for a variety of reimbursement workflows which we incorporate into our solutions to drive improved results for payers, providers, and patients. Our data asset is comprised of the billions of transactions we facilitate each year and the numerous variables that factor into each of those payments. This allows us to leverage the compounding value of this data asset to advance our AI and automation capabilities, which continuously learn and improve our platform.
Our platform provides the following benefits to our clients:

Increased revenue. Our software solutions simplify the payment process, allowing our clients to increase the share of revenue they collect.

Quicker payments. Our software helps expedite payments by streamlining and automating cumbersome workflows that create excessive delays.

Greater productivity. Our ability to automate portions of the payment cycle allows our clients to reduce operating costs and focus on their core mission of caring for their patients.

Financial visibility. We deploy analytics, reporting, and forecasting tools that provide our clients with unprecedented visibility into areas where they can further improve their payment process and collections.

Rapid time-to-value. Our architecture seamlessly integrates with our clients’ existing systems and technology, allowing our clients to quickly realize value from our solutions.
 
5

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Our platform enables us to provide industry-leading technology at scale to more than 30,000 clients across more than four billion healthcare payment transactions worth over $1.2 trillion in annual gross claims. The quality and innovation of our technology has been widely recognized, as evidenced by our receipt of a MedTech Breakthrough Award for healthcare payments innovation and numerous Best in KLAS awards.
[MISSING IMAGE: fc_flatform-4c.jpg]
Why Waystar Wins
Through decades of experience, we have honed our deep domain expertise, fostered long-standing client relationships, and built our library of rules and algorithms. We believe our modern, cloud-based platform combined with our subject matter expertise are extremely difficult to replicate and provide us with a meaningful competitive advantage. We believe these factors, together with the following additional strengths, position us well for continued success:

Strong brand with attractive client return on investment (“ROI”). The Waystar brand is synonymous with quality, reliability, robust analytics, exceptional customer service, and a deep and interconnected network. This strength is evidenced by our high provider Net Promoter Score (“NPS”) of 74 and #1 rank versus competitors in percentage of clients indicating the highest level of satisfaction with our services based on a third-party survey commissioned by us in 2023. Our brand, as well as the tangible ROI that we deliver, drives strong client loyalty, as evidenced by our 108.6% Net Revenue Retention Rate for the year ended December 31, 2023. Our clients view us as a trusted vendor and support our success by recommending Waystar to other providers, further driving growth and adoption of our solutions.

Differentiated client experience. We have a relentless focus on operational execution and deliver outstanding client experience. According to a third-party survey commissioned by us in 2023, Waystar ranked #1 in client satisfaction with implementation time versus competitors, 94% of clients are satisfied with our integrations with other systems, and 98% of clients say we deliver on trust very well or extremely well. For our larger clients, we deploy a client success team, which serves as both a dedicated resource and trusted strategic partner to help drive our value proposition. From our consistently on-time implementations to our highly responsive client service, we seek to support our clients so they can maximize the benefits of our software.

Mission-driven innovation culture. We have cultivated a company culture that is focused on helping our clients by developing and delivering industry-leading software solutions. This innovation-focused culture has been foundational in creating a modern technology platform that delivers a comprehensive end-to-end suite of
 
6

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
solutions with an intuitive user interface. According to a third-party survey commissioned by us in 2023, Waystar ranked #1 in satisfaction with rate of product innovation and vision versus competitors, and 94% of clients are satisfied with our capabilities in automation.

Experienced leadership and technology teams with a track record of execution. Our values-driven and award-winning leadership team brings together deep experience in the software and healthcare industries and strong relationships with our clients and key stakeholders. We believe our team has the strategic vision, leadership qualities, technological expertise, and operational capabilities to continue to successfully drive our growth.
We believe our platform strengths and differentiation are most evident in our ability to win clients. We have an 82% win rate against our competitors over the past 36 months in situations where the client ultimately elected to switch vendors or purchase a new solution.
Our Growth Strategy
We plan to capitalize on our market opportunity by executing on the following growth strategies:

Expand our relationships with existing clients. We believe we have a meaningful opportunity to continue driving growth within our current client base. We grow with existing clients in three ways—first, as they expand their businesses, provide more healthcare services, and see more patients; second, through cross-selling as they adopt additional Waystar offerings; and third, through up-selling as they leverage our solutions across additional providers and sites of care. We have a track record of building long-standing relationships with our clients, often growing from an initial solution to multi-solution adoption. Based on the estimated whitespace within our existing clients for the solutions we currently provide, we believe we have the opportunity to approximately double our revenue through cross-sell and up-sell of our solutions to existing clients.

Grow our client base. We address a large and growing market that has a meaningful need for the solutions we provide. While we serve over one million providers today, there are over 7.5 million providers that we believe can benefit from our solutions.

Deepen and expand our relationships with strategic channel partners. We are highly focused on furthering our strategic channel partnerships. Our channel partners accelerate our growth by providing us access to a larger client base and actively promoting Waystar. We have established strong relationships with the nation’s leading EHR and PM providers, which drives a significant competitive advantage. We will continue to invest in deepening our current relationships and building new ones to drive our growth.

Innovate and develop adjacent solutions. We will continue to invest heavily in the Waystar platform to expand our product breadth and depth, increase automation, strengthen system performance, and improve the user experience. Our product roadmap is informed by both continuous client feedback as well as our own assessments of opportunities to further streamline and simplify healthcare payments. Due to our modern architecture and purpose-built software, we have little technical debt as compared with legacy software platforms serving the market. As a result, we can focus our resources on innovating and advancing our platform for the benefit of our clients.

Selectively pursue strategic acquisitions. Since 2018, we have completed and successfully integrated seven acquisitions, and we recently closed our eighth and ninth acquisitions, respectively. These acquisitions complement our organic product roadmap and have helped us enhance our platform, add new solutions, and expand our market reach. Our approach is to fully integrate and consolidate our acquisitions into the Waystar platform, which enables us to provide a seamless user experience for our clients, as well as drive innovation on the combined platform. We will continue to evaluate acquisition opportunities that improve our offering and accelerate our growth.
Summary of Risk Factors
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider all of the risks described in “Risk factors” before deciding to invest in our common stock. If any of the risks actually occur, our
 
7

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
business, results of operations, prospects, and financial condition may be materially adversely affected. In such case, the trading price of our common stock may decline, and you may lose part or all of your investment. Below is a summary of some of the principal risks we face:

our operation in a highly competitive industry;

our ability to retain our existing clients and attract new clients;

our ability to successfully execute on our business strategies in order to grow;

our ability to accurately assess the risks related to acquisitions and successfully integrate acquired businesses;

our ability to establish and maintain strategic relationships;

the growth and success of our clients and overall healthcare transaction volumes;

consolidation in the healthcare industry;

our selling cycle of variable length to secure new client agreements;

our implementation cycle that is dependent on our clients’ timing and resources;

our dependence on our senior management team and certain key employees, and our ability to attract and retain highly skilled employees;

the accuracy of the estimates and assumptions we use to determine the size of our total addressable market;

our ability to develop and market new solutions, or enhance our existing solutions, to respond to technological changes or evolving industry standards;

the interoperability, connectivity, and integration of our solutions with our clients’ and their vendors’ networks and infrastructures;

the performance and reliability of internet, mobile, and other infrastructure;

the consequences if we cannot obtain, process, use, disclose, or distribute the highly regulated data we require to provide our solutions;

our reliance on certain third-party vendors and providers;

any errors or malfunctions in our products and solutions;

failure by our clients to obtain proper permissions or provide us with accurate and appropriate information;

the potential for embezzlement, identity theft, or other similar illegal behavior by our employees or vendors and a failure of our employees or vendors to observe quality standards or adhere to environmental, social, and governance standards.

our compliance with the applicable rules of the National Automated Clearing House Association and the applicable requirements of card networks;

increases in card network fees and other changes to fee arrangements;

the effect of payer and provider conduct which we cannot control;

privacy concerns and security breaches or incidents relating to our platform or data (including personal information and other regulated data);

the complex and evolving laws and regulations regarding privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity;

our ability to adequately protect and enforce our intellectual property rights;

our ability to use or license data and integrate third-party technologies;

our use of “open source” software;

legal proceedings initiated by third parties alleging that we are infringing or otherwise violating their intellectual property rights;
 
8

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

claims that our employees, consultants, or independent contractors have wrongfully used or disclosed confidential information of third parties;

the heavily regulated industry in which we conduct business;

the uncertain and evolving healthcare regulatory and political framework;

health care laws and data privacy and security laws and regulations governing our Processing (as defined below) of personal information (which may also be referred to as “personal data” or “personally identifiable information”);

reduced revenues in response to changes to the healthcare regulatory landscape;

legal, regulatory, and other proceedings that could result in adverse outcomes;

consumer protection laws and regulations;

contractual obligations requiring compliance with certain provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering laws and regulations;

existing laws that regulate our ability to engage in certain marketing activities;

our full compliance with website accessibility standards;

any changes in our tax rates, the adoption of new tax legislation, or exposure to additional tax liabilities;

limitations on our ability to use our net operating losses to offset future taxable income;

losses due to asset impairment charges;

restrictive covenants in the agreements governing our Credit Facilities;

interest rate fluctuations;

unavailability of additional capital on acceptable terms or at all;

the impact of general macroeconomic conditions;

our history of net losses and our ability to achieve or maintain profitability;

the interests of the Institutional Investors may be different than the interests of other holders of our securities;

our status as an “emerging growth company” and whether the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to “emerging growth companies” will make our common stock less attractive to investors; and

the other factors discussed under “Risk factors.”
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act. As a result, we are permitted to, and intend to, rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are applicable to other companies that are not emerging growth companies. Accordingly, in this prospectus, we (i) have presented only two years of audited financial statements and (ii) have not included a compensation discussion and analysis of our executive compensation programs. In addition, for so long as we are an emerging growth company, among other exemptions, we will:

not be required to engage an independent registered public accounting firm to report on our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”);

not be required to comply with the requirement in Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Auditing Standard 3101, The Auditor’s Report on an Audit of Financial Statements When the Auditor Expresses an Unqualified Opinion, to communicate critical audit matters in the auditor’s report;

be permitted to present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations” in our periodic reports and registration statements, including in this prospectus;
 
9

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

not be required to disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation; or

not be required to submit certain executive compensation matters to stockholder advisory votes, such as “say-on-pay,” “say-on-frequency,” and “say-on-golden parachutes.”
We will remain an “emerging growth company” until the earliest to occur of:

our reporting of $1.24 billion or more in annual gross revenue;

our becoming a “large accelerated filer,” with at least $700.0 million of equity securities held by non-affiliates;

our issuance, in any three year period, of more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt; and

the fiscal year-end following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this initial public offering.
The JOBS Act also permits an emerging growth company such as us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We have elected to use this extended transition period under the JOBS Act.
For additional information, see the section titled “Risk factors—Risks related to this offering and ownership of our common stock—We are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to “emerging growth companies” will make our common stock less attractive to investors.”
Our Principal Stockholders
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization focused on active ownership strategies. With a Nordic heritage and a global mindset, EQT has a track record of almost three decades of delivering consistent and attractive returns across multiple geographies, sectors and strategies. EQT today has €130 billion in fee-generating assets under management across strategies covering all phases of a business’ development, from start-up to maturity, and operates with offices in 20 countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. EQT manages and advises funds and vehicles that invest with the mission to future-proof companies, generate attractive returns, and make a positive impact with everything EQT does. EQT is one of the most active private equity investors in the healthcare and technology sectors globally, with over 80 healthcare and 100 technology companies across the global portfolio, and over 100 dedicated investment professionals focused on these strategies.
CPPIB is a professional investment management organization that manages the fund in the best interest of the more than 21 million contributors and beneficiaries of the Canada Pension Plan. In order to build diversified portfolios of assets, investments are made around the world in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure, and fixed income. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City, San Francisco, São Paulo, and Sydney, CPPIB is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm’s length from governments. At December 31, 2023, the fund totaled $591 billion.
Bain Capital is one of the world’s leading private investment firms with approximately $175 billion of assets under management that creates lasting impact for its investors, teams, businesses, and the communities in which it lives. Since its founding in 1984, it has applied its insight and experience to organically expand into several asset classes including private equity, credit, special situations, public equity, venture capital, and real estate. Bain leverages its shared platform to capture cross-asset class opportunities in strategic areas of focus. With offices on four continents, its global team aligns its interests with those of its investors for lasting impact. The firm has a long and successful history of investing in healthcare and software businesses and has a dedicated group of investment professionals focused on these sectors.
 
10

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Our Corporate Information
We were originally incorporated in Delaware on August 13, 2019 and subsequently changed our name to Waystar Holding Corp. on August 11, 2023. Our principal offices are located at 1550 Digital Drive, #300, Lehi, Utah 84043 and 888 W. Market Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. Our telephone number is (844) 492-9782. We maintain a website at waystar.com. The reference to our website is intended to be an inactive textual reference only. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of this prospectus.
 
11

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The Offering
Issuer
Waystar Holding Corp.
Common stock offered by us
               shares (or               shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of common stock in full).
Option to purchase additional shares of our common stock
We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to         additional shares of our common stock at the initial public offering price, less the underwriting discount.
Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering
               shares (or          shares if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares of common stock).
Use of proceeds
We estimate that the net proceeds to us from this offering will be approximately $      million (or approximately $      million, if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares of common stock), assuming an initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us. For a sensitivity analysis as to the offering price and other information, see “Use of proceeds.”
We intend to use the net proceeds to us from this offering to repay all outstanding indebtedness under our Second Lien Credit Facility and $      million aggregate principal amount of indebtedness under our First Lien Credit Facility, with any remainder to be used for general corporate purposes. See “Use of proceeds.”
Institutional Investors
After this offering, EQT, CPPIB, and Bain will beneficially own approximately    %,    %, and    %, respectively, of our common stock (or    %,    %, and    %, respectively, of our common stock if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full).
For so long as EQT, CPPIB, and Bain beneficially own 40% or more of the voting power of our total outstanding common stock, our stockholders will have certain corporate governance rights, such as the right to (i) fix the number of directors, (ii) at the request of at least two of EQT, CPPIB, and Bain, cause special meetings of our stockholders to be called, and (iii) amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws by majority vote rather than supermajority vote of our stockholders. See “Description of capital stock.”
Dividend policy
We have no current plans to pay dividends on our common stock. Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future
 
12

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
will be made at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, legal, tax, regulatory, and contractual restrictions, including restrictions in the agreements governing our indebtedness, and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. See “Dividend policy.”
Risk factors
Investing in shares of our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk factors” beginning on page 17 for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before investing in shares of our common stock.
Proposed trading symbol
“WAY”
Unless we indicate otherwise or the context otherwise requires, this prospectus:

reflects and assumes:

no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock;

an initial public offering price of $      per share of our common stock, which is the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus;

the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the adoption of our amended and restated bylaws immediately prior to the consummation of this offering; and

the occurrence of the Equity Distribution;

does not reflect           shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options at a weighted average exercise price of $     per share; and

does not reflect (i)         shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, which we intend to adopt in connection with this offering, including (a)        shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of options with an exercise price equal to the initial offering price and        shares of common stock issuable upon settlement of restricted stock units that, in each case, we expect to award to certain of our employees in connection with this offering and (b)        shares of common stock issuable upon settlement of restricted stock units with an initial value of $200,000 (based on the initial offering price) per award that we expect to award to each of our non-employee directors who are not employed by any of the Institutional Investors in connection with this offering and (ii)        shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. See “Executive compensation—Compensation arrangements to be adopted in connection with this offering.”
 
13

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Summary Historical Financial and Other Data
The following table summarizes our consolidated financial and other data for the periods and dates indicated. The balance sheet data as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and the statements of operations, comprehensive loss, stockholder’s equity, and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected in the future or any other period.
The summary consolidated financial data set forth below should be read in conjunction with “Risk factors,” “Capitalization,” “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations,” and our financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.
Year ended December 31,
2023
2022
($ in thousands)
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data:
Revenue
$ 791,010 $ 704,874
Operating expenses:
Cost of services (exclusive of depreciation and amortization expenses)
249,767 214,891
Sales and marketing
124,437 111,470
General and administrative
62,924 73,089
Research and development
35,332 32,807
Depreciation and amortization
176,467 183,167
Total operating expenses
648,927 615,424
Income from operations
142,083 89,450
Other income (expense):
Interest expense
(198,309) (148,967)
Related party interest expense
(7,608) (6,358)
Loss before income taxes
(63,834) (65,875)
Income tax expense (benefit)
(12,500) (14,420)
Net loss
$ (51,334) $ (51,455)
Per Share Data:
Earnings (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders:
Basic
$ (0.26) $ (0.26)
Diluted
$ (0.26) $ (0.26)
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding:
Basic
201,116,414 201,131,854
Diluted
201,116,414 201,131,854
Cash Flow Data:
Net cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities
$ 51,460 $ 102,634
Investing activities
(61,517) (17,433)
Financing activities
(17,151) (67,065)
 
14

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Year ended December 31,
2023
2022
($ in thousands)
Other Financial and Operating Data:
Adjusted EBITDA(1)(2)
$ 333,715 $ 295,508
Net loss margin
(6.5)%
(7.3)%
Adjusted EBITDA margin(1)(2)
42.2%
41.9%
Balance Sheet Data:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 35,580 $ 64,558
Total assets
4,582,974 4,694,392
Total liabilities
2,533,042 2,588,160
Total stockholders’ equity
2,049,932 2,106,232
(1) Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are supplemental measures of our performance that are not required by or presented in accordance with GAAP. These measures are not recognized terms under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) and net income (loss) margin as measures of financial performance or cash provided by operating activities as a measure of liquidity, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. In addition, in evaluating these non-GAAP measures, you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments in the presentation of these non-GAAP measures. The presentation of these non-GAAP measures should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Because not all companies use identical calculations, the presentations of these measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies and can differ significantly from company to company.
We present these non-GAAP measures because we believe they assist investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are useful to investors in highlighting trends in our operating performance, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate, and capital investments. Management uses Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin to supplement GAAP measures of performance in the evaluation of the effectiveness of our business strategies, to make budgeting decisions, to establish discretionary annual incentive compensation, and to compare our performance against that of other peer companies using similar measures. Management supplements GAAP results with non-GAAP financial measures to provide a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting the business than GAAP results alone provide.
(2) We define Adjusted EBITDA as net loss before interest expense, net, income tax benefit, depreciation and amortization, and as further adjusted for stock-based compensation expense, acquisition and integration costs, asset and lease impairments, costs of extinguishing debt, and IPO related costs. Adjusted EBITDA margin represents Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue.
However, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider either of them in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of the limitations are:

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin do not reflect interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin do not reflect our tax expense or the cash requirements to pay our taxes; and although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the tangible assets being depreciated will often have to be replaced in the future, and Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements.
 
15

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The following table reconciles net (loss) income to Adjusted EBITDA and net loss margin to Adjusted EBITDA margin:
Year ended December 31,
2023
2022
(in thousands)
Net loss
$ (51,334) $ (51,455)
Interest expense, net
205,917 155,325
Income tax benefit
(12,500) (14,420)
Depreciation and amortization
176,467 183,167
Stock-based compensation expense
8,848 8,003
Acquisition and integration costs
3,947 2,208
Asset and lease impairments(a)
10,856
Costs of extinguishing debt
393 1,549
IPO related costs
1,977 275
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 333,715 $ 295,508
Revenue
$ 791,010 $ 704,874
Net loss margin
(6.5)%
(7.3)%
Adjusted EBITDA margin
42.2%
41.9%
(a) Reflects the impact of the reclassification of certain leases as operating leases in connection with the adoption of ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASC 842”).
 
16

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Risk factors
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider all of the risks and uncertainties described below and the other information set forth in this prospectus before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock. If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, results of operations, prospects, and financial condition may be materially adversely affected. In such case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Some statements in this prospectus, including statements in the following risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. See “Forward-looking statements.”
Risks related to our business and our industry
We operate in a highly competitive industry.
We operate in a highly fragmented and competitive market that is characterized by rapidly evolving technology standards, evolving regulatory requirements, and frequent changes in client needs and introduction of new products and solutions. Our competitors range from smaller niche companies to large, well-financed, and technologically-sophisticated entities, including EHR and PM, with which we integrate. The increasing standardization of certain healthcare IT products and solutions has made it easier for companies to enter our industry with, or expand their product offerings to include, competitive products and solutions. Many software, hardware, information systems, and business process outsourcing companies, both with and without healthcare companies as their partners, offer or have announced their intention to offer products or solutions that are competitive with products and solutions that we offer. In particular, well-funded large technology companies are increasingly entering the revenue cycle technology market. In addition, EHR and PM providers (including those with which we integrate) could expand their product offerings to include solutions that compete directly with the solutions we provide. Some of these EHR and PM systems already offer, or may begin to offer, solutions that compete with our platform, including claim management and patient management solutions, payment processing tools, and direct patient communication solutions. Further, we expect that competition will continue to increase as a result of consolidation in both the technology and healthcare industries.
We compete on the basis of several factors, including breadth, depth, and quality of products and solutions, ability to deliver financial and operational performance improvement through the use of products and solutions, quality and reliability of solutions, ease of use and convenience, brand recognition, price, and the ability to integrate our platform solutions with various EHR and PM systems and other new and existing technology, including AI. Some of our competitors have greater name recognition, longer operating histories, lower cost products and solutions, and significantly greater resources than we do. As a result, our competitors may be able to respond more quickly and effectively than we can to new or changing opportunities, technologies, standards, or client requirements. In addition, current and potential competitors have established, and may in the future establish, strategic relationships with vendors of complementary products, solutions, technologies, or services to increase the availability of their products to the marketplace. Our competitors may have greater market share, larger client bases, more widely adopted proprietary technologies, greater marketing expertise, greater financial resources, and larger sales forces than we have, which could put us at a competitive disadvantage.
Additionally, the pace of change in the revenue cycle technology market is rapid and there are frequent new solution introductions, solution enhancements, and evolving industry standards and requirements. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to upgrade our existing products and solutions, or introduce new products and solutions at the same rate as our competitors, or at all, nor can we guarantee that upgrades or new products and solutions will achieve market acceptance over or among competitive offerings, or at all.
We also may be subject to pricing pressures as a result of competition within the industry, among other factors. If we reduce our pricing in response to competitive pressure, our margins and results of operations will be adversely affected. Conversely, if we do not reduce our pricing, we could lose clients and be unable to attract new clients to our platform, which would adversely affect our business and our results of operations.
These competitive pressures could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
 
17

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
We must retain our existing clients and attract new clients.
Our business substantially depends on our ability to retain our existing clients and attract new clients. We expect to derive a significant portion of our revenue from renewal of existing clients’ contracts and sales of additional products and solutions to existing clients. As a result, achieving a high client retention rate, expanding within existing clients, and selling additional products and solutions are critical to our revenue. In addition, our ability to increase our client base will be critical to our future growth. In order to retain existing clients and attract new clients, we must provide solutions that enable our existing and prospective clients to simplify and improve the payment process, increase speed and efficiencies, and deliver exceptional client service.
Factors that may affect our client satisfaction, our ability to sell additional products and solutions to existing clients, and expand our client base include, but are not limited to, the following:

the performance and functionality of our platform;

our ability to deliver a high-quality client experience;

our ability to develop and sell complementary products and solutions;

the stability, performance, and security of our hosting infrastructure;

our ability to attract, retain, and effectively train sales and marketing personnel;

the delivery of products that are easy to use and deliver tangible value to clients;

changes in healthcare laws, regulations, or trends, and our ability to quickly adapt;

the business environment of our clients, including healthcare staffing shortages and headcount reductions by our clients;

the price of our products and solutions relative to our competitors;

our ability to integrate with EHR or PM systems; and

our ability to maintain and enhance our reputation and brand recognition.
Our clients have no obligation to renew their subscriptions for our platform solutions after the initial term expires, which is typically a two to three-year term. Our contracts generally provide for the automatic renewal for one-year subsequent terms, with the ability for our clients to terminate the contract with limited notice to us. Our clients’ renewal rates may fluctuate or decline because of several factors, including their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with our solutions and support, the prices of our solutions as compared to our competitors’ pricing, or reductions in our clients’ spending levels due to the macroeconomic environment or other factors. In addition, our clients may negotiate terms less advantageous to us upon renewal, which may reduce our revenue from these clients and may decrease our annual revenue. If our clients notify us of intent not to renew, renew their contracts upon less favorable terms, or at lower fee levels or fail to purchase new products and solutions from us, our revenue may decline, or our future revenue growth may be constrained.
We must be able to successfully execute on our business strategies in order to grow.
Our growth strategies include expanding our relationships with existing clients, growing our client base, deepening and expanding our relationships with strategic channel partners, innovating and developing adjacent solutions, and selectively pursuing strategic acquisitions. We are actively identifying growth and expansion opportunities in new markets, technology, or offerings, as well as exploring opportunities to increase our existing client base and cross-sell and upsell to our existing clients. To successfully execute on our growth initiatives, we will need to, among other things, successfully identify and execute on those opportunities and successfully identify, acquire, and integrate complementary businesses. We must also manage changing business conditions, anticipate and react to changes in the regulatory environment, and develop expertise in areas outside of our business’s historical core competencies. In addition, our future financial results will depend in part on our ability to profitably manage our business in new markets that we may enter. Failure to successfully address any of the foregoing risks could have a significant negative impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
 
18

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
We must accurately assess the risks related to acquisitions and successfully integrate acquired businesses.
We have historically acquired, and in the future may acquire, businesses, technologies, product lines, and other assets. The successful integration of any businesses and assets we have acquired or may acquire may be critical to our business and growth strategy.
The amount and timing of the expected benefits of any acquisition, including potential synergies, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those relating to:

our ability to maintain relationships with the clients and suppliers of the acquired business;

our ability to retain or replace key personnel of the acquired business;

potential conflicts in payer, client, partner, vendor, or marketing relationships;

our ability to coordinate organizations that are geographically diverse and may have different business cultures;

the acceptance of acquired company clients of product upgrades and platform changes;

the diversion of management’s attention to the integration of the operations of businesses or other assets we have acquired;

difficulties in the integration or migration of IT systems, including secure data sharing across networks securely, and maintaining the security of the IT systems;

incurrence of debt or assumption of known and unknown liabilities;

write-off of goodwill, client lists, and amortization of expenses related to intangible assets; and

compliance with regulatory, contracting, and other requirements, including internal control over financial reporting.
We cannot guarantee that any acquired businesses, technologies, services, product lines, or other assets will be successfully integrated with our operations in a timely or cost-effective manner, or at all. Failure to successfully integrate acquired businesses or to achieve anticipated operating synergies, revenue enhancements, or cost savings could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, or financial condition. Although we attempt to evaluate the risks inherent in each transaction and evaluate acquisition candidates appropriately, we may not properly ascertain all risks and the acquired businesses or other assets may not perform as expected or enhance our value as a whole. Acquired businesses also may have larger than expected liabilities that are not covered by the indemnification, if any, that we are able to obtain from the sellers. If we are unable to successfully complete and integrate strategic acquisitions in a timely manner, our business and growth strategies could be negatively affected.
Our business depends on our ability to establish and maintain strategic relationships.
We depend on strategic relationships, and if we lose any of these strategic relationships or fail to establish additional relationships, or if our relationships fail to benefit us as expected, this could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, and operating results. For example, our solutions are integrated with many EHR and PM solutions offered by providers with whom we have a strategic relationship. Our ability to form and maintain these relationships in order to facilitate the integration of our platform into the EHR and PM systems used by our clients and their patients is important to the success of our business. If providers of EHR or PM solutions amend, terminate, or fail to perform their obligations under their agreements with us, we may need to seek other ways of integrating our platform with the EHR and PM systems of our clients, which could be costly and time consuming, and could adversely affect our business results.
In addition, we have entered into contracts with channel partners to market and sell certain of our solutions, which are generally on a non-exclusive basis. However, under contracts with some channel partners, we may be bound by provisions that restrict our ability to market and sell solutions to potential clients. Our arrangements with
 
19

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
some of these channel partners involve negotiated payments to them based on percentages of revenue our common clients generate. If the payments prove to be too high, we may be unable to realize acceptable margins, but if the payments prove to be too low, channel partners may not be motivated to work with us at the levels initially contemplated. The success of these partnerships will depend in part upon the channel partners’ own competitive, marketing, and strategic considerations, including the relative advantages of using alternative solutions being developed and marketed by them or by competitors. If channel partners are unsuccessful in marketing our solutions or seek to amend the terms of their contracts, we may need to broaden our marketing efforts and alter our strategy, which may divert planned efforts and resources from other projects and may increase our costs. In addition, as part of the packages these channel partners sell, they may offer a choice to end-users between our solutions and similar solutions offered by competitors or by the channel partners directly. If our solutions are not chosen or renewed by existing channel partner end-users, revenue we earn via our channel partner relationships will decrease. Significant changes in the terms of our agreements with channel partners may also have an adverse effect on our ability to successfully market our solutions.
Our revenues rely, in part, on the growth and success of our clients and overall healthcare transaction volumes, which are subject to factors outside of our control.
We enter into agreements with our clients, under which a significant portion of our fees may be variable, including fees which are dependent upon the number of add-on features that our clients choose to subscribe to and the utilization of our solutions. These fees, above contractual minimums, are generally not required to be paid in the absence of healthcare transactions. Therefore, if there is a general reduction in patient visits, it may result in a reduction in fees generated from our clients or a reduction in the number of add-on features subscribed for by our clients. Our revenue can also be adversely affected by the impact of lower than normal healthcare utilization trends and other negative economic factors such as higher unemployment. For example, weakened economic conditions or a recession could reduce the amounts patients are willing or able to spend on healthcare services. Further, the number of patients utilizing our patient payment solutions, and the amounts those patients pay directly to our clients for services, is often impacted by factors outside of our control, such as the number of patients with high deductible health plans. The growth and success of our clients could also be impacted by changes in governmental policies and regulations, such as the creation of any future government single-payer system, which would have a significant adverse impact on our business.
For these reasons, revenue under these agreements can be uncertain and unpredictable, and if the associated transaction volumes were reduced by a material amount, such decrease would lead to a decrease in our revenue, which could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Consolidation in the healthcare industry could adversely impact our business, financial condition, and operating results.
Many healthcare provider organizations are consolidating to create integrated healthcare delivery systems with greater market power. As provider networks and managed care organizations consolidate, thus decreasing the number of market participants, competition to provide products and solutions like ours will become more intense, and the importance of establishing and maintaining relationships with key industry participants will increase. These industry participants may try to use their market power to negotiate price reductions for our products and solutions. Further, consolidation of management and billing services through integrated delivery systems may decrease demand for our products. Such consolidation may also lead integrated delivery systems to require newly acquired physician practices to replace our product with that already in use in the larger enterprise. In addition, vertical integration whereby healthcare provider organizations acquire EHR, PM, revenue management cycle, or similar systems may make it more challenging to establish new relationships with such providers or may lead to such provider organizations replacing our solutions with those offered by systems that they acquire. Any of these factors could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, and operating results.
We face a selling cycle of variable length to secure new client agreements.
We face a selling cycle of variable length, which can span from weeks to 18 months or longer, to secure a new agreement with a client. We invest a substantial amount of time and resources on our sales efforts without any
 
20

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
assurance that our efforts will produce sales. Even if we succeed at completing a sale, we may be unable to predict the size of the initial arrangement until very late in the sales cycle. We expend time and resources as part of our sales effort, and we may not recognize any revenue to offset such expenditures in the same period, particularly for longer sales cycles. We cannot accurately predict the timing of entering into agreements with new clients due to the complex procurement decision processes of many healthcare providers, which often involves high-level management or board committee approvals that can be delayed due to factors beyond our and their control. Due to our variable selling cycle length, we have only a limited ability to predict the timing of specific new client relationships, which affects our ability to predict future revenues and cash flows.
We face an implementation cycle that is dependent on our clients’ timing and resources.
We face an implementation cycle that is dependent on our clients’ timing, which may pose scheduling challenges, and our clients’ resources, which may be constrained or significantly diverted to larger projects, each of which can impact timing of implementation of our solutions. Providers are faced with labor-intensive, manual tasks as well as disconnected systems and tools, compounded by broad workforce shortages and high staff turnover rates, which can further limit their resources and ability to implement our solutions. Implementation of our solutions may also require other technology implementation or process changes by the client. If implementation periods are delayed or extended, our ability to generate revenue from these solutions would also be delayed even though we have expended time and resources in the implementation of such solutions. Even if implementation has begun, there can be no assurance that we will recognize revenue on a timely basis or at all from our efforts, and any revenue may not be recognized during the same period in which we incur implementation expenses.
We depend on our senior management team and certain key employees and must continue to attract and retain highly skilled employees.
Our success depends, in part, on the skills, working relationships, and continued services of Matthew Hawkins (our Chief Executive Officer), the senior management team, and other key personnel. From time to time, there may be changes in our senior management team resulting from the hiring or departure of executives, which could disrupt our business. In addition, our hybrid work environment could make it difficult to manage our business and adequately oversee our employees and business functions, potentially resulting in harm to our company culture, increased employee attrition, and the loss of key personnel.
We must attract, train, and retain a significant number of highly skilled employees, including sales and marketing personnel, client support personnel, professional services personnel, software engineers, technical personnel, and management personnel, and the availability of such personnel, in particular software engineers, may be constrained. We also believe that our future growth will depend on the continued development of our direct sales force and its ability to obtain new clients and to manage our existing client base. If we are unable to hire and develop sufficient numbers of productive direct sales personnel or if new direct sales personnel are unable to achieve desired productivity levels in a reasonable period of time, sales of our products and solutions will suffer and our growth will be impeded.
Competition for qualified management and employees in our industry is intense and identifying and recruiting qualified personnel and training them requires significant time, expense, and attention. Many of the companies with which we compete for personnel have greater financial and other resources than we do. While we have entered into offer letters or employment agreements with certain of our executive officers, all of our employees are “at-will” employees, and their employment can be terminated by us or them at any time, for any reason, and without notice, subject, in certain cases, to severance payment rights. The departure and replacement of one or more of our executive officers or other key employees would likely involve significant time and costs, may significantly delay or prevent the achievement of our business objectives, and could materially harm our business. In addition, volatility or lack of performance in our stock price may affect our ability to attract replacements should key personnel depart.
The estimates and assumptions we use to determine the size of our total addressable market may prove to be inaccurate.
Market estimates and growth forecasts that we disclose are subject to significant uncertainty and are based on assumptions and estimates that may not prove to be accurate. The estimates and forecasts relating to the size and
 
21

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
expected growth of the market for our products and solutions may prove to be inaccurate. These estimates and forecasts may be impacted by economic uncertainty that is outside our control, including macroeconomic trends such as domestic supply chain risks, inflationary pressure, interest rate increases, and declines in consumer confidence that impact our clients. While we believe the information on which we base our total addressable market and the underlying estimates and assumptions is generally reliable, such information is inherently imprecise. We cannot assure you that these assumptions will prove to be accurate.
Risks related to our products and solutions
We may not be able to develop and market new solutions, or enhance our existing solutions, to respond to technological changes or evolving industry standards.
The markets in which we operate are characterized by rapid technological and regulatory change, evolving industry standards, and increasingly sophisticated client needs. For example, from time to time, government agencies may alter format and data code requirements applicable to electronic transactions. In addition, clients may request that solutions be customized to satisfy particular security protocols, modifications, and other contractual terms in excess of industry norms and standard configurations. In order to compete successfully, we must keep pace with our competitors in anticipating and responding to these rapid changes and evolving client demands. Our future success will depend, in part, upon our ability to enhance and improve the functionality of our existing solutions (including the successful continued deployment of the use of AI in our products and solutions) and develop and introduce in a timely manner or acquire new solutions that keep pace with technological and regulatory developments and industry requirements, satisfy increasingly sophisticated client requirements, and achieve market acceptance. Because some of our solutions are complex and require rigorous testing, development cycles can be lengthy, depending upon the solution and other factors. Our estimates of research and development expenses may be too low, our revenue may not be sufficient to support the future product development that is required for us to remain competitive, and development cycles may be longer than anticipated. Further, there is no assurance that research and development expenditures will lead to successful solutions or enhancements to our existing solutions. In addition, technological advances also may result in the downward pricing pressures, which could result in us losing sales unless we lower the prices we charge or provide additional efficiencies or capabilities to the client.
In addition, because some of the software and systems that we use to provide solutions to clients are inherently complex, changing, updating, enhancing, or creating new versions of our solutions or the software or systems we use to provide our solutions introduces a risk of errors or performance problems. These updates and enhancements also require training and support to effectively implement, and our clients may have difficulties doing so. If significant problems occur as a result of these changes, we may fail to meet our contractual obligations to clients, which could result in claims being made against us or in the loss of client relationships.
If we are unable, for technological or other reasons, to develop or acquire on a timely and cost-effective basis new software solutions or enhancements to existing solutions or if such new solutions or enhancements do not achieve market acceptance or are not properly implemented, or if new technologies emerge that are able to deliver competitive offerings at lower prices, more efficiently, more conveniently, or more securely than our offerings, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our business depends on the interoperability, connectivity, and integration of our solutions with our clients’ and their vendors’ networks and infrastructures.
Our solutions must interoperate, connect, and integrate with our clients’ and their vendors’ existing infrastructures, which often have different specifications, utilize multiple protocol standards, deploy products and solutions from multiple vendors, and contain multiple generations of products that have been added to that infrastructure over time. Some of the technologies supporting our clients and their vendors are constantly evolving and we must continue to adapt to these changes in a timely and effective manner at an acceptable cost. In addition, our clients and their vendors may implement new technologies into their existing networks and systems infrastructures that may not immediately interoperate with our solutions. Our continued success will depend on our ability to
 
22

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
adapt to changing technologies, manage, and process ever-increasing amounts of data and information and improve the performance, features, and reliability of our solutions in response to changing client and industry demands. If we encounter complications related to network configurations or settings, we may have to modify our solutions to enable them to interoperate with our clients’ and their vendors’ networks and manage clients’ transactions in the manner intended. For example, if clients or their vendors implement new encryption protocols, it may be necessary for us to obtain a license to implement or interoperate with such protocols, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain such a license on acceptable terms, if at all. On the other hand, any new or enhanced technologies that we employ must be accepted by our clients’ and their vendors’ existing infrastructures and be able to be integrated with their platforms and solutions. For example, we use automated software applications or “bot” technology and Application Interface (“API”) technology in a number of our solutions. Certain of our clients’ platforms may not support those technologies or functionalities for various reasons, which would adversely impact connectivity of our solutions. Any of these difficulties could delay or prevent the successful design, development, testing, introduction, or marketing of our solutions.
Further, because our solutions are interoperated and integrated, any disruption to our clients’ and their vendors’ networks and infrastructures, such as those of the EHR and PM vendors of our clients, could cause our solutions to become unavailable.
As a consequence of any of the foregoing, our ability to sell our solutions may be impaired, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, or financial condition.
The successful operation of our business depends upon the performance and reliability of internet, mobile, and other infrastructure, none of which are under our control.
Our business and ability to provide our products and solutions is highly dependent upon the reliable performance of our platform and the underlying network and server infrastructure, including the performance and reliability of internet, mobile, and other infrastructures that are not under our control. This includes maintenance of a reliable network backbone with the necessary speed, data capacity, and security for providing reliable internet access and services and reliable mobile device, and telephone all at a predictable and reasonable cost. We have experienced and expect that we will experience interruptions and delays in services and availability from time to time.
We serve our clients primarily from third-party data-hosting facilities. These facilities are vulnerable to damage or interruption from earthquakes, floods, fires, power loss, telecommunications failures, and similar events. They are also subject to break-ins, sabotage, intentional acts of vandalism, and similar misconduct. Their systems and servers could also be subject to software and hardware errors, hacking, ransomware, viruses, and other disruptive problems or vulnerabilities. Despite precautions taken at these facilities, the occurrence of a natural disaster or an act of terrorism, a decision to close the facilities without adequate notice, or other unanticipated problems at the facilities could result in lengthy interruptions in our solutions. Although we have instituted disaster recovery arrangements, in certain cases, we do not maintain redundant systems or facilities. In the event of a catastrophic event, we may experience an extended period of system unavailability, which could negatively impact our relationship with users or clients.
Any disruption in network access or telecommunications could significantly harm our business. Almost all access to the internet is maintained through telecommunication operators who have significant market power that could take actions that degrade, disrupt, or increase the cost of users’ ability to access our platform. Disruptions in internet infrastructure, cloud-based hosting, or the failure of telecommunications network operators to provide us with the bandwidth we need to provide our products and solutions could temporarily disrupt or shut down our business. The insurance coverage under our policies may not be adequate to compensate us for all losses that may occur. In addition, we cannot provide assurance that we will continue to be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at an acceptable cost.
Further, the reliability and performance of the internet may be harmed by increased usage or by denial-of-service attacks. The internet has experienced a variety of outages and other delays as a result of damages to
 
23

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
portions of its infrastructure, and it could face outages and delays in the future. These outages and delays could reduce the level of internet usage as well as the availability of the internet to us for delivery of our products and solutions. Finally, recent changes in law could impact the cost and availability of necessary internet infrastructure. Increased costs and/or decreased availability would negatively affect our results of operations.
Our business would be adversely affected if we cannot obtain, process, use, disclose, or distribute the highly regulated data we require to provide our solutions.
Our business relies in part on our ability to obtain, process, monetize, use, disclose, and distribute highly regulated data in the healthcare and technology industries in a manner that complies with applicable laws, regulations, and contractual and technological restrictions. The failure by us or our data suppliers, processors, partners, and vendors to obtain, provide, maintain, use, and disclose data in a compliant manner could have a harmful effect on our ability to use and disclose data which in turn could impair our functions and operations, including our ability to share data with third parties or incorporate it into our product offerings. In addition, the processing, use, disclosure, and distribution of data may require us or our data suppliers, processors, partners, and vendors to obtain consent from third parties or follow additional laws, regulations, or contractual and technological restrictions that apply to the healthcare industry. These requirements could interfere with or prevent creation or use of rules and analyses or limit other data-driven activities that benefit us. Moreover, due to lack of valid notice, permission, authorization, consent, or waiver, we may be subject to claims or liability for use or disclosure of information. We have policies and procedures in place to address the proper handling, use, and disclosure of data, but could face claims that our practices occur in a manner not permitted under applicable laws or our agreements with or obligations to data providers, individuals, or other third parties. These claims or liabilities and other failures to comply with applicable requirements could damage our reputation, subject us to unexpected costs, and could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, or financial condition. See “Risks related to information technology systems, cybersecurity, data privacy, and intellectual property—Privacy concerns or security breaches or incidents relating to our platform could result in economic loss, damage to our reputation, deter users from using our products, expose us to legal penalties and liability, and otherwise adversely affect our business” and “Risks related to legal and governmental regulation—We are subject to health care laws and data privacy and security laws and regulations governing our Processing of personal information, including protected health information (“PHI”), personal health records, and payment card data.”
Additionally, to the extent we are permitted to de-identify personal information, including PHI, and use and disclose such de-identified information for our purposes, we must determine whether such PHI has been sufficiently de-identified to comply with our contractual obligations and the privacy standards under HIPAA. Such determinations may require complex factual and statistical analyses and may be subject to interpretation. Accordingly, we may be subject to claims or liability for failure to sufficiently de-identify data to comply with the HIPAA privacy standards and our contractual obligations. These claims or liabilities could damage our reputation, subject us to unexpected costs and could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, or financial condition. If we are unable to properly protect the privacy and security of PHI entrusted to us, we could be found to have breached our contracts with our clients and be subject to investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”), or other governmental or regulatory authorities. In the event OCR or other governmental or regulatory authorities find that we have failed to comply with applicable privacy and security standards, we could face civil and criminal penalties. Additionally, in recent years, consumer advocates, media, and elected officials increasingly and publicly have criticized companies in data-focused industries regarding the Processing of personal information, including the licensing of de-identified information, by such companies. Concerns about our practices with regard to the Processing or security of PHI, personal information, the licensing of de-identified information, or other privacy related matters, even if unfounded, could damage our reputation and adversely affect our business, results of operations, or financial condition.
We rely on certain third-party vendors and providers.
We have entered contracts with third-party providers to provide critical services relating to our business, including clearinghouse systems and payment processing services. We primarily use clearinghouse systems for
 
24

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
our claims and payer payment management solutions to facilitate data exchanges between providers and payors in connection with the reimbursement process, and use payment processing services in our patient financial care solutions to facilitate patient payments to their providers. We also rely on third-party data providers to enable us to deliver automated eligibility and benefits verification as part of our financial clearance solutions , as well as third parties who print and deliver paper statements to patients as part of our patient financial care solution. We also use various third-party vendors, such as software as a service and infrastructure as a service, cybersecurity solutions, and cloud based hosting of our proprietary solutions. We rely on hosted software as a service applications from third parties to operate critical functions of our business, including enterprise resource planning, order management, contract management billing, accounting, human resources, and other operational activities. We also rely third parties with respect to internet, mobile, and other infrastructure as described under “—The successful operation of our business depends upon the performance and reliability of internet, mobile, and other infrastructure, none of which are under our control” below.
Our dependence on these third parties to support key functions of our business creates numerous risks, in particular, the risk that we may not maintain service quality, control, or effective management with respect to these operations, which, among other things, could result in our inability to meet certain obligations to our clients. For example, if our clearinghouse partners experience a disruption to their system, this could significantly adversely impact the availability and functionality of our claims management suite and, among other things, could cause us to be in breach of certain client contracts. In the event that these service providers fail to maintain adequate levels of support, do not provide high quality service, increase the fees they charge us, discontinue their lines of business, terminate our contractual arrangements, or cease or reduce operations, we may suffer additional costs and be required to pursue new third-party relationships, which could materially disrupt our operations and our ability to provide our products and solutions, divert management’s time and resources, and cause us to fail to meet required service levels stipulated in our client contracts.
Our reputation and our clients’ willingness to purchase our products and partners’ willingness to use our products depend, in part, on our third-party providers’ compliance with ethical employment practices, such as with respect to child labor, wages and benefits, forced labor, discrimination, safe and healthy working conditions, and with all legal and regulatory requirements relating to the conduct of their businesses. If our third-party providers fail to comply with applicable laws, regulations, safety codes, employment practices, human rights standards, quality standards, environmental standards, production practices, or other obligations, norms, or ethical standards, our reputation and brand image could be harmed and we could be exposed to litigation and additional costs that would harm our business, reputation, and results of operations. The ability of our third-party providers to effectively satisfy our business requirements could also be impacted by financial difficulty of our third-party providers or damage to their operations caused by fire, terrorist attack, natural disaster, or other events.
Any termination of our agreements with, or disruption in the performance of, one or more of these service providers could result in disruption or unavailability of our platform, and harm our ability to continue to develop, maintain, and improve our products, as well as harm our brand and reputation. While we have entered into agreements with these third-party service providers, they have no obligation to renew their agreements on similar terms or on terms that we find commercially reasonable, or at all. Identifying replacement third-party service providers, and negotiating agreements with them, requires significant time and resources. If any one of our material third-party service provider’s ability to perform their obligations was impaired, we may not be able to find an alternative supplier in a timely manner or on acceptable financial terms, and we may not be able to meet the full demands of our clients within the time periods expected, or at all.
Any errors or malfunctions in our products and solutions could result in liability to our clients.
Our products and solutions are used to help simplify the payment process for healthcare providers. If our products and solutions fail to provide accurate and timely information or are associated with errors or malfunctions, then our clients could assert claims against us that could result in substantial costs to us, harm our reputation in the industry, and cause demand for our products and solutions to decline. Although we attempt to
 
25

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
limit by contract our liability for damages, the allocations of responsibility and limitations of liability set forth in our contracts may not be enforceable or may not otherwise sufficiently protect us from liability for damages. In certain circumstances, we may also be liable for the acts or omissions of others, such as our vendors or suppliers. On occasion, we enter into standard indemnification arrangements in the ordinary course of business. Pursuant to these arrangements, we indemnify, hold harmless, and agree to reimburse the indemnified parties for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party, in connection with any trade secret, copyright, patent, or other intellectual property infringement claim by any third-party with respect to its technology. The terms of these indemnification agreements are generally perpetual. See “Business—Indemnification and insurance.”
Moreover, our products and solutions may contain defects, errors, bugs, vulnerabilities, or failures that are not detected until after the software is introduced or updates and new versions are released. From time to time we have discovered defects, errors, bugs, vulnerabilities, or failures in our software, and such defects, errors, bugs, vulnerabilities, or failures can be expected to occur in the future. Defects, errors, bugs, vulnerabilities, or failures that are not timely detected and remedied could expose us to risk of liability to our clients and cause delays in introduction of new solutions, result in increased costs and diversion of development resources, require design modifications, decrease market acceptance or client satisfaction with our solutions, and harm our brand and reputation.
In addition, we create rules within our products and solutions based on payers’ authorization policy documents, and which may be used for financial recovery by our clients. These policies and related legal requirements can be complex and are subject to frequent changes. If such rules are inaccurate or contain errors, or if we fail to timely update our rules to reflect any changes in policies or requirements, then we may be subject to liability. If any of these risks occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations.
Failure by our clients to obtain proper permissions or provide us with accurate and appropriate information may result in claims against us or may limit or prevent our use of information.
To the extent we are not otherwise permitted to use and/or disclose client information, we require our clients to provide necessary notices and obtain necessary permissions, consents, and authorizations for the use and disclosure of the information that we receive from our solutions. We then provide patient information to third parties, pursuant to patient permissions, consents, and authorizations that permit the third parties to collect such information, and such patient information may be aggregated or combined with other data sources to gain additional insights from such patient information. Such patient information may also be anonymized/de-identified and sold to or collected by a data aggregator.
If our clients do not provide necessary notices or obtain necessary permissions, consents, or authorizations, then our use and disclosure of information that we receive from them or on their behalf may be limited or prohibited by federal or state privacy or other laws. Such failures by our clients could impair our functions, processes, and databases that reflect, contain, or are based upon such information. In addition, such failures by our clients could interfere with or prevent creation or use of rules, analyses, or other data-driven activities that benefit us or make our solutions less useful. Accordingly, we may be subject to claims or liability for inaccurate claims data submitted to payers, inaccurate or incomplete billing and coding claims or for use or disclosure of information by reason of lack of valid notice, permission, consent, or authorization. These claims or liabilities could damage our reputation, subject us to unexpected costs, and could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, or financial condition.
Certain of our solutions present the potential for embezzlement, identity theft, or other similar illegal behavior by our employees or vendors and a failure of our employees or vendors to observe quality standards or adhere to environmental, social, and governance standards could damage our reputation.
As a payments facilitator, we handle payments from payers and from patients for many of our provider clients and are in possession of payment card information and banking account information. Even when we do not facilitate payments, our solutions also involve the use and disclosure of personal and business information that could be used to impersonate third parties or otherwise gain access to their data or funds. If any of our
 
26

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
employees or vendors or other bad actors does not comply with the law or engages in unethical conduct, such as taking, converting, or misusing funds, documents, or information, or if we experience a data breach creating a risk of identity theft, we could be liable for damages, and our reputation could be damaged or destroyed.
In addition, we could be perceived to have facilitated or participated in illegal misappropriation of funds, documents, or data and, therefore, be subject to civil or criminal liability. Federal and state regulators may take the position that a data breach or misdirection of data constitutes an unfair or deceptive act or trade practice. We also may be required to notify individuals affected by any data breaches. Further, a data breach or similar incident could impact the ability of our clients that are creditors to comply with the federal “red flags” rules, which require the implementation of identity theft prevention programs to detect, prevent, and mitigate identity theft in connection with client accounts. Any such data breach could have an adverse impact on our business, results of operations, and reputation.
We must comply with the applicable rules of the National Automated Clearing House Association (“NACHA”), and we, our clients, and our sales partners must comply with the applicable requirements of card networks.
We provide payments solutions for the secure processing of patient payments. Our payment processing tools can connect to multiple financial services providers and acquiring banks and can also connect directly with patients. We have developed partnerships with ACH operators and primary credit card processors to facilitate payment processing as a third-party sender for patient payments as well as funds disbursements to healthcare providers, and we are registered with numerous card networks as a service provider (payment facilitator or the equivalent) for acquiring banks. The NACHA and these card networks set the operating rules and standards with which we must comply. The termination of our status as a third-party sender or a decision by NACHA to bar us from serving as such, the termination of our status as a certified service provider or a decision by the card networks to disallow payment facilitators or bar us from serving as such, or any changes in NACHA or card network rules or standards, including interpretation and implementation of the operating rules or standards, that increase the cost of doing business or limit our ability to provide payment processing solutions to our clients, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations.
In addition, we and our clients are subject to card network rules that could subject us or our clients to a variety of fines or penalties that may be levied by card networks for certain acts or omissions by us or our clients. If a client or sales partner fails to comply with the applicable requirements of card networks, we could be subject to a variety of fines or penalties that may be levied by card networks. We may have to bear the cost of such fines or penalties if we cannot collect them from the applicable client or sales partner, resulting in lower earnings or losses for us. Our violation of the network rules may result in the termination or suspension of our registration with the affected network. The termination of our registration, including a card network barring us from acting as a payment facilitator, or any changes in card network rules that would impair our registration, could require us to stop providing payment solutions relating to the affected card network, which would adversely affect our ability to conduct our business.
In addition, the rules of card networks are set by their boards, which may be influenced by card issuers. Many banks directly or indirectly sell payment processing services to clients in competition with us. These banks could attempt, by virtue of their influence on the networks, to alter the networks’ rules or policies to the detriment of non-members, including us.
We are subject to increases in card network fees and other changes to fee arrangements.
From time to time, card networks, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, increase the fees that they charge, which are indirectly passed down to payment facilitators like us. Although we may attempt to pass these increases along to our clients, this may result in the loss of clients to our competitors that do not pass along the increases. If competitive practices prevent us from passing along the higher fees to our clients in the future, we may have to absorb all or a portion of such increases, which may increase our operating costs and adversely impact our results of operations.
 
27

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Further, any future regulations on processing rates being capped when applied to transaction refunds could have a negative impact on our business. A provision of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) known as the Durbin Amendment empowered the Federal Reserve Board to establish and regulate a cap on the interchange fees that merchants pay banks for electronic clearing of debit card transactions. The final rule implementing the Durbin Amendment established standards for assessing whether debit card interchange fees received by debit card issuers were reasonable and proportional to the costs incurred by issuers for electronic debit transactions, and it established a maximum permissible interchange fee that an issuer may receive for an electronic debit transaction, limiting the fee revenue to debit card issuers and payment processors. To the extent that HSA-linked payment cards and other exempt payment cards used on our platform (or their issuing banks) lose their exempt status under the current rules or if the current interchange rate caps applicable to other payment cards used on our platform are increased, any such amendment, rule-making, or legislation could increase the interchange fees applicable to payment card transactions processed through our platform. As a result, this could decrease our revenue and profit and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to the effect of payer and provider conduct which we cannot control.
We offer certain electronic claims submission products as part of our platform. While we have implemented certain product features designed to maximize the accuracy and completeness of claims submissions, these features may not be sufficient to prevent inaccurate claims data from being submitted to payers. Should inaccurate claims data be submitted to payers due to errors and omissions by Waystar, we may be subject to liability claims. Electronic data transmission services are offered by certain payers to healthcare providers that establish a direct link between the provider and payer. This process could reduce revenue to vendors such as us. A significant increase in the utilization of direct links between providers and payers would reduce the number of transactions that we process and for which we are paid, resulting in a decrease in revenue and an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Risks related to information technology systems, cybersecurity, data privacy, and intellectual property
We and our vendors are subject to attacks of such information technology systems, including cyber-attacks, security breaches, or other incidents impacting the information Processed through our platform.
We collect, create, receive, maintain, process, use, transmit, disclose, transfer, alter, and store (collectively, “Process”) significant amounts of personal information of patients received in connection with the utilization of our platform and otherwise in connection with the operation of our business, and other sensitive, confidential, and proprietary information such as payment data and PHI. Attacks on information technology systems are increasing in their frequency, levels of persistence, sophistication, and intensity, and they are being conducted by increasingly sophisticated and organized groups and individuals with a wide range of motives and expertise. In addition to extracting personal information and other sensitive or confidential information, such attacks could include the deployment of harmful malware, ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, social engineering, and other means to affect service reliability and threaten the confidentiality, integrity, security, and availability of our information or information technology systems. The prevalent use of mobile devices also increases the risk of data security incidents. Further, like all internet-based solutions, our solutions are vulnerable to software bugs, computer viruses, malware, internet worms, break-ins, phishing attacks, attempts to overload servers with denial-of-service, or other attacks or similar disruptions from unauthorized use of our and third-party computer systems, any of which could lead to system interruptions, delays, or shutdowns, causing loss of critical data, or the unauthorized acquisition of or access to data. While we believe we have taken reasonable steps to protect such data, techniques used to gain unauthorized access to or acquisitions of data and systems, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems, are constantly evolving, and we may be unable to anticipate such techniques or implement adequate preventative measures to avoid unauthorized access, acquisitions of, or other adverse impacts to such data or our systems. The risk of state-supported and geopolitical-related cyber-attacks may increase in connection with the war in Ukraine and any related political or economic responses and counter-responses. We may
 
28

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
not discover all such incidents or activity or be able to respond or otherwise address them promptly, in sufficient respects or at all. Any specific interruption or attack, any failure to maintain performance, reliability, security, and availability of our products, or failure to prevent software bugs and other corruptants such as those listed above, to the satisfaction of our clients or their patients, may harm our reputation and our ability to retain existing clients, negatively affect our clients and their patients, and adversely impact our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
In addition, some of our third-party service providers and vendors also Process our personal information and other sensitive information such as our clients’ data on our behalf. These service providers and vendors are subject to similar threats of cyber-attacks, security incidents, and other malicious internet-based activities, which could also expose us to risk of loss, litigation, potential liability, and/or other costs. We may have limited insight into the data privacy or security practices of third-party vendors and providers, including as it relates to our AI algorithms. We have also acquired and may continue to acquire companies that are vulnerable to cyber-attacks and security incidents and breaches, and we may be responsible for any such attacks, incidents, and breaches of these newly acquired companies.
Further, the security systems in place at our employees’, vendors’, and service providers’ offices and homes may be less secure than those used in our offices, and while we have implemented technical, physical, and administrative safeguards to help protect our systems when our employees, vendors, and service providers work from their offices, homes, and other remote locations, we may be subject to increased cybersecurity risk, which could expose us to risks of data or financial loss, and could disrupt our business operations. There is no guarantee that the data security and privacy safeguards we have put in place will ultimately be effective or that we will not encounter risks associated with employees, vendors, and service providers accessing company data and systems remotely. If an actual or perceived breach of security occurs to our systems or a third-party’s systems, we could be required to expend significant resources to mitigate the breach of security, pay any applicable fines, and address matters related to any such breach, including notifying impacted individuals or regulators, making public disclosures, and addressing reputational harm.
Any theft, loss, or misappropriation of, or access to, clients’, or other proprietary data, or other breach of our third-party service providers’ or vendors’ information technology systems could result in fines, legal claims, or proceedings, including regulatory investigations and actions, or liability for failure to comply with privacy and information security laws, which could disrupt our operations, damage our reputation, and expose us to claims from clients, individuals, and others, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The costs of mitigating data security risks are significant and are likely to increase in the future. Although we carry cybersecurity insurance, we cannot ensure our limits are sufficient to cover us against all potential losses for damages or fines in an amount exceeding our policy.
Our business is subject to complex and evolving laws and regulations regarding privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity.
There are numerous U.S. federal, state, local, and international laws and regulations regarding privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity that govern the Processing of personal information and other information. The scope of these laws and regulations is expanding and evolving, subject to differing interpretations, may be inconsistent among jurisdictions, or conflict with other rules. We are also subject to the terms of our privacy policies and obligations to third parties related to privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity.
For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (the “CCPA”) took effect on January 1, 2020, which broadly defines personal information, gives California residents expanded privacy rights and protections, and provides for civil penalties for certain violations. Furthermore, in November 2020, California voters passed the California Privacy Rights and Enforcement Act of 2020 (the “CPRA”), which amended and expanded the CCPA with additional data privacy compliance requirements and established a regulatory agency dedicated to enforcing those requirements. Additional states, such as Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Utah, and others have
 
29

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
since also passed comprehensive state privacy laws that may impose additional obligations and requirements on our business. Data privacy laws and regulations are constantly evolving and can be subject to significant change and/or interpretive application. Varying jurisdictional requirements could increase the costs and complexity of our compliance efforts and violations of applicable data privacy laws can result in significant penalties. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with applicable data protection or other laws could result in proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others, subject us to significant fines, penalties, judgments, and negative publicity, require us to change our business practices, increase the costs and complexity of compliance, and adversely affect our business. Several of these new laws, including the CCPA, require us to allow individuals to opt-out of the use of their personal information for targeted advertising, which may impact our marketing strategy.
Additionally, businesses are legally required to notify affected individuals, governmental entities, and/or credit reporting agencies of certain security incidents affecting personal information. Such laws are not all consistent, and compliance in the event of a widespread security incident is complex and costly and may be difficult to implement. We may also be contractually required to indemnify and hold harmless clients from the costs or consequences of non-compliance with any laws, regulations, or other legal obligations relating to data privacy or health care laws or any inadvertent or unauthorized Processing of personal information or PHI that we store or handle as part of operating our business. Our existing general liability and cyber liability insurance policies may not cover, or may cover only a portion of, any potential claims related to security breaches to which we are exposed or may not be adequate to indemnify us for all or any portion of liabilities that may be imposed. See “Risks related to legal and governmental regulation—We are subject to health care laws and data privacy and security laws and regulations governing our Processing of personal information, including PHI, personal health records, and payment card data” below for further discussion.
If our intellectual property rights are not adequately protected and enforced, we may not be able to build name recognition or protect our technology and products.
Our business depends on proprietary technology and content, including software, databases, confidential information and know-how, the protection of which is crucial to the success of our business. We rely on a combination of trademark, trade-secret, copyright, and other intellectual property laws, confidentiality procedures, and contractual provisions to protect our intellectual property rights in our proprietary technology, content, and brand. We may, over time, increase our investment in protecting our intellectual property through additional trademark, patent, and other intellectual property filings that could be expensive and time-consuming. Effective trademark, trade-secret, and copyright protection is expensive to develop and maintain, both in terms of initial and ongoing registration requirements and the costs of asserting our rights against third parties. Further, these measures may not be sufficient to offer us meaningful protection. If we are unable to protect our intellectual property and assert our rights in such intellectual property against third parties, our brand, competitive position, and business could be harmed, as third parties may be able to dilute our brand or commercialize and use technologies and software products that are substantially the same as ours without incurring the development and licensing costs that we have incurred. Any of our owned or licensed intellectual property rights could be challenged, invalidated, circumvented, infringed, or misappropriated, our trade secrets and other confidential information could be disclosed in an unauthorized manner to third parties, or our intellectual property rights may not be sufficient to permit us to take advantage of current market trends or otherwise provide us with competitive advantages, which could result in costly redesign efforts, discontinuance of certain products and solutions, or other competitive harm.
Monitoring unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult and costly. From time to time, we seek to analyze our competitors’ products and solutions, and may in the future seek to enforce our rights against potential infringement. However, the steps we have taken to protect our proprietary rights may not be adequate to prevent infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property. We may not be able to detect unauthorized use of, or take appropriate steps to enforce, our intellectual property rights. Any inability to meaningfully protect or enforce our intellectual property rights could result in harm to our brand or our ability to compete and reduce demand for our technology and products. Moreover, our failure to develop and properly manage new
 
30

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
intellectual property could adversely affect our market positions and business opportunities. Also, some of our products and solutions rely on technologies and software developed by or licensed from third parties. Any disruption or disturbance in such third-party products or services, which we have experienced in the past and may experience again in the future, could interrupt the operation of our platform, and could cause us to be in breach of contracts with our clients. We may not be able to maintain our relationships with such third parties or enter into similar relationships in the future on reasonable terms or at all.
Additional uncertainty may result from changes to intellectual property legislation enacted in the United States and elsewhere, and from interpretations of intellectual property laws by applicable courts and agencies. Accordingly, despite our efforts, we may be unable to obtain and maintain the intellectual property rights necessary to provide us with a competitive advantage. Our failure to obtain, maintain, and enforce our intellectual property rights could therefore have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our business depends on our ability to use or license data and integrate third-party technologies.
We depend upon licenses from third parties for some of the technology and data used in our products and solutions, and for some of the technology platforms upon which these products and solutions are built and operate. We expect that we may need to obtain additional licenses from third parties in the future in connection with the development of our products and solutions. In addition, we obtain a portion of the data that we use from government entities and public records for specific client engagements. We believe that we have all rights necessary to use the data that is incorporated into our products and solutions. However, we cannot assure you that our licenses for information will allow us to use that information for all potential or contemplated products and solutions. In addition, our ability to use data to support existing products and solutions and to develop new products and solutions is largely dependent upon the contractual rights we secure. For example, certain of our products depend on maintaining our data and analytics platform, which is populated with data disclosed to us by healthcare providers and payers with their consent. If these providers and/or payers revoke their consent for us to maintain, use, de-identify, and share this data, consistent with applicable law, our data assets could be degraded.
In the future, data providers could withdraw their data from us or restrict our usage for any reason, including if there is a competitive reason to do so, if legislation is passed restricting the use of the data, or if judicial interpretations are issued restricting use of the data that we currently use in our products and solutions. In addition, data providers could fail to adhere to our quality control standards in the future, causing us to incur additional expense to appropriately utilize the data. If a substantial number of data providers were to withdraw or restrict their data, or if they fail to adhere to our quality control standards, and if we are unable to identify and contract with suitable alternative data suppliers and integrate these data sources into our offerings, our ability to provide products and solutions to our partners would be materially adversely impacted, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We also integrate into our proprietary products and solutions and use third-party software to maintain and enhance, among other things, content generation and delivery, and to support our technology infrastructure. Some of this software is proprietary and some is open source software. Our use of third-party technologies and open source software exposes us to increased risks, including, but not limited to, risks associated with the integration of new technology into our platform, the diversion of our resources from development of our own proprietary technology and our inability to generate revenue from licensed technology sufficient to offset associated acquisition and maintenance costs. These technologies may not be available to us in the future on commercially reasonable terms or at all and could be difficult to replace once integrated into our own proprietary products and solutions. Most of these licenses can be renewed only by mutual consent and may be terminated if we breach the terms of the license and fail to cure the breach within a specified period of time. Our inability to obtain, maintain, or comply with any of these licenses could delay development until equivalent technology can be identified, licensed, and integrated, which would harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
 
31

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Most of our third-party licenses are non-exclusive and our competitors may obtain the right to use any of the technology covered by these licenses to compete directly with us. If our data suppliers choose to discontinue support of the licensed technology in the future, we might not be able to modify or adapt our own solutions.
Our use of “open source” software could adversely affect our ability to offer our products and solutions and subject us to possible litigation.
We have in the past incorporated and may in the future incorporate certain open source software into our products and solutions. Open source software is licensed by its authors or owners under open source licenses, which in some instances may subject us to certain unfavorable conditions, including requirements that we offer our products and solutions that incorporate such open source software for no cost, that we make publicly available the source code for any modifications or derivative works we create based upon, incorporating or using the open source software, or that we license such modifications or derivative works under the terms of the particular open source license. In addition, the use of third-party open source software could expose us to greater risks than the use of third-party commercial software to the extent open-source licensors do not provide warranties or controls on the functionality or origin of the software equivalent to those provided by third-party commercial software providers. Further, the public availability of open source software may make it easier for attackers to target and compromise our platform through cyber-attacks. Open sourcing such software requires us to make the source code publicly available, and therefore can limit our ability to protect our intellectual property rights with respect to that software. From time to time, companies that use open source software have faced claims challenging the use of open source software or compliance with open source license terms. Furthermore, there is an increasing number of open source software license types, many of which have not been tested in a court of law. We could be subject to suits by parties claiming copyright infringement or noncompliance with open source licensing terms. While we monitor the use of open source software and try to ensure that none is used in a manner that would require us to disclose our proprietary source code or that would otherwise breach the terms of an open source license, such use could inadvertently occur, in part because open source license terms are often ambiguous. Any requirement to disclose our proprietary source code or pay damages for breach of contract could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations and could help our competitors develop products and solutions that are similar to or better than ours.
Third parties may initiate legal proceedings alleging that we are infringing or otherwise violating their intellectual property rights.
Our commercial success depends on our ability to develop and commercialize our products and solutions and use our proprietary technology without infringing the intellectual property or proprietary rights of third parties. However, from time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business with respect to intellectual property. Intellectual property disputes can be costly to defend and may cause our business, operating results, and financial condition to suffer. As the market for healthcare technology solutions in the United States expands and more patents are issued, the risk increases that there may be patents issued to third parties that relate to our products and technology of which we are not aware or that we must challenge to continue our operations as currently contemplated. Whether merited or not, we may face allegations that we, our licensees, or parties indemnified by us have infringed or otherwise violated the patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights of third parties. Such claims may be made by competitors seeking to obtain a competitive advantage or by other parties. Additionally, so-called non-practicing entities collect patents and make claims of infringement in an attempt to extract settlements from companies like ours. We have faced such claims, although we do not believe they are material, and may attract such claims in the future. We may also face allegations that our employees have misappropriated the intellectual property or proprietary rights of their former employers or other third parties.
It may be necessary for us to initiate litigation to defend ourselves in order to determine the scope, enforceability, and validity of third-party intellectual property or proprietary rights, or to establish our respective rights. Regardless of whether claims that we are infringing patents or other intellectual property rights have merit, such claims can be time-consuming, divert management’s attention and financial resources, and can be costly to evaluate and defend. Results of any such litigation are difficult to predict and may require us to stop commercializing
 
32

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
or using our products or technology, obtain licenses, modify our solutions and technology while we develop non-infringing substitutes, or incur substantial damages, settlement costs, or face a temporary or permanent injunction prohibiting us from marketing or providing the affected products and solutions. If we require a third-party license, it may not be available on reasonable terms or at all, and we may have to pay substantial royalties, upfront fees, or grant cross-licenses to intellectual property rights for our products and solutions. We may also have to redesign our products or solutions so they do not infringe third-party intellectual property rights, which may not be possible or may require substantial monetary expenditures and time, during which our technology and products may not be available for commercialization or use. Even if we have an agreement to indemnify us against such costs, the indemnifying party may be unable to uphold its contractual obligations. If we cannot or do not obtain a third-party license to the infringed technology, license the technology on reasonable terms, or obtain similar technology from another source, our revenue and earnings could be adversely impacted.
Further, some third parties may be able to sustain the costs of complex litigation more effectively than we can because they have substantially greater resources. And even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings relating to intellectual property claims may cause us to incur significant expenses and could distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. In addition, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions, or other interim proceedings or developments, and if securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a material adverse effect on the price of our common stock. Moreover, any uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of any legal proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our ability to raise the funds necessary to continue our operations. Assertions by third parties that we violate their intellectual property rights could therefore have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We may be subject to claims that our employees, consultants, or independent contractors have wrongfully used or disclosed confidential information of third parties.
We receive confidential and proprietary information from third parties in connection with the operation of our business. In addition, we may employ individuals who were previously employed at other technology companies, including our competitors. We may be subject to claims that us or our employees, consultants, or independent contractors have inadvertently or otherwise improperly used or disclosed confidential information of these third parties or our employees’ or contractors’ former employers. Further, we may be subject to ownership disputes in the future arising, for example, from conflicting obligations of employees, consultants, or others who are involved in developing our solutions. We may also be subject to claims that former employees, consultants, independent contractors or other third parties have an ownership interest in our patents or other intellectual property. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these and other claims challenging our right to and use of confidential and proprietary information. In addition to paying monetary damages, if we fail in defending against any such claims we may lose our rights therein, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial cost and be a distraction to our management and employees.
Risks related to legal and governmental regulation
We conduct business in a heavily regulated industry.
Our current and future arrangements with our channel partners, healthcare professionals, consultants, clients, and third-party payors subject us to various federal and state fraud and abuse laws and other healthcare laws, including, without limitation, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (the “AKS”) and state kickback laws, the federal civil and criminal false claims laws, civil monetary penalties laws, the Stark Law, HIPAA, and the regulations promulgated under such laws. These laws impact, among other things, proposed sales, marketing, and educational programs, and other interactions with healthcare professionals and provider clients. For more information regarding the risks related to these laws and regulations please see “Business—Regulation—Healthcare fraud and abuse provisions.”
These laws are complex, may change rapidly, and the scope and enforcement and application of each of these laws to our specific services and relationships may not be clear and may be applied to our business in ways we do
 
33

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
not anticipate. Federal and state regulatory and law enforcement authorities continue to focus on enforcement activities with respect to Medicare, Medicaid, other government and third-party payor programs, and other healthcare reimbursement laws and rules in an effort to reduce overall healthcare spending. Federal and state enforcement bodies have recently increased their scrutiny of interactions between healthcare companies and healthcare providers, which has led to a number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and settlements in the healthcare industry. Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of their statutory or regulatory exceptions and safe harbors, some of our business activities may be subject to challenge under one or more of them. In addition, new and evolving payment structures, for example, such as accountable care organizations and other arrangements involving combinations of healthcare providers who share savings, potentially implicate anti-kickback and other fraud and abuse laws. The government has prosecuted revenue cycle management service providers for causing the submission of false or fraudulent claims in violation of the federal civil False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729 et seq. (the “FCA”), and vendors of EHR software for, among other things, misrepresenting the capabilities of their software and payment of kickbacks to certain customers in exchange for promoting their products in violation of the AKS and the FCA. Errors created by our platform and our proprietary products and solutions that relate to entry, formatting, preparation, or transmission of claims, reporting of quality or other data pursuant to value-based purchasing initiatives, or cost report information may be alleged or determined to cause the submission of false claims or otherwise be in violation of these laws. As we continue to build new and evolving technologies, such as AI, machine learning, analytics, and biometrics, into our products and solutions, our business may become subject to additional complex and evolving regulatory requirements pertaining to the sale or use of these technologies. The sale of these technologies, or their use by us or by our clients or partners, may also subject us to additional risks, including reputational harm, competitive harm, or legal liabilities.
Ensuring that our internal operations and future business arrangements with third parties comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations will involve substantial costs. Achieving and sustaining compliance requires us to implement controls across our entire organization which may prove costly and challenging to monitor and enforce. The risk of our being found in violation of healthcare laws and regulations is increased by the fact that their provisions are sometimes open to a variety of interpretations. We cannot assure you that our arrangements and activities will be deemed outside the scope of these laws or that increased enforcement activities will not directly or indirectly have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.
It is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices do not comply with current or future statutes, regulations, agency guidance, or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the laws described above or any other governmental laws and regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant penalties, including administrative, civil, and criminal penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, the exclusion from participation in federal and state healthcare programs, disqualification from providing services to healthcare providers doing business with government programs, individual imprisonment, reputational harm, and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, requirements to change or terminate some portions of our operations or business, as well as additional reporting obligations and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or other agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws. If we are determined to have violated any of these laws, we may be required to give our clients the right to terminate our services agreements with them and/or required to refund portions of our base fee revenues and incentive payment revenues, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Likewise, if any of the physicians or other providers or entities with whom we expect to do business are found to not be in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to criminal, civil, or administrative sanctions, including exclusions from government funded healthcare programs and imprisonment as well. Any violations by, and resulting penalties or exclusions imposed upon, our clients could adversely affect their financial condition and, in turn, have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Even absent an alleged violation of law by us, participants in the healthcare industry receive inquiries or subpoenas to produce documents and provide testimony in connection with government investigations. We could be required to expend significant time and resources to comply with these requests, and the attention of our management team could be diverted by these efforts. Further, defending against any such actions can be costly and time consuming, and may require
 
34

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
significant financial and personnel resources. Therefore, even if we are successful in defending against any such actions that may be brought against us, our business may be impaired. If any of the above occur, our ability to operate our business and our results of operations could be adversely affected.
The healthcare regulatory and political framework is uncertain and evolving.
Almost all of our revenue is derived from the healthcare industry, which is subject to changing political, legislative, regulatory, and other influences. Healthcare laws and regulations are rapidly evolving and may change significantly in the future, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. For example, in March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”) was adopted, which is a healthcare reform measure that provides healthcare insurance for millions of Americans. The ACA includes a variety of healthcare reform provisions and requirements that substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both governmental and private insurers, which may significantly impact our industry and our business. As another example, Members of the United States Congress have in recent years proposed measures that would expand the role of government-sponsored coverage, including single payer or so-called “Medicare-for-All” proposals, which could have far-reaching implications for the healthcare industry and our business if enacted. We are unable to predict the full impact of any challenges to current healthcare laws or any health reform initiatives on our operations in light of the uncertainty regarding whether, when, and how alternative reforms (including single payer proposals), if any, may be enacted, the timing of enactment and implementation of alternative provisions and the impact of alternative provisions on various healthcare industry participants.
Further, in 2020, the HHS, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (the “ONC”) and CMS promulgated final rules aimed at supporting seamless and secure access, exchange, and use of electronic health information (“EHI”), referred to as the Final Rule, by increasing innovation and competition by giving patients and their healthcare service providers secure access to health information and new tools, allowing for more choice in care and treatment. The Final Rule was intended to clarify and operationalize provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act regarding interoperability and “information blocking,” and created significant new requirements for health care industry participants. Information blocking is defined as activity that is likely to interfere with, prevent, or materially discourage access, exchange, or use of EHI, where a health information technology developer, health information network, or health information exchange knows or should know that such practice is likely to interfere with access to, exchange, or use of EHI. The Final Rule focuses on patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (“CHIP”) fee-for-service programs, Medicaid managed care plans, CHIP managed care entities, and qualified health plans on the federally-facilitated exchanges, and enacts measures to enable patients to have both their clinical and administrative information travel with them.
In April 2023, the ONC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would modify certain components of the Final Rule, including modifying and expanding certain exceptions to the information blocking regulations, which are intended to support information sharing. The April 2023 proposed rule would also establish new conditions and maintenance of certification requirements for health information technology developers under the ONC Health IT Certification Program.
Recent regulatory reform constitutes a significant departure from previous regulations regarding patient data. While these rules benefit us in that certain EHR vendors will no longer be permitted to interfere with our attempts at integration, they may also make it easier for other similar companies to enter the market, creating increased competition and reducing our market share.
In addition, we are subject to various other laws and regulations, including, among others, anti-kickback laws, antitrust laws, and the privacy and data protection laws described below. See “Business—Regulation—Healthcare fraud and abuse provisions.”
We are subject to health care laws and data privacy and security laws and regulations governing our Processing of personal information, including PHI, personal health records, and payment card data.
Numerous complex federal and state laws and regulations govern the Processing of personal information, including PHI, personal health records, and payment card data. State laws may be even more restrictive and not
 
35

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
preempted by HIPAA and may be subject to varying interpretations by the courts and government agencies. These laws and regulations, including their interpretation by governmental agencies, are subject to frequent change and could have a negative impact on our business. Further, these varying interpretations could create complex compliance issues for us and our partners and potentially expose us to additional expense, liability, penalties, negatively impact our client relationships, and lead to adverse publicity, and these risks could adversely affect our business in the short and long term. See “Business—Regulation—Federal and state health information privacy and security laws.”
We are a “Covered Entity” as defined under HIPAA when we provide our clearinghouse services, and we also are a “Business Associate” as defined under HIPAA for other Covered Entities when we provide revenue cycle management and other solutions. The HHS, OCR may impose civil penalties on both Covered Entities and Business Associates for their failure to comply with HIPAA requirements. The U.S. Department of Justice is responsible for criminal prosecutions under HIPAA. Penalties can vary significantly depending on a number of factors, such as whether the Covered Entity’s or Business Associate’s failure to comply was due to willful neglect. Violations of HIPAA could result in criminal penalties up to $250,000 and ten years in prison and civil penalties of up to $63,973 for each violation, with a cap of almost $1.92 million for violations of the same standard per calendar year, administrative fines and penalties, and/or additional reporting and oversight obligations if we are required to enter into a resolution agreement and corrective action plan. A single breach incident can result in violations of multiple standards over many years, resulting in potential penalties in excess of $1.92 million per year. For example, HIPAA violations at one covered entity resulted in total penalties of $16 million in 2018. HIPAA also authorizes state attorneys general to file suit on behalf of the residents of their states. While HIPAA does not create a private right of action that would allow individuals to sue in civil court for HIPAA violations, its standards have been used as the basis for the duty of care in state civil suits, such as those for recklessness in misusing individuals’ health information. If we are subject to investigation or litigation related to an alleged violation of HIPAA, then we may elect to resolve the matter through additional reporting and oversight obligations through a resolution agreement and corrective action plan with HHS to settle allegations of HIPAA non-compliance. Such settlement could require payment of a civil penalty or damages, corrective action, and/or monitoring of our business by a third party.
The security measures that we and our third-party vendors and subcontractors have in place to ensure compliance with privacy and data protection laws may not protect our facilities and systems from security breaches or incidents, acts of vandalism or theft, computer viruses, misplaced or lost data, malfeasance, programming, and human errors or other similar events. We may also be liable for privacy and security breaches and failures of our Business Associates and subcontractors. Even though we provide for appropriate protections through our agreements with our subcontractors, we still have limited control over their actions and practices. A breach of privacy or security of individually identifiable health information by a subcontractor may result in an enforcement action, including criminal and civil liability, against us. We are not able to predict the extent of the impact such incidents may have on our business. Our failure to comply with HIPAA and other health privacy laws may also result in criminal and civil liability. Enforcement actions against us could be costly and could interrupt regular operations, which may adversely affect our business. While we have not received any notices of violation of the applicable privacy and data protection laws and believe we are in compliance with such laws, there can be no assurance that we will not receive such notices in the future.
Our AI platform and the data it uses may also subject us to additional risks. We use de-identified claims data to train our revenue cycle management AI. In order to de-identify PHI for our AI, we must have explicit rights and permissions to do so from our clients. If we do not de-identify PHI in accordance with HIPAA’s safe harbor method or if we do not have rights or permissions to de-identify PHI, but de-identify PHI for such purposes, a regulator or client may consider such actions to be a breach of HIPAA’s requirements or of contractual requirements, and we may be subject to criminal and civil liability or other actions and our clients may not renew or terminate their contracts with us.
Even when HIPAA does not apply, according to the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”), failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers’ personal information secure constitutes unfair acts or practices in or
 
36

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (the “FTCA”) 15 U.S.C. § 45(a). The FTC expects a company’s data security measures to be reasonable and appropriate in light of the sensitivity and volume of consumer information it holds, the size and complexity of its business, and the cost of available tools to improve security and reduce vulnerabilities. Individually identifiable health information is considered sensitive data that merits stronger safeguards. The FTC’s current guidance for appropriately securing consumers’ personal information is similar to what is required by the HIPAA security regulations, but this guidance may change in the future, resulting in increased complexity and the need to expend additional resources to ensure we are complying with the FTCA. For information that is not subject to HIPAA and deemed to be “personal health records,” the FTC may also impose penalties for violations of the Health Breach Notification Rule (“HBNR”) to the extent we are considered a “personal health record-related entity” or “third party service provider.” The FTC has taken several enforcement actions under HBNR this year and indicated that the FTC will continue to protect consumer privacy through greater use of the agency’s enforcement authorities. As a result, we expect even greater scrutiny by federal and state regulators, partners, and consumers of our Processing of health information, particularly with our AI-enabled solutions. Additionally, federal and state consumer protection laws are increasingly being applied by FTC and states’ attorneys general to regulate the Processing of personal information, through websites or otherwise, and to regulate the presentation of website content.
Other federal and state laws that restrict the use and protect the privacy and security of personally identifiable information are, in many cases, not preempted by HIPAA and may be subject to varying interpretations by the courts and government agencies. These varying interpretations can create complex compliance issues for us and our partners and potentially expose us to additional expense, adverse publicity, and liability, any of which could adversely affect our business. Recently, Washington State enacted a broadly applicable law to protect the privacy of personal health information known as the “My Health, My Data Act,” which generally requires consent for the collection, use, or sharing of any “consumer health data” which is defined as personal information that is linked or reasonably linkable to a consumer and that identifies a consumer’s past, present, or future physical or mental health. Other states have enacted similar bills.
Future laws, regulations, standards, obligations, amendments, and changes in the interpretation of existing laws, regulations, standards, and obligations could impair our or our clients’ ability to Process information relating to consumers, which could decrease demand for our platform, increase our costs, and impair our ability to maintain and grow our client base, and increase our revenue. New laws, amendments to or re-interpretations of existing laws and regulations, industry standards, and contractual obligations could impair our or our clients’ ability to collect, use, or disclose information relating to patients or consumers, which could decrease demand for our platform offerings, increase our costs, and impair our ability to maintain and grow our client base, and increase our revenue. Accordingly, we may find it necessary or desirable to fundamentally change our business activities and practices or to expend significant resources to modify our software or platform and otherwise adapt to these changes.
We are also subject to self-regulatory standards and industry certifications that may legally or contractually apply to us. These include the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (“PCI-DSS”) and AICPA Systems and Organization Controls 2 (“SOC 2”), with which we are currently compliant, and HITRUST certification, which we currently maintain. In the event we fail to comply with the PCI-DSS or fail to maintain our SOC 2 or HITRUST certification, we could be in breach of our obligations under client and other contracts, fines, and other penalties could result, and we may suffer reputational harm and damage to our business. Further, our clients may expect us to comply with more stringent privacy, data storage, and data security requirements than those imposed by laws, regulations or self-regulatory requirements, and we may be obligated contractually to comply with additional or different standards relating to our handling or protection of data.
Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with domestic laws or regulations, industry standards, or other legal obligations, or any actual or suspected breach or privacy or security incident, whether or not resulting in unauthorized access to, or acquisition, release or transfer of personally identifiable information or other data, may result in governmental enforcement actions and prosecutions, private litigation, fines, and penalties or adverse publicity and could cause our clients to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse effect on our reputation and
 
37

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
business. We may be unable to make such changes and modifications in a commercially reasonable manner or at all, and our ability to develop new products and features could be limited. Any of these developments could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Privacy and data security concerns, whether valid or not valid, may inhibit retention of our platform or services by existing clients or adoption of our platform or services by new clients.
The healthcare industry is rapidly evolving, and we may experience reduced revenues and/or be forced to reduce our prices in response to changes to the healthcare regulatory landscape. Value-based care, surprise medical billing, and other laws and regulations that reduce or otherwise affect physician payments and reimbursement could adversely affect the number of transactions we process and our ability to recover charges for our clients’ services.
We may be subject to revenue reductions or pricing pressures arising from various sources, including government actions and the trend of payors shifting to new reimbursement models and value-based care arrangements that incentivize healthcare providers to improve the health of their patients while managing medical expenses of a particular population. Value-based care reimbursement models implemented by government healthcare programs or private third-party payors could materially change the manner in which our clients are reimbursed. Our clients and other entities with which we have business relationships are also affected by other changes in statutes, regulations, and limitations on government spending for Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs. Recent and future government actions and legislation could limit government spending for Medicare and Medicaid programs, limit payments to healthcare providers, initiate new and expanded value-based care reimbursement programs, impose price controls, and create other programs that potentially could have an adverse effect on our clients and the other entities with which we have a business relationship. If such actions or programs reduce the number of transactions, our revenues may decline along with our ability to absorb overhead costs, which may leave our business less profitable. Any failure to adequately implement strategic initiatives to adjust to these developments could have a material adverse impact on our business.
For example, the federal No Surprises Act, enacted in 2020, has impacted our clients, and may impact our business, product offerings, and procedures surrounding claims processing. The No Surprises Act may impact transaction volume and the manner in which our clients use our platform and may necessitate changes to our client contracting model to better align with the ways that our clients are being reimbursed. The No Surprises Act prohibits, among other things, “balance billing” or “surprise billing” by limiting patient costs for services to cost-sharing amounts and by banning providers from billing patients above these cost-sharing amounts. The No Surprises Act also created additional price transparency requirements, including the requirement that providers send patients and health plans a good faith estimate of the expected charges for furnishing certain items or services. If the actual charges are substantially higher than the estimate, the patient can invoke a dispute resolution process to challenge the higher amount. Further, subject to limited exceptions, the No Surprises Act also prohibited out-of-network providers from charging patients more than the relevant in-network cost sharing amount.
A number of state governments have also enacted or may enact legislation on surprise medical bills, which may adversely affect our revenue in those states. These measures could limit the amount our clients can recover for certain services they furnish where they have not contracted with the insurer, and therefore could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. For example, state surprise billing laws have established payment standards based on the median in-network rate or a multiplier of what Medicare would pay. These payment standards are often less than the average out-of-network payment and could therefore have an adverse effect on reimbursement rates, and we may experience additional impacts if more states adopt such laws. Moreover, these measures could affect our client’s ability to contract with certain payors or under historically similar terms, and may cause, and the prospect of these changes may cause, payors to seek to terminate or modify their contracts with our clients, further affecting our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. There is also risk that additional legislation at the federal and state level will give rise to major third-party payors leveraging this legislation or related changes as an opportunity to terminate and renegotiate existing reimbursement rates, which may also adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
 
38

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Additionally, there have been numerous federal legislative and administrative actions that have affected government programs, including adjustments that have reduced or increased payments to physicians and other healthcare providers and adjustments that have affected the complexity of our work. For example, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 established a Quality Payment Program that requires physician groups to track and report a multitude of data relating to quality, clinical practice improvement activities, use of an EHR, and cost. Success or failure with respect to these measures may impact reimbursement in future years. Similarly, hospitals participating in the Medicare Value-Based Purchasing Program, which requires the reporting of quality and cost measures, may receive a net decrease in payments. It is possible that the federal or state governments will implement additional reductions, increases, or changes in reimbursement under government programs that will adversely affect our client base or increase the cost of providing our services. Any such changes could adversely affect our own financial condition by reducing the reimbursement rates of our clients.
We may be a party to legal, regulatory, and other proceedings that could result in adverse outcomes.
We have been, and may in the future be, a party to legal and regulatory proceedings and investigations, and other proceedings and investigations arising in the ordinary course of business, such as claims brought by our clients in connection with commercial disputes and employment claims made by our current or former employees. Claims may also be asserted by or on behalf of a variety of other parties, including government agencies, patients or vendors of our clients, or stockholders. In addition, there are an increasing number of, and we may be subject to, investigations and proceedings in the healthcare industry generally that seek recovery under HIPAA, anti-kickback laws, false claims laws, civil monetary penalties laws, the Stark Law, state laws, and other statutes and regulations applicable to our business as described in more detail above. These and other similar statutory requirements impose statutory penalties for proven violations, which could be significant. We also may be subject to legal proceedings under non-healthcare federal and state laws affecting our business, such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (the “TCPA”), the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (the “FDCPA”), the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (the “CAN-SPAM Act”), Junk Fax Act, the CCPA, employment, banking and financial services, and USPS laws and regulations, as further detailed above and below. Such proceedings are inherently unpredictable, and the outcome can result in verdicts and/or injunctive relief that may affect how we operate our business or we may enter into settlements of claims for monetary payments. In some cases, substantial non-economic remedies or punitive damages may be sought. Governmental investigations, audits, and other reviews could also result in criminal penalties or other sanctions, including restrictions, changes in the way we conduct business, or exclusion from participation in government programs. We evaluate our exposure to these legal and regulatory proceedings and establish reserves for the estimated liabilities in accordance with GAAP. Assessing and predicting the outcome of these matters involves substantial uncertainties. Unexpected outcomes in these legal proceedings, or changes in management’s evaluations or predictions and accompanying changes in established reserves, could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, or financial condition.
Litigation is costly, time-consuming, and disruptive to normal business operations. The defense of these matters could also result in continued diversion of our management’s time and attention away from business operations, which could also harm our business. Insurance may not cover existing or future claims, be sufficient to fully compensate us for one or more of such claims, or continue to be available on terms acceptable to us. A claim brought against us that is uninsured or underinsured could result in unanticipated costs, thereby reducing our results of operations and resulting in a reduction in the trading price of our common stock. Even if these matters are resolved in our favor, the uncertainty and expense associated with unresolved legal proceedings could harm our business and reputation.
We are contractually required to comply with Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering (“BSA/AML”) laws and regulations as a payment facilitator in certain instances.
We are contractually required to comply with certain anti-money laundering laws and regulations. For instance, we comply with certain provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and its implementing regulations (collectively, the “BSA”), which are enforced by the Financial Crimes Enforcement
 
39

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Network (“FinCEN”), a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Justice. We have policies, procedures, systems, and controls designed to identify and address potentially impermissible transactions under these laws and regulations. In addition, we provide BSA/AML training to certain employees to help ensure compliance with such contractual requirements. However, any failure to comply with such contractual requirements could subject us to potential liability for breach of contract, which could adversely affect our business or financial condition.
Existing laws regulate our ability to engage in certain marketing activities.
We rely on a variety of marketing techniques, including email and telephone marketing. These activities are regulated by legislation such as the CAN-SPAM Act and the TCPA. The CAN-SPAM Act imposes penalties for the transmission of commercial emails that do not comply with certain requirements, such as providing an opt-out mechanism for stopping future emails from the sender. The TCPA places certain restrictions on making outbound calls, faxes, and text messages to consumers. Any failure by us to comply fully with any such applicable laws or regulations may subject us to substantial fines and penalties. In addition, any future restrictions in laws such as the CAN-SPAM Act, the TCPA, and various other laws and regulations regarding marketing and solicitation activities could adversely affect the continuing effectiveness of our marketing efforts and could force changes in our marketing strategies. If this occurs, we may not be able to develop adequate alternative marketing strategies, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations.
We must comply fully with website accessibility standards.
We conduct business through various internet websites and web-based applications that are subject to accessibility requirements. Courts have ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) applies to internet websites and other digital experiences and litigation related to ADA website accessibility has soared in recent years. Failing to comply with those requirements could leave us subject to claims, litigation, lawsuits, and, ultimately, substantial fines and penalties.
We could be subject to changes in our tax rates, the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities.
Current economic and political conditions make tax rates in any jurisdiction subject to significant change. Our future effective tax rates could also be affected by changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, or changes in tax laws or their interpretation, including changes in tax laws affecting our products and solutions and the healthcare industry more generally. We are also subject to the examination of our tax returns and other documentation by the Internal Revenue Service and state tax authorities. We regularly assess the likelihood of an adverse outcome resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of our provision for taxes. There can be no assurance as to the outcome of these examinations or that our assessments of the likelihood of an adverse outcome will be correct. If our effective tax rates were to increase or if the ultimate determination of our taxes owed is for an amount in excess of amounts previously accrued, then this could materially and adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “TCJA”) eliminated the option to deduct research and development expenses for tax purposes in the year incurred and requires taxpayers to capitalize and subsequently amortize such expenses over five years for research activities conducted in the United States and over 15 years for research activities conducted outside the United States. This change was effective January 1, 2022. Unless the United States Treasury Department issues regulations that narrow the application of this provision or the provision is deferred, modified, or repealed by Congress, it could harm our future operating results by effectively increasing our future tax obligations. The actual impact of this provision will depend on multiple factors, including the amount of research and development expenses we will incur, whether we achieve sufficient income to fully utilize such deductions, and whether we conduct our research and development activities inside or outside the United States.
Our ability to use our net operating losses (“NOLs”) to offset future taxable income may be subject to certain limitations.
Future changes in our stock ownership, some of which are outside of our control, could result in an ownership change under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In addition, under the
 
40

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
TCJA, as amended by The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020, the amount of post 2017 NOLs that we are permitted to utilize in any taxable year is limited to 80% of our taxable income in such year, where taxable income is determined without regard to the NOL deduction itself. For these reasons, we may not be able to realize a tax benefit from the use of our NOLs. We have a valuation allowance related to our NOLs to recognize only the portion of the deferred tax asset that is more likely than not to be realized.
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net represent approximately 92% of our total assets as of December 31, 2023 and we could suffer losses due to asset impairment charges.
In accordance with GAAP, goodwill and intangible assets with an indefinite life are not amortized but are subject to a periodic impairment evaluation. We assess our goodwill and other intangible assets for impairment periodically in accordance with applicable authoritative accounting guidance. Our ability to realize the value of the goodwill and intangible assets will depend on the future cash flows of the businesses we have acquired, which in turn depend in part on how well we have integrated these businesses into our own business. Judgments made by management relate to the expected useful lives of long-lived assets and our ability to realize undiscounted cash flows of the carrying amounts of such assets. The accuracy of these judgments may be adversely affected by several factors, including significant:

underperformance relative to historical or projected future operating results;

changes in the manner of our use of acquired assets or the strategy for our overall business;

negative industry or economic trends; or

decline in our market capitalization relative to net book value for a sustained period.
These types of events or indicators and the resulting impairment analysis could result in impairment charges in the future. If we are not able to realize the value of the goodwill and intangible assets, we may be required to incur material charges relating to the impairment of those assets. Such impairment charges could materially and negatively affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Risks related to our indebtedness
We have a substantial amount of debt, which could adversely affect our financial position and our ability to raise additional capital and prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under our obligations.
As of December 31, 2023, on a pro forma basis after taking into account (i) the refinancing of our Second Lien Credit Facility with the proceeds of additional borrowings under our First Lien Credit Facility on February 9, 2024, and (ii)  the expected use of proceeds of this offering, we would have had outstanding indebtedness of approximately $      million, consisting of $      million outstanding under our First Lien Credit Facility and $      million outstanding under our Receivables Facility. Additionally, we would have had $342.5 million of availability under our Revolving Credit Facility as of December 31, 2023. Our substantial indebtedness may:

make it difficult for us to satisfy our financial obligations, including with respect to our indebtedness;

limit our ability to borrow additional funds for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, or other general business purposes;

require us to use a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to make debt service payments instead of other purposes, thereby reducing the amount of cash flow available for future working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, or other general business purposes;

expose us to the risk of increased interest rates as certain of our borrowings, including under our secured credit facilities, are at variable rates of interest;

limit our ability to pay dividends;

limit our flexibility to plan for, or react to, changes in our business and industry;

place us at a competitive disadvantage compared with our less-leveraged competitors;
 
41

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

increase our vulnerability to the impact of adverse economic, competitive, and industry conditions; and

increase our cost of borrowing.
Restrictive covenants in the agreements governing our Credit Facilities may restrict our ability to pursue our business strategies.
The credit agreements governing our Credit Facilities contain, and any future credit agreements we may enter into may contain, a number of covenants that, among other things, restrict our ability to, subject to certain exceptions:

incur additional indebtedness and guarantee indebtedness;

create or incur liens;

enter into sale and lease-back transactions;

engage in fundamental changes;

sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of assets;

pay dividends and distributions or repurchase capital stock;

make investments or acquisitions;

prepay, redeem, repurchase, or amend the terms of certain subordinated indebtedness;

create negative pledge clauses; and

enter into transactions with affiliates.
As a result of these covenants and restrictions, we are and will be limited in how we conduct our business, and we may be unable to raise additional debt or equity financing to compete effectively or to take advantage of new business opportunities.
In addition, the Revolving Credit Facility requires us to maintain a first lien leverage ratio, to be tested on the last day of each fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been delivered, but only if, on the last day of such fiscal quarter, the aggregate amount of loans under the Revolving Credit Facility and certain letters of credit (in each case subject to certain exceptions specified therein) which are outstanding and/or issued, as applicable, exceeds 35% of the total amount of the commitments in respect of the Revolving Credit Facility.
Our ability to comply with these covenants may be affected by events beyond our control, and we may not be able to meet those covenants. The terms of any future indebtedness we may incur could include more restrictive covenants. A breach of any such covenants could result in a default under the applicable credit agreement, which could cause all of the outstanding indebtedness under such debt agreement to become immediately due and payable and terminate all commitments to extend further credit. If we are unable to meet our obligations, we may be required to repay any outstanding amounts with sources of capital we may otherwise use to fund our business, operations, and strategy. In addition, if we are forced to refinance these borrowings on less favorable terms, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.
Interest rate fluctuations may affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Because a substantial portion of our debt is variable-rate debt, fluctuations in interest rates could have a material effect on our business. We currently utilize, and may in the future utilize, derivative financial instruments such as interest rate swaps to hedge some of our exposure to interest rate fluctuations, but such instruments may not be effective in reducing our exposure to interest fluctuations, and we may discontinue utilizing them at any time. As a result, we may incur higher interest costs if interest rates increase. These higher interest costs could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and the levels of cash we maintain for working capital.
 
42

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
In order to support the growth of our business, we may need to incur additional indebtedness under our current Credit Facilities or seek capital through new equity or debt financings, which sources of additional capital may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all.
We intend to continue to make significant investments to support our business growth, respond to business challenges or opportunities, develop new products and solutions, enhance our existing products and solutions, enhance our operating infrastructure, and potentially acquire complementary businesses and technologies.
Our future capital requirements may be significantly different from our current estimates and will depend on many factors, including the need to:

finance unanticipated working capital requirements;

develop or enhance our technological infrastructure and our existing products and solutions;

fund strategic relationships, including channel partners, joint ventures, and co-investments;

respond to competitive pressures; and

acquire complementary businesses, technologies, products, or solutions.
Accordingly, we may need to engage in equity or debt financings or collaborative arrangements to secure additional funds. Additional financing may not be available on terms favorable to us, or at all. If we raise additional funds through further issuances of equity or equity-linked securities, our existing stockholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences, and privileges superior to those of holders of our common stock. Any debt financing secured by us in the future could involve additional restrictive covenants relating to our capital-raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including potential acquisitions. In addition, during times of economic instability, it has been difficult for many companies to obtain financing in the public markets or to obtain debt financing, and we may not be able to obtain additional financing on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
General risk factors
Our business is significantly impacted by general macroeconomic conditions.
The COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical instability, including the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, actual and potential shifts in U.S. and foreign, trade, economic, and other policies, and rising trade tensions between the United States and China, as well as other global events, have significantly increased macroeconomic uncertainty at a global level. The current U.S. macroeconomic environment is characterized by record-high inflation, supply chain challenges, labor shortages, high interest rates, foreign currency exchange volatility, volatility in global capital markets, and growing recession risk. Such economic volatility could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and future market disruptions could negatively impact us. Further, adverse macroeconomic conditions affect our clients’ and prospective clients’ operations and financial condition and make it difficult for our clients and prospective clients to accurately forecast and plan future business activities, which may in turn cause our clients to elect not to renew their contracts or affect their ability to pay amounts owed to us in a timely manner or at all, or adversely affect prospective clients’ ability or willingness to enter into contracts with us. We have also observed the effect of inflation on our labor and cost structure. If these trends continue, our business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.
An economic downturn or increased uncertainty may also lead to increased credit and collectability risks, higher borrowing costs or reduced availability of capital and credit markets, reduced liquidity, adverse impacts on our suppliers, failures of counterparties including financial institutions and insurers, asset impairments, and declines in the value of our financial instruments.
 
43

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
We have a history of losses and we may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future.
We incurred net losses of $51.3 million and $51.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our operating expenses may increase substantially in the foreseeable future, as we increase investments in our business. Furthermore, as a public company, we will incur additional legal, accounting, and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. As a result, our net losses may continue for the foreseeable future.
These efforts and additional expenses may prove more expensive than we expect, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to increase our revenue to offset such expenses. Our revenue growth may slow or our revenue may decline for a number of other reasons, including increased competition, or if we cannot capitalize on growth opportunities. If our revenue does not grow at a greater rate than our operating expenses, we will not be able to achieve profitability.
Risks related to this offering and ownership of our common stock
The Institutional Investors will continue to hold a significant percentage of our outstanding common stock after this offering and their interests may be different than the interests of other holders of our securities.
Upon the completion of this offering, the Institutional Investors will own approximately    % of our outstanding common stock, or approximately    % if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares. As a result, the Institutional Investors are able to control or influence actions to be taken by us, including future issuances of our common stock or other securities, the payment of dividends, if any, on our common stock, amendments to our organizational documents, and the approval of significant corporate transactions, including mergers, sales of substantially all of our assets, distributions of our assets, the incurrence of indebtedness, and any incurrence of liens on our assets.
The interests of the Institutional Investors may be materially different than the interests of our other stakeholders. In addition, the Institutional Investors may have an interest in pursuing acquisitions, divestitures, and other transactions that, in their judgment, could enhance their investment, even though such transactions might involve risks to you. For example, the Institutional Investors may cause us to take actions or pursue strategies that could impact our ability to make payments under our Credit Facilities or cause a change of control. In addition, to the extent permitted by agreements governing our Credit Facilities, the Institutional Investors may cause us to pay dividends rather than make capital expenditures or repay debt. The Institutional Investors are in the business of making investments in companies and may from time to time acquire and hold interests in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that none of the Institutional Investors, any of their respective affiliates, or any director who is not employed by us (including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates will have any duty to refrain from engaging, directly or indirectly, in the same business activities or similar business activities or lines of business in which we operate. The Institutional Investors also may pursue acquisition opportunities that may be complementary to our business, and, as a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available to us.
So long as the Institutional Investors continue to own a significant amount of our outstanding common stock, even if such amount is less than 50%, they will continue to be able to strongly influence or effectively control our decisions and, so long as each of the Institutional Investors continues to own shares of our outstanding common stock, they will have the ability to nominate individuals to our board of directors pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement to be entered into in connection with this offering. See “Certain relationships and related party transactions—Stockholders agreement.” In addition, the Institutional Investors, acting together, will be able to determine the outcome of all matters requiring stockholder approval and will be able to cause or prevent a change of control of our company or a change in the composition of our board of directors and could preclude any unsolicited acquisition of our company. The concentration of ownership could deprive you of an opportunity to receive a premium for your shares of common stock as part of a sale of our company and ultimately might affect the market price of our common stock.
 
44

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
We are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to “emerging growth companies” will make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions and relief from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies.” In particular, while we are an “emerging growth company,” among other exemptions:

we will not be required to engage an independent registered public accounting firm to report on our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act,

we will be subject to reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and

we will not be required to comply with the requirement in Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Auditing Standard 3101, The Auditor’s Report on an Audit of Financial Statements When the Auditor Expresses an Unqualified Opinion, to communicate critical audit matters in the auditor’s report;

we will be permitted to present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related “management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations” in our periodic reports and registration statements, including in this prospectus;

we will not be required to disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation; or

we will not be required submit certain executive compensation matters to stockholder advisory votes, such as “say-on-pay,” “say-on-frequency,” and “say-on-golden parachutes.”
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards, meaning that we can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to take advantage of this extended transition period, and as a result, our financial statements may not be comparable with similarly situated public companies.
We will remain an “emerging growth company” until the earliest to occur of (1) our reporting of $1.24 billion or more in annual gross revenue; (2) our becoming a “large accelerated filer,” with at least $700 million of equity securities held by non-affiliates; (3) our issuance, in any three year period, of more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt; and (4) the fiscal year end following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this initial public offering.
We cannot predict whether investors will find our common stock less attractive if we rely on the exemptions and relief granted by the JOBS Act. For example, if we do not adopt a new or revised accounting standard, our future results of operations may not be as comparable to the results of operations of certain other companies in our industry that adopted such standards. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock, and our stock price may decline and/or become more volatile.
We will incur significant increased costs and become subject to additional regulations and requirements as a result of becoming a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance matters.
As a public company, we will incur significant legal, regulatory, finance, accounting, investor relations, and other expenses that we have not incurred as a private company, including costs associated with public company reporting requirements and costs of recruiting and retaining non-executive directors. We also have incurred and will continue to incur costs associated with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Act, and related rules implemented by the SEC, and Nasdaq. The expenses incurred by public companies for reporting and corporate
 
45

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
governance purposes have been increasing. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time-consuming and costly, although we are currently unable to estimate these costs with any degree of certainty. Our management will need to devote a substantial amount of time to ensure that we comply with all of these requirements, diverting the attention of management away from revenue-producing activities. These laws and regulations also could make it more difficult or costly for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including director and officer liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. These laws and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors, our board committees, or as our executive officers. Furthermore, if we are unable to satisfy our obligations as a public company, we could be subject to delisting of our common stock, fines, sanctions, and other regulatory action and potentially civil litigation.
Failure to comply with requirements to design, implement, and maintain effective internal controls could have a material adverse effect on our business and stock price.
As a privately-held company, we were not required to evaluate our internal control over financial reporting in a manner that meets the standards of publicly traded companies required by Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (“Section 404”). As a public company, we will be subject to significant requirements for enhanced financial reporting and internal controls. The process of designing and implementing effective internal controls is a continuous effort that requires us to anticipate and react to changes in our business and the economic and regulatory environments and to expend significant resources to maintain a system of internal controls that is adequate to satisfy our reporting obligations as a public company. If we are unable to establish or maintain appropriate internal financial reporting controls and procedures, it could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations on a timely basis, result in material misstatements in our consolidated financial statements, and harm our results of operations. In addition, we will be required, pursuant to Section 404, to furnish a report by management on, among other things, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in the second annual report following the completion of this offering. This assessment will need to include disclosure of any material weaknesses identified by our management in our internal control over financial reporting. The rules governing the standards that must be met for our management to assess our internal control over financial reporting are complex and require significant documentation, testing, and possible remediation. Testing and maintaining internal controls may divert our management’s attention from other matters that are important to our business. Once we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” our auditors will be required to issue an attestation report on the effectiveness of our internal controls on an annual basis.
In connection with the implementation of the necessary procedures and practices related to internal control over financial reporting, we may identify deficiencies that we may not be able to remediate in time to meet the deadline imposed by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for compliance with the requirements of Section 404. In addition, we may encounter problems or delays in completing the remediation of any deficiencies identified by us or our independent registered public accounting firm in connection with the issuance of their attestation report. Our testing, or the subsequent testing (if required) by our independent registered public accounting firm, may reveal deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses. Any material weaknesses could result in a material misstatement of our annual or quarterly financial statements or disclosures that may not be prevented or detected.
We may not be able to conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 or our independent registered public accounting firm may not issue an unqualified opinion. If either we are unable to conclude that we have effective internal control over financial reporting or our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to provide us with an unqualified report (to the extent it is required to issue a report), investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock.
 
46

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
No market currently exists for our common stock, and an active, liquid trading market for shares of our common stock may not develop or be sustained, which may cause shares of our common stock to trade at a discount from the initial public offering price and make it difficult to sell the shares of common stock you purchase.
Prior to this offering, there has not been a public trading market for shares of our common stock. We cannot predict the extent to which investor interest in us will lead to the development of a trading market or how active and liquid that market may become. If an active and liquid trading market does not develop or continue, you may have difficulty selling your shares of our common stock at an attractive price or at all. The initial public offering price per share of common stock will be determined by agreement among us and the representatives of the underwriters and may not be indicative of the price at which shares of our common stock will trade in the public market after this offering. The market price of our common stock may decline below the initial public offering price, and you may not be able to sell your shares of our common stock at or above the price you paid in this offering, or at all.
Our stock price may be volatile or may decline regardless of our operating performance, and you may not be able to resell your shares of our common stock at or above the price you paid or at all, and you could lose all or part of your investment as a result.
Even if a trading market develops, the market price of our common stock may be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations. You may not be able to resell your shares at or above the initial public offering price due to a number of factors such as those listed in “—Risks related to our business and our industry” and the following:

results of operations that vary from the expectations of securities analysts and investors;

results of operations that vary from those of our competitors;

changes in expectations as to our future financial performance, including financial estimates and investment recommendations by securities analysts and investors, or failure of securities analysts to initiate or maintain coverage of our common stock;

changes in economic conditions for companies in our industry;

changes in market valuations of, or earnings and other announcements by, companies in our industry;

declines in the market prices of stocks generally, particularly those of healthcare technology companies or SaaS companies regardless of industry;

additions or departures of key management personnel;

strategic actions by us or our competitors;

announcements by us, our competitors, dispositions, joint ventures, other strategic relationships, or capital commitments;

future sales of our common stock by our officers, directors, and significant stockholders;

changes in preference of our clients and our market share;

changes in general economic or market conditions or trends in our industry or the economy as a whole;

changes in business or regulatory conditions;

future sales of our common stock or other securities;

investor perceptions of or the investment opportunity associated with our common stock relative to other investment alternatives;

the public’s response to press releases or other public announcements by us or third parties, including our filings with the SEC;
 
47

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

changes or proposed changes in laws or regulations or differing interpretations or enforcement thereof affecting our business;

announcements, claims and/or allegations relating to litigation, governmental investigations, or compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

guidance, if any, that we provide to the public, any changes in this guidance, or our failure to meet this guidance;

the development and sustainability of an active trading market for our stock;

changes in accounting principles; and

other events or factors, including those resulting from informational technology system failures and disruptions, data security incidents or breaches, natural disasters, war, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, acts of terrorism, or responses to these events.
Furthermore, the stock markets in general have experienced extreme volatility that, in some cases, may be unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market and industry fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. In addition, price volatility may be greater if the public float and trading volume of our common stock are low.
In the past, following periods of market volatility, stockholders have instituted securities class action litigation. If we were to become involved in securities litigation, it could have a substantial cost and divert resources and the attention of executive management from our business regardless of the outcome of such litigation.
Investors in this offering will incur immediate and substantial dilution.
The initial public offering price per share of common stock will be substantially higher than the as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share immediately after this offering. As a result, you will pay a price per share of common stock that substantially exceeds the per share book value of our tangible assets after subtracting our liabilities. In addition, you will pay more for your shares of common stock than the amounts paid by our existing stockholders. Assuming an initial public offering price of $      per share of common stock, which is the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution in an amount of $      per share of common stock. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares, you will experience additional dilution. See “Dilution.”
Your percentage ownership in us may be diluted by future issuances of our common stock, which could reduce your influence over matters on which stockholders vote.
After this offering we will have approximately                 shares of common stock authorized but unissued. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to become effective immediately prior to the consummation of this offering will authorize us to issue these shares of common stock, other equity or equity-linked securities, options, and other equity awards relating to our common stock for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our board of directors in its sole discretion, whether in connection with acquisitions or otherwise. Issuances of common stock or voting preferred stock would reduce your influence over matters on which our stockholders vote, and, in the case of issuances of preferred stock, would likely result in your interest in us being subject to the prior rights of holders of that preferred stock, if any.
We have reserved, or will reserve in the future, shares for issuance (i) for outstanding awards under our 2019 Stock Incentive Plan and for grants under our 2024 Equity Incentive Plan and (ii) under our 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. See “Executive compensation—Compensation arrangements to be adopted in connection with this offering.” Any common stock that we issue, including under our 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or other equity incentive plans that we may adopt in the future, would dilute the percentage ownership held by the investors who purchase common stock in this offering. In the future, we may also issue our securities in connection with investments or acquisitions. The amount of
 
48

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
shares of our common stock issued in connection with an investment or acquisition could constitute a material portion of our then-outstanding shares of our common stock. Any issuance of additional securities in connection with investments or acquisitions may result in additional dilution to you.
Because we have no current plans to pay cash dividends on our common stock, you may not receive any return on investment unless you sell your shares of common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.
We have no current plans to pay cash dividends on our common stock. The declaration, amount, and payment of any future dividends will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors, and will depend on, among other things, general and economic conditions, our results of operations and financial condition, our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax, and regulatory restrictions and implications on the payment of dividends by us to our stockholders or by our subsidiaries to us, including restrictions under our credit agreements and other indebtedness we may incur, and such other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant. See “Dividend policy.”
As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our common stock unless you sell our common stock for a price greater than your purchase price.
Future sales, or the perception of future sales, by us or our existing stockholders in the public market following the completion of this offering could cause the market price for our common stock to decline.
The sale of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock in the public market after this offering, or the perception that such sales could occur, could harm the prevailing market price of shares of our common stock. These sales, or the possibility that these sales may occur, also might make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate.
Upon completion of this offering we will have a total of                 shares of our common stock outstanding (or                 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares). Of the outstanding shares, the                 shares sold in this offering (or                 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares) will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except that any shares held by our affiliates, as that term is defined under Rule 144 of the Securities Act (“Rule 144”), including our directors, executive officers, and other affiliates, may be sold only in compliance with the limitations described in “Shares eligible for future sale.”
The remaining outstanding                 shares of common stock held by our existing stockholders after this offering will be subject to certain restrictions on resale. We, our executive officers, directors, and our significant stockholders, including the Institutional Investors, will sign lock-up agreements with the underwriters that will, subject to certain customary exceptions, restrict the sale of the shares of our common stock and certain other securities held by them for 180 days following the date of this prospectus. The representatives of the underwriters may, in their sole discretion and at any time without notice, release all or any portion of the shares or securities subject to any such lock-up agreements. See “Underwriting” for a description of these lock-up agreements. In addition, all stockholders who are party to the Stockholders Agreement are also subject to certain lock-up provisions during such 180-day period.
Upon the expiration of the lock-up agreements and lock-up provisions described above, all of such         shares (or       shares if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares) will be eligible for resale in a public market, subject, in the case of        shares held by our affiliates, to volume, manner of sale, and other limitations under Rule 144.
In addition, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of October 22, 2019, by and among Derby Topco and the other parties named therein, which we expect to amend and restate in connection with this offering, certain of our existing stockholders will have the right, subject to certain conditions, to require us to register the sale of their shares of our common stock under the Securities Act. See “Certain relationships and related party transactions—Registration rights agreement.” By exercising their demand registration rights and selling a large number of shares, such existing stockholders could cause the prevailing market price of our common stock to
 
49

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
decline. Following completion of this offering, the shares covered by demand registration rights would represent approximately     % of common stock outstanding (or    % if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares). Registration of any of these outstanding shares of our common stock would result in such shares becoming freely tradable without compliance with Rule 144 upon effectiveness of the registration statement. See “Shares eligible for future sale.”
We intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register common stock issued or reserved for issuance under our 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, or 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Any such Form S-8 registration statements will automatically become effective upon filing. Accordingly, shares registered under such registration statements will be available for sale in the open market. We expect that the initial registration statement on Form S-8 will cover                 shares of common stock.
As restrictions on resale end, or if the existing stockholders exercise their registration rights, the market price of our shares of common stock could drop significantly if the holders of these restricted shares sell them or are perceived by the market as intending to sell them. These factors could also make it more difficult for us to raise additional funds through future offerings of our shares of common stock or other securities.
If securities analysts do not publish research or reports about our business or if they downgrade our stock or our sector, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that industry or financial analysts publish about us or our business. We do not control these analysts. Furthermore, if one or more of the analysts who do cover us downgrade our stock or our industry, or the stock of any of our competitors, or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the price of our stock could decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents could delay or prevent a change of control.
Certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter, or prevent a merger, acquisition, tender offer, takeover attempt, or other change of control transaction that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by our stockholders. These provisions will provide for, among other things:

a classified board of directors until the second annual meeting of stockholders after the date on which the Institutional Investors collectively own less than 15% in voting power of the then-outstanding power of the then-outstanding shares of stock of our Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as a result of which our board of directors will be divided into three classes until such time, with each class serving for staggered three-year terms;

the ability of our board of directors to issue one or more series of preferred stock;

advance notice requirements for nominations of directors by stockholders and for stockholders to include matters to be considered at our annual meetings;

certain limitations on convening special stockholder meetings and taking stockholder action by written consent;

during the Protective Period (as defined in “Description of capital stock”), the removal of directors only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the shares of common stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; and

during the Protective Period, the required approval of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, to adopt, amend, or repeal certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
 
50

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
These anti-takeover provisions could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if the third party’s offer may be considered beneficial by many of our stockholders. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our Board of Directors and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests. As a result, our stockholders may be limited in their ability to obtain a premium for their shares. See “Description of capital stock.”
Our board of directors will be authorized to issue and designate shares of our preferred stock in additional series without stockholder approval.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will authorize our board of directors, without the approval of our stockholders, to issue 100,000,000 shares of our preferred stock, subject to limitations prescribed by applicable law, rules and regulations and the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as shares of preferred stock in series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series and to fix the designation, powers, preferences, and rights of the shares of each such series, and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof. The powers, preferences, and rights of these additional series of preferred stock may be senior to or on parity with our common stock, which may reduce its value.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or if such court does not have jurisdiction, another state or the federal courts (as appropriate) located within the State of Delaware) will be the sole and exclusive forum for certain stockholder litigation matters, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees, or stockholders.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or if such court does not have jurisdiction, another state or the federal courts (as appropriate) located within the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of us, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, or other employee or stockholder of ours to us or our stockholders, (iii) action asserting a claim against us or any director or officer of ours arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or (iv) action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Delaware. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation further will provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the federal securities laws of the United States, including any claims under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act. However, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder and accordingly, we cannot be certain that a court would enforce such provision. See “Description of capital stock—Exclusive forum.”
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, except our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived (and cannot waive) compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers, other employees, or stockholders which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Our management may use the proceeds of this offering in ways with which you may disagree or that may not be profitable.
Although we anticipate using the net proceeds from the offering as described under “Use of proceeds,” we will have broad discretion as to the application of the net proceeds and could use them for purposes other than those
 
51

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
contemplated by this offering. You may not agree with the manner in which our management chooses to allocate and use the net proceeds. Our management may use the proceeds for corporate purposes that may not increase our profitability or otherwise result in the creation of stockholder value. In addition, pending our use of the proceeds, we may invest the proceeds primarily in instruments that do not produce significant income or that may lose value.
 
52

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus includes forward-looking statements that reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, our operations and financial performance. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are included throughout this prospectus, including in the sections entitled “Summary,” “Risk factors,” “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations,” and “Business” and relate to matters such as our industry, business strategy, goals, and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, capital expenditures, liquidity, and capital resources and other financial and operating information. We have used the words “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “future,” “will,” “seek,” “foreseeable,” the negative version of these words or similar terms and phrases to identify forward-looking statements in this prospectus.
The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on management’s current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties, assumptions, or changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict or quantify. Our expectations, beliefs, and projections are expressed in good faith and we believe there is a reasonable basis for them. However, there can be no assurance that management’s expectations, beliefs, and projections will result or be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global, regional, or local economic, business, competitive, market, regulatory, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. We believe that these factors include but are not limited to those described under “Risk factors” and the following:

our operation in a highly competitive industry;

our ability to retain our existing clients and attract new clients;

our ability to successfully execute on our business strategies in order to grow;

our ability to accurately assess the risks related to acquisitions and successfully integrate acquired businesses;

our ability to establish and maintain strategic relationships;

the growth and success of our clients and overall healthcare transaction volumes;

consolidation in the healthcare industry;

our selling cycle of variable length to secure new client agreements;

our implementation cycle that is dependent on our clients’ timing and resources;

our dependence on our senior management team and certain key employees, and our ability to attract and retain highly skilled employees;

the accuracy of the estimates and assumptions we use to determine the size of our total addressable market;

our ability to develop and market new solutions, or enhance our existing solutions, to respond to technological changes, or evolving industry standards;

the interoperability, connectivity, and integration of our solutions with our clients’ and their vendors’ networks and infrastructures;

the performance and reliability of internet, mobile, and other infrastructure;

the consequences if we cannot obtain, process, use, disclose, or distribute the highly regulated data we require to provide our solutions;

our reliance on certain third-party vendors and providers;

any errors or malfunctions in our products and solutions;

failure by our clients to obtain proper permissions or provide us with accurate and appropriate information;
 
53

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

the potential for embezzlement, identity theft, or other similar illegal behavior by our employees or vendors, and a failure of our employees or vendors to observe quality standards or adhere to environmental, social, and governance standards.

our compliance with the applicable rules of NACHA and the applicable requirements of card networks;

increases in card network fees and other changes to fee arrangements;

the effect of payer and provider conduct which we cannot control;

privacy concerns and security breaches or incidents relating to our platform;

the complex and evolving laws and regulations regarding privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity;

our ability to adequately protect and enforce our intellectual property rights;

our ability to use or license data and integrate third-party technologies;

our use of “open source” software;

legal proceedings initiated by third parties alleging that we are infringing or otherwise violating their intellectual property rights;

claims that our employees, consultants, or independent contractors have wrongfully used or disclosed confidential information of third parties;

the heavily regulated industry in which we conduct business;

the uncertain and evolving healthcare regulatory and political framework;

health care laws and data privacy and security laws and regulations governing our Processing of personal information;

reduced revenues in response to changes to the healthcare regulatory landscape;

legal, regulatory, and other proceedings that could result in adverse outcomes;

consumer protection laws and regulations;

contractual obligations requiring compliance with certain provisions of BSA/AML laws and regulations;

existing laws that regulate our ability to engage in certain marketing activities;

our full compliance with website accessibility standards;

any changes in our tax rates, the adoption of new tax legislation, or exposure to additional tax liabilities;

limitations on our ability to use our NOLs to offset future taxable income;

losses due to asset impairment charges;

restrictive covenants in the agreements governing our Credit Facilities;

interest rate fluctuations;

unavailability of additional capital on acceptable terms or at all;

the impact of general macroeconomic conditions;

our history of net losses and our ability to achieve or maintain profitability;

the interests of the Institutional Investors may be different than the interests of other holders of our securities;

our status as an “emerging growth company” and whether the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to “emerging growth companies” will make our common stock less attractive to investors; and

the other factors discussed under “Risk factors.”
These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this prospectus. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize,
 
54

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements.
Any forward-looking statement made by us in this prospectus speaks only as of the date of this prospectus and are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included in this prospectus. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, investments, or other strategic transactions we may make. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws.
 
55

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that we will receive net proceeds of approximately $      million from the sale of        shares of our common stock in this offering, assuming an initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us. If the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares, the net proceeds to us will be approximately $      million.
We intend to use the net proceeds to us from this offering to repay $      million aggregate principal amount of indebtedness under our First Lien Credit Facility, with any remainder to be used for general corporate purposes.
On February 9, 2024, we amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to, among others, (i) increase the total First Lien Credit Facility term loan balance to $2.2 billion, $449.6 million of which was utilized to pay off the remaining principal and interest on the Second Lien Credit Facility, and (ii) extend the maturity date of the First Lien Credit Facility to October 22, 2029. As of February 9, 2024, the effective interest rate under the First Lien Credit Facility was 4.00% per annum above the SOFR rate.
See “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations—Liquidity and capital resources—Indebtedness” for additional information regarding our First Lien Credit Facility.
Certain of the underwriters and/or certain of their affiliates, and affiliates of CPPIB and Bain, are lenders under our First Lien Credit Facility, and, as a result, will receive a portion of the net proceeds from this offering.
 
56

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
DIVIDEND POLICY
We currently expect to retain all future earnings for use in the operation and expansion of our business and have no current plans to pay dividends on our common stock. The declaration, amount, and payment of any future dividends will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors, and will depend on, among other things, general and economic conditions, our results of operations and financial condition, our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions and implications on the payment of dividends by us to our stockholders or by our subsidiaries to us, including restrictions under our credit agreements and other indebtedness we may incur, and such other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant. If we elect to pay such dividends in the future, we may reduce or discontinue entirely the payment of such dividends at any time.
 
57

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of December 31, 2023:

on an actual basis; and

on an as adjusted basis after giving effect to (i) the issuance and sale of          shares of our common stock offered by us in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us, (ii) the refinancing of our Second Lien Credit Facility with the proceeds of additional borrowings under our First Lien Credit Facility on February 9, 2024, and (iii) the application of the net proceeds to us therefrom as described under “Use of proceeds.”
You should read this table in conjunction with the information contained in “Use of proceeds” and “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations” as well as our financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.
As of December 31, 2023
($ in thousands, except share and par value)
Actual
As adjusted(1)
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 35,580 $         
Debt:
Revolving Credit Facility(2)
First Lien Credit Facility(2)(3)
1,730,816
Second Lien Credit Facility(2)(3)
448,000
Receivables Facility(2)
70,000
Total debt
2,248,816
Stockholders’ equity:
Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, 222,000,000 shares authorized, actual; 201,109,005 shares issued and outstanding, actual;        shares authorized, as adjusted;       shares issued and outstanding, as
adjusted
2,011
Additional paid-in capital
2,233,894
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
15,802
Accumulated deficit
201,775
Total stockholders’ equity
$ 2,049,932 $
Total capitalization
$ 4,298,748 $
(1) To the extent we change the number of shares of common stock sold by us in this offering from the shares we expect to sell or we change the initial public offering price from the assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, or any combination of these events occurs, the net proceeds to us from this offering and each of additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ equity, and total capitalization may increase or decrease. A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds that we receive in this offering and each of additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ equity, and total capitalization by approximately $      , assuming the number of shares offered by us remains the same as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us. An increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 shares in the expected number of shares to be sold by us in this offering, assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) our net proceeds from this offering and each of additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ equity, and total capitalization by approximately $      after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
(2) See “Management’s discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition—Liquidity and capital resources—Indebtedness” for more information regarding our Revolving Credit Facility, First Lien Credit Facility, Second Lien Credit Facility, and Receivables Facility.
(3) On February 9, 2024, we amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to, among others, (i) increase the total First Lien Credit Facility term loan balance to $2.2 billion, $449.6 million of which was utilized to pay off the remaining principal and interest on the Second Lien Credit Facility, and (ii) extend the maturity date of the First Lien Credit Facility to October 22, 2029. As of February 9, 2024, the effective interest rate under the First Lien Credit Facility was 4.00% per annum above the SOFR rate.
 
58

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
DILUTION
If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your ownership interest in us will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our common stock and the as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share of our common stock after giving effect to this offering. Dilution results from the fact that the per share offering price of the common stock is substantially in excess of the book value per share attributable to the shares of our common stock held by existing stockholders.
Our net tangible book value (deficit) as of December 31, 2023 was approximately $(2,299.1) million, or $(11.43) per share of our common stock. We calculate net tangible book value (deficit) per share by taking the amount of our total tangible assets, reduced by the amount of our total liabilities, and then dividing that amount by the total number of shares of common stock outstanding.
After giving further effect to (i) our sale of                 shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us and (ii) the application of the net proceeds to us from this offering as set forth under “Use of proceeds,” our as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) as of December 31, 2023 would have been $      million, or $      per share of our common stock. This amount represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value (or a decrease in net tangible book deficit) of $      per share to existing stockholders and an immediate and substantial dilution in net tangible book value (deficit) of $      per share to new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price.
The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis:
Assumed initial public offering price per share of our common stock
$
Net tangible book value (deficit) per share of our common stock as of December 31, 2023
$ (11.43)
Increase in tangible book value per share attributable to new investors purchasing shares of our common stock in this offering
As adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after giving effect to this offering
Dilution per share of our common stock to new investors in this offering
$
Dilution is determined by subtracting as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share of common stock after the offering from the initial public offering price per share of common stock.
If the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock, the as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share after giving effect to the offering and the use of proceeds therefrom would be $      per share. This represents an increase in as adjusted net tangible book value (or a decrease in as adjusted net tangible book deficit) of $      per share to the existing stockholders and results in dilution in as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) of $      per share to new investors.
Assuming the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us, a $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the tangible book value attributable to new investors purchasing shares in this offering by $      per share and the dilution to new investors by $      per share and increase (decrease) the as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share after giving effect to this offering by $      per share.
The following table summarizes, as of December 31, 2023, the differences between the number of shares purchased from us, the total consideration paid to us, and the average price per share paid by existing stockholders and by new investors. As the table shows, new investors purchasing shares of our common stock in this offering will pay an average price per share substantially higher than our existing stockholders paid. The table below assumes an initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated price
 
59

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, for shares purchased in this offering and excludes the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us:
Shares purchased
Total consideration
Average price
per share
Number
Percent
Amount
Percent
(in thousands, except per share amounts and percentages)
Existing stockholders
201,124
    %
$ 2,175,503
    %
$ 10.82
New investors
%
%
$
Total
100.0%
$
100.0%
If the underwriters were to exercise in full their option to purchase                 additional shares of our common stock from us, the percentage of shares of our common stock held by existing stockholders who are directors, officers, or affiliated persons as of December 31, 2023 would be    % and the percentage of shares of our common stock held by new investors would be    %.
Assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, a $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the mid-point of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) total consideration paid by new investors, total consideration paid by all stockholders and average price per share paid by all stockholders by $      million, $      million, and $      per share, respectively.
To the extent that we grant options to our employees in the future and those options are exercised or other issuances of common stock are made, there will be further dilution to new investors.
 
60

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
This management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations section should be read in conjunction with “Summary—Summary historical financial and other data,” our consolidated financial statements, and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties about our business and operations. Our actual results and the timing of selected events may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those we describe under “Risk factors,” “Forward-looking statements,” and elsewhere in this prospectus. Additionally, our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any period in the future.
Overview
Waystar provides healthcare organizations with mission-critical cloud software that simplifies healthcare payments. Our enterprise-grade platform streamlines the complex and disparate processes our healthcare provider clients must manage to be reimbursed correctly, while improving the payments experience for providers, patients, and payers. We leverage AI as well as proprietary, advanced algorithms to automate payment-related workflow tasks and drive continuous improvement, which enhances claim and billing accuracy, enriches data integrity, and reduces labor costs for providers.
Our software is used daily by providers of all types and sizes across the continuum of care, including physician practices, clinics, surgical centers, and laboratories, as well as large hospitals and health systems. We currently serve approximately 30,000 clients of various sizes, representing approximately one million distinct providers practicing across a variety of care sites, including 18 of the top 22 U.S. News Best Hospitals. Our client base is highly diversified, and for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, our top 10 clients accounted for only 11.3% and 11.4%, respectively, of our total revenue. Our business model is designed such that as our clients grow to serve more patients, their claims and transactional volumes increase, resulting in corresponding growth in our business. In addition, our clients frequently adopt a greater number of our solutions over time and introduce our solutions across new sites of care. The number of clients from whom we generate over $100,000 of revenue has grown from 733 in the twelve months ended March 31, 2021 to 1,046 in the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, driven by large, new client wins and successful cross-selling and up-selling efforts. In 2023, we facilitated over 4 billion healthcare payments transactions, including over $1.2 trillion in gross claims volume, spanning approximately 50% of patients in the United States.
Our platform benefits from powerful network effects. Our cloud-based software is driven by a sophisticated, automated, and curated rules engine, employing AI to generate and incorporate real-time feedback from millions of network transactions processed through our platform each day. Every transaction we process provides additional data insights across providers, patients, and payers, which are embedded in updates that are deployed efficiently across our client base. This results in cumulative benefits to us over time — as we capture more data from each transaction we process, we leverage that data to continue to improve the Waystar platform through embedded machine learning, advanced algorithms, and other in-house AI technologies to deliver added value to our clients. In turn, the more value we create for our clients, the more likely it is that they will continue to use our products, allowing us to continue to capture more data that results in tangible improvements to our platform. As a result, our clients benefit from faster and more efficient performance from software that is evolving to meet ever-changing regulatory and payer requirements, enabling accurate and timely reimbursement.
We have demonstrated an ability to drive recurring, predictable, and profitable growth. Over 99% of our revenue is either recurring subscription or based on highly predictable volumes. For the year ended December 31, 2023, our Net Revenue Retention Rate was 108.6%, and for the year ended December 31, 2022, our Net Revenue Retention Rate was 109.5%. For the year ended December 31, 2023, we generated revenue of $791.0 million (reflecting a 12.2% increase compared to revenue of $704.9 million in the prior year), net loss of $51.3 million (reflecting a 0.2% decrease compared to net loss of $51.5 million in the prior year), and Adjusted EBITDA of
 
61

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
$333.7 million (reflecting a 12.9% increase compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $295.5 million in the prior year). For the year ended December 31, 2022, we generated revenue of $704.9 million (reflecting a 21.8% increase compared to revenue of $578.6 million in the prior year), net loss of $51.5 million (reflecting a 9.2% decrease compared to net loss of $47.1 million in the prior year), and Adjusted EBITDA of $295.5 million (reflecting a 16% increase compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $254.5 million in the prior year).
Significant items affecting comparability
We believe that the future growth and profitability of our business, and the comparability of our results from period to period, depend on numerous factors, including the following:

Our ability to expand our relationship with existing clients. As our clients grow their businesses and provide more services and see more patients, our volume-based revenues also increase. In addition, our growth in revenues also depends on our ability to sell more products and solutions to existing clients, including through cross-selling as our clients adopt additional Waystar offerings as well as up-selling as our clients leverage our solutions across additional providers and sites of care.

Our ability to grow our client base. We are focused on continuing to grow our client base, which will depend in part on our ability to continue to maintain our product leadership, invest in our research and development team, and maintain our reputation and brand.

Timing and number of acquisitions. Since 2018, we have completed and successfully integrated nine acquisitions, two of which closed in the second half of 2023; HealthPay24 on August 3, 2023 and certain assets of Olive AI, Inc.’s Clearinghouse and Patient Access business on October 31, 2023. The historical results of operations of our acquisitions are only included starting from the date of closing of such acquisition. As a result, our consolidated statements of operations for any given period during which an acquisition closed may not be comparable to future periods, which would include the results of operations of such acquisition for the entirety of such future period. Due to the timing and overall size, the acquisitions closed in 2023 did not have a significant impact on the comparability of the periods presented.
Impacts of the initial public offering
Impact of debt extinguishment
Assuming net proceeds after expenses to us of $     million in connection of the sale of common stock in this offering and the application of such net proceeds to all outstanding indebtedness under our Second Lien Credit Facility and $      million aggregate principal amount of indebtedness under our First Lien Credit Facility as described in “Use of proceeds,” we expect to incur debt extinguishment costs of $     million related to the write-off of unamortized debt discounts.
Stock-based compensation expenses
Upon the completion of this offering (and based on the initial offering price being equal to the midpoint of the range on the cover of this prospectus), we expect to recognize initial stock-based compensation expense of $     million per year over the applicable vesting periods in connection the following equity awards that we expect to grant in connection with this offering: (i)      options with an exercise price equal to the initial offering price and      restricted stock units that, in each case, we expect to award to certain of our employees and (ii)      restricted stock units with an initial value of $200,000 (based on the initial offering price) per award that we expect to award to each of our non-employee directors who are not employed by any of the Institutional Investors. Such stock-based compensation expense will be reflected in our results of operations from the closing date of this offering through the applicable vesting periods of such awards. In addition, it is expected that future equity awards will be issued under our 2024 Equity Incentive Plan in the ordinary course.
Incremental public company expenses
Following this offering, we will incur significant expenses on an ongoing basis that we did not incur as a private company. Those costs include additional director and officer liability insurance expenses, as well as third-party and
 
62

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
internal resources related to accounting, auditing, Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance, legal, and investor and public relations expenses. These costs will generally be expensed under general and administrative expenses.
Components of results of operations
Revenue
We primarily generate two types of revenue: (i) subscription revenue and (ii) volume-based revenue, which account for 99% of total revenue for all periods presented. We believe we have high visibility into our volume-based and subscription revenue from existing clients. We refer to the solutions our clients use to better process and understand their payment workflows from payers as provider solutions, and we refer to the products that assist healthcare providers in collecting payments from patients as patient payment solutions. We expect provider solutions will continue to generate the substantial majority of our total revenue, although the revenue mix attributable to patient payment solutions is expected to increase slightly over time.

Subscription revenue. Reflects recurring monthly provider count fees and minimum amounts owed. The vast majority of subscription revenue is generated by provider solutions, which constituted approximately 70% of total revenue in each of 2022 and 2023.

Volume-based revenue. Represents recurring fees associated with transaction count or dollar volumes in excess of minimums. Generally, approximately half of our volume-based revenue is generated from provider solutions that are based on transaction count, with the other half from patient payments solutions that are based on either dollar volumes or transaction count.
We also derive revenue from implementation fees for our software, as well as hardware sales to facilitate patient payments. Our implementation fees are billed upfront and the revenue is recognized ratably over the contract term.
Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)
Cost of revenue includes salaries, stock-based compensation, and benefits (“personnel costs”) for our team members who are focused on implementation, support, and other client-focused operations, as well as team members focused on enhancing and developing our platform. Cost of revenue also includes costs for third-party technology such as interchange fees and infrastructure related to the operations of our platform, including communicating and processing patient payments, and services to support the delivery of our solutions. Third-party costs for patient payments solutions are approximately 60% of the revenue generated from these solutions, while third-party costs for provider solutions are approximately 6% of the associated revenue.
Sales and marketing
Sales and marketing costs consist primarily of personnel costs, internal sales commissions, channel partner fees, travel, and advertising costs.
General and administrative
General and administrative expenses consist of personnel costs incurred in our corporate service functions such as finance expenses, legal, human resources, and information technology, as well as other professional service costs.
Research and development
Research and development (“R&D”) costs consist primarily of personnel costs for team members engaged in research and development activities as well as third-party fees. All such costs are expensed as incurred, except for capitalized software development costs.
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization consists of the depreciation of property and equipment and amortization of certain intangible assets, including capitalized software.
 
63

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Other expense
Other expense consists primarily of interest expense and related-party interest expense, inclusive of the impact of interest rate swaps.
Income tax benefit
Income tax benefit includes current income tax and income tax credits from deferred taxes. Income tax benefit is recognized in profit and loss except to the extent that it relates to items recognized in equity or other comprehensive income, in which case the income tax expense is also recognized in equity or other comprehensive income.
Results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
The following table provides consolidated operating results for the periods indicated and percentage of revenue for each line item:
Year ended December 31,
($ in thousands)
2023
2022
Change
($)
(%)
($)
(%)
($)
(%)
Revenue
$ 791,010
100.0%
$ 704,874
100.0%
$ 86,136
12.2%
Operating expenses
Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and
amortization)
249,767
31.6%
214,891
30.5%
34,876
16.2%
Sales and marketing
124,437
15.7%
111,470
15.8%
12,967
11.6%
General and administrative
62,924
8.0%
73,089
10.4%
(10,165)
(13.9)%
Research and development
35,332
4.5%
32,807
4.7%
2,525
7.7%
Depreciation and amortization
176,467
22.3%
183,167
26.0%
(6,700)
(3.7)%
Total operating expenses
648,927
82.0%
615,424
87.3%
33,503
5.4%
Income from operations
142,083
18.0%
89,450
12.7%
52,633
58.8%
Other expense
Interest expense
(198,309)
(25.1)%
(148,967)
(21.1)%
(49,342)
33.1%
Related party interest expense
(7,608)
(1.0)%
(6,358)
(0.9)%
(1,250)
19.7%
Loss before income taxes
(63,834)
(8.1)%
(65,875)
(9.3)%
2,041
(3.1)%
Income tax (benefit)
(12,500)
(1.6)%
(14,420)
(2.0)%
1,920
(13.3)%
Net loss
$ (51,334)
(6.5)%
$ (51,455)
(7.3)%
$ 121
(0.2)%
Revenue
Year ended December 31,
($ in thousands)
2023
2022
Change
($)
(%)
($)
(%)
($)
(%)
Subscription revenue
$ 401,013
50.7%
$ 366,717
52.0%
$ 34,296
9.4%
Volume-based revenue
386,276
48.8%
335,452
47.6%
50,824
15.2%
Services and other revenue
3,721
0.5%
2,705
0.4%
1,016
37.6%
Total revenue
$ 791,010
100.0%
$ 704,874
100.0%
$ 86,136
12.2%
Revenue was $791.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $704.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of $86.1 million, or 12.2%, of which $34.3 million was attributed to
 
64

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
subscription revenue primarily from existing clients, with $31.9 million generated by provider solutions, and $2.4 million generated from patient payments solutions. Another $50.8 million was attributed to volume-based revenue primarily related to expansion of existing client usage and acquired clients, of which $20.9 million was generated by provider solutions and $29.9 million by patient payments solutions.
Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)
Cost of revenue was $249.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $214.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of $34.9 million, or 16.2%. The increase was primarily driven by $28.5 million in increased costs stemming from higher transaction volume and associated third-party costs, including higher platform usage, of which approximately $9.5 million was from costs associated with provider solutions and $19.0 million from patient payments solutions. In addition, there was a $4.6 million increase in personnel costs.
Sales and marketing
Sales and marketing expense was $124.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $111.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of $13.0 million, or 11.6%. The increase was primarily driven by an increase in channel partner fees and internal commissions of $9.1 million, an increase in marketing expenses of $0.8 million and an increase in third-party professional fees of $0.7 million.
General and administrative
General and administrative expense was $62.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $73.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, a decrease of $10.2 million, or 13.9%. The decrease was primarily driven by an impairment expense recognized in 2022 related to leasehold improvements and right-of-use assets at closed office locations of $10.9 million.
Research and development
Research and development expense was $35.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $32.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of $2.5 million, or 7.7%. The increase was primarily driven by higher personnel costs, net of capitalized expenses, of $1.5 million and increased third party consulting and engineering efforts, net of capitalized amounts, of $0.4 million.
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization expense was $176.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $183.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, a decrease of $6.7 million, or 3.7%. The decrease was primarily driven by $6.3 million of amortization in 2022 related to intangible assets that were fully amortized as of January 1, 2023.
Other expense
Total interest expense was $205.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $155.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of $50.6 million, or 32.6%, of which $48.6 million was primarily related to higher interest expense driven by higher interest rates with respect to our First Lien Credit Facility and Second Lien Credit Facility, which is net of the impact of interest rate swaps.
Income tax benefit
Income tax benefit was $12.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $14.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, a decrease of $1.9 million, or 13.3%. The decrease was primarily driven by decrease in pre-tax loss.
Quarterly financial information
The following tables summarize our unaudited quarterly consolidated statements of operations data for the eight quarters ended December 31, 2023. The information for each of these quarters has been prepared on the
 
65

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
same basis as our audited annual consolidated financial statements and reflects, in the opinion of management, all adjustments of a normal, recurring nature that are necessary for the fair statement of the results of operations for these periods. This data should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full fiscal year or any other period.
Three months ended
($ in thousands)
March 31,
2022
June 30
2022
September 30,
2022
December 31,
2022
March 31,
2023
June 30
2023
September 30,
2023
December 31,
2023
Revenue
$ 171,420 $ 173,379 $ 177,973 $ 182,102 $ 191,083 $ 195,969 $ 197,263 $ 206,695
Operating expenses
Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)
52,184 53,689 55,288 53,728 59,155 60,500 62,922 67,190
Sales and marketing
26,067 26,896 28,643 29,865 29,964 31,413 32,114 30,946
General and
administrative
24,568 17,860 15,537 15,123 14,681 14,478 17,365 16,400
Research and development
7,836 8,064 8,632 8,275 8,326 8,249 8,972 9,785
Depreciation and
amortization
45,361 45,762 45,460 46,584 43,966 44,140 43,675 44,686
Total operating
expenses
156,016 152,271 153,560 153,575 156,092 158,780 165,048 169,007
Income from operations
15,404 21,108 24,413 28,527 34,991 37,189 32,215 37,688
Other expense
Interest expense
(33,635) (34,430) (38,241) (42,662) (47,147) (49,145) (50,755) (51,262)
Related party interest
expense
(1,153) (1,315) (1,760) (2,130) (2,354) (2,001) (1,655) (1,598)
Loss before income taxes
(19,384) (14,637) (15,588) (16,265) (14,510) (13,957) (20,195) (15,172)
Income tax (benefit)
(4,815) (3,759) (5,114) (732) (3,887) (3,147) (4,709) (757)
Net loss
$ (14,569) $ (10,878) $ (10,474) $ (15,533) $ (10,623) $ (10,810) $ (15,486) $ (14,415)
Key performance metrics and non-GAAP financial measures
We present Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin as supplemental measures of financial performance that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. We believe they assist investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are useful to investors in highlighting trends in our operating performance, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate, and capital investments. Management uses Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin to supplement GAAP measures of performance in the evaluation of the effectiveness of our business strategies, to make budgeting decisions, to establish discretionary annual incentive compensation, and to compare our performance against that of other peer companies using similar measures. Management supplements GAAP results with non-GAAP financial measures to provide a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting the business than GAAP results alone provide.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are not recognized terms under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) or net income (loss) margin as measures of financial performance or cash provided by operating activities as a measure of liquidity, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. Additionally, these measures are not intended to be a measure of free cash flow available for management’s discretionary use, as they do not consider certain cash requirements such as interest payments, tax payments, and debt service requirements. The presentations of these measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under
 
66

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
GAAP. Because not all companies use identical calculations, the presentations of these measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies and can differ significantly from company to company. A reconciliation is provided below for our non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measure stated in accordance with GAAP. Investors are encouraged to review the related GAAP financial measures and the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin
We define Adjusted EBITDA as net loss before interest expense, net, income tax benefit, depreciation and amortization, and as further adjusted for stock-based compensation expense, acquisition and integration costs, asset and lease impairments, costs of extinguishing debt, and IPO related costs. Adjusted EBITDA margin represents Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue.
The following table presents a reconciliation of net loss to Adjusted EBITDA and net loss margin to Adjusted EBITDA margin for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
Year ended December 31,
($ in thousands)
2023
2022
Net loss
$ (51,334) $ (51,455)
Interest expense, net
205,917 155,325
Income tax benefit
(12,500) (14,420)
Depreciation and amortization
176,467 183,167
Stock-based compensation expense
8,848 8,003
Acquisition and integration costs
3,947 2,208
Asset and lease impairments(a)
10,856
Costs of extinguishing debt
393 1,549
IPO related costs
1,977 275
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 333,715 $ 295,508
Revenue
$ 791,010 $ 704,874
Net loss margin
(6.5)%
(7.3)%
Adjusted EBITDA margin
42.2%
41.9%
(a) Reflects the impact of the impairment expense recognized related to leasehold improvements and right-of-use assets at closed office locations.
Net Revenue Retention Rate
We also regularly monitor and review our Net Revenue Retention Rate.
The following table presents our Net Revenue Retention Rate for December 31, 2023 and 2022 respectively:
Year ended December 31,
2023
2022
Net Revenue Retention Rate
108.6%
109.5%
Our Net Revenue Retention Rate compares twelve months of client invoices for our solutions at two period end dates. To calculate our Net Revenue Retention Rate, we first accumulate the total amount invoiced during the twelve months ending with the prior period-end, or Prior Period Invoices. We then calculate the total amount invoiced to those same clients for the twelve months ending with the current period-end, or Current Period Invoices. Current Period Invoices are inclusive of upsell, downsell, pricing changes, clients that cancel or chose not to renew, and discontinued solutions with continuing clients. The Net Revenue Retention Rate is then calculated by dividing the Current Period Invoices by the Prior Period Invoices. Our total invoices included in the analysis
 
67

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
are greater than 98% of reported revenue. We use Net Revenue Retention Rate to evaluate our ongoing operations and for internal planning and forecasting purposes. Acquired businesses are included in the last-twelve month Net Revenue Retention Rate in the ninth quarter after acquisition, which is the earliest point that comparable post-acquisition invoices are available for both the current and prior twelve-month period.
Customer Count with >$100,000 Revenue
We also regularly monitor and review our count of clients who generate more than $100,000 of revenue.
The following table sets forth our count of clients who generate more than $100,000 of revenue for the periods presented:
March 31,
2022
June 30,
2022
September 30,
2022
December 31,
2022
March 31,
2023
June 30,
2023
September 30,
2023
December 31,
2023
Customer Count with >$100,000 Revenue
920 939 963 982 1,007 1,023 1,033 1,046
Our count of clients who generate more than $100,000 of revenue is based on an accumulation of the amounts invoiced to clients over the preceding twelve months. The invoices for acquired clients are included starting in the first full calendar quarter after the date of acquisition.
Liquidity and capital resources
Overview
We assess our liquidity in terms of our ability to generate adequate amounts of cash to meet current and future needs. Our expected primary uses on a short-term and long-term basis are for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements, and investments in future growth, including acquisitions. We have historically funded our operations and acquisitions through our cash and cash equivalents, cash flows from operations, and debt financings. We believe that our existing unrestricted cash on hand, expected future cash flows from operations, and additional borrowings will provide sufficient resources to fund our operating requirements, as well as future capital expenditures, debt service requirements, and investments in future growth for at least the next 12 months. To the extent additional funds are necessary to meet our long-term liquidity needs as we continue to execute our business strategy, we anticipate that they will be obtained through the incurrence of additional indebtedness, additional equity financings, or a combination of these potential sources of funds. In the event that we need access to additional cash, we may not be able to access the credit markets on commercially acceptable terms or at all. Our ability to fund future operating expenses and capital expenditures and our ability to meet future debt service obligations or refinance our indebtedness will depend on our future operating performance, which will be affected by general economic, financial, and other factors beyond our control, including those described under “Risk factors.”
On December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we had restricted cash of $9.8 million and $8.1 million, respectively, which consists of cash deposited in lockbox accounts owned by us which are contractually required to be disbursed to participating clients on the following day, as well as cash collected on behalf of healthcare providers from patients that have not yet been remitted to providers. These funds payable are not available for our use and liquidity, and are offset on our balance sheet by an aggregated funds payable liability.
Our liquidity is influenced by many factors, including timing of revenue and corresponding cash collections, the amount and timing of investments in strategic initiatives, our investments in property, equipment, and software, as well as other factors described under “Risk factors.” Depending on the severity and direct impact of these factors on us, we may not be able to secure additional financing on acceptable terms, or at all.
 
68

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Cash flows
Cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, are summarized in the following table:
Year ended December 31,
Change
($ in thousands)
2023
2022
Amount
Change
Net cash provided by operating activities
$ 51,460 $ 102,634 $ (51,174)
(49.9)%
Net cash used by investing activities
(61,517) (17,433) (44,084)
252.9%
Net cash used by financing activities
(17,151) (67,065) 49,914
(74.4)%
Net increase (decrease) in cash and restricted cash
$ (27,208) $ 18,136 $ (45,344)
(250.0)%
Cash flows provided by operating activities
Cash flows provided by operating activities were $51.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $102.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease is primarily driven by the change in deferred income taxes and income tax receivable resulting in a decrease of $43.4 million. Additionally, the decrease was driven by an impairment expense of $10.9 million recognized in 2022 related to leasehold improvements and right-of-use assets at closed office locations.
Cash flows used by investing activities
Cash flows used in investing activities were $61.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $17.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Cash flows used in investing activities increased in 2023 relative to 2022 as we used $40.0 million for acquisitions completed in 2023.
Cash flows used by financing activities
Cash flows used in financing activities were $17.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $67.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Cash flows used in financing activities decreased in 2023 relative to 2022 primarily due to the $47.0 million partial pay down in principal of the Second Lien Credit Facility in April 2022.
Indebtedness
First lien credit facilities
Our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, Waystar Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), is the Borrower under a first lien credit agreement, dated as of October 22, 2019 (as amended from time to time, the “First Lien Credit Agreement”), that initially provided for an $825.0 million senior secured first lien term loans and commitments under a revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of $125.0 million, with a sub-commitment for issuance of letters of credit of $25.0 million. The initial first lien term loans are scheduled to mature on October 22, 2026 and commitments under the revolving credit facility and the loans thereunder were initially scheduled to terminate and mature on October 22, 2024.
On December 1, 2019, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to add 2019 first lien incremental term loans in the amount of $100.0 million to be used for certain acquisitions consummated substantially simultaneously with the closing of such amendment. The terms of such 2019 first lien incremental term loans were the same as the terms of the initial first lien term loans, including in respect of maturity, and were considered an increase in the aggregate principal amount of the initial first lien term loans outstanding under the First Lien Credit Agreement and were part of the initial first lien term loans.
On September 23, 2020, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to (i) add 2020 first lien incremental term loans in the amount of $620.0 million to be used for certain acquisitions consummated substantially simultaneously with the closing of such amendment and (ii) add revolving credit
 
69

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
commitments in the amount of $75.0 million to increase the revolving credit commitments available under the First Lien Credit Agreement to $200.0 million. Such 2020 first lien incremental term loans constituted a separate class of first lien term loans from the initial first lien term loans but were otherwise on the same as the terms of the initial first lien term loans (other than with respect to the “LIBOR-floor” applicable thereto).
On March 24, 2021, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to (i) reduce the “LIBOR-floor” applicable to the 2020 first lien incremental term loans and (ii) in connection therewith, combine the initial first lien term loans with the 2020 first lien incremental term loans which thereafter then constituted one class of first lien term loans.
On August 24, 2021, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to add 2021 first lien incremental term loans in the amount of $247.0 million to be used for certain acquisitions consummated substantially simultaneously with the closing of such amendment. The terms of such 2021 first lien incremental term loans were the same as the terms of the initial first lien term loans outstanding at such time, including in respect of maturity, and were considered an increase in the aggregate principal amount of the initial first lien term loans outstanding under the First Lien Credit Agreement at such time and were part of the initial first lien term loans.
On June 1, 2023, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to replace all LIBOR-based interest rates applicable to borrowings under the revolving credit facility with a Term SOFR-based rate plus a credit spread adjustment of 0.11%.
On June 23, 2023, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to replace all LIBOR-based interest rates applicable to the first lien term loans with a Term SOFR-based rate plus a credit spread adjustment of 0.11%.
On October 6, 2023, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to, among others, (i) increase the revolving credit commitments under the First Lien Credit Agreement by $142.5 million to a total of $342.5 million, with a sub-commitment for issuance of letters of credit of $50.0 million, (ii) amend the applicable margin with respect thereto upon the consummation of a qualifying initial public offering, and (iii) extend the availability period of such revolving credit commitments and the maturity date of loans thereunder from October 22, 2024 to October 6, 2028; provided that if, prior to October 6, 2028, either (i) on the date that is 91 days prior to the maturity date of the first lien term loans (or any loans refinancing such first lien term loans), more than $150.0 million of such first lien term loans (or any such loans refinancing such first lien term loans) are outstanding or (ii) on the date that is 91 days prior to the maturity date of the second lien term loans under the Second Lien Credit Agreement (as defined below) (or any loans refinancing such second lien term loans), any such second lien term loans (or any such loans refinancing such second lien term loans) are outstanding, the commitments under the revolving credit facility and the loans thereunder will terminate and mature on such date (the “Springing Maturity Condition”). The revolving credit commitments as increased by the amendment replaced the existing revolving credit commitments under the First Lien Credit Agreement.
On February 9, 2024, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to, among others, (i) increase the total First Lien Credit Facility term loan balance to $2.2 billion, $449.6 million of which was utilized to pay off the remaining principal and interest on the Second Lien Credit Facility, and (ii) extend the maturity date of the First Lien Credit Facility to October 22, 2029. As of February 9, 2024, the effective interest rate under the First Lien Credit Facility was 4.00% per annum above the SOFR rate.
All obligations under the First Lien Credit Agreement are unconditionally guaranteed on a senior first lien priority basis by, subject to certain exceptions, the Borrower and each of the Borrower’s existing and subsequently acquired or organized direct or indirect wholly owned restricted subsidiaries organized in the United States. Additionally, the obligations under First Lien Credit Agreement and such guarantees are secured on a first lien priority basis, subject to certain exceptions and excluded assets, by (i) the equity securities of the Borrower and of each subsidiary guarantor and (ii) security interests in, and mortgages on, substantially all personal property and material owned real property by the Borrower and each subsidiary guarantor. The first lien priority of such
 
70

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
liens is governed by a customary intercreditor agreement applicable to obligations outstanding under the First Lien Credit Agreement and Second Lien Credit Agreement (as defined below).
Borrowings under the First Lien Credit Agreement currently bear interest at a rate per annum equal to, at the option of the Borrower, either (i) (x) the Term SOFR rate for the applicable interest period, with a floor of 0.00%, plus (y) an applicable margin rate of, for the first lien term loans, 4.00% and, for loans under the revolving credit facility, (a) prior to the consummation of a qualifying initial public offering, between 3.75% and 3.25% and (b) on or after the consummation of a qualifying initial public offering, between 3.00% and 2.25%, in each case, depending on the applicable first lien leverage ratio, plus (z) solely in the case of the first lien term loans, a “SOFR spread adjustment” between approximately 0.11% and 0.42%, depending on the applicable interest period or (ii) (x) an alternate base rate (“ABR”), with a floor of 1.00%, plus (y) an applicable margin rate of, for the first lien term loans, 3.00% and, for loans under the revolving credit facility, (a) prior to the consummation of a qualifying initial public offering, between 2.75% and 2.25% and (b) on or after the consummation of a qualifying initial public offering, between 2.00% and 1.25%, in each case, depending on the applicable first lien leverage ratio (with the ABR determined as the greatest of (a) the prime rate, (b) the federal funds effective rate plus 0.50%, and (c) the Term SOFR rate plus 1.00%).
In addition to paying interest on outstanding principal under the first lien term loans and the revolving credit facility, the Borrower is required to pay a commitment fee, payable quarterly in arrears, of (i) prior to the consummation of a qualifying initial public offering, 0.50% per annum on the average daily unused portion of the revolving credit facility, with step-downs to 0.375% and 0.25% per annum and (ii) on or after the consummation of a qualifying initial public offering, 0.375% per annum on the average daily unused portion of the revolving credit facility, with step-down to 0.25% per annum, in each case, on such portion upon achievement of certain first lien leverage ratios. The Borrower must also pay customary letter of credit issuance and participation fees and other customary fees and expenses of the letter of credit issuers.
As of December, 31, 2023, the Borrower is required to repay installments on the first lien term loans in quarterly principal amounts equal to approximately $4.50 million on the last business day of each March, June, September, and December of each year, with the balance payable on October 22, 2026. After the aforementioned First Lien Credit Agreement amendment dated February 9, 2024, the Borrower is required to repay installments on the first lien term loans in quarterly principal amounts equal to approximately $5.5 million on the last business day of each March, June, September, and December of each year, with the balance payable on October 22, 2029. Additionally, the entire principal amount of revolving loans outstanding (if any) under the revolving credit facility are due and payable in full at maturity on October 6, 2028, subject to the Springing Maturity Condition, on which day the revolving credit commitments thereunder will terminate.
The Borrower is required, subject to certain exceptions, to pay outstanding amounts of the first lien term loan, (i) with 50% of excess cash flow, with step-downs upon achievement of certain first lien net leverage ratios, (ii) with 100% of the net cash proceeds of all non-ordinary course asset sales by the Borrower and its restricted subsidiaries, subject to customary reinvestment right, and (iii) with 100% of the net cash proceeds of issuances of debt obligations of the Borrower and its restricted subsidiaries, other than permitted debt. Additionally, the Borrower may voluntarily repay outstanding loans under the first lien term loan and the revolving credit facility at any time without premium or penalty. In addition, the Borrower may elect to permanently terminate or reduce all or a portion of the revolving credit commitments and the letter of credit sub-limit under the revolving credit facility at any time without premium or penalty.
The First Lien Credit Agreement also includes customary representations, warranties, covenants, and events of default (with customary grace periods, as applicable).
As of December 31, 2023, we had $1,731 million of outstanding borrowings on the first lien term loan and $342.5 million of availability under the revolving credit facility under the First Lien Credit Agreement, and outstanding letters of credit of $0 million under the first lien credit agreement. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with the covenants under the First Lien Credit Agreement.
 
71

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Second lien credit facility
The Borrower is also the borrower under a second lien credit agreement, dated as of October 22, 2019 (as amended from time to time, the “Second Lien Credit Agreement”), that initially provided for an $255.0 million senior secured second lien term loans. The initial second lien term loans are scheduled to mature on October 22, 2027.
On September 23, 2020, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the Second Lien Credit Agreement to add 2020 second lien incremental term loans in the amount of $190.0 million to be used for certain acquisitions consummated substantially simultaneously with the closing of such amendment. Such 2020 second lien incremental term loans constituted a separate class of second lien term loans from the existing second lien term loans but were otherwise on the same as the terms of the initial second lien term loans (other than with respect to the applicable interest margin, “LIBOR-floor” and prepayment premiums applicable thereto).
On August 24, 2021, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the Second Lien Credit Agreement to add 2021 second lien incremental term loans in the amount of $70.0 million to be used for certain acquisitions consummated substantially simultaneously with the closing of such amendment. Such 2021 second lien incremental term loans constituted a separate class of second lien term loans from the initial second lien term loans and 2020 second lien incremental term loans but were otherwise on the same as the terms of our initial second lien term loans (other than with respect to the applicable interest margin, “LIBOR-floor” and prepayment premiums applicable thereto).
On June 27, 2023, the Borrower and certain lenders amended the Second Lien Credit Agreement to replace all LIBOR-based interest rates applicable to the second lien term loans with a Term SOFR-based rate plus a credit spread adjustment of 0.11%.
All obligations under the Second Lien Credit Agreement are unconditionally guaranteed on a senior second lien priority basis by, subject to certain exceptions, the direct parent of the Borrower and each of the Borrower’s existing and subsequently acquired or organized direct or indirect wholly owned restricted subsidiaries organized in the United States. Additionally, the obligations under Second Lien Credit Agreement and such guarantees are secured on a second lien priority basis, subject to certain exceptions and excluded assets, by (i) the equity securities of the Borrower and of each subsidiary guarantor and (ii) security interests in, and mortgages on, substantially all personal property and material owned real property by the Borrower and each subsidiary guarantor. The second lien priority of such liens is governed by a customary intercreditor agreement applicable to obligations outstanding under the First Lien Credit Agreement and Second Lien Credit Agreement.
Borrowings under the Second Lien Credit Agreement currently bear interest at a rate per annum equal to, at the option of the Borrower, either (i) the (x) Term SOFR rate for the applicable interest period, with a floor of 0.00% (with respect to the initial second lien term loans), 1.00% (in the case of the 2020 second lien incremental term loans) or 0.75% (in the case of the 2021 second lien incremental term loans) plus (y) an applicable margin rate of 7.75% (with respect to the initial second lien term loans), 8.00% (in the case of the 2020 second lien incremental term loans) or 7.00% (in the case of the 2021 second lien incremental term loans) plus (z) a “SOFR spread adjustment” between approximately 0.11% and 0.42%, depending on the applicable interest period or (ii) (x) an ABR, with a floor of 1.00% (with respect to the initial second lien term loans), 2.00% (in the case of the 2020 second lien incremental term loans) or 1.75% (in the case of the 2021 second lien incremental term loans) plus (y) an applicable margin rate of 6.75% (with respect to the initial second lien term loans), 7.00% (in the case of the 2020 second lien incremental term loans) or 6.00% (in the case of the 2021 second lien incremental term loans), (with the ABR determined as the greatest of (a) the prime rate, (b) the federal funds effective rate plus 0.50%), and (c) the Term SOFR rate plus 1.00%).
As of December 31, 2023, the Borrower is required to repay the balance of the initial second lien term loans, the 2020 second lien incremental term loans, and the 2021 second lien incremental term loans on October 22, 2027.
 
72

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The Borrower is required, subject to certain exceptions, to pay outstanding amounts of the initial second lien term loans, the 2020 second lien incremental term loans, and 2021 second lien incremental term loans, (i) with 100% of the net cash proceeds of all non-ordinary course asset sales by the Borrower and its restricted subsidiaries, subject to customary reinvestment right and (ii) with 100% of the net cash proceeds of issuances of debt obligations of the Borrower and its restricted subsidiaries, other than permitted debt. Additionally, the Borrower may voluntarily repay outstanding loans under any of second lien term loans at any time without premium or penalty, subject to a prepayment premium with respect to the 2020 second lien incremental term loans applicable to any prepayment or repricing transactions of 1.00% of such loans prepaid or otherwise subject to such repricing transaction.
The Second Lien Credit Agreement also contains other customary covenants and events of default (with customary grace periods, as applicable).
As of December 31, 2023, we had $208 million of outstanding borrowings on the initial second lien term loans, $170 million of outstanding borrowings on the 2020 second lien incremental term loans and $70 million of outstanding borrowings on the 2021 second lien incremental term loans. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with the covenants under the Second Lien Credit Agreement.
On February 9, 2024, the Borrower utilized funds from the amended First Lien Credit Facility term loan balance to pay off the remaining principal and interest on the Second Lien Credit Facility.
Receivables facility
On August 13, 2021, the Borrower, as servicer, and Waystar RC LLC, a wholly-owned “bankruptcy remote” special purpose vehicle, as “Receivables Borrower”, entered into a receivables financing agreement (the ‘Receivables Financing Agreement”), providing for an aggregate borrowing of up to $50 million. Loans under the Receivables Financing Agreement mature on August 13, 2024. Borrowings under the Receivables Financing Agreement accrue interest at a rate per annum of, at the option of the Receivables Borrower, either Term SOFR or base rate plus 2.00%. All amounts outstanding under the Receivables Financing Agreement are collateralized by substantially all of the accounts receivables and unbilled revenue of the Receivables Borrower. On October 31, 2023, the Borrower and Receivables Borrower amended the Receivables Financing Agreement to increase the aggregate borrowing availability to up to $80 million and extend the maturity date to October 30, 2026.
In connection with the Receivables Financing Agreement, eligible accounts receivable of certain of our subsidiaries are sold to the Receivables Borrower. The Receivables Borrower pledges the receivables as security for loans. The accounts receivable owned by the Receivables Borrower are separate and distinct from our other assets and are not available to our other creditors should we become insolvent.
The Receivables Financing Agreement also contains customary representations, warranties, covenants, and default provisions.
As of December 31, 2023, the Receivables Borrower had $70 million in outstanding borrowings under the Receivables Financing Agreement. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with the covenants under the Receivables Financing Agreement.
Contractual obligations
The following table presents a summary of our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2023:
(in thousands)
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
Thereafter
Total
Operating lease(1)
$ 5,151 $ 4,898 $ 4,246 $ 2,004 $ 1,845 $ 2,764 $ 20,908
Finance lease(2)
1,572 1,604 1,641 1,678 1,714 9,309 17,518
Debt obligations(3)
17,983 17,983 1,764,850 448,000 2,248,816
Total
$ 24,706 $ 24,485 $ 1,770,737 $ 451,682 $ 3,559 $ 12,073 $ 2,287,242
(1) Obligations and commitments to make future minimum rental payments under non-cancelable operating leases having remaining terms in excess of one year.
 
73

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
(2) Obligations and commitments to make future minimum lease payments for finance leases.
(3) Relates to the long-term debt principal payments (excluding debt discount) on our First Lien Credit Facility, Second Lien Credit Facility, and Receivables Facility. Does not include any amounts outstanding under our Revolving Credit Facility.
Critical accounting policies and use of estimates
The above discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon our consolidated financial statements. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses, and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. Our significant accounting policies are described in Note 2, “Significant Accounting Policies,” of the accompanying consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Critical accounting policies are those that we consider to be the most important in portraying our financial condition and results of operations and also require the greatest amount of judgments by management. Judgments or uncertainties regarding the application of these policies may result in materially different amounts being reported under different conditions or using different assumptions. We consider the following policies to be the most critical in understanding the judgments that are involved in preparing the consolidated financial statements.
Revenue recognition
Revenue is recognized for each performance obligation upon transfer of control of the software solutions to the client in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive. Revenues are recognized net of any taxes collected from clients and subsequently remitted to governmental authorities.
We derive revenue primarily from providing access to our solutions for use in the healthcare industry and in doing so generate two types of revenue: (i) subscription revenue and (ii) volume-based revenue, which account for 99% of total revenue for all periods presented. We also derive revenue from implementation fees for our software, as well as hardware sales to facilitate patient payments.
Revenue from our subscription services as well as from our volume-based services represents a single promise to provide continuous access (i.e., a stand-ready obligation) to our software solutions in the form of a service. Our software products are made available to our clients via a cloud-based, hosted platform where our clients do not have the right or practical ability to take possession of the software. As each day of providing access to the software solutions is substantially the same and the client simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits as services are provided, these services are viewed as a single performance obligation comprised of a series of distinct daily services.
Revenue from our subscription services is recognized over time on a ratable basis over the contract term beginning on the date that the service is made available to the client. Volume-based services are priced based on transaction, dollar volume, or provider count in a given period. Given the nature of the promise is based on unknown quantities or outcomes of services to be performed over the contract term, the volume-based fee is determined to be variable consideration. The volume-based transaction fees are recognized each day using a time-elapsed output method based on the volume or transaction count at the time the clients’ transactions are processed.
Our other services are generally related to implementation activities across all solutions and hardware sales to facilitate patient payments. Implementation services are not considered performance obligations as they do not provide a distinct service to clients without the use of our software solutions. As such, implementation fees related to our solutions are billed upfront and recognized ratably over the contract term. Implementation fees and hardware sales represent less than 1% of total revenue for all periods presented.
Revenue recorded where we act in the capacity of a principal is reported on a gross basis equal to the full amount of consideration to which we expect in exchange for the good or service transferred. Revenue recorded where we act in the capacity of an agent is reported on a net basis, exclusive of any consideration provided to the principal party in the transaction.
 
74

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The principal versus agent evaluation is a matter of judgment that depends on the facts and circumstances of the arrangement and is dependent on whether we control the good or service before it is transferred to the client or whether we are acting as an agent of a third party. This evaluation is performed separately for each performance obligation identified. For the majority of our contracts, we are considered the principal in the transaction with the client and recognize revenue gross of any related channel partner fees or costs. We have certain agency arrangements where third parties control the goods or services provided to a client and we recognize revenue net of any fees owed to these third parties.
Goodwill and long-lived assets
Goodwill and long-lived assets comprise 92.0% of our total assets as of December 31, 2023. Goodwill represents the excess of consideration paid over the estimated fair value of the net intangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in business combinations. We evaluate goodwill for impairment annually on October 1st or whenever there is an impairment indicator. Potential impairment indicators may include, but are not limited to, the results of our most recent annual or interim impairment testing, downward revisions to internal forecasts, macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, cost factors, overall financial performance, changes in management and key personnel, changes in composition or carrying amount of net assets, and changes in share price.
ASC Topic 350, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (“ASC 350”), allows entities to first use a qualitative approach to test goodwill for impairment by determining whether it is more likely than not (a likelihood of greater than 50%) that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. If the qualitative assessment supports that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the asset exceeds its carrying value, a quantitative impairment test is not required. If the qualitative assessment indicates that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the asset does not exceed its carrying value, we will perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test, in which we compare the fair value of the reporting unit to the respective carrying value, which includes goodwill. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, then goodwill is not considered impaired. If the carrying value is higher than the fair value, the difference would be recognized as an impairment loss.
Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level, which is defined as an operating segment or one level below an operating segment (referred to as a component). Our single operating segment is also our single reporting unit as we do not have segment managers and there is no discrete information reviewed at a level lower than the consolidated entity level. All of our assets and liabilities are assigned to this single reporting unit.
For our annual goodwill impairment test during the year ended December 31, 2023, we elected to perform a qualitative assessment. Our assessment of relevant events and circumstances was designed to indicate whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. The assessment considered whether or not we observed changes in market conditions within the industry and macroeconomy, changes in cost factors which could result in a negative effect on earnings or financial performance of the reporting unit, such as negative or declining cash flows compared to prior period results, and other entity-specific events or conditions impacting the reporting unit. There were no indicators that it was more likely than not that the fair value of the asset did not exceed its carrying value. In connection with our goodwill impairment testing performed as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we concluded that there was no impairment to goodwill.
Prior assessments have indicated that the fair value exceeds the carrying value for the reporting unit with reasonable headroom and no indication of impairment. However, we elect to perform a goodwill impairment test utilizing a quantitative approach every fourth year in order to calculate a new fair value “base” to which future qualitative tests can be compared. Our most recent quantitative assessment was performed as of October 1, 2020.
Long-lived assets are amortized over their useful lives. We evaluate the remaining useful life of long-lived assets periodically to determine if events or changes in circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining period of amortization. The carrying amounts of these assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of these assets may not be recoverable. We measure the recoverability of these assets by comparing the carrying amount of the asset group to the future undiscounted
 
75

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
cash flows the assets are expected to generate. If the undiscounted cash flows used in the test for recoverability are less than the carrying amount of the asset group, then the carrying amount of such assets is reduced to fair value.
Quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk
We are exposed to certain market risks arising from transactions in the normal course of our business. Such risks are principally associated with credit risk and interest rate risk.
Credit risk
Credit risk involves the possibility that a counterparty will not meet its obligations under a financial instrument or client contract, leading to a financial loss. Concentrations of credit risk with respect to our clients are limited due to our diversified client base.
We routinely assess the financial strength of our clients through a combination of third-party financial reports, credit monitoring, publicly available information, and direct communication with those clients. We establish payment terms with clients to mitigate credit risk and monitor its accounts receivable credit risk exposure. However, while we actively seek to ensure credit risk, there can be no assurance that in the future it will be able to obtain credit risk insurance at commercially attractive terms or at all.
Interest rate risk
Our exposure to interest rate risk is related to our First Lien Credit Facility and Second Lien Credit Facility, entered into on October 22, 2019, which bear interest at SOFR plus 4.11% and SOFR plus 7.86%, respectively. A hypothetical 100 basis point increase or decrease in the current effective rate would have an impact on our interest expense of approximately $23.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 or $22.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.
We attempt to minimize our interest risk exposure by fixing our rate through the utilization of interest rate swaps, which are derivative instruments. Our intention is to limit exposure to interest rate fluctuations by maintaining an approximate 50% hedged position compared to the total amount of debt outstanding under our First Lien Credit Facility and our Second Lien Credit Facility.
 
76

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
BUSINESS
Our mission
Our mission is to simplify healthcare payments through our modern cloud-based software, enabling our healthcare clients to prioritize patient care and optimize their financial performance.
Overview
Waystar provides healthcare organizations with mission-critical cloud software that simplifies healthcare payments. Our enterprise-grade platform streamlines the complex and disparate processes our healthcare provider clients must manage to be reimbursed correctly, while improving the payments experience for providers, patients, and payers. We leverage internally developed AI as well as proprietary, advanced algorithms to automate payment-related workflow tasks and drive continuous improvement, which enhances claim and billing accuracy, enriches data integrity, and reduces labor costs for providers.
Put simply, our software helps providers get paid faster, accurately, and more efficiently, while ensuring patients receive a modern, transparent, and consumer-friendly financial experience.
The healthcare payment ecosystem is highly complex, beginning with pre-service patient onboarding and extending through post-service revenue collection, with dozens of interdependent steps in between. Within this multi-step workflow, the process for determining how much a provider should be reimbursed involves millions of permutations of variables, such as over 10,000 diagnosis codes that are constantly changing and unique payer contracts, each with individual rules, processes, and reimbursement requirements. The burden borne by providers of tracking and managing all of these variables, coupled with a constantly evolving regulatory framework, often results in incorrect payments or denials that require time-consuming appeals procedures to resolve. Historically, healthcare providers have relied upon a patchwork of manual processes and systems to navigate these complexities and support their payment functions. However, this legacy approach has resulted in workflow delays, lost revenue, and slower time to payment. Our purpose-built software platform addresses these challenges and optimizes healthcare payments across all stages of the patient journey. Our clients utilize our software to manage pre-encounter workflows such as eligibility checks and prior authorization approvals, as well as mid- and post-encounter workflows such as co-pay collection, claims submission and monitoring, and payer remittances. Our software helps to avoid or reduce billing errors throughout the healthcare payment workflow, from pre-encounter eligibility verification to determine patient insurance eligibility and benefits prior to rendering service, to mid- and post-encounter solutions such as our revenue capture suite which identifies and resolves missing charges and errors in claims submissions by providers, our claims management suite which helps ensure submissions in accordance with payer contracts, and our denial avoidance solution which offers a root cause reporting tool for denied claims to help reduce preventable denials in the future.
Our software is used daily by providers of all types and sizes across the continuum of care, including physician practices, clinics, surgical centers, and laboratories, as well as large hospitals and health systems. We currently serve approximately 30,000 clients of various sizes, representing approximately one million distinct providers practicing across a variety of care sites, including 18 of the top 22 U.S. News Best Hospitals. Our client base is highly diversified, and for the year ended December 31, 2023, our top 10 clients accounted for only 11.3% of our total revenue. Our business model is designed such that as our clients grow to serve more patients, their claims and transactional volumes increase, resulting in corresponding growth in our business. In addition, our clients frequently adopt a greater number of our solutions over time and introduce our solutions across new sites of care. The number of clients from whom we generate over $100,000 of revenue has grown from 733 in the twelve months ended March 31, 2021 to 1,046 in the year ended December 31, 2023, driven by large, new client wins and successful cross-selling and up-selling efforts. In 2022, we facilitated over 4 billion healthcare payments transactions, including over $1.2 trillion in gross claims volume, spanning approximately 50% of patients in the United States.
Our platform benefits from powerful network effects. Our cloud-based software is driven by a sophisticated, automated, and curated rules engine, employing AI to generate and incorporate real-time feedback from millions
 
77

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
of network transactions processed through our platform each day. Every transaction we process provides additional data insights across providers, patients, and payers, which are embedded in updates that are deployed efficiently across our client base. This results in cumulative benefits to us over time — as we capture more data from each transaction we process, we leverage that data to continue to improve the Waystar platform through embedded machine learning, advanced algorithms, and other in-house AI technologies to deliver added value to our clients. In turn, the more value we create for our clients, the more likely it is that they will continue to use our platform, allowing us to continue to capture more data that results in tangible improvements to our products. As a result, our clients benefit from faster and more efficient performance from software that is evolving to meet ever-changing regulatory and payer requirements, enabling accurate and timely reimbursement.
We have demonstrated an ability to drive recurring, predictable, and profitable growth. Over 99% of our revenue is either recurring subscription or based on highly predictable volumes. For the year ended December 31, 2023, our Net Revenue Retention Rate was 108.6%. For the year ended December 31, 2023, we generated revenue of $791.0 million (reflecting a 12% increase compared to revenue of $704.9 million in the prior year), net loss of $51.3 million (compared to net loss of $51.5 million in the prior year), and Adjusted EBITDA of $333.7 million (reflecting a 12.9% increase compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $295.5 million in the prior year).
 
78

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
[MISSING IMAGE: fc_automation-4c.jpg]
Industry background
Healthcare is one of the largest and most complex vertical end-markets within the U.S. economy, accounting for 18.3% of the U.S. gross domestic product as of 2021. According to CMS, total U.S. healthcare spending was $4.3 trillion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a 5% annual rate to $6.8 trillion in 2030. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the annual cost of wasteful spending in healthcare has ranged from $760 billion to $935 billion in recent years, or nearly one-quarter of total healthcare spending. Of this, $350 billion is administrative-related, which is inclusive of healthcare payments-related waste.
 
79

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The Waystar platform is purpose-built to address the administrative headwinds faced by healthcare providers, including:

Antiquated, legacy technology systems and data silos. The historically slow pace of digital adoption by healthcare organizations has led to a patchwork of disparate point-solutions. These software tools, most of which are hosted or installed on-premises, lack the interoperability and scalability of a modern cloud-based technology architecture, which is designed to enable the safe and efficient dissemination of critical information. This patchwork approach has also led to data silos, which inhibit transparency and data sharing and often result in denials or the inability to process claims efficiently.

Reliance on inefficient, manual processes. Poorly integrated legacy systems have led many healthcare organizations to employ labor-dependent solutions to address the critical demands of their businesses, often resulting in suboptimal financial performance for providers and a substandard experience for patients.

Increasing labor and administrative costs. Staffing costs continue to present a major challenge, with clinical labor costs in 2021 increasing an average of 8% per patient day when compared to a pre-pandemic baseline period in 2019, according to an analysis by Premier, Inc. According to the Medical Group Management Association, 73% of medical practices ranked staffing shortages as their biggest challenge for 2022. Rising labor costs and retention challenges make it critical for providers to maximize the productivity of their workflows.

Reimbursement complexity and collection challenges. Determining reimbursement to a provider from a payer or a patient is dependent on a myriad of factors that are both highly complex and constantly evolving. Achieving consistently accurate reimbursement is challenging, with more than 10,000 diagnosis codes that are constantly changing, thousands of unique payer contracts, and an evolving regulatory backdrop, resulting in high degrees of reimbursement variability. According to KFF research, approximately 17% of 2021 healthcare claims were initially denied, leaving a significant unmet need for solutions that reduce denials, increase first pass acceptance, and simplify appeals. Providers bear the burden of navigating reimbursement obstacles, and missteps can ultimately result in lost revenue or delayed cash flow. In addition, healthcare providers often struggle to convert patient bills (i.e., patient responsibility) to cash payments as patients are also tasked with navigating ever-changing benefits policies and interacting with outdated technology.

Accelerating consumer demand for digital tools. Patients are bearing a greater burden of healthcare costs than ever before, with more than 50% of American employees enrolling in high deductible health plans according to SHADAC Data (2022). Out-of-pocket costs constituted 12% of total U.S. personal healthcare expenditures in 2021 according to CMS, and the estimated average patient lifetime spending is $1.4 million, based on a 2021 Health Management Academy Research report. Despite these trends, patients lack access to digital tools and accurate information for healthcare payments, including transparency in insurance coverage and out-of-pocket cost estimates pre-service, as well as flexible payment arrangements to pay for care, resulting in 40% of patients paying their bills late, according to a Company survey.
Our market opportunity
Over time, administrative workflows (e.g., human resources, information technology, accounting and finance, and customer service) that were traditionally insourced by healthcare providers have undergone a meaningful transformation. Seeking more effective solutions to address industry challenges, providers initially outsourced these functions to third-party specialized services vendors. However, with advances in technology infrastructure and cloud-based software, as well as increased interoperability between systems, providers are increasingly utilizing automated software solutions to further enhance efficiency. We believe the healthcare payments workflow is currently undergoing such an evolution, and that Waystar is well-positioned to benefit from providers gravitating towards more modern, software-oriented solutions.
We estimate that our TAM with respect to our current software solution set, is approximately $15 billion today. To estimate our market opportunity, we categorized the United States healthcare provider market into tiers based on setting of care and size of practice. We then applied our average pricing by product, accounting for pricing differences at varying sized providers, and multiplied the average product price by the corresponding practice
 
80

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
count per setting of care to determine our TAM. Based on a third-party study commissioned by the Company, we believe our TAM has the potential to increase to almost $20 billion in 2027, reflecting a 5% CAGR over the next five years, driven by growth within healthcare payments (notably, in prior authorizations, patient payments, and revenue cycle management analytics), increased outsourcing in revenue cycle management, as well as secular technology tailwinds such as greater utilization of AI. We expect to expand our TAM further over time as we develop new solutions and address adjacent workflows. We believe we have consistently grown in excess of the market since 2016 and expect we will continue to grow our market share in the future by virtue of our differentiated platform and capabilities. We believe the market share of our solutions within the hospital segment and ambulatory practice segment is approximately 3% and 7% (calculated as a percentage of our revenue as compared to our TAM estimates by setting of care), respectively, demonstrating the ample white space in which we can continue driving our growth.
The Waystar platform
Our innovative cloud-based software platform is purpose-built to simplify our clients’ payment-related challenges. We believe our platform significantly outperforms those of our competitors, who lack either modern functionality or the ability to address the full end-to-end payments workflow.
The key components of our platform include:

Modern, differentiated software. We provide modern, scalable healthcare payments software solutions. Our platform is in alignment with best-in-class offerings in other industry verticals that include multi-tenancy, micro-services architecture, and robust data security. Our technology is cloud-native, allowing us to deploy it across any type and size of provider, from single-physician practices to the most sophisticated multi-site health systems. This single-instance, multi-tenant infrastructure is underpinned by an event-driven microservices architecture, all of which we have built in-house.

A comprehensive solution set. Our software addresses the entire healthcare payments workflow, from pre-service patient onboarding and prior authorization through post-service payment collection. Rather than attacking individual pain points for a client user, our solutions can meet the full demands of an entire organization, eliminating the need for point solutions, boosting productivity through a seamless end-user experience, and reducing the risk of loss of data or information.

Seamless integrations. Our solutions are integrated with a broad range of systems provided by over 200 channel partners, including ERP applications, as well as PM and EHR systems. This deep connectivity is an important point of differentiation and makes our solutions faster to implement, easier to use, and harder to replace.

An expansive network. Our extensive network of clients and counterparties underpins our platform. Over more than two decades, we have built direct connectivity with healthcare payers—from large health insurers to small third-party administrators—to the benefit of our clients and partners. This network has allowed us to build a large database of information to generate insights and drive continuous improvements.

Advanced AI capabilities driven by proprietary data asset. We build predictive scoring capabilities using extensive training data sets and advanced machine learning which we apply to data that passes through our platform. Using these machine-learning models, we are able to predict an outcome for a variety of reimbursement workflows, which we incorporate into our solutions to drive improved results for payers, providers, and patients. Our data asset is comprised of the billions of transactions we facilitate each year as well as the numerous variables that factor into each of those payments. This allows us to leverage the compounding value of this data asset to advance our AI and automation capabilities, which continuously learn and improve our platform. Our data include elements such as demographics, geography, diagnosis and prognosis, and care provider, as well as a variety of counterparty details. For example, we leverage AI in our denials prevention and recovery platform, where it helps us predict denied claim appeals success based on a variety of factors including patient benefits, procedure performed, applicable payer involved, and codes used. This enables providers to prioritize their workflow efforts and drive maximum recovery value on denied claims. In addition, we use AI to discover missing charges and capture otherwise lost revenue, to align claim status and escalation
 
81

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
efforts with claim-specific expected remit timeframe, to drive work queue prioritization by expected value, to predict the likelihood of charity qualification driving pre-service financial intervention, and for behavior modeling to align patient collection costs.
Our platform provides the following benefits to our clients:

Increased revenue. Our software solutions simplify the payment process, allowing our clients to increase the share of revenue they collect.

Quicker payments. Our software helps expedite payments by streamlining and automating cumbersome workflows that create excessive delays.

Greater productivity. Our ability to automate portions of the payment cycle allows our clients to reduce operating costs and focus on their core mission of caring for their patients.

Financial visibility. We deploy analytics, reporting, and forecasting tools that provide our clients with unprecedented visibility into areas where they can further improve their payment process and collections.

Rapid time-to-value. Our architecture seamlessly integrates with our clients’ existing systems and technology. This ease of integration enables our clients to quickly realize value from our solutions while avoiding costly and distracting implementation processes associated with other types of software and support services.
Our platform enables us to provide industry-leading technology at scale to more than 30,000 clients across more than four billion healthcare payment transactions worth over $1.2 trillion in annual gross claims. The quality and innovation of our technology has been widely recognized, as evidenced by our receipt of a MedTech Breakthrough Award for healthcare payments innovation and numerous Best in KLAS awards.
[MISSING IMAGE: fc_flatform-4c.jpg]
Why Waystar wins
Through decades of experience, we have honed our deep domain expertise, fostered long-standing client relationships, and built our library of rules and algorithms. We believe our modern, cloud-based platform combined with our subject matter expertise are extremely difficult to replicate and provide us with a meaningful competitive advantage. We believe these factors, together with the following additional strengths, position us well for continued success:
 
82

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

Strong brand with attractive client ROI. The Waystar brand is synonymous with quality, reliability, robust analytics, exceptional customer service, and a deep and interconnected network. This strength is evidenced by our high NPS of 74 and #1 rank versus competitors in percentage of clients indicating the highest level of satisfaction with our services, based on a third-party survey commissioned by us in 2023. Our brand, as well as the tangible ROI that we deliver, drives strong client loyalty, as evidenced by our 108.6% Net Revenue Retention Rate for the year ended December 31, 2023. Many of our clients support our success by recommending Waystar to other providers, further driving growth and adoption of our solutions. Our award-winning brand attracts exceptional talent to help us further our mission.

Differentiated client experience. We have a relentless focus on operational execution and deliver outstanding client experience. According to a third-party survey commissioned by us in 2023, Waystar ranks #1 in client satisfaction with implementation time, 94% of clients are satisfied with our integrations with other systems, and 98% of clients say we deliver on trust very well or extremely well. We frequently receive client recognition and industry awards, including being named a top client-rated healthcare payments platform by BlackBook across 17 categories. For our larger clients, we deploy a client success team, which serves as both a dedicated resource and trusted strategic partner to help drive value. Our client success team provides day-to-day operation support, has regular update calls and account reviews, quarterly in-person reviews, and ongoing on-site training. From our consistently on-time implementations to our highly responsive client service, we seek to support our clients so they can maximize the benefits of our software.

Mission-driven innovation culture. We have cultivated a company culture that is focused on helping our clients by developing and delivering industry-leading software solutions. This innovation-focused culture has been foundational in creating a modern technology platform that delivers a comprehensive end-to-end suite of solutions with an intuitive user interface. According to a third-party survey commissioned by us in 2023, Waystar ranks #1 in satisfaction with rate of product innovation and vision and 94% of clients are satisfied with our capabilities in automation. We were recognized as one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators by Fast Company in both 2022 and 2023 and our team members are committed to working together toward a better future for healthcare.

Experienced leadership and technology teams with a track record of execution. Our values-driven and award-winning leadership team brings together deep experience in the software and healthcare industries and strong relationships with our clients and key stakeholders. Several of our executives and team leaders have been with our predecessor companies since founding, in multiple cases for over 20 years. Our current management team has driven strategic and transformational initiatives across operations, product, engineering, and sales leading to best-in-class products, exceptional client service, and consistently profitable growth. We believe our team has the strategic vision, leadership qualities, technological expertise, and operational capabilities to continue to successfully drive our growth.
We believe our platform strengths and differentiation are most evident in our ability to win clients. We have an 82% win rate against our competitors over the past 36 months in situations where the client ultimately elected to switch vendors or purchase a new solution.
Our growth strategy
We plan to capitalize on our market opportunity by executing on the following growth strategies:

Expand our relationships with existing clients. We believe we have a meaningful opportunity to continue driving growth within our current client base. We grow with existing clients in three ways—first, as they expand their businesses, provide more healthcare services, and see more patients; second, through cross-selling as they adopt additional Waystar offerings; and third, through up-selling as they leverage our solutions across additional providers and sites of care. We have a track record of building long-standing relationships with our clients, often growing from an initial solution to multi-solution adoption. Based on the estimated whitespace within our existing clients for the solutions we currently provide, we believe we have the opportunity to approximately double our revenue through cross-sell and up-sell of our solutions to existing clients.
 
83

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

Grow our client base. We address a large and growing market that has a meaningful need for the solutions we provide. While we serve over one million providers today, there are over 7.5 million providers that we believe can benefit from our solutions. We pursue this opportunity through our high-performing sales team, who are organized by client segment to address the specific needs and sales cycles of that market.

Deepen and expand our relationships with strategic channel partners. We are highly focused on furthering our strategic channel partnerships. Our channel partners accelerate our growth by providing us access to a larger client base and actively promoting Waystar. We have established strong relationships with the nation’s leading EHR and PM providers, which drives a significant competitive advantage. For example, we were recently named the exclusive payments vendor for a leading national ambulatory EHR provider, affording us greater access to its client base, enhanced integrations and user experience, and further opportunities to grow. We will continue to invest in deepening our current relationships and building new ones to drive our growth.

Innovate and develop adjacent solutions. We will continue to invest heavily in the Waystar platform to expand our product breadth and depth, increase automation, strengthen system performance, and improve the user experience. Our product roadmap is informed by both continuous client feedback as well as our own assessments of opportunities to further streamline and simplify healthcare payments. For example, we are expanding our prior authorization capabilities into the ambulatory market, helping to solve an unmet market need for automation of previously manual workflows and unlocking cross-sell opportunities. We are also actively exploring how we can leverage generative AI to further enhance our value proposition to clients. Our product and engineering team, comprised of more than 250 full-time employees, delivers daily code updates to continually enhance our products. Among other development projects, we are exploring how we can leverage generative AI to improve our platform and deliver even greater ROI. Due to our modern architecture and purpose-built software, we have little technical debt as compared with legacy software platforms serving the market. As a result, we can focus our resources on innovating and advancing our platform for the benefit of our clients.

Selectively pursue strategic acquisitions. Since 2018, we have completed and successfully integrated nine acquisitions, two of which closed in the second half of 2023. These acquisitions complement our organic product roadmap and have helped us enhance our platform, add new solutions, and expand our market reach. For example, we acquired eSolutions in 2020, adding Medicare-specific solutions that allow us to address both commercial and government payers on a single cloud-based platform. Our acquisitions are fully integrated with and consolidated into the Waystar platform, which enables us to provide a seamless user experience for our clients, as well as drive innovation on the combined platform. We will continue to evaluate acquisition opportunities that improve our offering and accelerate our growth.
Our solutions
Our comprehensive solution set streamlines the complex and disparate processes relating to payments received by healthcare providers and addresses related pain points for providers, patients, and payers. Our solutions include:

Financial clearance. Our platform automates insurance verification processes and validates that patients are eligible for care through the prior authorization process, helping eliminate downstream rejections and denials that lead to revenue delays and leakage. Based on a Company survey, 81% of patients would more actively pursue care if they knew the cost upfront. Our financial clearance solutions provide patients with price transparency tools and cost estimation data points that offer them better clarity around their expected costs.

Patient financial care. Our platform enables digital interactions between the patient and provider, including delivery of electronic statements and processing of patient payments through our patient portal. We offer an omni-channel payment experience, with multiple ways for patients to pay, as well as flexible payment arrangements. These solutions deliver a better financial experience for patients, as well as faster collection times and higher collection rates for providers.

Claims and payer payment management. Our platform streamlines the cumbersome reimbursement process that providers follow to submit claims and receive remittance information. Our solutions ensure submission of appropriate documentation and claim submission in accordance with payer contracts and automate workstreams
 
84

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
that help our clients avoid denials and rejections, monitor in-process claims, and process payer remittances. In addition, we offer claim scrubbing capabilities to check for errors and verify accuracy to limit billing mistakes. Built upon over two decades of industry experience, we believe that our AI-enabled rules engine drives an industry-leading first pass clean claims rate across both commercial and government (Medicare & Medicaid) claims.

Denials prevention and recovery. Our platform leverages predictive analytics to identify claims that are likely to be denied and to prioritize denied claims based on the likelihood of claims appeal success. We reduce manual workflows, as well as denial appeal processing time. We also conduct root cause analysis to help providers reduce the chance of denials in future claims.

Revenue capture. Our platform leverages AI and machine learning to identify and resolve missing charges and errors in claims submissions, reducing manual auditing and increasing reimbursement accuracy and cash flow for our clients.

Analytics and reporting. Our platform collects and collates vast amounts of healthcare data, and we organize and present these data in dashboards that can be customized to meet the needs of individual clients. We provide data visualization and business intelligence analytics to enable providers to manage payment and denial trends across their business. We drive increased workflow efficiency by eliminating manual spreadsheets for evaluation of business trends and enable performance optimization through real-time evaluation of key performance indicators.
Our technology
The Waystar platform is built upon a modern, scalable, multi-tenant cloud-based architecture that delivers an exceptional client experience and allows us to process billions of transactions every year and support nearly 100,000 daily end-users. Our solutions are deeply integrated into our clients’ workflows, providing an elegant and intuitive user experience. The architecture, design, deployment, and management of our platform are centered on the following areas:

Modern, cloud-based architecture. We leverage a modern multi-tenant, event-driven micro-services architecture that enables a high degree of scalability and interoperability across the platform. We utilize resilient and fully-virtualized hosting architecture, with multiple layers of redundancy. Employing these and many other strategies, we have achieved greater than 99.9% uptime for the Waystar platform. Our solutions are designed to meet the needs of the largest hospitals and health systems but can also be scaled to cost-effectively serve the needs of smaller providers. Our modern web user applications utilize best practice software designs, allowing for high-velocity development and continual deployments.

Ongoing innovation. Waystar has long-fostered an innovation-focused culture, with daily code update deployments and quarterly seasonal release campaigns delivering ongoing software enhancements to clients. Our tenured Product and Engineering teams consist of more than 250 full-time employees, all relentlessly focused on driving improvements in our platform. Our product roadmap balances new feature enrichment with continued backend integration of acquired solutions and methodical technology modernization.

Enterprise-grade security. Our solutions provide clients with enterprise-grade security, data protection, and control that meet the healthcare industry’s strict security standards. Our highly secure application and infrastructure are validated by PCI, HITRUST, and SSAE-18 SOC 2 Type Two audits and certifications.

Seamless user experience. We have built a unified user experience across our solutions. Users access our platform through a single log-in experience, providing convenience, saving time, and increasing productivity. Search functionality, high-level vertical tabs for our solutions, and dropdown menus within each solution type deliver intuitive navigation for our clients. Comprehensive and customizable dashboards illustrate data using a variety of methods, enabling more efficient identification of outliers, trends, and other useful information.
We have built a comprehensive future-ready suite of enterprise-scale core system software, and we will continue to invest in our technology to further improve our platform infrastructure and capabilities. We are able to
 
85

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
responsibly manage technical debt, allowing us to focus our investment on continuously innovating and advancing our platform for the benefit of our clients.
Our go-to-market strategy
We have built a powerful go-to-market engine focused on acquiring new clients, driving expanded use of our platform for existing clients, and strengthening and growing our relationships with channel partners.
We sell our platform through our sales team comprised of over 100 representatives. Our sales teams are dedicated to either ambulatory providers or hospital and health system clients given the specific needs, call points, and sales cycles of those client types. Our sales approach to ambulatory provider clients consists of high velocity direct enterprise go-to market strategy, with a shorter sales cycle, whereas our direct enterprise go-to-market strategy for hospital and health systems clients typically has a longer sales cycle. The team is further specialized, with certain individuals focused on winning new clients and others focused on cross-selling into existing clients. We leverage data and analytics to manage the effectiveness of our sales force, as well as identify areas for potential improvement. Our client-centric sales model is fueled by frequent engagement with our clients. We have assigned dedicated client success managers to clients that have generated almost half our revenue since the beginning of 2021.
In addition to our direct sales force, we have a team focused on strengthening and expanding our channel partner and alliance relationships. We have established strong partnerships with the nation’s leading EHR and PM providers for integration and joint go-to-market efforts to providers. In addition, our strategic partners extend our sales presence and accelerate direct sales of our solutions by actively referring and promoting us to their client bases, enabling incremental touchpoints for our sales team who is ultimately responsible for marketing and selling to the client. We also partner with and sell to outsourced revenue cycle or billing service providers, who leverage our technology to help providers manage their administrative processes and payments.
Our go-to-market representatives are supported by a commercial operations team that is focused on developing strategic plans and driving team member development to enhance our effectiveness. Our go-to-market team also works with our product subject-matter experts, who help identify prospective client pain points and business challenges and help configure optimal solutions. Additionally, we have built a high-performance marketing function that has significantly elevated Waystar’s voice in the industry, expanding awareness of our brand over time.
Our business model
Over 99% of our revenue is either recurring subscription or based on highly predictable volumes. Our contracts with clients generally include a subscription fee component as well as a volume-based component, although some contracts include only one of these components. The subscription fee provides us with a fixed, recurring revenue stream while the volume-based component allows us to benefit from our clients’ growth. We generate greater revenue as our clients see more patients and greater utilization of their healthcare services. In addition, based on our contract structures, our proprietary data asset, our predictive analytics capabilities, and our deep understanding of the healthcare market, we believe we have visibility into and an ability to predict both subscription-based and volume-based revenue. For instance, 98% of revenue in 2022 was generated from clients already under contract as of the beginning of the year. Our client contracts are typically two or three years in length with automatic renewals for successive one-year terms that include standard price escalators. Client billing generally occurs monthly.
Our clients
Our clients represent healthcare providers across all types of care settings, including physician practices, clinics, surgical centers, and laboratories, as well as large hospitals and health systems. Generally, 30% of our revenue comes from hospitals and health systems, while 70% comes from ambulatory and alternate sites of care. The approximately 30,000 clients we currently serve also vary significantly in size and represent approximately one
 
86

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
million distinct providers in total, including 18 of the top 22 U.S. News Best Hospitals. As a result of our broadly applicable model, our client base is highly diversified, and for the year ended December 31, 2023, our top 10 clients accounted for only 11.3%, of our total revenue. The number of clients from whom we generate over $100,000 of revenue has grown from 733 in the twelve months ended March 31, 2021 to 1,046 in the year ended December 31, 2023, driven by large, new client wins and successful cross-selling and up-selling efforts.
Our clients have no obligation to renew their subscriptions for our platform solutions after the initial term expires, which is typically a two to three-year term. Our contracts generally provide for the automatic renewal for one-year subsequent terms, with the ability for our clients to terminate the contract with limited notice to us. However, we believe that due to the breadth, depth, and quality of our products, as well as the significant time and resources it takes to switch to a different healthcare payments provider, we will be able to retain our existing clients and upsell and cross-sell to them, as evidenced by our Net Revenue Retention Rate of 108.6% for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Client case studies
The following are representative examples of how our clients of varying sizes across different care settings use the Waystar platform to address the unique challenges they face:
Large integrated delivery network
Client: Not-for-profit integrated delivery network serving over 3 million patients across over 1,500 locations, including over 20 hospitals
Current Waystar solutions: Patient Financial Care, Revenue Capture, Claims and Payer Payment Management, Analytics and Reporting

Challenge: A large integrated delivery network received feedback from patients that its billing process was confusing and inconvenient. Patients wanted billing statements that were easier to read, navigate, and understand, as well as digital self-service payment options. Prior to implementing Waystar solutions in 2018, approximately 30% of patient calls to the client call center stemmed from complaints about their financial experience. In addition to patient dissatisfaction, fielding these calls became a significant burden for staff and consumed valuable time that could have been spent on higher-value tasks. The network’s prior payment solutions provider was also poorly integrated with its EHR system, utilizing overly complex workflows to collect patient payments and offering limited payment options. The network sought a partner who could improve its approach to patient financial care and use modern software to drive more revenue.

Waystar solutions: Waystar simplifies this client’s healthcare payments workflows and helps propel its mission forward. Our technology integrates seamlessly with its EHR system, allowing our client to improve point-of-service patient payment rates by 30% from 2018 compared to 2022. Our platform also eliminates the need for staff to switch between multiple tools and manual workflows. In the first two months after launch, our client achieved a 92% collection rate. Our Patient Financial Care solution has allowed this client to generate over $10 million in quarterly revenue uplift for the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same quarter in 2022 while automating 90% of status inquiries (based on claim status inquiries made in the first six months of 2023). Waystar’s solutions make it easier for patients to read, understand, and pay their medical bills, driving a patient NPS of 61 as of August 2023. We have a strong partnership with this client today, and they have continued to adopt additional Waystar solutions over time.

Client feedback:

“Waystar’s integration with our EHR system has helped our staff assist patients more efficiently, both in-person and via phone, by eliminating the need to switch between multiple tools and workflows. In fact, this has resulted in reduced patient call handle times, improving the patient financial experience while boosting staff productivity.”

“We’re much more efficient and much faster, in both keeping the patients satisfied and getting paid for our services.”
 
87

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Leading home health provider
Client: Leading home health provider offering clinical care and support services for children and adults in more than 20 states
Current Waystar solutions: Claims and Payer Payment Management, Denials Prevention and Recovery, Financial Clearance

Challenge: This home health provider struggled with its legacy payments technology, which lacked connections to payers, reporting, analytics, and a process for managing denied claims and had outdated edits.

Waystar solutions: This client implemented multiple Waystar solutions to improve its operations and financial performance. Our Claims and Payer Payment Management solution is dramatically improving efficiency, as evidenced by the number of days it takes our client to submit claims to payers and for payers to acknowledge receipt. In our client’s first year with Waystar, the average days to payer receipt was reduced by more than 50%, while the denial rate was reduced from 4.6% to 1.3% in the first six months, a 72% decrease. Additionally, our Denials Prevention and Recovery solution allows our client to spot denial trends, troubleshoot common issues, and assess problems with specific payors, which led to the recovery of nearly $4 million in twelve months. It has also accelerated the client’s denial appeals process from 30-45 minutes to less than five minutes. Since implementing Waystar, billing staff productivity has risen 93%, driving significant savings for our client.

Client feedback:

“I hopped on Waystar’s platform and moved around pretty easily. This was important because our staff members range from college grads to long-time professionals. Waystar’s solutions are so intuitive, people at all technology experience levels pick it up quickly without a lot of training.”

“Waystar is like our ‘sixth man’.”
Regional health system
Client: Regional health system with over 300 locations, including over 30 hospitals, serving over 1 million patients across the Midwest
Current Waystar solutions: Claims and Payer Payment Management

Challenge: Having grown rapidly, this health system had experienced a sharp rise in outstanding claims, accounts receivable backlog, and risk for timely filing of denials. The staff relied on disparate, time-consuming, and outdated technology and procedures to complete approximately 1.5 million claims status checks annually. Employees, including clinicians, would then need to log results manually, taking further time away from patient care. This hospital system sought Waystar to implement smart solutions to reinvent how the department verifies claim approval.

Waystar solutions: Waystar’s Claim Monitoring solution was swiftly implemented and successfully integrated into the health system’s networks. Our software transforms its claims process by automating the workflow for determining the status on their entire claims inventory with much less manual support and intervention. Our client’s ability to create an intelligent workflow based on claim prioritization is transformative. Instead of an overwhelming backlog of manual work, they now leverage automation to ensure staff is addressing only claims that need intervention, allowing them to work smarter, not harder. During the initial launch of our claims monitoring solution, we helped this client accelerate cash flow through quicker remediation of denied claims of $20.6 million over a 12-month period and drove a seven-day reduction in accounts receivable in the first year of adoption. 80% of claims that once required manual intervention are now automated. The results from leveraging Waystar’s platform are so compelling that the health system is expanding its partnership to several additional solutions, including Patient Financial Care, Financial Clearance, Denials Prevention, and Recovery, and Analytics and Reporting.
 
88

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

Client feedback:

“My staff were living in backlogs of work, and unpaid accounts could remain unresolved up to 82 days or even 120 days in some facilities. Waystar really stuck its neck out for us to do what no vendor had previously done. I was very impressed by that.”

“Waystar’s solution promised to alleviate the burden on my staff. This was important. We do get some turnover, which is expensive. For [us], the cash improvements and cost savings have been very apparent—it’s much less expensive to automate claim status verification with Waystar than add new staff.”
Not-for-profit health system
Client: Not-for-profit health system with approximately 30,000 team members across more than a dozen hospitals
Current Waystar solutions: Financial Clearance

Challenge: This multi-state health system was opening new facilities to service high patient volumes, but found itself struggling with an inefficient prior authorization process marred by high-touch payer interactions, lack of payer authorization rules, and disparate workflows. It was treating 2.7 million patients per year, amounting to roughly 7,400 insurance authorizations per day, making automation a must. However, the organization estimated that up to 70% of its staff’s time was dedicated to manual processes, keeping them from higher-value initiatives. This system turned to Waystar for a solution to not only boost productivity but help it further its mission of improving patient lives.

Waystar solutions: Our client integrated Waystar’s Financial Clearance solution into its existing EHR. Our software has helped minimize manual tasks, improve service times and secure authorizations faster, freeing up time to focus on strategic growth initiatives. Our client has onboarded 11 primary care clinics, 67 specialty care clinics, two hospitals, and one surgery center since implementing Waystar solutions in 2019, all without adding any new full-time employees. Our client uses Waystar’s automation capabilities to self-navigate a payer’s website, enter the required authorization data, and submit the authorization. In the first six months of adoption, our client increased its automation rate by 42% and experienced 3.4x prior authorization speed, and, within the first year, obtained more than 60% of authorizations automatically and decreased denials related to authorizations by 46%, which allowed the client to save up to $720,000 in projected annual salary costs. Waystar continues to engage with this client on new ways to drive even greater results.

Client feedback:

“Our journey started with finding a vendor that checked all the boxes from our product must-haves category—and that’s how we came to partner with Waystar.”

“We’ve optimized our workflow so that Waystar technology pulls the information from the physician order seamlessly to initiate an authorization on the payer website, statuses it, and then pulls the information back into our electronic health record. It’s a really slick workflow. That means when an authorization cannot be secured, we have two weeks to have that conversation with the patient and can potentially redirect them to a different site of care, or they can choose to make an informed decision about paying out of pocket.”
Our people, values, and culture
As of December 31, 2023, we employed approximately 1,400 full-time team members, all of which are located in the United States. As of December 31, 2023, none of our team members were covered by a collective bargaining agreement or represented by a labor organization, and we have not experienced a labor-related work stoppage. We believe we have good relationships with our team members, as evidenced by our 2023 Fortune Great Place to Work Survey, where 86% of participating team members indicated that they would recommend working at Waystar to friends and family.
 
89

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Our values and culture
Our values, which are foundational to the Waystar culture, include the following:

Honesty—This is where we start. With integrity as our core, we are transparent, do the right thing, and build trust by staying true to our commitments.

Kindness—We are friendly and respectful of everyone. We recognize the power of diversity and inclusion.

Passion—We are excited about what we do in our roles, as a company, and for our clients.

Curiosity—We know that the best decisions are not always obvious or easy. We invest the time to understand and develop solutions.

Fanatical Focus—We have obsessive zeal about people, promises, and innovative solutions.

Best Work, Always—We bring our A-game. We work with facts, always communicating clearly and respectfully.

Making It Happen—As individuals and as a team, we are agile with a bias toward speed, action, and automation. We are accountable for our results.

Joyful, Optimistic, & Fun—We love and support our clients, team, and communities. We strive to create positive energy in everything we do.
We have won numerous workplace awards, including being named as one of the Top Places to Work by Becker’s Hospital Review in 2023 and one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators by Fast Company in both 2022 and 2023. We are proud of our strong company culture and investment in long-term career growth for our people, which is evidenced by the long tenure of many of our team members with our organization. We believe it is important to put our team members first, and we provide all of our team members competitive health benefits, 401(k) investment options, and paid family leave, and conduct mental health and other workshops for our team members. We also provide our team members with paid leave for volunteer time, as we believe it is important for Waystar and its team members to give back to the community. We regularly celebrate individuals and team members who exemplify Waystar’s values. We believe this helps us reinforce our values and creates a performance-focused culture that enables us to continue to attract, retain, and develop talent, which is critical to our long-term success.
Training, development, leadership, and engagement
To engage and incentivize our workforce, we provide a wide range of training and development opportunities to support and motivate our team members to operate at their best and succeed. These opportunities include, but are not limited to, Front Line Leadership training for people leaders, Emerging Leader Training for potential leaders, and an annual Leadership Summit for our top leaders. All team members participate in annual training that reinforces our values, certifies team members on key business processes, and helps to promote a workplace of respect, safety, and engagement.
The continued engagement of our talented and committed team is critical to our business. Each year, we gauge our team members’ level of engagement and satisfaction by conducting an employee engagement survey with the assistance of a third-party. As a part of this process, we solicit feedback from team members on training and development opportunities, benefits, well-being, and our ethical culture. We also ask for feedback about their people leader’s effectiveness and ability to foster a more inclusive and diverse workplace.
Inclusion and diversity
At Waystar, we aspire to create an environment where every team member, with their unique background, feels a sense of belonging. We believe that we rise by lifting others up and provide a safe, inclusive work environment where every team member can be their whole, authentic self—no matter their age, race, sexual orientation, gender, or unique background. We have an Inclusion & Diversity Council that oversees various events and initiatives, including various mentorship programs that provide underrepresented students with salaried internships. We also have a “Waystar Day” every quarter that focuses on different initiatives such as kindness, diversity and
 
90

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
inclusion, and volunteering, as well as education assistance opportunities in furtherance of self-advancement and development. In addition, we have five Affinity Groups (BIPOC, Families, LGBTQIA+, Military, and Women) which seek to foster a sense of shared community and empowerment for employees who share a common social identity, such as gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Team members can voluntarily join an Affinity Group to network, discuss and exchange ideas, and enhance their professional development.
Research and development
We believe that our research and development function and our cloud-based product portfolio provides us with a competitive advantage that enables us to innovate faster and more efficiently, while simultaneously delivering better solutions for our clients. Our research and development team is responsible for the design, development, testing, and enhancement of our products and software. As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately 275 team members dedicated to product and research and development. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, our research and development expense was $35.3 million and $32.8 million, respectively.
Competition
We operate in a highly fragmented and competitive market that is characterized by rapidly evolving technology standards, evolving regulatory requirements, and frequent changes in client needs and introduction of new products and solutions. However, we believe we have a competitive advantage based on the breadth, depth, and quality of our solutions, our innovative cloud-based software platform, our deep domain expertise developed over two decades of industry experience, the differentiated client service we provide, and the ROI we deliver.
Our current principal competitors include, but are not limited to:

Revenue cycle technology vendors:   vendors varying in scale that specialize in revenue cycle management. These vendors frequently utilize legacy technology, have a limited breadth of solutions or typically focus on providers in specific settings of care, such as hospitals or ambulatory practices.

Point solution vendors:   vendors that specialize or focus on point solutions for a specific healthcare payment workflow without addressing the entire healthcare payments workflow from pre-encounter to post-encounter. In addition, certain vendors focus exclusively on patient payments.

EHR and PM systems providers:   certain EHR and PM systems, including certain of our strategic partners and those with which we integrate, offer, or may begin to offer, solutions such as claim management and patient management solutions, payment processing tools, and direct patient communication solutions.

Internally developed software or manual processes:   large healthcare providers may have sufficient IT resources to develop and maintain proprietary internal systems, or to consider developing new custom systems. Many healthcare providers may also rely on manual tasks and labor, without the use of technology enabled systems.
We believe the principal competitive factors in our market include the following:

breadth, depth, and quality of products and solutions;

ability to deliver financial and operational performance improvement through the use of products and solutions;

quality and reliability of solutions;

ease of use and convenience;

brand recognition;

price; and

the ability to integrate our platform solutions with various EHR and PM systems and other technology.
We believe that we compete favorably with respect to each of these factors. However, we believe that our ability to remain competitive will depend on the continued success of our disciplined investments in research and
 
91

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
development and sales and marketing programs. See “Risk factors—Risks related to our business and our industry—We operate in a highly competitive industry.”
Intellectual property
We rely on a combination of trademark, patent, trade secret, copyright, and other intellectual property laws, as well as contractual provisions, including in employment, confidentiality, and inventions assignment agreements to protect our intellectual property, intangible assets, and associated proprietary rights. Our intellectual property, particularly our know-how is material to the conduct of our business. The success of our business depends in part on our ability to use our trademarks, service marks, and other intellectual property in the operation of our business and platform. In the United States, we have obtained 22 trademark registrations, seven issued patents, and 26 copyright registrations. In addition, we have registered the www.waystar.com domain name, which we use in connection with our platform.
We have procedures in place to monitor for potential infringement of our intellectual property, and it is our policy to take appropriate action to enforce our intellectual property, taking into account the strength of our claim, likelihood of success, cost, and overall business priorities. See “Risk factors—Risks related to information technology systems, cybersecurity, data privacy, and intellectual property.”
Security and compliance
Security and compliance are our top priorities. We maintain a comprehensive security program designed to safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our clients’ data. In particular, we deploy physical, administrative, and technical controls to protect the security and privacy of patient information.
We operate a cloud-based platform that offers reliability, performance, security, and privacy for our clients. We have infrastructure in place with co-located data centers, and within Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Service, and Google Cloud Platform environments, to securely manage and maintain our clients’ patient information.
We use external security auditors and industry-leading vendors, such as CrowdStrike and CYE to ensure we have the controls and procedures in place to protect our clients’ sensitive information. We have industry certifications, including HITRUST, PCI-DSS Level 1 Service Provider, SSAE 18 SOC 2, and validated PCI Point-to-Point Encryption. As a PCI-DSS Level 1 Service Provider, we are committed to upholding industry security standards to cardholder data. We received our HITRUST CSF certification in 2021.
We are committed to protecting the information and privacy of our clients and their patients. We are both a “Covered Entity” when we provide our clearinghouse services and a “Business Associate” as defined under HIPAA or subcontractor to a business associate to healthcare providers or revenue cycle management companies. We sign business associate agreements (“BAA”) that govern our uses and disclosures of PHI to our own business associates and on behalf of our covered entity clients that engage us to provide our software solutions. Such BAAs must, among other things, provide adequate written assurances as to how we will use and disclose PHI; that we will implement reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect such PHI from misuse; that we will enter into similar agreements with our agents and subcontractors that have access to the information; that we will report security incidents and other inappropriate uses or disclosures of PHI; and that we will assist the client with certain of its duties under HIPAA.
Regulation
Our business is subject to extensive, complex, and rapidly changing federal and state laws, regulations, and industry standards. These laws and regulations can vary significantly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and interpretation and enforcement of existing laws and regulations by governmental and regulatory authorities may change periodically. We cannot be assured that a review of our business by courts or governmental or regulatory authorities will not result in determinations that could adversely affect our operations or that the healthcare regulatory environment will not change in a way that restricts our operations. Federal and state legislatures also may enact various legislative proposals that could materially impact certain aspects of our business.
 
92

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Federal and state health information privacy and security laws
There are numerous U.S. federal and state laws and regulations related to the privacy and security of personal information, including individually identifiable health information. In particular, HIPAA established privacy and security standards that limit the use and disclosure of PHI, and required the implementation of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of individually identifiable health information in both paper and electronic form. HIPAA also required HHS to adopt national standards establishing electronic transaction standards that all healthcare providers must use when submitting or receiving certain healthcare transactions electronically. For example, claims for reimbursement that are transmitted electronically to payors must comply with specific formatting standards, and these standards apply whether the payor is a government or a private entity. We are contractually required to structure and provide our solutions in a way that supports our clients’ HIPAA compliance obligations to use prescribed electronic formats.
HIPAA requires us to enter into written agreements with covered entities, business associates, and subcontractors with respect to uses and disclosures of PHI. Covered entities, such as us and our clients, may be subject to penalties for, among other activities, failing to enter into a BAA where required by law or as a result of a business associate violating HIPAA, if the business associate is found to be an agent of the covered entity and acting within the scope of the agency. Business associates are also directly subject to liability under HIPAA. In instances where we act as a business associate to a covered entity, there is the potential for additional liability beyond our status as a covered entity. Violations of HIPAA may result in significant civil and criminal penalties, as well as monitoring or resolution agreements. A single breach incident can result in violations of multiple standards.
We must also comply with HIPAA’s breach notification rule and equivalent state breach notification laws. Under the breach notification rule, covered entities must notify affected individuals without unreasonable delay in the case of a breach of unsecured PHI, which compromises the privacy or security of the PHI, but no later than 60 days after discovery of the breach by a covered entity or its agents. Many state laws and regulations require affected individuals to be notified in the event of a data breach involving PHI within a shorter timeframe. Under HIPAA, all impermissible uses or disclosures of unsecured PHI are presumed to be breaches unless an exception to the definition of breach applies or the covered entity or business associate establishes that there is a low probability the PHI has been compromised based on a risk assessment of at least four regulatory factors. In addition, notification must be provided to HHS and the local media in cases where a breach affects 500 or more individuals. Breaches affecting fewer than 500 individuals must be reported to HHS on an annual basis. There can be no assurance that we will not be the subject of an investigation (arising out of a reportable breach incident, audit, or otherwise) alleging non-compliance with HIPAA in our maintenance of PHI. Violations of HIPAA by providers like us, including, but not limited to, failing to implement appropriate administrative, physical, and technical safeguards, have resulted in enforcement actions and in some cases triggered settlement payments or civil monetary penalties.
State attorneys general also have the right to prosecute HIPAA violations committed against residents of their states. While HIPAA does not create a private right of action that would allow individuals to sue in civil court for a HIPAA violation, its standards have been used as the basis for the duty of care in state civil suits, such as those for negligence or recklessness in misusing personal information. In addition, the HITECH Act mandated that HHS conduct periodic compliance audits of HIPAA covered entities and their business associates for compliance. It also tasks HHS with establishing a methodology whereby harmed individuals who were the victims of breaches of unsecured PHI may receive a percentage of the civil monetary penalty fine paid by the violator.
HHS proposed revisions to HIPAA regulations in December 2020 that, if adopted as proposed, would modify existing provisions regarding individuals’ rights to access health information, increase information sharing between healthcare organizations, including through direct sharing of EHR. Additionally, HHS proposed revisions to HIPAA regulations in April 2023 that, if adopted as proposed, would modify privacy protections for reproductive health information, limit uses and disclosures of PHI for certain purposes, and establish new attestation requirements to protect sensitive PHI. If certain of these proposed amendments are adopted as proposed, we will be required to establish and implement new policies and procedures to ensure compliance with such amendments.
 
93

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Other data privacy laws, regulations, and industry standards
In addition, because our business and platform involve the Processing of personal information and other confidential and regulated information, we are also subject to numerous additional laws, regulations, and industry standards. For example, the CCPA, which was subsequently amended by the CPRA, originally took effect in 2020, and provides California residents expanded privacy rights and protections, and provides for civil penalties for certain violations. Many additional jurisdictions around the world, including many additional U.S. states, have adopted or are proposing to adopt laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection, and data security, and we may become subject to additional requirements and obligations as we expand the scope of our business and operations. Further, we are also subject to industry standards such as PCI-DSS as a result of the credit card payments initiated by patients and provider staff members. For a discussion of the risks and uncertainties affecting our business related to compliance with data privacy laws and regulations, please see “Risk factors—Risks related to information technology systems, cybersecurity, data privacy, and intellectual property.”
Healthcare fraud and abuse provisions
A number of federal and state laws, generally referred to as fraud and abuse laws, apply to healthcare providers, physicians and others that make, offer, seek or receive referrals or payments for products or services that may be paid for through any federal or state healthcare program and in some instances any private program. Given the breadth of these laws and regulations, they may affect our business, either directly or because they apply to our clients.
The AKS is broadly worded and prohibits, among other things, knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration, directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, in return for or to induce (1) the referral of an individual covered by federal healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, to a person for the furnishing or arranging for the furnishing of any item or service for which payment may be made in whole or in part under a federal healthcare program, or (2) the purchasing, leasing, or ordering, or arranging for or recommending the purchasing, leasing, or ordering of any good, facility, service, or item for which payment may be made in whole or in part under a federal healthcare program. Court decisions have held that the AKS can be violated even if only “one purpose” of remuneration is to induce or reward referrals or other business generated between the parties. Further, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of this statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation. Violations of the AKS include imprisonment for up to ten years, exclusion from participation in federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, potential liability under the FCA (as discussed below), and significant civil and criminal fines and monetary penalties, plus a civil assessment of up to three times the total payments between the parties to the arrangement. Larger fines can be imposed upon corporations under the provisions of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the Alternate Fines Statute. Individuals and entities convicted of violating the AKS are subject to mandatory exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal healthcare programs for a minimum of five years in the case of criminal conviction.
In addition to a few statutory exceptions, the HHS, Office of Inspector General has promulgated safe harbor regulations that outline categories of activities that are deemed not to be in violation of the AKS, provided all applicable criteria are met. The failure of a financial relationship to meet all of the applicable safe harbor criteria does not necessarily mean that particular arrangement violates the AKS, but instead will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in light of the parties’ intent and the arrangement’s potential for abuse. Arrangements that do not satisfy a safe harbor may be subject to greater scrutiny by enforcement agencies.
Under HIPAA, there are additional provisions regarding healthcare fraud and false statements relating to healthcare matters, which if not complied with, could have an impact on our business. The healthcare fraud provision prohibits knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, including private payors. Similar to the AKS, a person or entity no longer needs to have actual knowledge of the healthcare fraud provision or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation. The false statements provision prohibits knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing, or covering up a material fact or making any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement in connection with the delivery of or payment
 
94

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
for healthcare benefits, items, or services. Violations of these provisions are felonies and may result in fines or imprisonment, or, in the case of the healthcare fraud provision, exclusion from government programs.
Additionally, the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a, authorizes the imposition of civil monetary penalties, assessments, and exclusion against an individual or entity based on a variety of prohibited conduct, including, but not limited to:

presenting, or causing to be presented, claims, reports, or records relating to payment by Medicare, Medicaid or other government payors that the individual or entity knows or should know are for an item or service that was not provided as claimed, is false or fraudulent, or was presented for a physician’s service by a person who knows or should know that the individual providing the service is not a licensed physician, obtained licensure through misrepresentation or represented certification in a medical specialty without in fact possessing such certification;

offering remuneration to a federal healthcare program beneficiary that the individual or entity knows or should know is likely to influence the beneficiary to order or receive healthcare items or services from a particular provider;

arranging contracts with or making payments to an entity or individual excluded from participation in the federal healthcare programs or included on CMS’ preclusion list;

violating the AKS;

making, using, or causing to be made or used a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim for payment for items and services furnished under a federal healthcare program;

making, using, or causing to be made any false statement, omission, or misrepresentation of a material fact in any application, bid, or contract to participate or enroll as a provider of services or a supplier under a federal healthcare program; and

failing to report and return an overpayment owed to the federal government.
Violations of applicable fraud and abuse laws could result in substantial civil monetary penalties that may be imposed under the federal Civil Monetary Penalties Law and may vary depending on the underlying violation. In addition, an assessment of not more than three times the total amount claimed for each item or service may also apply and a violator may be subject to exclusion from federal and state healthcare programs. In addition, should an individual providing services under our client contracts become excluded, we may be in violation of our agreements with clients and required to refund amounts attributable to services performed or sufficiently linked to an excluded individual.
False and fraudulent claims laws
There are numerous federal and state laws that forbid (i) submitting a false claim, (ii) causing the submission of a false claim, (iii) retaining a known overpayment, or (iv) engaging in similar types of conduct. The FCA, among other things, prohibits an individual or entity from knowingly presenting or causing to be presented a false or fraudulent claim for payment to the government, including but not limited to the Medicare and Medicaid programs and related managed care programs. Many states have their own false claims laws prohibiting similar conduct to the extent the claim seeks payment from state funds, including Medicaid, and states are becoming increasingly active in using such laws to police false bills, false requests for payment, and other activities. The standard for “knowledge” under the FCA includes “reckless disregard” or “deliberate ignorance” of the truth or falsity of the information. There are a number of other potential bases for liability under the FCA, including knowingly and improperly avoiding an obligation to repay money to the government (often called the “reverse false claims” provision). The government has used the FCA to bring civil claims for Medicare and other government program fraud based on allegations including but not limited to those involving coding issues (including up-coding), the submission of false cost or other reports, and billing for services at a higher payment rate than appropriate. Violations of other laws, such as the AKS and the Stark Law, can serve as a basis for liability under the FCA.
 
95

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended, provides that claims for payment that are tainted by a violation of the AKS (which could include, for example, illegal incentives, or remuneration) are false for purposes of the FCA. In addition, amendments to the FCA and Social Security Act impose severe penalties for the knowing and improper retention of overpayments from government payors. The FCA may be enforced by the federal government directly or by a private qui tam plaintiff (a “relator”) on the government’s behalf. In the latter circumstance, the government is required to investigate the allegations brought by the relator, and then must decide whether or not to intervene. Even if the government declines to intervene, the relator may continue to proceed with the lawsuit on the government’s behalf. When a relator brings a qui tam action under the FCA, the defendant often will not be made aware of the lawsuit until the government commences its own investigation or makes a determination whether or not it will intervene.
If a defendant is found liable under the FCA, the defendant is subject to penalties for each separate false claim, plus up to three times the amount of damages caused by each false claim, which can be as much as the amounts received directly or indirectly from the government for each such false claim. These penalties are adjusted annually. A successful qui tam relator is entitled to receive a share of any settlement of judgment. In addition to civil enforcement under the FCA, the federal government can use several criminal statutes to prosecute persons who are alleged to have submitted false or fraudulent claims for payment to the federal government. It is difficult to predict how future enforcement initiatives may impact our business.
Stark Law and similar state laws
The Ethics in Patient Referrals Act, known as the Stark Law, prohibits certain types of referral arrangements between physicians and healthcare entities and thus potentially applies to our clients. The law prohibits a physician who has (or whose immediate family member has) a financial relationship with a provider from making referrals to that entity for “designated health services” if payment for the services may be made under Medicare or Medicaid. If such a financial relationship exists, referrals are prohibited unless a statutory or regulatory exception is available. Further, an entity that furnishes designated health services pursuant to a prohibited referral may not present or cause to be presented a claim or bill for such services to the Medicare program or to any other individual or entity. Violations of the Stark Law can result in civil monetary penalties and exclusion from federal healthcare programs and form the basis for liability under the FCA. Laws in many states similarly forbid billing based on referrals between individuals and entities that have various financial, ownership, or other business relationships. Any such violations by, and penalties and exclusions imposed upon, our clients could adversely affect their financial condition and, in turn, could adversely affect our own financial condition.
State fraud and abuse laws
Many states, including certain states in which we conduct our business, have adopted fraud and abuse laws similar to the federal laws described above. These laws are enforced by state courts and regulatory authorities, each with broad discretion, and the scope of these laws and the interpretations of them vary by jurisdiction. Some state fraud and abuse laws apply to items and services reimbursed by any third party payor, including commercial insurers. For example, several states have anti-kickback and self-referral prohibitions, which may apply regardless of whether the payor for such claims is Medicare or Medicaid and which may affect our ability to enter into financial relationships with certain entities or individuals. A determination of liability under state fraud and abuse laws could result in fines, penalties, and restrictions on our ability to operate in these jurisdictions, administrative sanctions, exclusions from governmental healthcare programs, refund requirements, and disciplinary action by the applicable governmental authority, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, and reputation.
Corporate practice of medicine; fee splitting
We enter into contracts with healthcare providers pursuant to which we provide them with software solutions, and may be subject to regulatory oversight, including corporate practice of medicine and fee-splitting prohibitions. Some states have enacted laws and regulations prohibiting business corporations from practicing medicine and
 
96

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
limiting the extent to which physicians and certain other healthcare professionals may be employed by non-physicians or business corporations. These laws are intended to prevent interference in the medical decision-making process by anyone who is not a licensed physician. In addition, various state laws also generally prohibit the sharing or splitting professional services income or fees with lay entities or persons. Activities other than those directly related to the delivery of healthcare may be considered an element of the practice of medicine in many states. The scope and enforcement of such corporate practice of medicine and fee-splitting laws varies from state to state. Violations of these laws could require us to restructure our operations and arrangements and may result in penalties or other adverse action.
Some of these requirements may apply to us even if we do not have a physical presence in the state, based solely on our agreements with healthcare providers licensed in the state. Governmental or regulatory authorities or other parties may assert that we are engaged in the corporate practice of medicine or that our contractual arrangements with healthcare providers constitute unlawful fee splitting. In this event, failure to comply could lead to adverse judicial or administrative action against us and/or our healthcare provider clients, civil or criminal penalties, receipt of cease and desist orders from state regulators, the need to make changes to our contracts, and other materially adverse consequences.
Government regulation of reimbursement
Our clients are subject to regulation by a number of governmental agencies, including those that administer the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Accordingly, our clients are sensitive to legislative and regulatory changes in, and limitations on, the government healthcare programs and changes in reimbursement policies, processes, and payment rates. During recent years, there have been numerous federal legislative and administrative actions that have affected government programs, including adjustments that have reduced or increased payments to physicians and other healthcare providers. It is possible that the federal or state governments will implement additional reductions, increases or changes in reimbursement in the future under government programs that adversely affect our clients, or our cost of providing our solutions. Any such changes could adversely affect our own financial condition by reducing the reimbursement rates of our clients.
Consumer protection laws
We may also be subject to both federal and state regulatory agencies who have the authority to investigate consumer complaints relating to a variety of consumer protection laws, including but not limited to the FDCPA, the TCPA, the CAN-SPAM Act, and any state equivalent(s) of the foregoing. Our business practices involve assisting clients in collecting non-defaulted amounts owed by patients for current and prior services activities, which may subject us to the FDCPA. The FDCPA restricts the methods we may use to contact and seek payment from patients regarding past due accounts. Many states impose additional requirements on debt collection practices, and some of those requirements may be more stringent than the federal requirements. Moreover, regulations governing debt collection are subject to changing interpretations that may be inconsistent among different jurisdictions. Such laws and regulations, if deemed to apply to us, are continually evolving and any enforcement actions under such laws could result in fines, penalties, litigation, and increased expenses associated with compliance.
Our facilities
Our corporate headquarters are co-located in Lehi, Utah and Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to our headquarters, we have offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Duluth, Georgia. All of our facilities are leased and none of our facilities are used for any purpose other than general office use. We believe that our current facilities meet our needs and we are confident that we will be able to obtain, if needed, additional or different space on commercially reasonable terms to accommodate future growth.
Legal proceedings
We are subject to various claims and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of our business, including claims resulting from employment related matters. We believe that we are not party to any material pending legal proceedings and we are not aware of any claims that could have a material effect on our business, financial
 
97

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
condition, results of operations, or cash flows. However, a significant increase in the number of these claims or an increase in amounts owing under successful claims could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
Indemnification and insurance
Our business exposes us to potential liability including, but not limited to, potential liability for breach of contract or negligence claims by our clients, non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and employment-related claims. In certain circumstances, we may also be liable for the acts or omissions of others, such as our vendors or suppliers. On occasion, we enter into standard indemnification arrangements in the ordinary course of business. Pursuant to these arrangements, we indemnify, hold harmless, and agree to reimburse the indemnified parties for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party, in connection with any trade secret, copyright, patent, or other intellectual property infringement claim by any third-party with respect to its technology. The terms of these indemnification agreements are generally perpetual. Maximum potential future payments we could be required to make under these agreements is not determinable because it involves claims that may be made against us in the future but have not yet been made. We have not incurred costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification agreements.
We attempt to manage our potential liability to third-parties through contractual protection (such as indemnification and limitation of liability provisions) in our contracts with clients and others, and through insurance. The contractual indemnification provisions vary in scope and may not protect us against all potential liabilities, such as liability arising out of our gross negligence or willful misconduct. In addition, in the event that we seek to enforce such an indemnification provision, the indemnifying party may not have sufficient resources to fully satisfy its indemnification obligations or may otherwise not comply with its contractual obligations.
We may require our clients and other counterparties to maintain adequate insurance, and we currently maintain errors, omissions, and professional liability insurance coverage with limits we believe to be appropriate. The coverage provided by such insurance may not be adequate for all claims made and such claims may be contested by applicable insurance carriers.
 
98

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
MANAGEMENT
Executive officers and directors
Below is a list of our executive officers and directors, their respective ages as of March 22, 2024 and a brief account of the business experience of each of them.
Name
Age
Position
Matthew J. Hawkins
52 Chief Executive Officer and Director
T. Craig Bridge
52 Chief Transformation Officer
Matthew R. A. Heiman
50 Chief Legal & Administrative Officer
Melissa F. (Missy) Miller
39 Chief Marketing Officer
Steven M. Oreskovich
52 Chief Financial Officer
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III
38 Chief Business Officer
Christopher L. Schremser
52 Chief Technology Officer
Kim Wittman
45 Chief People Officer
John Driscoll
64 Chair
Robert A. DeMichiei
59 Director
Michael Douglas
43 Director
Priscilla Hung
57 Director
Eric C. Liu
47 Director
Heidi G. Miller
70 Director
Paul G. Moskowitz
37 Director
Vivian E. Riefberg
63 Director
Ethan Waxman
35 Director Nominee
Executive officers
Matthew J. Hawkins has served as our Chief Executive Officer and as a member of our Board of Directors since October 2017. Prior to joining us, Mr. Hawkins was at Sunquest Information Systems, a developer of medical laboratory and diagnostic software, from May 2014 to October 2017, where he served as President. Mr. Hawkins was previously an operational leader with Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm, where he served as President and board member of Greenway Health, a vendor of health information technology, Chief Executive Officer and board member of Vitera Healthcare Solutions, a provider of EHR, PM systems, and financial and clinical transaction processing, and Chief Executive Officer and board member of SirsiDynix, a library software automation company. From 2004 to 2007, Mr. Hawkins was Vice President and General Manager of Henry Schein Practice Solutions, a global health care distribution company.
Mr. Hawkins was selected to serve as a director because of his deep knowledge of our business and his significant executive management and leadership experience.
T. Craig Bridge has served as our Chief Transformation Officer since October 2019. Prior to being named to this role, Mr. Bridge served as Chief Operating and Integration Officer from February 2018 to October 2019. Prior to co-founding Navicure, which is now known as Waystar, in January 2001, Mr. Bridge was at S2 Systems, a global provider of integrated solutions for banking and financial markets, where he oversaw Project Management and Quality Assurance Groups from 2000 to 2001. Mr. Bridge was previously at NDCHealth’s Provider Healthcare Transaction Group, a provider of healthcare information software solutions, where he served in various positions from 1994 to 2000.
 
99

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Matthew R. A. Heiman has served as our Chief Legal & Administrative Officer since July 2023. Prior to being named to this role, Mr. Heiman served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary from 2020 to 2023. Prior to joining us, Mr. Heiman was with Johnson Controls, a global leader in smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, where he served as Vice President, Corporate Secretary, and Associate General Counsel from 2016 to 2018. Mr. Heiman has served as Director for Strategy for the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia School of Law since 2018.
Melissa F. (Missy) Miller has served as our Chief Marketing Officer since January 2023. Prior to being named Chief Marketing Officer, Ms. Miller served as our Senior Vice President of Marketing from December 2021 to February 2023 and as our Vice President of Commercialization from August 2020 to December 2021. Prior to joining us, Ms. Miller served as Interim Chief Growth Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Chameleon Collective, a hybrid consulting and marketing services firm, from 2018 to 2020. Ms. Miller was previously Owner of Frances and Company, a provider of go-to-market consulting for marketing, commercial, and client success functions, from 2018 to 2020, and has served in various roles at ZirMed, which is now a part of Waystar, from 2015 to 2018 and at McKesson Provider Technologies, which provides healthcare distribution and technology services, from 2008 to 2015.
Steven M. Oreskovich has served as our Chief Financial Officer since June 2018. Prior to joining us, Mr. Oreskovich was at Merge Healthcare, a subsidiary of IBM through acquisition in 2015 and a software provider of medical image handling and processing, interoperability, and clinical systems, where he held various progressive financial roles, including Corporate Controller, Vice President, Internal Audit, Chief Accounting Officer, and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, from 2004 to 2017. Mr. Oreskovich also previously served in various financial roles at Truis, Inc. and at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an accounting firm.
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III has served as our Chief Business Officer since July 2023. Prior to being named Chief Business Officer, Mr. Sinclair served in various executive roles with us, including Chief Commercial Officer from 2020 to 2023, and Chief Strategy and Product Officer from 2017 to 2020. Prior to joining us, Mr. Sinclair served as the Head of Product at ZirMed, which is now a part of Waystar, from 2008 to 2017, when it was acquired by Bain Capital.
Christopher L. Schremser has served as our Chief Technology Officer since November 2017. Prior to joining us, Mr. Schremser was at ZirMed, which is now a part of Waystar, where he served as Chief Technology Officer from 2002 to 2017 and as Infrastructure Manager from 2000 to 2002.
Kim Wittman has served as our Chief People Officer since March 2024. Prior to joining Waystar, Ms. Wittman served as Senior Vice President of People and Culture of Vivint, Inc., a smart home and security company, from 2022 until 2024. Prior to being named Senior Vice President, Ms. Wittman served in various roles at Vivint since she joined the Company in 2013, including Vice President of Talent Acquisition, HR Business Partner for Technology and Corporate, Senior Director of Human Resources, Director of Human Resources for Technology and Corporate, Manager of Talent Acquisition for Technology and Corporate, and Senior Campus Recruiter. Prior to joining Vivint, Ms. Wittman held various positions a TEKsystems Inc., an IT services management company, Limited Brands, Inc., a retail company, Macy’s Inc., a department store company, and The Buckle, Inc., a fashion retail company.
Directors
John Driscoll has served as Chair of our Board of Directors since 2019. Mr. Driscoll is the President, U.S. Healthcare and Executive Vice President of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc, which he joined in October 2022. Previously, he served as Chief Executive Officer of CareCentrix, a healthcare benefits management company, from 2013 to 2022, as President of Castlight Health, a healthcare technology company, from 2012 to 2013, and as Group President for Medco, a pharmacy benefits management company, from June 2003 to April 2012. Mr. Driscoll also previously founded and chaired the Surescripts ePrescribing Network, a national health information network, from 2004 to 2007, served as Advisor to Oak Investment Partners, a venture capital firm, and served as Vice President for government programs at Oxford Health Plans, a part of the UnitedHealthcare insurance
 
100

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
company. Mr. Driscoll previously served on the board and as chair of the Audit Committee of Press Ganey, a provider of healthcare measurement, performance analytics, and strategic advisory solutions, from April 2016 to July 2019.
Mr. Driscoll was selected to serve as a director because of his experience in corporate governance and leadership in the healthcare industry.
Robert A. DeMichiei has served as a member of our Board of Directors since 2020. He was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of UPMC, a nonprofit health system and leading health care provider and insurer, from 2004 to 2020. Prior to joining UPMC, Mr. DeMichiei held various executive roles with the General Electric Company, an equipment, solutions, and services provider, from 1997 to 2004 and with PricewaterhouseCoopers, a network of professional services firms, from 1987 to 1997. Mr. DeMichiei currently serves as board member of Ampco Pittsburgh Corporation, a manufacturer of forged and cast engineered products and air and liquid processing products and the Automobile Club of Southern California, a national insurer and member services organization and a part of the AAA federation of motor clubs. Mr. DeMichiei also currently serves as a strategic advisor for Health Catalyst and Omega Healthcare Management Services. He was a founder and former board member of Prodigo Solutions, Inc. He is the former Chairman and a current board member of the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, the Finance Committee Chair of the Seton Hill University Board of Trustees, and the Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair of the Advanced Leadership Institute, all charitable organizations.
Mr. DeMichiei was selected to serve as a director because of his experience in various executive and management positions and his experience in the healthcare industry.
Michael Douglas has served as a member of our Board of Directors since 2019. He is a Managing Director, Direct Private Equity at CPPIB, which he joined in 2007. Mr. Douglas previously worked at Ernst & Young Orenda Corporate Finance, a financial advisor on mid-market M&A transactions, from 2003 to 2007. He currently serves on the boards of Ascend Learning, a provider of online educational content, simulation, software, and analytics, and Wilton Re Ltd., a life insurance company, and previously served on the boards of Acelity, a wound care medical equipment company, from 2017 to 2019 and LHP Hospital Group from 2010 to 2017, and as a board observer at Antares.
Mr. Douglas was selected to serve as a director because of his experience in private equity investing and knowledge and understanding of business and corporate strategy.
Priscilla Hung has served as a member of our Board of Directors since February 2024. Ms. Hung has served as a Senior Advisor at Guidewire Software, Inc., a provider of cloud-based software for the property and casualty insurance industry, since January 2024. Prior to becoming a Senior Advisor, Ms. Hung served in various roles at Guidewire since joining the company in 2005, including president and chief operating officer, chief administrative officer, senior vice president of corporate development, vice president of operations, and vice president of corporate development. Prior to joining Guidewire, Ms. Hung held several management positions at SAP Ariba, a software and information technology services company, Sun Microsystems, Inc., a manufacturer of computer workstations, servers, and software, and Oracle Corporation, a database and enterprise management company. Ms. Hung currently serves on the boards of Veeva Systems Inc., a provider of cloud-based software for the global life sciences industry, and Ethos Technologies, Inc., a leading online life insurance platform. Ms. Hung previously served on the board of Vonage Holdings Corp., a cloud communications provider, from 2019 until 2022, when it was acquired by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson.
Ms. Hung was selected to serve as a director because of her experience in technology and platform-based services and deep experience in worldwide operations, including product development, corporate and product strategy, information systems technology and security, cloud operations, and customer success.
Eric C. Liu has served as a member of our Board of Directors since 2019. He has served as Partner, Head of North American Private Equity, and Global Co-Head of Healthcare at EQT, an alternative asset management firm since 2014. Mr. Liu currently serves on the board of Parexel, a global clinical research organization and
 
101

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
biopharmaceutical services company, since 2021, and Zeus Industrial Products, Inc., a supplier of custom components to the medical device industry, since 2024. Mr. Liu was previously on the boards of Certara, a leader in model-informed drug development and regulatory science, from 2017 to 2022, Aldevron, a global supplier of plasmid DNA used in cell and gene therapies, from 2019 to 2021, and Press Ganey, a provider of healthcare measurement, performance analytics, and strategic advisory solutions, from 2016 to 2019.
Mr. Liu was selected to serve as a director because of his experience in finance and capital markets as well as insight into the healthcare industry, gained from advising and serving as a director of multiple EQT portfolio companies.
Heidi G. Miller has served as a member of our Board of Directors since 2021. Prior to retiring in 2012, she was president of JPMorgan International, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co, from 2010 to 2012. Previously, Ms. Miller served as Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan Chase’s Treasury and Security Services from 2004 to 2010. Ms. Miller has previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Bank One Corporation, which was acquired by JPMorgan Chase, from 2002 to 2004, and has served as Chief Financial Officer for the Travelers Group, a diversified financial services company, from 1995 to 1998 and for Citigroup, an investment bank and financial services company, from 1998 to 2001. Ms. Miller currently serves on the board of Fiserv, a global fintech and payments company, and previously served on the boards of HSBC Holdings PLC, a banking and financial services institution, from 2014 to 2021, General Mills Inc., a food service manufacturer and producer of packaged consumer goods, from 1999 to 2019, and Progressive Corp., an insurance company, from 2011 to 2014, and as a trustee of the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that develops accounting and sustainability disclosure standards.
Ms. Miller was selected to serve as a director because of her experience in leadership, management, and strategic experience at complex organizations in the global banking and financial services industries.
Paul G. Moskowitz has served as a member of our Board of Directors since 2019 and a Board Observer since 2016. He is a Managing Director at Bain Capital, a global alternative asset management firm, which he joined in 2011. Prior to joining Bain Capital, Mr. Moskowitz was a consultant at Bain & Company, a global consulting firm, from 2009 to 2011. Mr. Moskowitz also serves on the boards of LeanTaas, a HCIT software company that uses advanced data science to improve the operational performance of hospitals and clinics, and PartsSource, which is an online B2B marketplace for hospitals to procure medtech equipment parts and maintenance services.
Mr. Moskowitz was selected to serve as a director because of his experience as a management consultant and private equity investor and his extensive knowledge and understanding of the healthcare, retail, and business services industries.
Vivian E. Riefberg has served as a member of our Board of Directors since October 2023. Since August 2020, she has also served as the David C. Walentas Jefferson Scholars Foundation Professorship Chair and is a Professor of Practice at the University of Virginia (“UVA”) Darden School of Business and a Fellow at The Miller Center at UVA. Ms. Riefberg previously held a variety of high-ranking executive positions at McKinsey & Company from September 1987 to July 1988 and December 1989 to May 2020, including leading the Public Sector Practice for the Americas and co-leading the U.S. Health Care practice. She also currently serves on the boards of ONWARD Medical N.V. since 2022 and Lightrock, an impact investing fund, since 2022 and privately held Accompany Health, Inc. since 2023 and K Health Inc. since 2021, and has served as an Emeritus Director with McKinsey & Company since June 2020. In the non-profit world, she serves on the boards of the Public Broadcasting Service since 2018, Johns Hopkins Medicine since July 2020, and the advisory board for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum since August 2021. She was previously on the board of governors for the NIH Clinical Center from 2000 to 2004 and was a director on the boards for Signify Health, Inc. from 2020 to 2023, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and McKinsey & Company.
Ms. Riefberg was selected to serve as a director because of her healthcare expertise across both public and private sectors and her management experience.
 
102

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Director Nominee
Ethan Waxman is expected to join our Board of Directors immediately prior to the effective time of the Form 8-A registration statement to be filed with the SEC to register our common stock under the Exchange Act. Mr. Waxman serves as a Partner at EQT, where he has worked since August 2015. Mr. Waxman currently serves on the board of Zeus Industrial Products, Inc., a supplier of custom components to the medical device industry, since 2024, and previously served on the board of Certara, Inc., a leading provider of software and scientific consulting services, from August 2020 to December 2022.
Mr. Waxman was selected to serve as a director because of his finance and capital markets experience as well as insight into the healthcare industry gained from advising multiple EQT portfolio companies.
Composition of our board of directors after this offering
Our business and affairs are managed under the direction of our board of directors. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide for a classified board of directors, with four directors in Class I (expected to be Ethan Waxman, Michael Douglas, Priscilla Hung, and Vivian Riefberg), three directors in Class II (expected to be Paul Moskowitz, John Driscoll, and Robert DeMichiei) and three directors in Class III (expected to be Eric Liu, Matthew Hawkins, and Heidi Miller). See “Description of capital stock.”
We intend to enter into the Stockholders Agreement with EQT, CPPIB, Bain, and certain equity holders, including members of management, in connection with this offering. EQT will have the right to nominate to our Board of Directors (i) two nominees for so long as EQT beneficially owns 30% or greater of our then-outstanding common stock and (ii) one nominee for so long as EQT beneficially owns 5% or greater, but less than 30%, of our then-outstanding common stock. Mssrs. Waxman and Liu will be the initial EQT director nominees. CPPIB will have the right to nominate to our Board of Directors one nominee for so long as CPPIB beneficially owns 5% or greater of our then-outstanding common stock. Mr. Douglas will be the initial CPPIB director nominee. Bain will have the right to nominate to our Board of Directors one nominee for so long as Bain beneficially owns 5% or greater of our then-outstanding common stock. Mr. Moskowitz will be the initial Bain director nominee. For so long as EQT beneficially owns 20% or greater of our then-outstanding common stock, EQT will have the right to nominate, designate, and remove the chairperson of our Board of Directors, subject to CPPIB’s consent. For so long as CPPIB beneficially owns 10% or greater of our then-outstanding common stock, CPPIB will have the right to appoint one non-voting board observer, who will have the right to attend all meetings in a non-voting, observer capacity. In addition, the Institutional Investors have certain nomination rights with respect to our board committees. Furthermore, if any representatives of EQT serve on any boards or committees of our subsidiaries, CPPIB and Bain will have an equivalent right such that the board of directors of such subsidiary or committee thereof reflects, to the maximum extent possible, the composition of our Board of Directors and its committees as required under the Stockholders Agreement. See “Certain relationships and related party transactions—Stockholders agreement.”
Board leadership structure and our Board of Director’s role in risk oversight
Committees of our board of directors
After the completion of this offering, the standing committees of our board of directors will consist of an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Our board of directors may also establish from time to time any other committees that it deems necessary or desirable.
The board of directors has extensive involvement in the oversight of risk management related to us and our business. Our chief executive officer and other executive officers will regularly report to the non-executive directors and the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to ensure effective and efficient oversight of our activities and to assist in proper risk management and the ongoing evaluation of management controls. We believe that the leadership structure of our board of directors provides appropriate risk oversight of our activities.
 
103

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Audit committee
Upon the completion of this offering, we expect to have an Audit Committee, consisting of Robert DeMichiei, who will be serving as the Chair, Priscilla Hung, Paul Moskowitz, and Vivian Riefberg. Ms. Hung, Ms. Riefberg, and Mr. DeMichiei qualify as independent directors under the corporate governance standards of Nasdaq and the independence requirements of Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act. Our board of directors has determined that Mr. DeMichiei qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as such term is defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K. The purpose of the Audit Committee will be to prepare the audit committee report required by the SEC to be included in our proxy statement and to assist our board of directors in overseeing:

accounting, financial reporting, and disclosure processes;

adequacy and soundness of systems of disclosure and internal control established by management;

the quality and integrity of our financial statements and the annual independent audit of our financial statements;

our independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications and independence;

the performance of our internal audit function and independent registered public accounting firm;

our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements in connection with the foregoing;

compliance with our Code of Conduct;

overall risk management profile; and

preparing the audit committee report required to be included in our proxy statement under the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Our board of directors will adopt a written charter for the Audit Committee, which will be available on our website upon the completion of this offering.
Compensation committee
Upon the completion of this offering, we expect to have a Compensation Committee, consisting of Heidi Miller, who will serve as the Chair, Michael Douglas, John Driscoll, and Eric Liu.
The purpose of the Compensation Committee is to assist our board of directors in discharging its responsibilities relating to:

the establishment, maintenance, and administration of compensation and benefit policies designed to attract, motivate, and retain personnel with the requisite skills and abilities to contribute to our long term success;

setting our compensation program and compensation of our executive officers, directors, and key personnel;

monitoring our incentive compensation and equity-based compensation plans;

succession planning for our executive officers, directors, and key personnel;

our compliance with the compensation rules, regulations, and guidelines promulgated by , the SEC and other law, as applicable; and

preparing the compensation committee report required to be included in our proxy statement under the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Our board of directors will adopt a written charter for the Compensation Committee, which will be available on our website upon the completion of this offering.
Nominating and corporate governance committee
Upon the completion of this offering, we expect to have a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, consisting of Eric Liu, who will serve as the Chair, Michael Douglas, and John Driscoll.
 
104

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The purpose of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is to:

advise our board of directors concerning the appropriate composition of our board of directors and its committees;

identify individuals qualified to become members of our board of directors;

recommend to our board of directors the persons to be nominated by our board of directors for election as directors at any meeting of stockholders;

recommend to our board of directors the members of our board of directors to serve on the various committees of our board of directors;

develop and recommend to our board of directors a set of corporate governance guidelines and assist our board of directors in complying with them; and

oversee the evaluation of our board of directors, our board of directors’ committees, and management.
Our board of directors will adopt a written charter for the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, which will be available on our website upon the completion of this offering.
Compensation committee interlocks and insider participation
None of the members of our Compensation Committee has at any time been one of our executive officers or employees. None of our executive officers currently serves, or has served during the last completed fiscal year, on the compensation committee or board of directors of any other entity that has one or more executive officers serving as a member of our board of directors or Compensation Committee.
We have entered into certain indemnification agreements with our directors and are party to certain transactions with principal stockholders described in “Certain relationships and related party transactions—Indemnification of directors and officers” and “Certain relationships and related party transactions—Stockholders agreement,” respectively.
Director independence
Pursuant to the corporate governance listing standards of Nasdaq, a director employed by us cannot be deemed to be an “independent director.” Each other director will qualify as “independent” only if our board of directors affirmatively determines that he has no material relationship with us, either directly or as a partner, stockholder, or officer of an organization that has a relationship with us. Ownership of a significant amount of our stock, by itself, does not constitute a material relationship.
Our board of directors has affirmatively determined that each of our directors, other than Matthew J. Hawkins, qualifies as “independent” in accordance with Nasdaq rules. In making its independence determinations, our board of directors considered and reviewed all information known to it (including information identified through directors’ questionnaires).
Background and experience of directors; board diversity
When considering whether directors and nominees have the experience, qualifications, attributes, or skills, taken as a whole, to enable our board of directors to satisfy its oversight responsibilities effectively in light of our business and structure, the board of directors focused primarily on each person’s background and experience as reflected in the information discussed in each of the directors’ individual biographies set forth above. We believe that our directors provide an appropriate mix of experience and skills relevant to the size and nature of our business.
In evaluating director candidates, we consider, and will continue to consider in the future, factors including, personal and professional character, integrity, ethics and values, experience in corporate management, finance and other relevant industry experience, social policy concerns, judgment, potential conflicts of interest, including
 
105

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
other commitments, practical and mature business judgment, and such factors as age, gender, race, orientation, place of residence, and specialized experience and any other relevant qualifications, attributes or skills.
Code of conduct
We will adopt a new Code of Conduct (the “Code of Conduct”) that applies to all of our directors, officers, and employees, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer. Our Code of Conduct will be available on our website upon the completion of this offering. Our Code of Conduct is a “code of ethics,” as defined in Item 406(b) of Regulation S-K. We will make any legally required disclosures regarding amendments to, or waivers of, provisions of our code of ethics on our website.
 
106

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
The following table provides summary information concerning compensation earned by our principal executive officer and our two other most highly compensated executive officers as of December 31, 2023 for services rendered for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. These individuals are referred to as our named executive officers.
Name and principal position
Fiscal
Year
Salary
($)(1)
Option
awards
($)(2)
Non-equity
incentive plan
compensation
($)(3)
All other
compensation
($)(4)
Total
($)
Matthew J. Hawkins
Chief Executive Officer
2023 771,458 712,828 59,011 1,543,297
2022 750,000 3,674,799 833,250 60,678 5,318,727
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III
Chief Business Officer
2023 412,000 625,840 22,512 1,060,352
2022 400,000 545,293 635,809 22,734 1,603,836
T. Craig Bridge
Chief Transformation Officer
2023 412,000 380,733 14,337 807,070
2022 400,000 545,293 444,400 21,769 1,411,462
(1) The amounts reported represent the named executive officer’s base salary earned during the fiscal year covered.
(2) The amounts reported represent the annual bonuses earned by each named executive officer under the Waystar Incentive Plan for 2023. For Mr. Sinclair, the amount reported also includes aggregate 2023 commission payments. See “—Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” below.
(3) The amounts reported in this column represent (i) for Mr. Hawkins, employer matching contributions to our 401(k) plan in the amount of $6,600 and tax gross-up related to Winner’s Circle benefits in the amount of $52,411, (ii) for Mr. Sinclair, employer matching contributions to our 401(k) plan in the amount of $13,200 and tax gross-up related to Winner’s Circle benefits in the amount of $9,312, and (iii) for Mr. Bridge, employer matching contributions to our 401(k) plan in the amount of $13,200 and tax gross-up related to Winner’s Circle benefits in the amount of $1,137.
NARRATIVE DISCLOSURE TO SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
Employment agreements
Matthew J. Hawkins
We entered into a new employment agreement with Mr. Hawkins on November 2, 2023, which we refer to as the Hawkins employment agreement. The Hawkins employment agreement provides that Mr. Hawkins will serve as our Chief Executive Officer. The Hawkins employment agreement superseded Mr. Hawkins’ prior employment agreement. The Hawkins employment agreement provides for (i) an initial base salary of $800,000, subject to annual review by the compensation committee for increase, (ii) eligibility to receive an annual bonus, with a target bonus equal to 110% of base salary, (iii) eligibility to participate in the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, and (iv) reimbursement of reasonable business expenses. Mr. Hawkins is also entitled to participate in our employee benefit arrangements.
The Hawkins employment agreement further provides for restrictive covenants, as described below under “Restrictive Covenants” and severance benefits, as described below under “Severance Arrangements.”
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III
ZirMed, Inc., which is now a part of Waystar, entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Sinclair, effective as of September 5, 2017, which we refer to as the Sinclair employment agreement. Mr. Sinclair initially served as Senior Vice President, Product but currently serves as our Chief Business Officer. The Sinclair employment agreement does not have a specific duration or term, and Mr. Sinclair’s employment is at-will. The Sinclair employment agreement also provides for (i) an initial salary of $250,000 ($430,000 as of 2023), subject to annual review by the board of directors for increase, (ii) eligibility to receive an annual bonus, with a target bonus equal to 40% of base salary, with an eligibility to earn a maximum annual bonus of 167% of base salary,
 
107

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
(iii) reimbursement of reasonable business expenses, and (iv) vacation. Mr. Sinclair is also entitled to participate in our employee benefit arrangements.
The Sinclair employment agreement further provides for restrictive covenants, as described below under “Restrictive Covenants” and severance benefits, as described below under “Severance Arrangements.”
T. Craig Bridge
Navicure, Inc., which is now known as Waystar, entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Bridge, dated as of July 1, 2016, which was amended by an agreement between Mr. Bridge and Navicure, Inc. as of November 1, 2017, and which we refer to as the Bridge employment agreement. The Bridge employment agreement does not have a specific duration or term, and Mr. Bridge’s employment is at-will. The Bridge employment agreement also provides for (i) a base salary ($430,000 as of 2023), subject to annual review by the board of directors for increase, (ii) eligibility to receive an annual bonus, with a target bonus equal to 55% of base salary, with an eligibility to earn a maximum annual bonus of 167% of base salary, and (iii) vacation. Mr. Bridge is also entitled to participate in our employee benefit arrangements.
The Bridge employment agreement further provides for restrictive covenants, as described below under “Restrictive Covenants” and severance benefits, as described below under “Severance Arrangements.”
See “—Compensation arrangements to be adopted in connection with this offering” below for information about the new employment agreements that we expect to enter into with certain of our named executive officers in connection with this offering.
Base salary
We provide each named executive officer with a base salary, reflective of the competitive marketplace, for the services that the named executive officer performs for us. Base salary serves as the primary form of fixed compensation for our named executive officers. Base salary can also impact other compensation and benefit opportunities, including annual bonuses, as such opportunities are expressed as a percentage of base salary. This compensation component constitutes a stable element of compensation while other compensation elements are variable. Base salaries are renewed at least annually and may be increased based on the individual performance of the named executive officer, company performance, any change in the executive’s position within our business, the scope of his responsibilities, and any changes thereto. For 2023, Messrs. Hawkins’, Sinclair’s, and Bridge’s base salaries were $800,000, $430,000, and $430,000, respectively.
Non-equity incentive plan compensation
Waystar Incentive Plan. Each named executive officer was eligible to receive an annual bonus under the Waystar Incentive Plan for 2023 in accordance with the terms of their respective employment agreements and subsequent adjustments. For 2023, Messrs. Hawkins’, Sinclair’s, and Bridge’s target incentive opportunity was 110%, 60%, and 120% of their base salaries, respectively. For 2023, 70% of the Waystar Incentive Plan payout was based on company financial performance, 25% of the payout was based on metrics shared by leadership, and 5% of the payout was based on how an individual reflects our values. Company financial performance was based on Adjusted EBITDA targets, total gross bookings targets, and revenue targets, each established at the beginning of the fiscal year and approved by our board of directors. For 2023, based largely on company and shared leadership metric performance, the Waystar Incentive Plan paid out at 84% of the target incentive opportunity.
Mr. Sinclair’s Commission. For 2023, Mr. Sinclair was also eligible for a commission based on the estimated gross margin of 2023 bookings.
Equity awards
Vesting schedule
The stock options granted to our named executive officers under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan are divided into time-vesting stock options (50% of the stock options granted) and performance-vesting stock options (50% of the stock options granted).
 
108

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The stock options have a ten-year term and vest as follows:

The time-vesting stock options vest over five years, with 20% vesting on each of the first five anniversaries of a specified vesting reference date, subject to continued employment or service with us through each applicable vesting date; however, upon a change of control, all outstanding unvested time-vesting stock options will vest in full immediately prior to the change of control.

The performance-vesting stock options begin to vest when and if investment vehicles affiliated with EQT, CPPIB, and Bain receive cash proceeds with respect to or in exchange for their equity securities of us equal to a 1.5x multiple on their collective investment in us, subject to the named executive officer’s continued employment or service with us through each applicable measurement date.

100% of the performance-vesting stock options vest when and if investment vehicles affiliated with EQT, CPPIB, and Bain receive cash proceeds with respect to or in exchange for their equity securities of us equal to a 2.5x multiple on their collective investment in us, subject to the named executive officer’s continued employment or service with us through each applicable measurement date.

To the extent the investment vehicles affiliated with EQT, CPPIB, and Bain receive cash proceeds with respect to or in exchange for their equity securities of us between a 1.5x and a 2.5x multiple on their collective investment in us, the performance-vesting stock options will vest based on linear interpolation.
In connection with a termination of employment or service for “cause,” or in the event of a “restrictive covenant breach” ​(each as defined in the applicable stock option award agreements), both unvested and vested stock options will immediately terminate and expire. See “—Termination and change of control provisions—Equity awards” below for information regarding the treatment of stock options upon a qualified termination.
OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT DECEMBER 31, 2023
The following table provides information regarding outstanding equity awards made to our named executive officers as of December 31, 2023.
Option awards
Name
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options
(#)
exercisable
Number of
Securities
Underlying
unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
Equity incentive
Plan Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned Options
(#)
Option
exercise
price
($)
Option
expiration
date
Matthew J. Hawkins(1)
3,846,736.07 $ 2.50 11/1/2027
Matthew J. Hawkins(1)
389,430.56 $ 2.50 11/1/2027
Matthew J. Hawkins(2)
1,440,000.00 360,000.00 1,800,000.00 $ 10.00 10/23/2029
Matthew J. Hawkins(2)
77,500.00 310,000.00 387,500.00 $ 20.00 8/16/2032
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III(1)
256,578.87 $ 2.50 11/1/2027
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III(2)
390,000.00 97,500.00 487,500.00 $ 10.00 10/23/2029
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III(2)
90,000.00 60,000.00 150,000.00 $ 11.00 8/9/2030
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III(2)
11,500.00 46,000.00 57,500.00 $ 20.00 8/16/2032
T. Craig Bridge(1)
307,819.87 $ 2.50 11/1/2027
T. Craig Bridge(1)
34,771.61 $ 2.50 11/1/2027
T. Craig Bridge(1)
264,824.66 $ 2.50 7/1/2026
T. Craig Bridge(2)
260,000.00 65,000.00 325,000.00 $ 10.00 10/23/2029
T. Craig Bridge(2)
45,000.00 30,000.00 75,000.00 $ 11.00 8/9/2030
T. Craig Bridge(2)
11,500.00 46,000.00 57,500.00 $ 20.00 8/16/2032
(1) Represents substitute options granted to the named executive officer in connection with the acquisition of the Company by investment vehicles affiliated with EQT, CPPIB, and Bain in 2019.
(2) Represents time-vesting stock options and performance-vesting stock options granted to the named executive officer under the Company’s 2019 Stock Incentive Plan. See “—Equity Awards” above.
 
109

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
2019 Stock Incentive Plan
Our board of directors adopted the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, effective October 22, 2019, under which we have granted options to purchase shares of our common stock to certain eligible individuals. The 2019 Stock Incentive Plan will be terminated effective as of the consummation of this offering and, following this offering, no further stock awards will be issued under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.
The Compensation Committee administers the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan and has the authority to, among other powers, designate participants, determine the terms and conditions of any award, and to make all decisions and determinations and to take any other action that the Compensation Committee deems necessary for the administration of the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.
The 2019 Stock Incentive Plan provides for the grant of awards of non-qualified stock options and other stock-based awards tied to the value of our shares. In connection with an award of stock options under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, each participant enters into an award agreement, which provides the number of shares subject to the stock option and the terms of such grant, as determined by our board of directors.   shares are reserved for issuance with respect to currently outstanding options granted under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.
Awards under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan are generally subject to adjustment in the event of any (i) dividend (other than regular cash dividends) or other distribution, recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination, extraordinary sale, repurchase, or exchange of shares of common stock or other securities, or other similar transactions or events (including a change of control) or (ii) unusual or nonrecurring events affecting us, including changes in applicable laws, rules, or regulations, or the dissolution or liquidation of the company. In addition, in connection with any change of control, our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, provide for the (a) substitution or assumption of awards, or acceleration of the vesting of, exercisability of, or lapse of restrictions on, awards; (b) cancellation of any outstanding awards that are vested as of such cancellation (or would vest as a result of the occurrence of a change of control) for payment to the holders thereof of the value of such awards, if any, as determined by our board of directors, including with respect to stock options, by payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the shares of common stock subject to the stock option over the aggregate exercise price of the option (and, any stock option having a per share exercise price equal to, or greater than, the fair market value per share subject to the stock option may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor); and/or (c) conversion or replacement of any award that is unvested as of the change of control event into, or with the right to receive a payment, based on the value of the award at the time of such conversion or replacement, as determined by our board of directors, that is subject to continued vesting on the same basis as the vesting requirements applicable to the corresponding award.
Pursuant to the terms of the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, unless permitted by our board of directors, stock awards may not be transferred by a participant, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.
Our board of directors may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan or any portion thereof at any time, but no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any participant or holder or beneficiary of an award will not be effective without the consent of the affected participant, holder, or beneficiary.
All awards under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan are subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment to the extent necessary to comply with (i) any clawback, forfeiture or other similar policy adopted by our board of directors or Compensation Committee and as in effect from time to time and (ii) applicable law.
TERMINATION AND CHANGE OF CONTROL PROVISIONS
Severance arrangements
Matthew J. Hawkins.   Pursuant to the terms of the Hawkins employment agreement, if Mr. Hawkins’ employment is terminated (i) by us without “cause” ​(as defined in the Hawkins employment agreement) (but not as a result of
 
110

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Mr. Hawkins’ death or disability) or (ii) for “good reason” ​(as defined in the Hawkins employment agreement), Mr. Hawkins will be entitled to receive the following severance payments and benefits:

An amount equal to 18 months of Mr. Hawkins’ then-current base salary and target annual bonus, payable in equal monthly installments over 18 months following termination of employment; provided, however, if such termination is a “CIC qualified termination” ​(as defined in the Hawkins employment agreement), such amount shall instead be payable in a single lump sum within five days of such termination;

Any earned but unpaid prior year annual incentive bonus, payable at the time that annual bonuses are paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan as if Mr. Hawkins remained employed;

A pro-rated annual incentive bonus for the year of termination, based on actual performance, and payable at the time that annual bonuses are paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan as if Mr. Hawkins remained employed; provided, however, if such termination is a “CIC qualified termination,” the performance objectives shall be deemed satisfied at target; and

If Mr. Hawkins timely elects continued coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”), a monthly cash payment equal to monthly group health insurance premiums, at active employee rates, for 18 months following termination of employment or, if earlier, until the date on which Mr. Hawkins is no longer eligible for COBRA coverage.
Our obligation to provide the severance payments and benefits described above are contingent upon Mr. Hawkins’ (i) execution and non-revocation of a separation agreement containing a general release of claims and (ii) continued compliance with the provisions of the Hawkins employment agreement (including the restrictive covenants).
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III.   Pursuant to the terms of the Sinclair employment agreement, if Mr. Sinclair’s employment is terminated (i) by us without “cause” ​(as defined in the Sinclair employment agreement) (but not as a result of Mr. Sinclair’s death or disability) or (ii) for “good reason” ​(as defined in the Sinclair employment agreement), Mr. Sinclair will be entitled to receive the following severance payments and benefits:

An amount equal to 12 months of Mr. Sinclair’s then-current base salary, payable in equal monthly installments over 12 months following termination of employment;

Any earned but unpaid prior year annual incentive bonus, payable at the time that annual bonuses are paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan as if Mr. Sinclair remained employed;

A pro-rated annual incentive bonus for the year of termination, based on actual performance, and payable at the time that annual bonuses are paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan as if Mr. Sinclair remained employed.
Our obligation to provide the severance payments and benefits described above are contingent upon Mr. Sinclair’s (i) execution and non-revocation of a separation agreement containing a general release of claims and (ii) continued compliance with the provisions of the Sinclair employment agreement (including the restrictive covenants).
T. Craig Bridge.   Pursuant to the terms of the Bridge employment agreement, if Mr. Bridge’s employment is terminated (i) by us without “cause” ​(as defined in the Bridge employment agreement) (but not as a result of Mr. Bridge’s death or disability) or (ii) for “good reason” ​(as defined in the Bridge employment agreement), Mr. Bridge will be entitled to receive the following severance payments and benefits:

An amount equal to 18 months of Mr. Bridge’s then-current base salary, payable in equal monthly installments over 18 months following termination of employment;

Any earned but unpaid prior year annual incentive bonus, payable at the time that annual bonuses are paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan as if Mr. Bridge remained employed;

A pro-rated annual incentive bonus for the year of termination, based on actual performance, and payable at the time that annual bonuses are paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan as if Mr. Bridge remained employed.
 
111

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

If Mr. Bridge timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, a monthly cash payment equal to monthly group health insurance premiums, at active employee rates, for 18 months following termination of employment or, if earlier, until the date on which Mr. Bridge is no longer eligible for COBRA coverage.
Our obligation to provide the severance payments and benefits described above are contingent upon Mr. Bridge’s (i) execution and non-revocation of a separation agreement containing a general release of claims and (ii) continued compliance with the provisions of the Bridge employment agreement (including the restrictive covenants).
See “—Compensation arrangements to be adopted in connection with this offering” below for information about the new employment agreements that we expect to enter into with certain of our named executive officers in connection with this offering.
Equity awards
Qualified termination
Matthew J. Hawkins.   With respect to the stock options granted to Mr. Hawkins on October 23, 2019, in the event of a termination of Mr. Hawkins’ employment by us without “cause,” by Mr. Hawkins for “good reason,” or as a result of Mr. Hawkins’ death or disability, (i) a pro-rata portion of the unvested time-vesting options that would otherwise vest on the next annual vesting date following such termination had Mr. Hawkins remained employed shall vest based on the number of days elapsed while Mr. Hawkins was actually employed during such annual vesting period and the remaining unvested time-vesting options will remain outstanding and eligible to vest in full upon the occurrence of a change of control within the six-month period following such termination, and (ii) the unvested performance-vesting options will remain outstanding and eligible to vest if a measurement date occurs within the six-month period following such termination and will vest to the extent that the applicable performance vesting conditions are achieved in connection with such measurement date. Any unvested time-vesting options and performance-vesting options that do not otherwise vest during such six-month period shall terminate and expire upon the expiration of such period.
With respect to the stock options granted to Mr. Hawkins on August 16, 2022, in the event of a termination of Mr. Hawkins’ employment by us without “cause,” by Mr. Hawkins for “good reason,” or as a result of Mr. Hawkins’ death or disability, (i) the unvested time-vesting options will remain outstanding and eligible to vest in full upon the occurrence of a change of control within the three-month period following such termination, and (ii) the unvested performance-vesting options will remain outstanding and eligible to vest if a measurement date occurs within the three-month period following such termination and will vest to the extent that the applicable performance vesting conditions are achieved in connection with such measurement date. Any unvested time-vesting options and performance-vesting options that do not otherwise vest during such three-month period shall terminate and expire upon the expiration of such period.
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III.   With respect to the stock options granted to Mr. Sinclair on October 23, 2019, August 9, 2020, and August 16, 2022, in the event of a termination of Mr. Sinclair’s employment by us without “cause,” by Mr. Sinclair for “good reason,” or as a result of Mr. Sinclair’s death or disability, (i) the unvested time-vesting options will remain outstanding and eligible to vest upon the occurrence of a change of control within the three-month period following such termination, and (ii) the unvested performance-vesting options will remain outstanding and eligible to vest if a measurement date occurs within the three-month period following such termination and will vest to the extent that the applicable performance vesting conditions are achieved in connection with such measurement date. Any unvested time-vesting options and performance-vesting options that do not otherwise vest during such three-month period shall terminate and expire upon the expiration of such period.
T. Craig Bridge. With respect to the stock options granted to Mr. Bridge on October 23, 2019, August 9, 2020, and August 16, 2022, in the event of a termination of Mr. Bridge’s employment by us without “cause,” by Mr. Bridge for “good reason,” or as a result of Mr. Bridge’s death or disability, (i) the unvested time-vesting options will
 
112

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
remain outstanding and eligible to vest upon the occurrence of a change of control within the three-month period following the termination, and (ii) the unvested performance-vesting options will remain outstanding and eligible to vest if a measurement date occurs within the three-month period following such termination and will vest to the extent that the applicable performance vesting conditions are achieved in connection with such measurement date. Any unvested time-vesting options and performance-vesting options that do not otherwise vest during such three-month period shall terminate and expire upon the expiration of such period.
Change of control
Each of the Hawkins, Sinclair, and Bridge option agreements provide that, if a change of control occurs during the named executive officer’s employment (i) the unvested time-vesting options will become fully vested and exercisable immediately prior to the change of control and (ii) all of the performance vesting options that do not vest on or before a change of control or the date upon which the investment vehicles affiliated with EQT, CPPIB, and Bain no longer collectively holds shares of our common stock representing more than ten percent of the outstanding shares of our common stock will be forfeited upon such change of control or date upon which the sponsor group no longer collectively holds shares of our common stock representing more than ten percent of the outstanding shares of our common stock.
Restrictive covenants
Matthew J. Hawkins.   The Hawkins employment agreement contains restrictive covenants, including confidentiality of information, assignment of intellectual property, non-competition, employee no-hire, employee and independent contractor non-solicitation, and client, customer, and other business partner non-solicitation covenants. The confidentiality covenant has an indefinite term. The noncompetition and non-solicitation covenants are effective both during Mr. Hawkins’ employment with us and until the 18-month anniversary of termination of employment for any reason.
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III.   The Sinclair employment agreement contains restrictive covenants, including confidentiality of information, assignment of intellectual property, non-competition, employee no-hire, employee and independent contractor non-solicitation, business partner and customer non-solicitation, and non-disparagement covenants. The confidentiality and non-disparagement covenants have an indefinite term. The noncompetition and non-solicitation covenants are effective both during Mr. Sinclair’s employment with us and until the 12-month anniversary of termination of employment for any reason.
T. Craig Bridge.   The Bridge employment agreement contains restrictive covenants, including confidentiality of information, assignment of intellectual property, non-competition, employee no-hire, employee and independent contractor non-solicitation, business partner and customer non-solicitation, and non-disparagement covenants. The confidentiality and non-disparagement covenants have an indefinite term. The noncompetition and non-solicitation covenants are effective both during Mr. Bridge’s employment with us and until the 12-month anniversary of termination of employment for any reason.
RETIREMENT PLAN
We maintain a tax-qualified defined contribution 401(k) savings plan (the “401(k) Plan”), in which all employees, including our named executive officers, are eligible to participate. The 401(k) Plan allows participants to contribute up to 75% of their compensation on a pre-tax basis (or on a post-tax basis, with respect to elective Roth deferrals) into individual retirement accounts, subject to the maximum annual limits set by the Internal Revenue Service. The 401(k) Plan also allows us to make employer matching contributions. We have historically made employer matching contributions of up to 50% of our employees’ elective deferrals, limited to the first 8% of each employee’s compensation. Participants are immediately fully vested in their own contributions to the 401(k) Plan. Participants vest in the matching contributions we make to their accounts after 3 years of service, at the rate of 3313% per year.
 
113

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS TO BE ADOPTED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS offering
2024 Equity incentive plan
Our board of directors expects to adopt, and we expect our stockholders to approve, the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan prior to the completion of the offering, in order to provide a means through which to attract, retain, and motivate key personnel. Awards under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan may be granted to any (i) individual employed by us or our subsidiaries (other than those U.S. employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement unless and to the extent that such eligibility is set forth in such collective bargaining agreement or similar agreement), (ii) director or officer of us or our subsidiaries, or (iii) consultant or advisor to us or our subsidiaries who may be offered securities registrable pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act. The 2024 Equity Incentive Plan will be administered by the Compensation Committee or such other committee of our board of directors to which it has properly delegated power, or if no such committee or subcommittee exists, our board of directors.
The 2024 Equity Incentive Plan initially reserves      shares for issuance, which is subject to increase on the first day of each fiscal year beginning with the 2024 fiscal year in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the positive difference, if any, between (x)    % of the outstanding common stock on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year and (y) the available plan reserve on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year and (ii) a lower number of shares of our common stock as determined by our board of directors; provided, however, that this automatic share reserve increase shall not apply following the tenth (10th) anniversary of the effective date of the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.
All awards granted under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan will vest and/or become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Compensation Committee. Awards available for grant under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan include, non-qualified stock options, and incentive stock options, restricted shares of our common stock, restricted stock units, and other equity-based awards tied to the value of our shares.
Awards are generally subject to adjustment in the event of (i) any dividend (other than regular cash dividends) or other distribution, recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of shares of common stock or other securities, or other similar transactions or events or (ii) unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company, including changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations, or other requirement. In addition, in connection with any change of control, the Compensation Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for any one or more of the following: (i) a substitution or assumption of, acceleration of the vesting of, the exercisability of, or lapse of restrictions on, any one or more outstanding awards and (ii) cancellation of any one or more outstanding awards and payment to the holders of such awards that are vested as of such cancellation (including any awards that would vest as a result of the occurrence of such event but for such cancellation) the value of such awards, if any, as determined by the Compensation Committee.
Our board of directors may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan or any portion thereof at any time, but no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, or termination may be made without stockholder approval if (i) such approval is required under applicable law, (ii) it would materially increase the number of securities which may be issued under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (except for adjustments in connection with certain corporate events), or (iii) it would materially modify the requirements for participation in the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan. Any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any participant or any holder or beneficiary of any award will not to that extent be effective without such individual’s consent.
All awards granted under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan are subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment to the extent necessary to comply with (i) any clawback, forfeiture, or other similar policy adopted by our board of directors or the Compensation Committee and as in effect from time to time and (ii) applicable law.
 
114

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
IPO equity awards
In connection with this offering, it is expected that our board of directors will approve an IPO equity award in the form of 50% time-based vesting options and 50% time-based vesting restricted stock units to our executive officers, including each of our named executive officers, pursuant to the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan. The grants to the named executive officers will comprise an award of options to purchase           ,            and            shares of our common stock to Messrs. Hawkins, Sinclair, and Bridge, respectively, each with a per-share exercise price equal to the initial public offering price, and an award of           ,            and            restricted stock units to Messrs. Hawkins, Sinclair, and Bridge, respectively. The options and restricted stock units will vest in four substantially equal installments on each of the second, third, fourth, and fifth anniversaries of the completion of this offering, subject to the named executive officer’s continued employment through the applicable vesting date; provided, however, that, upon any termination (i) by us without “cause” ​(as defined in the named executive officer’s employment agreement) or (ii) by the named executive officer with “good reason” ​(as defined in the named executive officer’s employment agreement), in either case, within the six-month period prior to, or within the 24-month period following a “change in control” ​(as defined in the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan) (the “CIC Protection Period”), all then-unvested options and restricted stock units will fully vest. In addition, with respect to Mr. Hawkins only, upon any termination by us without “cause” or by Mr. Hawkins with “good reason”, in either case, the effective date of which is not within the CIC Protection Period, a pro-rata portion of the unvested options and restricted stock units that would otherwise vest on the next annual vesting date following such termination had Mr. Hawkins remained employed shall vest based on the number of days elapsed while Mr. Hawkins was actually employed during such annual vesting period.
Employee stock purchase plan
In connection with this offering, our board of directors expects to adopt, and we expect our stockholders to approve, the Waystar Holding Corp. 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) prior to the completion of the offering. The ESPP is intended to give eligible employees an opportunity to acquire shares of our common stock and promote our best interests and enhance our long-term performance. The ESPP is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code.
The aggregate number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under the ESPP may not exceed        shares (which number of shares will be equal to       % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock at the consummation of this offering), subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms of the ESPP. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the share reserve of the ESPP shall automatically be increased on the first day of each fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the effective date of the ESPP occurred by a number of shares of our common stock equal to the lesser of (i) the positive difference, if any, between (A)       % of the outstanding common stock on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year, and (y) the available share reserve of the ESPP on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year, and (ii) a lower number of shares of our common stock as determined by our board of directors. If a purchase right expires or is terminated, surrendered or canceled without being exercised, in whole or in part, the number of shares subject to the purchase right will again be available for issuance and will not reduce the aggregate number of shares available under the ESPP.
The ESPP will be administered by the Compensation Committee unless the board of directors elects to administer the ESPP. The Compensation Committee will have full authority to administer the ESPP and make and interpret rules and regulations regarding administration of the ESPP as it may deem necessary or advisable.
The ESPP will become effective on or about the date of this offering. However, no offering periods will commence under the ESPP until such time and subject to such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Compensation Committee. The term of the ESPP will continue until terminated by our board of directors or until the date on which all shares available for issuance under the ESPP have been issued.
Subject to the Compensation Committee’s ability to exclude certain groups of employees on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis, including Section 16 officers, generally, all of our employees will be eligible to participate in the ESPP if they are employed by us or by a designated company (as defined below) except for any employee
 
115

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
who has been employed for less than 12 months (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the Compensation Committee in its discretion); provided that the Compensation Committee may determine that citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction may be excluded from participation in the ESPP or an offering thereunder if the participation of such employees is prohibited under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or if complying with the laws of the applicable jurisdiction would cause the ESPP or an offering to violate Section 423 of the Code. No employee will be eligible to participate if, immediately after the purchase right grant, the employee would own stock (including any stock the employee may purchase under outstanding purchase rights) representing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of our common stock. A “designated company” is any subsidiary or affiliate of Waystar Holding Corp., whether now existing or existing in the future, that has been designated by the Compensation Committee from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the ESPP. The Compensation Committee may designate subsidiaries or affiliates of Waystar Holding Corp. as designated companies in an offering that does not satisfy the requirements of Section 423 of the Code. For offerings that, when taken together with the ESPP, comply with Section 423 of the Code and the regulations thereunder, only Waystar Holding Corp. and its subsidiaries may be designated companies; provided, however, that at any given time, a subsidiary that is a designated company under a Section 423 Code-compliant offering will not be a designated company under an offering that does not comply with Section 423 of the Code.
A participant may acquire common stock under the ESPP by authorizing the use of contributions to purchase shares of common stock. Contributions must not exceed 15% of the participant’s total compensation (or such lesser percentage of the participant’s total compensation as determined by the Compensation Committee). All contributions made by a participant will be credited (without interest) to his or her account. A participant may discontinue plan participation as provided in the ESPP, but a participant may not alter the amount of his or her contributions during an offering period. However, a participant’s contribution election may be decreased to 0% at any time during an offering period to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423 of the Code or the terms of the ESPP. A participant may not make separate cash payments into his or her account except in limited circumstances when the participant is on leave of absence or unless otherwise required by applicable law. A participant may withdraw contributions credited to his or her account during an offering period at any time before the applicable purchase period end date.
The ESPP generally provides for offering periods set by the Compensation Committee, with one purchase period in each offering period. The Compensation Committee has the authority to change the duration of a purchase period; provided that the change is announced a reasonable period of time prior to its effective date and the purchase period is not greater than 27 months.
On the first day of an offering period, a participant will be granted a purchase right to purchase on the purchase period end date, at the applicable purchase price, the number of shares of common stock as is determined by dividing the amount of the participant’s contributions accumulated as of the last day of the purchase period by the applicable purchase price; provided that (a) no participant may purchase shares of common stock with a fair market value (as of the date of purchase right grant) in excess of $25,000 per calendar year in the case of offerings intended to comply with Section 423 of the Code; and (b) in no event will the aggregate number of shares subject to purchase rights during a purchase period exceed the number of shares then available under the ESPP or the maximum number of shares available for any single purchase period (as determined by the Compensation Committee from time to time).
The purchase price will be 85% (or such greater percentage as may be determined by the Compensation Committee prior to the start of any purchase period) of the lesser of (i) the fair market value per share of our common stock as determined on the applicable grant date of the purchase right or (ii) the fair market value per share of our common stock as determined on the applicable purchase period end date (provided that, in no event may the purchase price be less than the par value per share of our common stock). The Compensation Committee may determine prior to a purchase period to calculate the purchase price for such period solely by reference to the fair market value of a share on the applicable purchase period end date or applicable grant date of the purchase right, or based on the greater (rather than the lesser) of such values.
 
116

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
A participant’s purchase right to purchase shares of common stock during a purchase period will be exercised automatically on the purchase period end date for that purchase period unless the participant withdraws at least thirty days prior to the end of the purchase period or his or her participation is terminated. On the purchase period end date, a participant’s purchase right will be exercised to purchase that number of shares which the accumulated contributions in his or her account at that time will purchase at the applicable purchase price, but not in excess of the number of shares subject to the purchase right or other ESPP terms. Subject to the terms of the ESPP, a purchase right will generally terminate on the earlier of the date of the participant’s termination of employment or the last day of the applicable purchase period.
A participant will have no rights as a stockholder with respect to our shares that the participant has a purchase right to purchase in any offering until those shares are issued to the participant.
A participant’s rights under the ESPP will be exercisable only by the participant and are not transferable other than by will or the laws of descent or distribution.
If there is any change in the outstanding shares of our common stock because of a merger, “change in control” (as defined in our 2024 Equity Incentive Plan), consolidation, recapitalization, or reorganization involving Waystar Holding Corp., or if our board of directors declares a stock dividend, stock split distributable in shares of common stock or reverse stock split, other distribution or combination or reclassification of our common stock, or if there is a similar change in the capital stock structure of Waystar Holding Corp. affecting our common stock, then the number and type of shares of our common stock reserved for issuance under the ESPP will be correspondingly adjusted and, subject to applicable law, the Compensation Committee will make such adjustments to purchase rights or to any ESPP provision as the Compensation Committee deems equitable to prevent dilution or enlargement of purchase rights or as may otherwise be advisable. In addition, the Compensation Committee’s discretion includes, but is not limited to, the authority to provide for any of, or a combination of any of, the following:

(A) termination of any outstanding option in exchange for an amount of cash, if any, equal to the amount that would have been obtained upon the exercise of such option had such option been currently exercisable or (B) the replacement of such outstanding option with other rights or property selected by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion;

assumption or substitution of purchase rights by a successor entity (or parent or subsidiary of such successor);

adjustments in the number and type of shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding options under the ESPP and/or in the terms and conditions of outstanding options and options that may be granted in the future;

providing that participants’ accumulated payroll deductions may be used to purchase common stock prior to the next occurring exercise date on such date as the Compensation Committee determines in its sole discretion and the participants’ options under the ongoing offering period(s) shall be terminated; or

providing that all outstanding options shall terminate without being exercised and all amounts in the accounts of participants shall be promptly refunded.
The ESPP may be amended, altered, suspended, and/or terminated at any time by our board of directors; provided, that approval of an amendment to the ESPP by our stockholders will be required to the extent, if any, that stockholder approval of such amendment is required by applicable law. The Compensation Committee may (subject to the provisions of Section 423 of the Code and the ESPP) amend, alter, suspend, and/or terminate any purchase right granted under the ESPP, prospectively or retroactively, but (except as otherwise provided in the ESPP) such amendment, alteration, suspension, or termination of a purchase right may not, without the written consent of a participant with respect to an outstanding purchase right, materially adversely affect the rights of the participant with respect to the purchase right. In addition, the Compensation Committee has unilateral authority to (a) subject to the provisions of Section 423 of the Code, amend the ESPP and any purchase right (without participant consent) to the extent necessary to comply with applicable law or changes in applicable law and (b) make adjustments to the terms and conditions of purchase rights in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring
 
117

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
events affecting us or any parent or subsidiary corporation (each as defined under Section 424 of the Code), or our financial statements (or those of any parent or subsidiary corporation), or of changes in applicable law, or accounting principles, if the Compensation Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of benefits intended to be made available under the ESPP or necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable accounting principles or applicable law.
Amendments to outstanding options under 2019 Stock Incentive Plan
In connection with this offering, the Compensation Committee is expected to approve an amendment to the outstanding option awards granted to our executive officers, including our named executive officers, under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan. The amendment is expected to provide that:

If the executive officer’s employment is terminated by us without “cause,” by the executive officer for “good reason” or as a result of his death or disability prior to the first trading window that commences after the 18-month anniversary of the IPO, the performance-vesting options held by such executive officer will not be forfeited upon such termination and will remain outstanding and eligible to vest in connection with any measurement date(s) occurring through and including the commencement of such trading window, subject to satisfaction of applicable performance hurdles; provided, however, that, if any measurement date occurs outside of the three-month period (or, with respect to the stock options granted to Mr. Hawkins on October 23, 2019, six-month period) immediately following such termination, the number of performance-vesting options that will be eligible to vest in connection with such measurement date will be prorated based on the period of time the executive officer was employed by us relative to the vesting period;

For purposes of calculating cash proceeds deemed received by investment vehicles affiliated with EQT, CPPIB, and Bain in connection with any trading window that commences after the 18-month anniversary of the IPO, the value of all of our equity securities held by investment vehicles affiliated with EQT, CPPIB, and Bain as of the commencement of such trading window will be calculated using a per share price equal to the volume-weighted average share price of such equity securities over the 20-trading day period ending as of the date of commencement of such trading window; and

If the executive officer’s employment is terminated as a result of his death, the executive officer will be permitted to “net exercise” his option awards granted under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan without the need for additional Compensation Committee approval.
New employment agreements
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III
In connection with this offering, we expect to enter into a new employment agreement with Mr. Sinclair effective upon the consummation of this offering, which we refer to as the new Sinclair employment agreement. The new Sinclair employment agreement will supersede Mr. Sinclair’s prior employment agreement. Under the new Sinclair employment agreement, Mr. Sinclair will continue to serve as our Chief Business Officer. The new Sinclair employment agreement provides for (i) an initial base salary of $      , subject to annual review by the compensation committee for increase, (ii) eligibility to receive an annual bonus, with a target bonus equal to       % of base salary, (iii) eligibility to participate in the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, and (iv) reimbursement of reasonable business expenses. Mr. Sinclair is also entitled to participate in our employee benefit arrangements.
Pursuant to the new Sinclair employment agreement, if Mr. Sinclair’s employment is terminated (i) by us without “cause” ​(as defined in the new Sinclair employment agreement) (but not as a result of Mr. Sinclair’s death or disability) or (ii) for “good reason” ​(as defined in the new Sinclair employment agreement), Mr. Sinclair will be entitled to receive the following severance payments and benefits:

An amount equal to 12 months of Mr. Sinclair’s then-current base salary and target annual bonus, payable in equal monthly installments over 12 months following termination of employment; provided, however, if such termination is a “CIC qualified termination” ​(as defined in the new Sinclair employment agreement), such amount shall instead be payable in a single lump sum within five days of such termination;
 
118

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

Any earned but unpaid prior year annual incentive bonus, payable at the time that annual bonuses are paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan as if Mr. Sinclair remained employed;

A pro-rated annual incentive bonus for the year of termination, based on actual performance, and payable at the time that annual bonuses are paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan as if Mr. Sinclair remained employed; provided, however, if such termination is a “CIC qualified termination”, the performance objectives shall be deemed satisfied at target; and

If Mr. Sinclair timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, a monthly cash payment equal to the difference between the monthly COBRA premium cost and the monthly contribution paid by active employees for the same coverage, for 12 months following termination of employment or, if earlier, until the date on which Mr. Sinclair is no longer eligible for COBRA coverage.
The new Sinclair employment agreement contains restrictive covenants, including confidentiality of information, assignment of intellectual property, non-competition, employee no-hire, employee and independent contractor non-solicitation, and client, customer, or other business relation non-solicitation covenants. The confidentiality covenant has an indefinite term. The noncompetition and non-solicitation covenants are effective both during Mr. Sinclair’s employment with us and until the 12-month anniversary of termination of employment for any reason.
T. Craig Bridge
In connection with this offering, we expect to enter into a new employment agreement with Mr. Bridge effective upon the consummation of this offering, which we refer to as the new Bridge employment agreement. The new Bridge employment agreement will supersede Mr. Bridge’s prior employment agreement. Under the new Bridge employment agreement, Mr. Bridge will continue to serve as our Chief Transformation Officer. The new Bridge employment agreement provides for (i) an initial base salary of $      , subject to annual review by the compensation committee for increase, (ii) eligibility to receive an annual bonus, with a target bonus equal to       % of base salary, (iii) eligibility to participate in the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, and (iv) reimbursement of reasonable business expenses. Mr. Bridge is also entitled to participate in our employee benefit arrangements.
Pursuant to the new Bridge employment agreement, if Mr. Bridge’s employment is terminated (i) by us without “cause” ​(as defined in the new Bridge employment agreement) (but not as a result of Mr. Bridge’s death or disability) or (ii) for “good reason” ​(as defined in the new Bridge employment agreement), Mr. Bridge will be entitled to receive the following severance payments and benefits:

An amount equal to 12 months of Mr. Bridge’s then-current base salary and target annual bonus, payable in equal monthly installments over 12 months following termination of employment; provided, however, if such termination is a “CIC qualified termination” ​(as defined in the new Bridge employment agreement), such amount shall instead be payable in a single lump sum within five days of such termination;

Any earned but unpaid prior year annual incentive bonus, payable at the time that annual bonuses are paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan as if Mr. Bridge remained employed;

A pro-rated annual incentive bonus for the year of termination, based on actual performance, and payable at the time that annual bonuses are paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan as if Mr. Bridge remained employed; provided, however, if such termination is a “CIC qualified termination”, the performance objectives shall be deemed satisfied at target; and

If Mr. Bridge timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, a monthly cash payment equal to the difference between the monthly COBRA premium cost and the monthly contribution paid by active employees for the same coverage, for 12 months following termination of employment or, if earlier, until the date on which Mr. Bridge is no longer eligible for COBRA coverage.
The new Bridge employment agreement contains restrictive covenants, including confidentiality of information, assignment of intellectual property, non-competition, employee no-hire, employee and independent contractor non-solicitation, and client, customer, or other business relation non-solicitation covenants. The confidentiality
 
119

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
covenant has an indefinite term. The noncompetition and non-solicitation covenants are effective both during Mr. Bridge’s employment with us and until the 12-month anniversary of termination of employment for any reason.
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
For the year ended December 31, 2023, we paid non-management and non-sponsor affiliated board members a cash retainer for their services as members of our board of directors. Our board members are reimbursed for reasonable travel and related expenses associated with attendance at board or committee meetings.
The following table provides summary information concerning compensation paid or accrued by us to or on behalf of our non-sponsor affiliated non-employee directors for services rendered to us during 2023.
Name
Fees earned or
paid in cash
($)
Option
Awards(1)
($)
Total
($)
Ursula Burns(2) $ 50,000 $ $ 50,000
Robert DeMichiei
$ 50,000 $ $ 50,000
Michael Douglas
$ $ $
John Driscoll
$ 125,000 $ $ 125,000
Priscilla Hung(3)
$ $ $
Eric Liu
$ $ $
Heidi G. Miller
$ 50,000 $ $ 50,000
Paul Moskowitz
$ $ $
Vivian E. Riefberg
$ 15,000 $ 474,446 $ 489,446
(1)
The amounts reported represent the aggregate grant-date fair value of the time-based vesting stock options awarded to Ms. Riefberg in 2023, calculated in accordance with Topic 718, utilizing the assumptions discussed in Note 16 of our financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. As of December 31, 2023, Mr. Driscoll held options to purchase 400,000 shares of our common stock; Ms. Miller and Mr. DeMichiei each held options to purchase 132,315 shares of our common stock; and Ms. Riefberg held options to purchase 40,000 shares of our common stock.
(2)
Ms. Burns stepped down from our Board of Directors in February 2024.
(3)
Ms. Hung was appointed as a director in February 2024.
In connection with this offering, we expect to grant to each of our non-employee directors who is not employed by any of the Institutional Investors an IPO equity award of restricted stock units under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan with an initial value of approximately $200,000. The restricted stock units will be granted upon the completion of this offering and will vest on the date of the first annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders following the date of grant, subject to the non-employee director’s continued service on our board of directors through such date.
Effective upon the consummation of this offering, we expect to adopt an annual compensation policy covering each of our non-employee directors. Under this policy, each of our non-employee directors who is not employed by any of the Institutional Investors will receive (i) an annual cash retainer fee of $50,000, payable in equal quarterly installments and (ii) an annual equity retainer of restricted stock units with an initial value of approximately $200,000. The restricted stock units will be granted on the date of our annual meeting of stockholders and will vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant or the business day immediately preceding the date of the following year’s annual meeting of stockholders, if earlier, subject to the non-employee director’s continued service on our board of directors through such date. In addition, the non-executive chair of the board will receive an additional $100,000 cash retainer, the chair and the members of the Audit Committee will receive an additional cash retainer of $25,000 and $15,000, respectively, the chair and the members of the Compensation Committee will receive an additional cash retainer of $20,000 and $10,000, respectively, and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will receive an additional cash retainer of $15,000 and $5,000, respectively, each of which will be payable in equal quarterly installments.
Non-Employee Director Deferral Plan
Our Board of Directors will adopt a Non-Employee Director Deferral Plan prior to the completion of the offering. All directors who are not employees of the Company will be eligible to participate in the Non-Employee Director Deferral Plan.
 
120

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Deferral elections. Under the terms of the Non-Employee Director Deferral Plan, our non-employee directors may elect to defer all or a portion of their annual cash compensation and/or all of the Company shares issued upon settlement of their annual restricted stock unit award, in each case, in 25% increments, in the form of deferred stock units credited to an account maintained by the Company. The number of deferred stock units credited in respect of annual cash compensation is determined by dividing the dollar amount of the deferred cash compensation by the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the date the cash compensation would otherwise have been paid to the director. Deferred stock units will be awarded from, and subject to the terms of, the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.
Each deferred stock unit represents the right to receive a number of shares of our common stock equal to the number of deferred stock units initially credited to the director’s account plus the number of deferred stock units credited as a result of any dividend equivalent rights (to which deferred stock units initially credited to a director’s account are entitled).
Settlement of deferred stock units. Directors may elect that settlement of deferred stock units be made or commence on (i) the first business day in a year following the year for which the deferral is made, (ii) following termination of service on our board of directors or (iii) the earlier of (i) or (ii). Directors may elect that deferred stock units be settled in a single one-time distribution or in a series of up to 15 annual installments. In addition, deferred stock unit accounts will be settled upon a Change in Control (as defined in the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan) or upon a director’s death.
Administration; amendment and termination. Our Compensation Committee will administer the Non-Employee Director Deferral Plan. The Non-Employee Director Deferral Plan or any deferral may be amended, suspended, discontinued by our Compensation Committee at any time in the Compensation Committee’s discretion; provided that no amendment, suspension or discontinuance will reduce any director’s accrued benefit, except as required to comply with applicable law. Our Compensation Committee may terminate the Non-Employee Director at any time, as long as the termination complies with applicable tax and other requirements.
 
121

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Registration rights agreement
We are party to a registration rights agreement with EQT, CPPIB, Bain, and certain equity holders, including members of management. We expect to amend and restate this registration rights agreement in connection with this offering.
The amended and restated registration rights agreement will contain provisions that entitle EQT, CPPIB, Bain, and the other stockholder parties thereto, including members of management, to certain rights to have their securities registered by us under the Securities Act. EQT will be entitled to an unlimited number of “demand” registrations and CPPIB and Bain will each be entitled to three “demand” registrations, subject to certain limitations. Certain stockholders will also be entitled to customary “piggyback” registration rights. In addition, the amended and restated registration rights agreement will provide that we will pay certain expenses of the stockholder parties relating to such registrations and indemnify them against certain liabilities which may arise under the Securities Act.
Stockholders agreement
We intend to enter into the Stockholders Agreement with EQT, CPPIB, Bain, and certain equity holders, including members of management, in connection with this offering.
The Stockholders Agreement and our certificate of incorporation will provide that following the completion of this offering, our board of directors will consist of ten members. EQT will have the right to nominate to our board of directors (i) two nominees for so long as EQT beneficially owns 30% or greater of our then-outstanding common stock, and (ii) one nominee for so long as EQT beneficially owns 5% or greater, but less than 30% of our then-outstanding common stock. CPPIB will have the right to nominate to our board of directors one nominee for so long as CPPIB beneficially owns 5% or greater of our then-outstanding common stock. Bain will have the right to nominate to our board of directors one nominee for so long as Bain beneficially owns 5% or greater of our then-outstanding common stock. EQT will have the right to designate the chairperson of our board of directors for so long as it beneficially owns at least 20% of our then-outstanding common stock, with the consent of CPPIB (not to be unreasonably withheld). For so long as CPPIB beneficially owns 10% or greater of our then-outstanding common stock, CPPIB will have the right to appoint one non-voting board observer, who will have the right to attend all meetings in a non-voting, observer capacity. In addition, the board of directors will be divided into three classes and serve staggered, three year terms until the second annual meeting of stockholders after the date on which EQT, CPPIB, and Bain collectively own less than 15% in voting power of the then-outstanding power of the then-outstanding shares of stock of our Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, after which the board will no longer be divided into three classes. Furthermore, if any representatives of EQT serve on any boards or committees of our subsidiaries, CPPIB and Bain will have an equivalent right such that the board of directors of such subsidiary or committee thereof reflects, to the maximum extent possible, the composition of our Board of Directors and its committees as required under the Stockholders Agreement.
Subject to applicable laws and stock exchange regulations, and subject to requisite independence requirements applicable to such committee, the Stockholders Agreement and our certificate of incorporation will provide that for so long as EQT, CPPIB, and Bain collectively beneficially own 5% or greater of our then-outstanding common stock, (i) the Bain director nominee will be appointed to serve on the Audit Committee, (ii) the CPPIB director nominee and one EQT director nominee will be appointed to serve on the Compensation Committee, and (iii) the CPPIB director nominee and one EQT director nominee will be appointed to serve on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, we will include the EQT, CPPIB, and Bain nominees on the slate that is included in our proxy statement relating to the election of directors of the class to which such persons belong, subject to the ownership thresholds described above. In addition, pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement,
 
122

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
EQT, CPPIB, and Bain will agree, severally and not jointly, with the Company to vote in favor of the Company slate that is included in our proxy statement.
In the event that an EQT, CPPIB, or Bain nominee ceases to serve as a director for any reason (other than the failure of our stockholders to elect such individual as a director), EQT, CPPIB, or Bain, as applicable, will be entitled to appoint another nominee to fill the resulting vacancy.
First Lien Credit Facility
Affiliates of Bain and CPPIB are lenders under our First Lien Credit Facility. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the largest aggregate amount of principal outstanding that was owed to Bain under the First Lien Credit Facility was $47.5 million, which, as of December 31, 2023, bore interest at a rate of 4.11% per annum above the SOFR rate, and the Company paid $0.8 million in principal and $4.9 million in interest. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the largest aggregate amount of principal outstanding that was owed to Bain under the First Lien Credit Facility was $60.2 million, which, as of December 31, 2022, bore interest at a rate of 4.00% per annum above the LIBOR rate, and the Company paid $0.6 million in principal and $3.5 million in interest. As of December 31, 2023, $47.5 million in aggregate principal amount of term loans under the First Lien Credit Facility that was owed to Bain remained outstanding.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, the largest aggregate amount of principal outstanding that was owed to CPPIB under the First Lien Credit Facility was $17.7 million, which, as of December 31, 2023, bore interest at a rate of 4.11% per annum above the SOFR rate, and the Company paid $0.4 million in principal and $2.7 million in interest. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the largest aggregate amount of principal outstanding that was owed to CPPIB under the First Lien Credit Facility was $49.0 million, which, as of December 31, 2022, bore interest at a rate of 4.00% per annum above the LIBOR rate, and the Company paid $0.4 million in principal and $2.8 million in interest. As of December 31, 2023, $27.8 million in aggregate principal amount of term loans under the First Lien Credit Facility that was owed to CPPIB remained outstanding.
Affiliates of Bain and CPPIB will receive their pro rata share of proceeds from this offering used to repay the First Lien Credit Facility.
Other related party transactions
We have entered into commercial transactions in the ordinary course of business with companies in which Bain and CPPIB have ownership interests:

We have entered into an operating lease agreement with Parkway Properties, under which we lease office space in Houston, Texas from Parkway Properties. CPPIB beneficially owns greater than 10% of Parkway Properties. We paid approximately $0.3 million and $0.2 million to Parkway Properties for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Aveanna Healthcare, LLC, Surgery Partners Holdings LLC, Innovacare, and Athena Therapy are our clients to whom we provide software solutions. Bain beneficially owns greater than 10% of each of Aveanna Healthcare, LLC, Surgery Partners Holdings LLC, Innovacare and Athena Therapy. We received approximately $0.3 million, and $0.3 million from Aveanna Healthcare, LLC for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We received approximately $0.8 million and $0.8 million from Surgery Partners Holdings LLC for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We received approximately $0.2 million and $0.2 million from Innovacare for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We received approximately $0.1 million and $0.1 million from Athena Therapy for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Rocket Software is a vendor that provides us with software solutions. Bain beneficially owns greater than 10% of Rocket Software. We paid approximately $0.4 million and $0.4 million to Rocket Software for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
 
123

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Agreements with officers
We have entered into agreements with certain of our officers which are described in the section entitled “Executive compensation.”
Indemnification of directors and officers
We have entered, or will enter, into an indemnification agreement with each of our directors and executive officers. The indemnification agreements, together with our amended and restated bylaws, will provide that we will jointly and severally indemnify each indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL from and against all loss and liability suffered and expenses, judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of the indemnitee in connection with any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding. Additionally, we will agree to advance to the indemnitee all out-of-pocket costs of any type or nature whatsoever incurred in connection therewith. See “Description of capital stock—Limitations on liability and indemnification of officers and directors.”
Related persons transaction policy
Prior to the completion of this offering, our board of directors will adopt a written policy on transactions with related persons, which we refer to as our “related person policy.” Our related person policy will require that all “related persons” ​(as defined in paragraph (a) of Item 404 of Regulation S-K) must promptly disclose to our chief legal officer any “related person transaction” ​(defined as any transaction that is anticipated would be reportable by us under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K in which we were or are to be a participant and the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and in which any related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest) and all material facts with respect thereto. Our chief legal officer will communicate that information to our board of directors or to a duly authorized committee thereof. Our related person policy will provide that no related person transaction entered into following the completion of this offering will be executed without the approval or ratification of our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof. It will be our policy that any directors interested in a related person transaction must recuse themselves from any vote on a related person transaction in which they have an interest.
 
124

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS
The Institutional Investors and certain of our directors and officers currently hold their equity interests in the Company indirectly through their ownership of partnership interests of Derby TopCo, which owns all of the equity interests of the Company. In connection with this offering, we expect the Equity Distribution to be effected, following which EQT, CPPIB, Bain, and other equity holders, including members of management, will directly hold shares of common stock of the Company.
The following table contains information about the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of        , 2023, after giving effect to the Equity Distribution, (i) immediately prior to the consummation of this offering and (ii) as adjusted to reflect the sale of shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus by:

each individual or entity known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding common stock;

each named executive officer;

each of our directors; and

all of our directors and executive officers as a group.
Our calculation of the percentage of beneficial ownership prior to and after the offering is based on        shares of our outstanding common stock as of         , 2024.
Beneficial ownership and percentage ownership are determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. Under SEC rules, a person is deemed to be a “beneficial owner” of a security if that person has or shares voting power or investment power, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Securities that can be so acquired are deemed to be outstanding for purposes of computing such person’s ownership percentage, but not for purposes of computing any other person’s percentage. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same securities and a person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities as to which such person has no economic interest. Except as indicated in the footnotes to the following table or pursuant to applicable community property laws, we believe, based on information furnished to us, that each stockholder named in the table has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares set forth opposite such stockholder’s name.
For further information regarding material transactions between us and certain of our stockholders, see “Certain relationships and related party transactions.”
Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes, the address of each of the individuals named below is: c/o Waystar Holding Corp., 1550 Digital Drive, #300, Lehi, Utah 84043.
 
125

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Shares of our common
stock to be sold in the offering
Shares beneficially
owned after the offering
Shares of
our common
stock
beneficially
owned prior
to the offering
Excluding
exercise
of the
underwriters’
option to
purchase
additional
shares
Including
exercise
of the
underwriters’
option to
purchase
additional
shares
Excluding
exercise
of the
underwriters’
option to
purchase
additional
shares
Including
exercise
of the
underwriters’
option to
purchase
additional
shares
Name of Beneficial Owner
Shares
%
Shares
Shares
Shares
%
Shares
%
Greater than 5% Stockholders:
EQT Investor(1)
      
      
      
      
      
      
CPPIB Investor(2)
Bain Investors(3)
Francisco Partners Investors(4) 
Named Executive Officers and Directors:
Matthew J. Hawkins
Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III
T. Craig Bridge
John Driscoll
Robert DeMichiei
Michael Douglas
Priscilla Hung
Eric C. Liu
Heidi G. Miller
Paul Moskowitz
Vivian E. Riefberg
All executive officers and directors as a group (16 persons)
     
     %
* Less than 1%
(1) Consists of shares of common stock held directly by Derby LuxCo S.à.r.l (“Derby LuxCo”). Several investment vehicles collectively make up the fund known as “EQT VIII.” EQT VIII owns 100% of the membership interests in Derby LuxCo. EQT Fund Management S.à r.l. (“EFMS”) has exclusive responsibility for the management and control of the activities and affairs of investment vehicles which constitute the majority of the total commitments to EQT VIII. As such, EFMS has the power to control Derby LuxCo’s voting and investment decisions and may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of the securities held by Derby LuxCo. EFMS is overseen by a board that acts by majority approval. The individual members of such board are Sara Huda, Magnus Sjöcrona, Leif Patrik Burnäs, Peter Veldman, and Joshua Stone. The registered address of EFMS and Derby LuxCo is 51A, Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
(2) CPPIB, through its wholly-owned subsidiary CPP Investment Board (USRE III) Inc., beneficially owns                 shares of common stock. Investment and voting power with regard to shares held by CPP Investment Board (USRE III) Inc. rests with CPPIB. John Graham is the President and Chief Executive Officer of CPPIB and, in such capacity, may be deemed to have voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares of common stock beneficially owned by CPPIB. Mr. Graham disclaims beneficial ownership over any such shares. The address of CPPIB is One Queen Street East, Suite 2500, P.O. Box 101, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2W5, Canada.
(3) Includes           shares registered in the name of Bain Capital Fund XI, L.P. (“Fund XI”),           shares held by BCIP Associates IV (US), L.P. (“BCIP IV”), and           shares held by BCIP Associates IV-B (US), L.P. (“BCIP IV-B” and, together with Fund XI and BCIP IV, collectively, the “Bain Capital Entities”). Bain Capital Investors, LLC (“BCI”) is the ultimate general partner of Fund XI and governs the investment strategy and decision-making process with respect to investments held by BCIP IV and BCIP IV-B. As a result, BCI may be deemed to share voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by the Bain Capital Entities. The controlling persons of BCI are John Connaughton, Chris Gordon, and David Gross-Loh. Each of the Bain Capital Entities has an address c/o Bain Capital Private Equity, LP, 200 Clarendon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.
(4) Consists of shares of common stock owned directly by Francisco Partners III (Cayman), L.P. (the “Francisco Partners Fund”). Francisco Partners GP  III (Cayman), L.P. is the general partner of the Francisco Partners Fund. Francisco Partners GP III Management (Cayman), Ltd. is the general partner of Francisco Partners GP III (Cayman), L.P. Francisco Partners Management, L.P. serves as the investment manager for the Francisco Partners Fund. Voting and disposition decisions at Francisco Partners Management, L.P. with respect to the shares of common stock held by the Francisco Partners Fund are made by an investment committee consisting of Dipanjan Deb, David Golob, Keith Geeslin, Ezra Perlman, and Megan Karlen, with no one member having the power to act alone to exercise such voting or dispositive power. Each of Francisco Partners Management, L.P., Francisco Partners GP III Management (Cayman), Ltd., and Francisco Partners GP III (Cayman), L.P. may be deemed to share voting and dispositive power over the shares of common stock held by the Francisco Partners Fund, but each disclaims beneficial ownership. In addition, each of the members of the investment committee disclaims beneficial ownership of any of the shares of common stock held by the Francisco Partners Fund. The address for each of the foregoing entities is One Letterman Drive, Building C, Suite 410, San Francisco, CA 94129.
 
126

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
In connection with this offering, we will amend and restate our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws. The following is a description of the material terms of, and is qualified in its entirety by, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, each of which will be in effect at or prior to the consummation of this offering, the forms of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. For a complete description of our capital stock, you should refer to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws, and the applicable provisions of Delaware law. In this section, “we,” “us,” “our,” “the Company” and “our Company” refer to Waystar Holding Corp. and not to any of its subsidiaries and “Institutional Investors” refers to the investment funds of EQT, CPPIB, and Bain, in each case, so long as they own shares of common stock of our Company.
Our purpose is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL. Upon the consummation of this offering, our authorized capital stock will consist of                 shares of our common stock, $0.01 par value per share; and 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. In connection with amending and restating our existing certificate of incorporation, all of our issued and outstanding Class A common stock will be reclassified as common stock, $0.01 par value per share. No shares of preferred stock will be issued or outstanding immediately after the offering contemplated by this prospectus. Unless our board of directors determines otherwise, we will issue all shares of our capital stock in uncertificated form.
Common stock
Voting rights
Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote per share on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. The holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.
Dividend rights
The holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of legally available funds. See the section titled “Dividend policy” for additional information.
Liquidation
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up and after payment in full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of preferred stock having liquidation preferences, if any, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders.
Rights and preferences
Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion, or subscription rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock.
Fully paid and non-assessable
All shares of our common stock that will be outstanding at the time of the completion of the offering will be fully paid and non-assessable.
The rights, powers, preferences, and privileges of holders of our common stock will be subject to those of the holders of any shares of our preferred stock we may authorize and issue in the future.
Preferred stock
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will authorize our board of directors to establish one or more series of preferred stock (including convertible preferred stock). Unless required by law or by the applicable
 
127

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
stock exchange, the authorized shares of preferred stock will be available for issuance without further action by you. Our board of directors will be able to determine, with respect to any series of preferred stock, the terms and rights of that series, including:

the designation of the series;

the number of shares of the series, which our board of directors may, except where otherwise provided in the preferred stock designation, increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares then outstanding);

whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or non-cumulative and the dividend rate of the series;

the dates at which dividends, if any, will be payable;

the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;

the terms and amounts of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;

the amounts payable on shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the affairs of the Company;

whether the shares of the series will be convertible into shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of the Company or any other corporation and, if so, the specification of the other class or series or other security, the conversion price or prices or rate or rates, any rate adjustments, the date or dates as of which the shares will be convertible and all other terms and conditions upon which the conversion may be made;

restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series of our capital stock; and

the voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series.
We will be able to issue a series of preferred stock that could, depending on the terms of the series, impede or discourage an acquisition attempt or other transaction that some, or a majority, of the holders of our common stock might believe to be in their best interests or in which the holders of our common stock might receive a premium for their common stock over the market price of the common stock. In addition, the issuance of preferred stock may adversely affect the holders of our common stock by restricting dividends on the common stock, diluting the voting power of the common stock or subordinating the liquidation rights of the common stock. In addition, the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deferring, or preventing a change of control, or other corporate action. As a result of these or other factors, the issuance of preferred stock may have an adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.
Dividends
The DGCL permits a corporation to declare and pay dividends out of “surplus” or, if there is no “surplus,” out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year. “Surplus” is defined as the excess of the net assets of the corporation over the amount determined to be the capital of the corporation by the board of directors. The capital of the corporation is typically calculated to be (and cannot be less than) the aggregate par value of all issued shares of capital stock. Net assets equal the fair value of the total assets minus total liabilities. The DGCL also provides that dividends may not be paid out of net profits if, after the payment of the dividend, capital is less than the capital represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets.
Declaration and payment of any dividend will be subject to the discretion of our board of directors. The time and amount of dividends will be dependent upon our financial condition, operations, cash requirements, and availability, debt repayment obligations, capital expenditure needs, and restrictions in our debt instruments, industry trends, the provisions of Delaware law affecting the payment of dividends to stockholders and any other factors our board of directors may consider relevant.
 
128

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Anti-takeover Effects of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, and Certain Provisions of Delaware Law
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws, and the DGCL, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, contain provisions that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile change of control, and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize stockholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these provisions may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter, or prevent a merger or acquisition of the Company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest, or other takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider is in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.
Authorized but unissued capital stock
Delaware law does not require stockholder approval for any issuance of authorized shares. However, the listing requirements of Nasdaq, which would apply if and so long as our common stock remains listed on Nasdaq, require stockholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then-outstanding voting power or then-outstanding number of shares of common stock. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital or to facilitate acquisitions.
Our board of directors may issue shares of preferred stock on terms calculated to discourage, delay, or prevent a change of control of the Company or the removal of our management. Moreover, our authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock will be available for future issuances without stockholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions, or employee benefit plans.
One of the effects of the existence of unissued and unreserved common stock or preferred stock may be to enable our board of directors to issue shares to persons friendly to current management, which issuance could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the Company by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest, or otherwise, and thereby protect the continuity of our management and possibly deprive our stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.
Classified board of directors
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, subject to the right of holders of any series of preferred stock, our board of directors will be divided into three classes of directors, with the classes to be as nearly equal in number as possible, and with the directors serving three-year terms, with only one class of directors being elected at each annual meeting of stockholders. At the second annual meeting of stockholders after the date on which the Institutional Investors collectively own less than 15% in voting power of the then-outstanding power of the then-outstanding shares of stock of our Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Triggering Annual Meeting”), and each annual meeting of stockholders thereafter, all directors shall be elected to hold office for a one-year term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders. Pursuant to such procedures, effective as of the Triggering Annual Meeting, the board of directors will no longer be classified under Section 141(d) of the DGCL and directors shall no longer be divided into three classes. As a result, prior to the Triggering Annual Meeting, approximately one-third of our board of directors will be elected each year. The classification of directors prior to the Triggering Annual Meeting will have the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will provide that, subject to any rights of holders of preferred stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors will be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of directors; however, if at any time the Institutional Investors collectively own at least 40% in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock of our Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, the stockholders may also fix the number of directors.
 
129

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Business combinations
We will opt out of Section 203 of the DGCL; however, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will contain similar provisions providing that we may not engage in certain “business combinations” with any “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

prior to such time, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding certain shares;

at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 66 2/3% of our outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder; or

the stockholder became an interested stockholder inadvertently and (i) as soon as practicable divested itself of sufficient ownership to cease to be an interested stockholder and (ii) had not been an interested stockholder but for the inadvertent acquisition of ownership within three years of the business combination.
Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset, or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with that person’s affiliates and associates, owns, or within the previous three years owned, 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock. For purposes of this section only, “voting stock” has the meaning given to it in Section 203 of the DGCL.
Under certain circumstances, these provisions will make it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested stockholder” to effect various business combinations with our company for a three-year period. These provisions may encourage companies interested in acquiring our Company to negotiate in advance with our board of directors because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if our board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our board of directors and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that each of the Institutional Investors, and any of their respective direct or indirect transferees and any group as to which such persons or entities are a party, does not constitute an “interested stockholder” for purposes of these provisions.
Removal of directors; vacancies
Under the DGCL, unless otherwise provided in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, directors serving on a classified board may be removed by the stockholders only for cause. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, other than directors elected by holders of our preferred stock, if any, directors may be removed with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class; provided, however, at any time commencing on the day on which the Institutional Investors collectively beneficially own less than 40% in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock of our company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and ending immediately following the final adjournment of the Triggering Annual Meeting (such period, the “Protective Period”), directors may only be removed for cause, and only by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 6623% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of our company entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will also provide that, subject to the rights granted to one or more series of preferred stock then outstanding or the rights granted pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, any newly created directorship on the board of directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on our board of directors will be
 
130

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director or by the stockholders; provided, however, at any time when the Institutional Investors collectively beneficially own less than 40% in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock of our company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any newly created directorship on the board of directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the board of directors may only be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by the stockholders). Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the board of directors may increase the number of directors by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors or, at any time when the Institutional Investors collectively beneficially own at least 40% of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock of our Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, of the stockholders.
No cumulative voting
Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, stockholders holding a majority in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors will be able to elect all of our directors.
Special stockholder meetings
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the board of directors or the chairman of the board of directors; provided, however, at any time when the Institutional Investors beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least 40% in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock of our Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, special meetings of our stockholders may be called at any time by or at the direction of the board of directors or the chairman of the board of directors and shall be called by the secretary of our company at the request of at least two of the Institutional Investors. Our amended and restated bylaws will prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying, or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of the Company.
Requirements for advance notification of director nominations and stockholder proposals
Our amended and restated bylaws will establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made as provided in the Stockholders Agreement or by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. Our amended and restated bylaws will also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. Our amended and restated bylaws will allow the chairman of the meeting at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings which may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These notice requirements will not apply to the Sponsor and its affiliates for as long as the Stockholders Agreement to be entered into in connection with this offering remains in effect. These provisions may also deter, delay, or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control of the Company.
Stockholder action by written consent
Pursuant to Section 228 of the DGCL, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent or consents in
 
131

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will preclude stockholder action by written consent at any time when the Institutional Investors collectively beneficially own less than 40% in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock of our Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, other than certain rights that holders of our preferred stock may have to act by consent.
Supermajority provisions
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws will provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, amend, change, add to, rescind, or repeal, in whole or in part, our amended and restated bylaws without a stockholder vote in any matter not inconsistent with Delaware law or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Any amendment, alteration, rescission, or repeal, of our amended and restated bylaws by our stockholders will require the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of our stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting of stockholders and entitled to vote on such amendment, alteration, change, addition, rescission, change, addition, or repeal, except that during the Protective Period, any amendment, alteration, rescission, change, addition, or repeal of our amended and restated bylaws by our stockholders will require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 6623% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of our Company entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class.
The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, unless the certificate of incorporation requires a greater percentage.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that during the Protective Period, the following provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may be amended, altered, repealed, or rescinded only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 6623% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of our company entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class:

the provision requiring a 6623% supermajority vote for stockholders to amend our amended and restated bylaws;

the provisions providing for a classified board of directors (the election and term of our directors);

the provisions regarding resignation and removal of directors;

the provisions regarding competition and corporate opportunities;

the provisions regarding entering into business combinations with interested stockholders;

the provisions regarding stockholder action by written consent;

the provisions regarding calling annual or special meetings of stockholders;

the provisions regarding filling vacancies on our board of directors and newly created directorships;

the provisions eliminating monetary damages for breaches of fiduciary duty by a director or officer; and

the amendment provision requiring that the above provisions be amended only with a 6623% supermajority vote.
The combination of the classification of our board of directors, the lack of cumulative voting and the supermajority voting requirements will make it more difficult for our existing stockholders to replace our board of directors as well as for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Because our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing stockholders or another party to effect a change in management.
 
132

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
These provisions may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers, delaying, or preventing changes in control of our management or the Company, such as a merger, reorganization or tender offer. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and its policies and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened acquisition of the Company. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions are also intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in management.
Dissenters’ rights of appraisal and payment
Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders will have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation of us. Pursuant to the DGCL, stockholders who properly request and perfect appraisal rights in connection with such merger or consolidation will have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Stockholders’ derivative actions
Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved by operation of law.
Exclusive forum
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction another state or the federal court (as appropriate) located within the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of our company, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, employee, or stockholder of our company to our company or our company’s stockholders, (iii) action asserting a claim against our company or any current or former director, officer, employee, or stockholder of our company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time) or (iv) action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Delaware. These provisions shall not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction and our stockholders cannot waive compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation further will provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the federal securities laws of the United States, including any claims under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of our company shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Although our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will contain the exclusive forum provision described above, it is possible that a court could find that such a provision is inapplicable for a particular claim or action or that such provision is unenforceable. In particular, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder and accordingly, we cannot be certain that a court would enforce such provision. Our exclusive forum provision shall not relieve the Company of its duties to comply with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder, and our stockholders will not be deemed to
 
133

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
have waived our compliance with these laws, rules and regulations. Further, stockholders may not waive their rights under the Exchange Act, including their right to bring suit.
Conflicts of interest
Delaware law permits corporations to adopt provisions renouncing any interest or expectancy in certain opportunities that are presented to the corporation or its officers, directors, or stockholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Delaware law, renounce any interest or expectancy that we have in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, specified business opportunities that are from time to time presented to our officers, directors, or stockholders or their respective affiliates, other than those officers, directors, stockholders, or affiliates who are our or our subsidiaries’ employees. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, none of the Institutional Investors or any director who is not employed by us (including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his or her director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates will have any duty to refrain from (1) engaging in a corporate opportunity in the same or similar business activities or lines of business in which we or our affiliates now engage or propose to engage or (2) otherwise competing with us or our affiliates. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event that any of the Institutional Investors or any non-employee director acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself or himself or its or his affiliates or for us or our affiliates, such person will have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to us or any of our affiliates and they may take any such opportunity for themselves or offer it to another person or entity. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not renounce our interest in any business opportunity that is expressly offered to a non-employee director solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no business opportunity will be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for us unless we would be permitted to undertake the opportunity under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we have sufficient financial resources to undertake the opportunity and the opportunity would be in line with our business.
Limitations on liability and indemnification of officers and directors
The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors and certain officers to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties, subject to certain exceptions. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will include a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors and officers for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL. The effect of these provisions will be to eliminate the rights of us and our stockholders, through stockholders’ derivative suits on our behalf, to recover monetary damages from a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior. This provision will not limit or eliminate the liability of any officer in any action by or in the right of the Company, including any derivative claims. However, exculpation will not apply to any director if the director has breached the duty of loyalty to the corporation and its stockholders, acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized illegal dividends or redemptions, or derived an improper benefit from his or her actions as a director.
Our amended and restated bylaws will provide that we must generally indemnify, and advance expenses to, our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We also are expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers, and certain employees for some liabilities. We also intend to enter into indemnification agreements with our directors, which agreements will require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. We believe that these indemnification and advancement provisions and insurance will be useful to attract and retain qualified directors and officers.
The limitation of liability, indemnification, and advancement provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against
 
134

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
directors or officers for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.
Transfer agent and registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, LLC.
Listing
We intend to apply to have our common stock listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “WAY.”
 
135

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
General
Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our common stock, and we cannot predict what effect, if any, market sales of shares of common stock or the availability of shares of common stock for sale will have on the market price of our common stock prevailing from time to time. Nevertheless, sales of substantial amounts of common stock, including shares issued upon the exercise of outstanding options, in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could materially and adversely affect the market price of our common stock and could impair our future ability to raise capital through the sale of our equity or equity-related securities at a time and price that we deem appropriate. Furthermore, there may be sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market after the existing legal and contractual restrictions lapse. This may adversely affect the prevailing market price and our ability to raise equity capital in the future. See “Risk factors—Risks related to this offering and our common stock—Future sales, or the perception of future sales, by us or our existing stockholders in the public market following the completion of this offering could cause the market price for our common stock to decline.”
Upon the consummation of this offering, we will have                 shares of common stock outstanding. All shares sold in this offering will be freely tradable without registration under the Securities Act and without restriction, except for shares held by our “affiliates” ​(as defined under Rule 144). The shares of common stock held by certain stockholders including EQT, CPPIB, and Bain and certain of our directors, officers, and employees after this offering will be “restricted” securities under the meaning of Rule 144 and may not be sold in the absence of registration under the Securities Act, unless an exemption from registration is available, including the exemptions pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act.
Pursuant to Rule 144, the restricted shares held by our affiliates will be available for sale in the public market at various times after the date of this prospectus following the expiration of the applicable lock-up period.
In addition, a total of                 shares of our common stock has been reserved for issuance under (i) existing options awarded under our 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, (ii) our 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, and (iii) our 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (each subject to adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends, and similar events), which will equal approximately    % of the shares of our common stock outstanding immediately following this offering. We intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register common stock issued or reserved for issuance under (i) our 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, (ii) our 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, and (iii) our 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Any such Form S-8 registration statement will automatically become effective upon filing. Accordingly, shares registered under such registration statement will be available for sale in the open market, unless such shares are subject to vesting restrictions or the lock-up restrictions described below.
Rule 144
In general, under Rule 144, as currently in effect, a person (or persons whose shares are deemed aggregated) who is not deemed to be or have been one of our affiliates for purposes of the Securities Act at any time during 90 days preceding a sale and who has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least six months, including the holding period of any prior owner other than an affiliate, is entitled to sell such shares without registration, subject to compliance with the public information requirements of Rule 144. If such a person has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least one year, including the holding period of a prior owner other than an affiliate, then such person is entitled to sell such shares without complying with any of the requirements of Rule 144.
Under Rule 144, our affiliates or persons selling shares on behalf of our affiliates, who have met the six-month holding period for beneficial ownership of “restricted shares” of our common stock, are entitled to sell within any three-month period, a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:
 
136

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately      shares immediately after this offering; or

the average reported weekly trading volume of our common stock on Nasdaq during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to such sale.
Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates or persons selling shares on behalf of our affiliates are also subject to certain manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us. The sale of these shares, or the perception that sales will be made, could adversely affect the price of our common stock after this offering because a great supply of shares would be, or would be perceived to be, available for sale in the public market.
We are unable to estimate the number of shares that will be sold under Rule 144 since this will depend on the market price for our common stock, the personal circumstances of the stockholder and other factors.
Rule 701
In general, under Rule 701 of the Securities Act as currently in effect, any of our employees, consultants, or advisors who purchase shares from us in connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or other written agreement in a transaction that was completed in reliance on Rule 701, and complied with the requirements of Rule 701, will be eligible to resell such shares 90 days after the effective date of this offering in reliance on Rule 144, but without compliance with certain restrictions, including the holding period, contained in Rule 144.
Registration rights
For a description of rights that certain of our stockholders will have to require us to register the shares of our common stock they own, see “Certain relationships and related person transactions—Registration rights agreement.” Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in these shares becoming freely tradable immediately upon effectiveness of such registration.
Lock-up agreements
In connection with this offering, we, our officers, directors, and our significant stockholders have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to sell, dispose of or hedge any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus (the “restricted period”) except with the prior written consent of the representatives of the underwriters. In addition, all stockholders who are party to the Stockholders Agreement are also subject to certain lock-up provisions during the restricted period.
Immediately following the consummation of this offering, stockholders subject to the foregoing lock-up agreements or transfer restrictions will hold     shares of our common stock, representing approximately    % of our then outstanding shares of common stock, or approximately    % if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares.
We have agreed not to issue, sell, or otherwise dispose of any shares of our common stock during the restricted period. We may, however, grant options to purchase shares of common stock, issue shares of common stock upon the exercise of outstanding options, issue shares of common stock in connection with certain acquisitions or business combinations, or an employee stock purchase plan and in certain other circumstances.
After this offering, certain of our employees, including our executive officers, and/or directors may enter into written trading plans that are intended to comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act. Sales under these trading plans would not be permitted until the expiration of the lock-up agreements relating to the offering described above.
 
137

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS
The following is a summary of certain United States federal income tax consequences to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) of the ownership and disposition of our common stock. This summary does not address the consequences relevant to pre-IPO owners. Except where noted, this summary deals only with common stock that is held as a capital asset by a non-U.S. holder (as defined below).
A “non-U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of our common stock (other than an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) that is not, for United States federal income tax purposes, any of the following:

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

a corporation (or any other entity treated as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

an estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

a trust if it (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person.
This summary is based upon provisions of the Code, and United States Treasury regulations, rulings, judicial decisions, and administrative pronouncements, in each case as of the date hereof. Those authorities may be changed, perhaps retroactively, so as to result in United States federal income tax consequences different from those summarized below. This summary does not address all of the United States federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances, nor does it address the Medicare tax on net investment income, the alternative minimum tax, United States federal estate and gift taxes or the effects of any state, local or non-United States tax laws. In addition, it does not represent a detailed description of the United States federal income tax consequences applicable to you if you are subject to special treatment under the United States federal income tax laws (including if you are a United States expatriate, foreign pension fund, “controlled foreign corporation,” “passive foreign investment company” or a partnership or other pass-through entity for United States federal income tax purposes). We cannot assure you that a change in law will not alter significantly the tax considerations that we describe in this summary.
If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner of a partnership considering an investment in our common stock, you should consult your tax advisors.
If you are considering the purchase of our common stock, you should consult your own tax advisors concerning the particular United States federal income tax consequences to you of the purchase, ownership, and disposition of our common stock, as well as the consequences to you arising under other United States federal tax laws and the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.
Dividends
As described in the section entitled “Dividend policy,” we do not anticipate declaring or paying dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. However, in the event that we make a distribution of cash or other property (other than certain pro rata distributions of our stock) in respect of our common stock, the distribution generally will be treated as a dividend for United States federal income tax purposes to the extent it is paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under United States federal income tax principles. Any portion of a distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits generally will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital, causing a reduction in the adjusted tax basis of a non-U.S. holder’s common stock, and to the extent the amount of the distribution exceeds a non-U.S. holder’s
 
138

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
adjusted tax basis in our common stock, the excess will be treated as gain from the disposition of our common stock (the tax treatment of which is discussed below under “—Gain on Disposition of Common Stock”).
Dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder generally will be subject to withholding of United States federal income tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. However, dividends that are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business by the non-U.S. holder within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a United States permanent establishment) are not subject to the withholding tax, provided certain certification and disclosure requirements are satisfied. Instead, such dividends are subject to United States federal income tax on a net income basis generally in the same manner as if the non-U.S. holder were a United States person as defined under the Code. Any such effectively connected dividends received by a foreign corporation may be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
A non-U.S. holder who wishes to claim the benefit of an applicable treaty rate and avoid backup withholding, as discussed below, for dividends will be required (1) to provide the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable form) certifying under penalty of perjury that such holder is not a United States person as defined under the Code and is eligible for treaty benefits or (2) if our common stock is held through certain foreign intermediaries, to satisfy the relevant certification requirements of applicable United States Treasury regulations. Special certification and other requirements apply to certain non-U.S. holders that are pass-through entities rather than corporations or individuals.
A non-U.S. holder eligible for a reduced rate of United States federal withholding tax pursuant to an income tax treaty may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.
Gain on disposition of common stock
Subject to the discussion of backup withholding and FATCA (as defined below) below, any gain realized by a non-U.S. holder on the sale or other disposition of our common stock generally will not be subject to United States federal income or withholding tax unless:

the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business of the non-U.S. holder in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment of the non-U.S. holder);

the non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of that disposition, and certain other conditions are met; or

we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation” for United States federal income tax purposes at any time within the five-year period preceding the disposition or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period, whichever period is shorter, the non-U.S. holder is not eligible for a treaty exemption, and either (1) our common stock is not regularly traded on an established securities market during the calendar year in which the sale or disposition occurs or (2) the non-U.S. holder owned or is deemed to have owned at any time within the five-year period preceding the disposition or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period, whichever period is shorter, more than 5% of our common stock.
A non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point immediately above will be subject to tax on the gain derived from the sale or other disposition in the same manner as if the non-U.S. holder were a United States person as defined under the Code. In addition, if any non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point immediately above is a foreign corporation, the gain realized by such non-U.S. holder may be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. An individual non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point immediately above will be subject to a 30% (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty) tax on the gain derived from the sale or other disposition, which gain may be offset by United States source capital losses even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States.
 
139

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Generally, a corporation is a “United States real property holding corporation” if the fair market value of its United States real property interests equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business (all as determined for United States federal income tax purposes). We believe we are not and do not anticipate becoming a “United States real property holding corporation” for United States federal income tax purposes.
Information reporting and backup withholding
Distributions paid to a non-U.S. holder and the amount of any tax withheld with respect to such distributions generally will be reported to the IRS. Copies of the information returns reporting such distributions and any withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty.
A non-U.S. holder will not be subject to backup withholding on distributions received if such holder certifies under penalty of perjury that it is a non-U.S. holder, such as by furnishing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, or W-8ECI (and the payor does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a United States person as defined under the Code), or such holder otherwise establishes an exemption.
Information reporting and, depending on the circumstances, backup withholding will apply to the proceeds of a sale or other disposition of our common stock within the United States or conducted through certain United States-related financial intermediaries, unless the beneficial owner certifies under penalty of perjury that it is a non-U.S. holder (and the payor does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the beneficial owner is a United States person as defined under the Code) or such owner otherwise establishes an exemption.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against a non-U.S. holder’s United States federal income tax liability provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Additional withholding requirements
Under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (such sections commonly referred to as “FATCA”), a 30% United States federal withholding tax may apply to any dividends paid on our common stock to (1) a “foreign financial institution” ​(as specifically defined in the Code and whether such foreign financial institution is the beneficial owner or an intermediary) which does not provide sufficient documentation, typically on IRS Form W-8BEN-E, evidencing either (x) an exemption from FATCA or (y) its compliance (or deemed compliance) with FATCA (which may alternatively be in the form of compliance with an intergovernmental agreement with the United States) in a manner which avoids withholding or (2) a “non-financial foreign entity” ​(as specifically defined in the Code and whether such non-financial foreign entity is the beneficial owner or an intermediary) which does not provide sufficient documentation, typically on IRS Form W-8BEN-E, evidencing either (x) an exemption from FATCA or (y) adequate information regarding certain substantial United States beneficial owners of such entity (if any). If a dividend payment is both subject to withholding under FATCA and subject to the withholding tax discussed above under “—Dividends,” an applicable withholding agent may credit the withholding under FATCA against, and therefore reduce, such other withholding tax. FATCA withholding may also apply to payments of gross proceeds of dispositions of our common stock, although under proposed United States Treasury regulations (the preamble to which specifies that taxpayers are permitted to rely on them pending finalization), no withholding will apply on payments of gross proceeds. You should consult your own tax advisors regarding these requirements and whether they may be relevant to your ownership and disposition of our common stock.
 
140

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Underwriting
We are offering the shares of common stock described in this prospectus through a number of underwriters. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, and Barclays Capital Inc. are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering and as representatives of the underwriters. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discount set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name in the following table:
Name
Number of
shares
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
     
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Barclays Capital Inc.
William Blair & Company, L.L.C.
Evercore Group L.L.C.
BofA Securities, Inc.
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Canaccord Genuity LLC
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
Total
The underwriters are committed to purchase all the shares of common stock offered by us if they purchase any shares. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may also be increased or the offering may be terminated.
The underwriters propose to offer the shares of common stock directly to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $       per share. Any such dealers may resell shares to certain other brokers or dealers at a discount of up to $       per share from the initial public offering price. After the initial offering of the shares to the public, if all of the shares of common stock are not sold at the initial public offering price, the underwriters may change the offering price and the other selling terms. The offering of the shares by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part. Sales of any shares made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.
The underwriters have an option to purchase up to         additional shares of common stock from us to cover sales of shares by the underwriters that exceed the number of shares specified in the table above. The underwriters have 30 days from the date of this prospectus to exercise this option to purchase additional shares. If any shares are purchased with this option to purchase additional shares, the underwriters will purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as shown in the table above. If any additional shares of common stock are purchased, the underwriters will offer the additional shares on the same terms as those on which the shares are being offered.
The underwriting fee is equal to the public offering price per share of common stock less the amount paid by the underwriters to us per share of common stock. The underwriting fee is $       per share. The following table
 
141

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
shows the per share and total underwriting discount to be paid to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares from us.
Per share
Total without
option to purchase
additional shares
exercise
Total with full
option to purchase
additional shares
exercise
Public offering price
$           $           $          
Underwriting discount
Proceeds, before expenses, to us
$ $ $
We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, including registration, filing and listing fees, printing fees, and legal and accounting expenses, but excluding the underwriting discount, will be approximately $      . We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain of their expenses in an amount up to $35,000.
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the web sites maintained by one or more underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in the offering. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of shares to underwriters and selling group members for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representatives to underwriters and selling group members that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.
We have agreed that we will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right, or warrant to purchase, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or submit to, or file with, the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any shares of our common stock, or publicly disclose the intention to undertake any of the foregoing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers all or a portion of the economic consequences associated with the ownership of any shares of common stock or any such other securities (regardless of whether any of these transactions are to be settled by the delivery of shares of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise), in each case, without the prior written consent of the representatives for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, other than the shares of our common stock to be sold in this offering, subject to certain exceptions.
The restrictions on our actions, as described above, do not apply to certain transactions, including (i) the shares of our common stock to be issued and sold pursuant to the underwriting agreement, (ii) any grants of options or other equity awards or issuances of shares of our common stock upon the exercise of options or other equity awards, in each case, granted under the terms of an equity compensation plan as described in this prospectus, (iii) any filing by us of a registration statement on Form S-8 relating to any equity compensation plan or arrangement described in this prospectus or any assumed benefit plan pursuant to an acquisition or similar strategic transaction, (iv) any shares of our common stock issued upon the exercise, conversion, or exchange of our securities outstanding as of the date of this prospectus and described in this prospectus, (v) up to 5.0% of the total number of outstanding shares of our common stock immediately following the issuance of the shares of our common stock to be issued and sold pursuant to the underwriting agreement, issued by us in connection with mergers, acquisitions, or commercial or strategic transactions (including, without limitation, entry into joint ventures, marketing, or distribution agreements or collaboration agreements or acquisitions of technology, assets, or intellectual property licenses), and (vi) confidential submission with the SEC or FINRA of any registration statement under the Securities Act; provided that in the case of clauses (ii) through (iv), we shall cause each recipient that is a member of our Board of Directors, one of our executive officers, or a beneficial holder of 5.0% or more of our fully diluted capital stock to execute a lock-up agreement for the restricted period subject to the terms and conditions summarized herein, if not already a party thereto; provided, further, that in the case of clause (v), we shall cause each recipient to execute a lock-up agreement for the restricted period.
Our directors and executive officers, and our significant stockholders (such persons, the “lock-up parties”) have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters prior to the commencement of this offering pursuant to
 
142

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
which each lock-up party, with limited exceptions, for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus (such period, the “restricted period”), may not (and may not cause any of their direct or indirect affiliates to), without the prior written consent of the representatives, (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right, or warrant to purchase, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock (including, without limitation, common stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by such lock-up parties in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant (collectively with the common stock, the “lock-up securities”)), (2) enter into any hedging, swap, or other agreement or transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the lock-up securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of lock-up securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any lock-up securities, or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing. Such persons or entities have further acknowledged that these undertakings preclude them from engaging in any hedging or other transactions or arrangements (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) designed, or intended, or which could reasonably be expected, to lead to or result in a sale, disposition or transfer (by any person or entity, whether or not a signatory to such agreement) of any economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any lock-up securities, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of lock-up securities, in cash or otherwise.
The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph and contained in the lock-up agreements between the underwriters and the lock-up parties do not apply, subject in certain cases to various conditions, to certain transactions, including: (a) transfers of lock-up securities: (i) as bona fide gifts, or for bona fide estate planning purposes; (ii) by will or intestacy; (iii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the lock-up party or any immediate family member; (iv) to any immediate family member of the lock-up party; (v) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (i) through (iv); (vi) by operation of law; (vii) to us from a current or former employee of ours upon death, disability, or termination of employment of such employee or to us pursuant to any contractual arrangement that provides us with a right to purchase lock-up securities; (viii) if the lock-up party is not a natural person, to any (1) corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity, in each case, that controls, or is controlled by or is under common control with, the lock-up party or its immediate family, or is otherwise a direct or indirect affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) of the lock-up party, or (2) investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by or under common control with the lock-up party or its affiliates or as part of a distribution, transfer or disposition by the lock-up party to its stockholders, partners, members or other equity holders; (ix) as part of a sale of lock-up securities acquired in open-market transactions after the completion of this offering; (x) to us in connection with the vesting, settlement or exercise of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of our common stock (including “net” or “cashless” exercise), including for the payment of exercise price and tax and remittance payments; (xi) pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction approved by our board of directors and made to all stockholders involving a change in control in which the acquiring party or “group” ​(within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) of persons becomes the beneficial owner of more than 50% of the total voting power of the voting stock of us following such transaction; provided that if such transaction is not completed, all such lock-up securities would remain subject to the restrictions in the immediately preceding paragraph; (xii) in connection with any reclassification or conversion of our common stock; (xiii) to the lock-up party’s direct or indirect general partner or managing member or to certain officers, partners, or members thereof in connection with such general partner’s, managing member’s, officers’, partners’ or members’ donation to charitable organizations, educational institutions, family foundations or donor advised funds at sponsoring organizations; or (xiv) for Institutional Investors only, pursuant to the pledge, hypothecation or other granting of a security interest in lock-up securities to one or more lending institutions as collateral or security for any loan, advance or extension of credit and any transfer upon foreclosure upon such securities;
 
143

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
provided, that prior to entering into the collateral agreement or similar agreement in connection with the loan, advance or extension of credit, each pledgee shall enter into a lock-up agreement to take effect in the event that the pledgee takes possession of such lock-up party’s lock-up securities as a result of a foreclosure, margin call or similar disposition; provided further, that the lock-up party shall provide each of the representatives with prior written notice informing them of any public filing, report or announcement with respect to such pledge, hypothecation or other grant of a security interest or foreclosure; provided further that the aggregate amount of lock-up securities pledged as collateral pursuant to this clause during the restricted period shall not exceed 10% of the total number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by the applicable lock-up party; (b) exercise of the options, settlement of RSUs or other equity awards, or the exercise of warrants, granted pursuant to plans described in in this prospectus; provided that any lock-up securities received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement would be subject to restrictions similar to those in the immediately preceding paragraph; and (c) the establishment by lock-up parties of trading plans under Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act; provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of lock-up securities during the restricted period.
The representatives, in their sole discretion, may release the securities subject to any of the lock-up agreements with the underwriters described above, in whole or in part at any time.
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
We will apply to have our common stock approved for listing on Nasdaq under the symbol “WAY.”
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, which involves making bids for, purchasing, and selling shares of common stock in the open market for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock while this offering is in progress. These stabilizing transactions may include making short sales of common stock, which involves the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares of common stock than they are required to purchase in this offering, and purchasing shares of common stock on the open market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales may be “covered” shorts, which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares referred to above, or may be “naked” shorts, which are short positions in excess of that amount. The underwriters may close out any covered short position either by exercising their option to purchase additional shares, in whole or in part, or by purchasing shares in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market compared to the price at which the underwriters may purchase shares through the option to purchase additional shares. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. To the extent that the underwriters create a naked short position, they will purchase shares in the open market to cover the position.
The underwriters have advised us that, pursuant to Regulation M of the Securities Act, they may also engage in other activities that stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the price of the common stock, including the imposition of penalty bids. This means that if the representatives of the underwriters purchase common stock in the open market in stabilizing transactions or to cover short sales, the representatives can require the underwriters that sold those shares as part of this offering to repay the underwriting discount received by them.
These activities may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock, and, as a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If the underwriters commence these activities, they may discontinue them at any time. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on Nasdaq, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price will be determined by negotiations between us and the representatives of the underwriters. In determining the initial public offering price, we and the representatives of the underwriters expect to consider a number of factors, including:
 
144

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

the information set forth in this prospectus and otherwise available to the representatives;

our prospects and the history and prospects for the industry in which we compete;

an assessment of our management;

our prospects for future earnings;

the general condition of the securities markets at the time of this offering;

the recent market prices of, and demand for, publicly traded common stock of generally comparable companies; and

other factors deemed relevant by the underwriters and us.
Neither we nor the underwriters can assure investors that an active trading market will develop for our common stock, or that the shares will trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.
Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.
Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have provided in the past to us and our affiliates and may provide from time to time in the future certain commercial banking, financial advisory, investment banking, and other services for us and such affiliates in the ordinary course of their business, for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions. In addition, from time to time, certain of the underwriters and their affiliates may effect transactions for their own account or the account of customers, and hold on behalf of themselves or their customers, long or short positions in our debt or equity securities or loans, and may do so in the future. Certain of the underwriters and/or certain of their affiliates are lenders and/or agents under the Credit Facilities, and accordingly, are entitled to fees and expenses in connection therewith.
Certain of the underwriters and/or certain of their affiliates are lenders under our First Lien Credit Facility and/or our Second Lien Credit Facility, and, as a result, will receive a portion of the net proceeds from this offering.
Selling restrictions outside the United States
Notice to prospective investors in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each a “Relevant State”), no shares of common stock have been offered or will be offered pursuant to this offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation (as defined below), except that offers of shares may be made to the public in that Relevant State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:
(a) to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation;
(b) to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters; or
(c) in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation;
 
145

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
provided that no such offer of shares shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation, and each person who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with each of the underwriters and us that it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in the Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any shares to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant State to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the underwriters has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.
For the purposes of this provision and the following provision, the expression “offer to the public” in relation to shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
Notice to prospective investors in the United Kingdom
In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are, “qualified investors” ​(as defined in the Prospectus Regulation) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”), and/or (ii) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”) or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public of the shares in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on the information included in this document or use it as basis for taking any action. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity that this document relates to may be made or taken exclusively by relevant persons.
Notice to prospective investors in Canada
The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.
Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation; provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.
 
146

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Notice to prospective investors in Switzerland
The shares may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (the “SIX”) or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of, and has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under, art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares or this offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to this offering, us or the shares has been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, and the offer of shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (the “CISA”). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares.
Notice to prospective investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre (the “DIFC”)
This document relates to an “Exempt Offer” in accordance with the Markets Rules 2012 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (the “DFSA”). This document is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Markets Rules 2012 of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus supplement or taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this document. The securities to which this document relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this document you should consult an authorized financial advisor.
In relation to its use in the DIFC, this document is strictly private and confidential and is being distributed to a limited number of investors and must not be provided to any person other than the original recipient, and may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose. The interests in the securities may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly to the public in the DIFC.
Notice to prospective investors in Australia
This prospectus:

does not constitute a disclosure document or a prospectus under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the “Corporations Act”);

has not been, and will not be, lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (the “ASIC”) as a disclosure document for the purposes of the Corporations Act and does not purport to include the information required of a disclosure document for the purposes of the Corporations Act; and

may only be provided in Australia to select investors who are able to demonstrate that they fall within one or more of the categories of investors available under section 708 of the Corporations Act (“Exempt Investors”).
The shares may not be directly or indirectly offered for subscription or purchased or sold, and no invitations to subscribe for or buy the shares may be issued, and no draft or definitive offering memorandum, advertisement or other offering material relating to any shares may be distributed, in Australia, except where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act or is otherwise in compliance with all applicable Australian laws and regulations. By submitting an application for the shares, you represent and warrant to us that you are an Exempt Investor.
 
147

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
As any offer of shares under this document will be made without disclosure in Australia under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act, the offer of those securities for resale in Australia within 12 months may, under section 707 of the Corporations Act, require disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D.2 if none of the exemptions in section 708 applies to that resale. By applying for the shares you undertake to us that you will not, for a period of 12 months from the date of issue of the shares, offer, transfer, assign or otherwise alienate those shares to investors in Australia except in circumstances where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act or where a compliant disclosure document is prepared and lodged with the ASIC.
Notice to prospective investors in Japan
The shares have not been and will not be registered pursuant to Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Accordingly, none of the shares or any interest therein may be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any “resident” of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan in effect at the relevant time.
Notice to prospective investors in Hong Kong
The shares have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) of Hong Kong (the “SFO”) and any rules made thereunder or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong (the “CO”) or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the CO. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the SFO and any rules made thereunder.
Notice to prospective investors in Singapore
Each joint book-running manager has acknowledged that this prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, each joint book-running manager has represented and agreed that it has not offered or sold any shares or caused the shares to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not offer or sell any shares or cause the shares to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and has not circulated or distributed, nor will it circulate or distribute, this prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares, whether directly or indirectly, to any person in Singapore other than:
(a) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289) of Singapore, as modified or amended from time to time (the “SFA”)) pursuant to Section 274 of the SFA;
(b) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA; or
(c) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is (a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is
 
148

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
an accredited investor, or (b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each term as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:
(i) to an institutional investor or to a relevant person, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;
(ii) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;
(iii) where the transfer is by operation of law;
(iv) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or
(v) as specified in Regulation 37A of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Securities and Securities-based Derivatives Contracts) Regulations 2018.
Singapore SFA product classification.   In connection with Section 309B of the SFA and the CMP Regulations 2018, unless otherwise specified before an offer of shares, we have determined, and hereby notify all relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A(1) of the SFA), that the shares are “prescribed capital markets products” (as defined in the CMP Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).
 
149

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Legal matters
The validity of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Latham & Watkins LLP.
Experts
The consolidated financial statements of Waystar Holding Corp. as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for each of the years then ended, have been included herein in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, appearing elsewhere herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
Where you can find more information
We have filed a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the common stock offered by this prospectus with the SEC. This prospectus is a part of the registration statement and does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and its exhibits and schedules, portions of which have been omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information about us and our common stock, you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits and schedules. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or other document referred to in those documents are not necessarily complete, and in each instance we refer you to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or other document. Each of these statements is qualified in all respects by this reference.
Following the completion of this offering, we will be subject to the informational reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance with the Exchange Act, we will file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our filings with the SEC will be available to the public on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Those filings will also be available to the public on, or accessible through, our website (www.waystar.com) under the heading “Investor Relations.” The information we file with the SEC or contained on or accessible through our corporate website or any other website that we may maintain is not part of this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
We intend to make available to our common stockholders annual reports containing financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm.
 
150

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Page
F-2
F-3
F-4
F-5
F-6
F-7
F-8
 
F-1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Stockholders and Board of Directors
Waystar Holding Corp.:
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the consolidated financial statements and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements) of Waystar Holding Corp. and subsidiaries (the Company) as listed in the accompanying index. In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ KPMG LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2021.
Louisville, Kentucky
March 1, 2024
 
F-2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Waystar Holding Corp.
Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, except for share
and per share data)
As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022
2023
2022
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 35,580 $ 64,558
Restricted cash
9,848 8,078
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $5,335 at December 31, 2023 and $4,477 at December 31, 2022
126,089 107,082
Income tax receivable
6,811 4,351
Prepaid expenses
13,296 8,504
Other current assets
30,426 25,326
Total current assets
222,050 217,899
Property, plant and equipment, net
61,259 55,856
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net
10,353 11,718
Intangible assets, net
1,186,936 1,326,542
Goodwill
3,030,013 3,009,558
Deferred costs
65,811 51,622
Other long-term assets
6,552 21,197
Total assets
$ 4,582,974 $ 4,694,392
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable
$ 45,484 $ 28,095
Accrued compensation
23,286 25,861
Aggregated funds payable
9,659 7,555
Other accrued expenses
10,923 8,042
Deferred revenue
10,935 9,902
Current portion of long-term debt
17,454 17,100
Related party current portion of long-term debt
529 883
Current portion of operating lease liabilities
4,398 4,025
Current portion of finance lease liabilities
821 749
Total current liabilities
123,489 102,212
Long-term liabilities
Deferred tax liability
174,480 240,760
Long-term debt, net, less current portion
2,134,920 2,099,533
Related party long-term debt, net, less current portion
64,758 108,375
Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion
14,278 17,706
Finance lease liabilities, net of current portion
12,194 13,015
Deferred revenue—LT
6,173 6,552
Other long-term liabilities
2,750 7
Total liabilities
2,533,042 2,588,160
Commitments and contingencies (Note 19)
Stockholders’ equity
Common stock $0.01 par value—222,000,000 shares authorized and 201,123,805 and 201,109,005 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively
2,011 2,011
Additional paid-in capital
2,233,894 2,224,824
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
15,802 29,838
Accumulated deficit
(201,775) (150,441)
Total stockholders’ equity
2,049,932 2,106,232
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$ 4,582,974 $ 4,694,392
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-3

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Waystar Holding Corp.
Consolidated statements of operations (in thousands, except for share and per share data)
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022
2023
2022
Revenue
$ 791,010 $ 704,874
Operating expenses
Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization expenses)
249,767 214,891
Sales and marketing
124,437 111,470
General and administrative
62,924 73,089
Research and development
35,332 32,807
Depreciation and amortization
176,467 183,167
Total operating expenses
648,927 615,424
Income from operations
142,083 89,450
Other expense
Interest expense, net
(198,309) (148,967)
Related party interest expense
(7,608) (6,358)
Loss before income taxes
(63,834) (65,875)
Income tax benefit
(12,500) (14,420)
Net loss
$ (51,334) $ (51,455)
Net loss per share:
Basic
$ (0.26) $ (0.26)
Diluted
$ (0.26) $ (0.26)
Weighted-average shares outstanding:
Basic
201,116,414 201,131,854
Diluted
201,116,414 201,131,854
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-4

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Waystar Holding Corp.
Consolidated statements of comprehensive loss (in thousands)
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022
2023
2022
Net loss
$ (51,334) $ (51,455)
Other comprehensive income, before tax:
Interest rate swaps
(18,651) 40,204
Income tax effect:
Interest rate swaps
4,615 (9,877)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
(14,036) 30,327
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
$ (65,370) $ (21,128)
(1) Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into net interest expense included $31,386 and $5,244 for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
(2) The income tax effects of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) were ($7,620) and ($1,287) for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-5

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Waystar Holding Corp.
Consolidated statements of changes in stockholders’ equity
(in thousands, except share data)
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022
Common Stock
Additional
Paid-In
Capital
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
Accumulated
Deficit
Total
Shares
Amount
Balances, December 31, 2021
201,180,739 $ 2,012 $ 2,218,628 $ (489) $ (98,986) 2,121,165
Share-based compensation
8,003 8,003
Settlement of common stock options,
net of stock option exercises
50,451 1 579 580
Repurchase of shares
(122,185) (2) (2,452) (2,454)
Capital subscriptions
66 66
Net loss
(51,455) (51,455)
Other comprehensive income
30,327 30,327
Balances, December 31, 2022
201,109,005 $ 2,011 $ 2,224,824 $ 29,838 $ (150,441) $ 2,106,232
Share-based compensation
8,848 8,848
Settlement of common stock options,
net of stock option exercises
43,418 1 424 425
Repurchase of shares
(28,618) (1) (687) (688)
Capital subscriptions
485 485
Net loss
(51,334) (51,334)
Other comprehensive income
(14,036) (14,036)
Balances, December 31, 2023
201,123,805 $ 2,011 $ 2,233,894 $ 15,802 $ (201,775) $ 2,049,932
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-6

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Waystar Holding Corp.
Consolidated statements of cash flows (in thousands)
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022
2023
2022
Cash flows from operating activities
Net loss
$ (51,334) $ (51,455)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash
provided by operating activities
Depreciation and amortization
176,467 183,167
Share-based compensation
8,848 8,003
Provision for bad debt expense
2,419 2,518
Loss on disposal of assets
27
Loss on extinguishment of debt
393 1,079
Impairment loss
10,856
Deferred income taxes
(61,665) (27,108)
Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs
10,471 10,260
Other
485 66
Changes in:
Accounts receivable
(16,714) (17,372)
Income tax refundable
(2,459) 6,428
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
(9,705) (570)
Deferred costs
(14,189) (17,380)
Other long-term assets
(1,664) (79)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
11,920 (3,344)
Deferred revenue
(167) (1,316)
Operating lease right-of-use assets and lease liabilities
(1,691) (1,116)
Other long-term liabilities
45 (30)
Net cash provided by operating activities
51,460 102,634
Cash flows from investing activities
Acquisitions, net of cash and cash equivalents acquired
(40,000)
Purchase of property and equipment and capitalization of internally developed software costs
(21,517) (17,433)
Net cash used in investing activities
(61,517) (17,433)
Cash flows from financing activities
Payment to former shareholders
(2)
Change in aggregated funds liability
2,105 626
Repurchase of shares
(688) (2,454)
Proceeds from exercise of common stock
425 649
Proceeds from issuances of debt
20,000
Payments on debt
(37,983) (64,982)
Debt issuance costs
(219)
Cash settlement of stock options
(70)
Finance lease liabilities paid
(791) (832)
Net cash used in financing activities
(17,151) (67,065)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents during the period
(27,208) 18,136
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash—beginning of period
72,636 54,500
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash—end of period
$ 45,428 $ 72,636
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information
Interest paid
$ 193,003 $ 144,317
Cash taxes paid (refunds received), net
51,449 5,574
Non-cash investing and financing activities
Fixed asset purchases in accounts payable
1,091 123
Reconciliation of Balance Sheet Cash Accounts to Cash Flow Statement
Balance sheet
Cash and cash equivalents
35,580 64,558
Restricted cash
9,848 8,078
Total
45,428 72,636
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-7

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Waystar Holding Corp.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
1. Business
Waystar Holding Corp. (“Waystar”, “we” or “our”) is a provider of mission-critical cloud technology to healthcare organizations. Our enterprise-grade platform transforms the complex and disparate processes comprising healthcare payments received by healthcare providers from payers and patients, from pre-service engagement through post-service remittance and reconciliation. Our platform enhances data integrity, eliminates manual tasks, and improves claim and billing accuracy, which results in better transparency, reduced labor costs, and faster, more accurate reimbursement and cash flow. The market for our solutions extends throughout the United States and includes Puerto Rico and other US Territories.
Risk and Uncertainties—We are subject to risks common to companies in similar industries, including, but not limited to, our operation in a highly competitive industry, our ability to retain our existing clients and attract new clients, our ability to establish and maintain strategic relationships, the growth and success of our clients and overall healthcare transaction volumes, consolidation in the healthcare industry, our selling cycle of variable length to secure new client agreements, our implementation cycle that is dependent on our clients’ timing and resources, our ability to develop and market new solutions, or enhance our existing solutions, to respond to technological changes or evolving industry standards, the interoperability, connectivity, and integration of our solutions with our clients’ and their vendors’ networks and infrastructures, the performance and reliability of internet, mobile, and other infrastructure, the consequences if we cannot obtain, process, use, disclose, or distribute the highly regulated data we require to provide our solutions, impact of government regulations on our market, and our reliance on certain third-party vendors and providers.
On occasion, we enter into standard indemnification arrangements in the ordinary course of business. Pursuant to these arrangements, we indemnify, hold harmless, and agree to reimburse the indemnified parties for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party, in connection with any trade secret, copyright, patent, or other intellectual property infringement claim by any third-party with respect to its technology. The terms of these indemnification agreements are generally perpetual any time after the execution of the agreement. The maximum potential future payments we could be required to make under these agreements is not determinable because it involves claims that may be made against us in the future but have not yet been made. Historically, we have not incurred costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification agreements.
We have entered into agreements with our directors or officers that may require us to indemnify them against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers, other than liabilities arising from their willful misconduct.
No liability associated with such indemnifications was recorded as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.
2. Summary of significant accounting policies
Basis of financial statement presentation
The financial statements include the consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations, statements of comprehensive loss, statements of changes in stockholders’ equity, and statements of cash flows of Waystar and its subsidiaries and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
Emerging growth company status
We are an emerging growth company, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act until such time as those standards apply to private companies.
 
F-8

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
We have elected to use this extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date that we (i) are no longer an emerging growth company or (ii) affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, these financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with the new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Segment information
Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker in deciding how to allocate resources and assessing performance. We define the term “chief operating decision maker” to be our Chief Executive Officer. Our Chief Executive Officer reviews the financial information presented on an entire company basis for purposes of allocating resources and evaluating our financial performance. Accordingly, we have determined that we operate in a single reportable operating segment. Since we operate in one operating segment, all required financial segment information can be found in the financial statements.
Use of estimates
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates and assumptions are used for, but are not limited to: (1) revenue recognition, including estimated expected customer life; (2) recoverability of accounts receivable and taxes receivable; (3) impairment assessment of goodwill and long-lived intangible assets; (4) fair value of intangibles acquired in business combinations; (5) litigation reserves; (6) depreciation and amortization; (7) fair value of stock options issued to employees and assumed as part of business combinations; (8) fair value of interest rate swaps; and (9) leases, including incremental borrowing rate. Future events and their effects cannot be predicted with certainty, and accordingly, accounting estimates require the exercise of judgment. We evaluate and update assumptions and estimates on an ongoing basis and may employ outside experts to assist in evaluations. Actual results could differ from the estimates used.
Principles of consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Waystar Holding Corp. and its subsidiaries. All material intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.
Revenue recognition
We derive revenue primarily from providing access to our solutions for use in the healthcare industry and in doing so generate two types of revenue: (i) subscription revenue and (ii) volume-based revenue, which account for 99% of total revenue for all periods presented. We also derive revenue from implementation fees for our software, as well as hardware sales to facilitate patient payments.
We recognize revenue in accordance with ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), through the following five steps:

identification of the contract, or contracts, with a client;

identification of the performance obligations in the contract;

determination of the transaction price;

allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and

recognition of revenue when, or as, we satisfy a performance obligation
Our customers, referred to as clients elsewhere in this prospectus, represent healthcare providers across all types of care settings, including physician practices, clinics, surgical centers, and laboratories, as well as large hospitals and health systems.
 
F-9

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
We account for a contract when it has approval and commitment from both parties, the rights of the parties are identified, payment terms are identified, the contract has commercial substance and collectability of consideration is probable. The length of our contracts vary but are typically two to three years and generally renew automatically for successive one-year terms. Our revenue is reported net of applicable sales and use tax and is recognized as, or when, control of these services or products are transferred to clients, in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for the contract’s performance obligations.
Revenue from our subscription services as well as from our volume-based services represents a single promise to provide continuous access (i.e., a stand-ready obligation) to our software solutions in the form of a service. Our software products are made available to our clients via a cloud-based, hosted platform where our clients do not have the right or practical ability to take possession of the software. As each day of providing access to the software solutions is substantially the same and the client simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits as services are provided, these services are viewed as a single performance obligation comprised of a series of distinct daily services.
Revenue from our subscription services is recognized over time on a ratable basis over the contract term beginning on the date that the service is made available to the client. Volume-based services are priced based on transaction, dollar volume or provider count in a given period. Given the nature of the promise is based on unknown quantities or outcomes of services to be performed over the contract term, the volume-based fee is determined to be variable consideration. The volume-based transaction fees are recognized each day using a time-elapsed output method based on the volume or transaction count at the time the clients’ transactions are processed.
Our other services are generally related to implementation activities across all solutions and hardware sales to facilitate patient payments. Implementation services are not considered performance obligations as they do not provide a distinct service to clients without the use of our software solutions. As such, implementation fees related to our solutions are billed upfront and recognized ratably over the contract term. Implementation fees and hardware sales represent less than 1% of total revenue for all periods presented.
Our contracts with clients typically include various combinations of our software solutions. Determining whether such software solutions are considered distinct performance obligations that should be accounted for separately versus together requires significant judgment. Specifically, judgment is required to determine whether access to the Company’s SaaS solutions is distinct from other services and solutions included in an arrangement.
We follow the requirements of ASC 606-10-55-36 through -40, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, Principal Agent Considerations, in determining the gross versus net revenue presentations for our performance obligations in the contract with a client. Revenue recorded where we act in the capacity of a principal is reported on a gross basis equal to the full amount of consideration to which we expect in exchange for the good or service transferred. Revenue recorded where we act in the capacity of an agent is reported on a net basis, exclusive of any consideration provided to the principal party in the transaction.
The principal versus agent evaluation is a matter of judgment that depends on the facts and circumstances of the arrangement and is dependent on whether we control the good or service before it is transferred to the client or whether we are acting as an agent of a third party. This evaluation is performed separately for each performance obligation identified. For the majority of our contracts, we are considered the principal in the transaction with the client and recognize revenue gross of any related channel partner fees or costs. We have certain agency arrangements where third parties control the goods or services provided to a client and we recognize revenue net of any fees owed to these third parties.
Payment terms and conditions vary by contract type, although our standard payment terms generally require payment within 30 to 60 days. In instances where the timing of revenue recognition differs from the timing of payment, we have determined our contracts do not generally include a significant financing component. The primary purpose of our invoicing terms is to provide clients with simplified and predictable ways of purchasing our products and services, not to receive financing from our clients or to provide clients with financing.
 
F-10

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Contract costs
Incremental costs of obtaining a contract
Incremental costs of obtaining a contract primarily include commissions paid to our internal sales personnel. We consider all such commissions to be both incremental and recoverable since they are only paid when a contract is secured. These capitalized costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the expected period of benefit, which is determined based on the average customer life, which includes anticipated renewals of contracts. As of December 31, 2023, and 2022, the total unamortized costs reported as deferred costs on our balance sheet amounted to $22.8 million and $18.8 million, respectively, for internal sales commissions. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, amortization related to the sales commission asset was $7.6 million and $4.9 million, respectively, and is included in sales and marketing in our consolidated statements of operations.
Costs to fulfill a contract
We capitalize costs incurred to fulfill contracts that i) relate directly to the contract, ii) are expected to generate resources that will be used to satisfy performance obligations under the contract, and iii) are expected to be recovered through revenue generated under the contract. Costs incurred to implement clients on our solutions (e.g., direct labor) are capitalized and amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated customer life if we expect to recover those costs. As of December 31, 2023, and 2022, the total unamortized costs reported as deferred costs on our balance sheet amounted to $43.0 million and $32.8 million, respectively, for fulfillment costs. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, amortization related to the fulfillment cost asset was $8.8 million and $5.8 million, respectively, and is included in the costs of revenue in our consolidated statements of operations.
There were no impairment losses relating to deferred costs during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Channel partners
We account for fees paid to channel partners within sales and marketing expenses in the accompanying statement of operations. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we recorded fees to channel partners of $52.3 million and $46.0 million, respectively. As we are primarily responsible for contracting with and fulfilling contracts for the end user, we record revenue gross of related channel partner fees.
Cash and cash equivalents
We consider highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. We maintain our cash in bank deposit accounts, which, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. We have not experienced any credit losses in such accounts.
Restricted cash
For a fee, we provide lockbox solutions through a banking institution to certain clients. When participating customers’ cash is received from their clients or patients, it is deposited in a lockbox account owned by us and is contractually required to be disbursed to the participating clients the following day. Any funds residing in these accounts are categorized as restricted cash.
Our restricted cash balance also consists of cash collected on behalf of healthcare providers from patients that has yet to be remitted to the providers. There is also an associated liability corresponding to cash held for others.
Accounts receivable
Accounts receivable are primarily generated from billings related to our cloud-based technology and do not bear interest. Unbilled accounts receivable arise when services have been rendered for which revenue has been recognized but the customers have not been billed. Substantially all accounts receivable are from companies in
 
F-11

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
the healthcare service industry. Accounts receivable are net of an allowance for doubtful accounts and are considered past due when they are outstanding beyond agreement terms. We estimate the allowance for doubtful accounts based primarily on an analysis of historical collections experience, review of accounts receivable aging schedules, and specific identification of individual clients management believes to be at risk. If additional amounts become uncollectible, they will be charged to operations when that determination is made. Accounts receivable are written off against the allowance for doubtful accounts once all collection efforts have been exhausted, and recovery is deemed remote. If amounts previously written off are collected, they will be included as a deduction in general and administrative expense when received. Credit is extended based on historical experience with similar clients. Generally, collateral is not required.
Changes in the allowance for doubtful accounts are as follows (in thousands):
December 31,
2023
2022
Beginning balance
$ (4,477) $ (3,713)
Provision for losses on receivables
(2,419) (2,518)
Write-offs
2,166 2,237
Recoveries
(605) (483)
Ending Balance
$ (5,335) $ (4,477)
Property and equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation of property and equipment is computed using the straight-line method for financial reporting purposes at rates based on the estimated useful lives and pattern of usage of the assets. The estimated useful lives of the assets are 5 years for computer hardware and office equipment, 7 years for furniture and fixtures, and 40 years for buildings. Purchased computer software is depreciated over the estimated useful life of 3–5 years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the life of the lease or their estimated useful lives, whichever is shorter. We evaluate the useful lives of these assets and test for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances occur that could impact the recoverability of these assets.
Expenditures for major renewals and betterments that extend the useful lives of property and equipment are capitalized. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Refer to Note 6 for more information on property and equipment.
Software licenses and maintenance contracts
Software licenses and prepaid software maintenance contracts are accounted for as prepaid expenses and are amortized over the related service period, which is typically twelve months or less. In instances where contracts exceed twelve months, a portion of the contract is recorded as other long-term assets. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, total unamortized costs of $5.5 million and $4.0 million, respectively, were included in prepaid expenses. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, total unamortized costs of $0.3 million and $0.3 million, respectively, were included in other long-term assets.
Long-Lived Assets
Long-lived assets are amortized over their useful lives. We evaluate the remaining useful life of long-lived assets periodically to determine if events or changes in circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining period of amortization. The carrying amounts of these assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of these assets may not be recoverable. We measure the recoverability of these assets by comparing the carrying amount of the asset group to the future undiscounted cash flows the assets are expected to generate. If the undiscounted cash flows used in the test for recoverability are less than the carrying amount of the asset groups, then the carrying amount of such assets is reduced to fair value. Refer to Notes 6, 7, and 8 for more information on long-lived assets.
 
F-12

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Goodwill
We account for business combinations under the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations, where the total purchase price is allocated to the tangible and identified intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values. The purchase price is allocated using the information currently available, and may be adjusted, up to one year from acquisition date, after obtaining more information regarding, among other things, asset valuations, liabilities assumed and revisions to preliminary estimates. The purchase price in excess of the fair value of the tangible and identified intangible assets acquired less liabilities assumed is recognized as goodwill.
We account for goodwill under the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other. Goodwill is not amortized but is evaluated for impairment annually on October 1st or whenever there is an impairment indicator. There was no impairment to goodwill for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Refer to Note 7 for more information on goodwill.
Deferred offering costs
We capitalize within other assets certain legal, accounting and other third-party fees that are directly related to our in-process equity financings, including the planned initial public offering, until such financings are consummated. After consummation of the equity financing, these costs are recorded as a reduction of the proceeds received as a result of the offering. Should a planned equity financing be abandoned, terminated or significantly delayed, the deferred offering costs are immediately written off to operating expenses. As of December 31, 2023, deferred offering costs capitalized was $5.4 million. There were no deferred offering costs capitalized as of December 31, 2022.
Capitalized software development costs
We capitalize internal-use software costs under the provisions of ASC 350 which includes costs incurred in connection with the development of new software solutions and enhancements to existing software solutions that are expected to result in increased functionality. The costs incurred in the preliminary stages of development are expensed as incurred. Once the software has reached the development stage, internal and external costs, if direct and incremental, are capitalized until the software is complete and available for general release. Capitalized software development costs are recorded in property and equipment and are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful life of two years. We evaluate the useful lives of these assets and test for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances occur that could impact the recoverability of these assets. There were no impairments of capitalized software development costs for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Research and development costs
Research and development (“R&D”) costs consist primarily of personnel and related expenses for employees engaged in research and development activities as well as third-party fees. All such costs are expensed as incurred, except for capitalized software development costs.
Debt issuance costs
Debt issuance costs, net of amortization, are reflected on our balance sheet as a direct reduction in the carrying amount of our long-term debt. In addition, debt issuance costs, net of amortization, related to our revolver debt are included in other assets. Debt issuance costs include direct financing fees, bank origination fees, amendment fees, legal and other fees incurred in obtaining long-term debt. Debt issuance costs are amortized over the respective term of the debt instruments using the effective interest method, and amortization charges are included in interest expense.
Derivative instruments
We hold one interest rate swap maturing on October 31, 2024, one interest rate swap maturing on January 31, 2026 and held two interest rate swaps that matured on November 30, 2022 designated as cash flow hedges to a
 
F-13

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
portion of our outstanding debt. At inception and on an ongoing basis, we assess whether our swaps qualify for hedge accounting. These interest rate swaps have been deemed highly effective under ASC 815 so they meet the hedge accounting treatment criteria and qualify for hedge accounting. The swaps have been recorded on the balance sheet at fair value as either assets or liabilities and any changes to the fair value are recorded through accumulated other comprehensive income and reclassified into interest expense in the same period in which the hedged transaction is recognized in earnings. Cash flows from interest rate swaps are reported in the same category as the cash flows from the items being hedged.
Fair value of financial instruments
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. It also establishes a three-level hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The three levels of the hierarchy are defined as follows:

Level 1—Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets and liabilities in active markets.

Level 2—Include other inputs that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace.

Level 3—Unobservable inputs which are supported by little or no market activity.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the carrying value of cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and other current assets and liabilities approximates fair value due to the short maturities of these instruments. Swaps are Level 2 instruments whose fair value is derived from discounted cash flows adjusted for nonperformance risk.
Stock-based compensation
We measure and recognize compensation expense for all stock-based payment awards made to employees and members of the board of directors based on estimated fair values and when vesting criteria is assessed as probable of being achieved. We utilize the straight-line vesting method to recognize compensation expense for all service-based payment awards. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as expense over the requisite service periods in the consolidated statement of operations. Such expense consists of stock-based compensation expense related to stock option grants to employees and directors. See Note 16 for additional information.
We estimate the fair value of service condition stock-based payment awards on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model (“Black-Scholes”). We estimate the fair value of the performance condition stock-based payment awards that include a market condition on the date of grant using the Monte Carlo pricing model. We account for forfeitures as they occur. Our determination of fair value is affected by an estimate of our stock value as well as assumptions regarding several highly complex and subjective variables. These variables include, but are not limited to, our expected stock price volatility over the term of the awards and the expected term of the awards. We estimate expected stock price volatility using historical data of a peer group of public companies.
Advertising costs
We expense advertising costs as incurred. Advertising expense amounted to approximately $10.5 million and $10.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Income taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred income tax assets and liabilities of a
 
F-14

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
change in tax rates is recognized in income tax expense in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is provided against deferred tax assets if it is more-likely-than-not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Any change in the valuation allowance is charged to income tax expense in the period such determination was made. Deferred tax balances are presented as noncurrent liabilities. See Note 9 for additional information.
We evaluate tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing our tax returns to determine whether the tax positions are more-likely-than-not of being sustained upon examination by the applicable tax authority, based on the technical merits of the tax position, and then recognizing the tax benefit that is more-likely-than-not to be realized.
Interest and penalties on material uncertain tax positions are classified as interest expense and operating expense, respectively.
Loss contingencies
In accordance with ASC 450, Contingencies, estimated losses from contingencies are accrued when both of the following conditions are met: (1) it is probable a loss has been incurred; and (2) the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. Any legal fees are recognized as incurred.
Revision of previously issued financial statements
In preparing fiscal year 2023 financial statements, we identified an error in our 2022 consolidated financial statements consisting of an understatement of deferred tax liabilities of $7.8 million, and overstatement of income tax benefit of $7.4 million and overstatement of other comprehensive loss of $0.4 million. We have concluded the error is not material to our fiscal year 2022 financial statements and have corrected the error in the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022 as well as the related disclosure in Note 9—Income Taxes. There was no impact to our total operating, investing or financing cash flows as presented in the consolidated statement of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements
In July 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-03 to amend various SEC paragraphs in the Accounting Standards Codification to primarily reflect the issuance of SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 120. ASU No. 2023-03, “Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205), Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220), Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480), Equity (Topic 505), and Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 120, SEC Staff Announcement at the March 24, 2022 EITF Meeting, and Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 6.B, Accounting Series Release 280 — General Revision of Regulation S-X: Income or Loss Applicable to Common Stock.” ASU 2023-03 amends the ASC for SEC updates pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 120; SEC Staff Announcement at the March 24, 2022 Emerging Issues Task Force Meeting; and Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 6.B, Accounting Series Release 280 — General Revision of Regulation S-X: Income or Loss Applicable to Common Stock. These updates were immediately effective and did not have a significant impact on our financial statements.
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, as amended by ASU No. 2021-01, which created Topic 848—Reference Rate Reform. ASU No. 2020-04 contains optional practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts which may be elected over time as activities occur. In December 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-06, which defers the sunset date of Topic 848 from December 31, 2022 to December 31, 2024, after which entities will no longer be permitted to apply the relief in Topic 848. An entity may elect to apply the amendments for contract modifications as of any date from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, or prospectively from a date within an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, up to the date that the financial statements are available to be issued. Topic 848 allows for different elections to be made at different points in time.
 
F-15

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
As a result of amendments to the First Lien Credit Agreement and Second Lien Credit Agreement in June 2023, pursuant to which LIBOR benchmark provisions were removed and replaced with Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) benchmark provisions, we elected to apply the optional expedients under Topic 848 to eligible debt and hedging relationships. This change from LIBOR to SOFR benchmark provisions did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. This amendment requires measurement and recognition of expected versus incurred losses for financial assets held. The amendment is effective for us for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We adopted the requirements of ASU 2016-13 as of January 1, 2023 on a modified retrospective basis. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In October 2021, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-08, “Business Combinations (Topic 805)—Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers”, which requires that at the acquisition date, an acquirer should account for the related revenue contracts in accordance with ASC Topic 606,“Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“Topic 606”), as if it had originated the contracts. Generally, this results in an acquirer recognizing and measuring the acquired contract assets and contract liabilities consistent with how they were recognized and measured in the acquiree’s financial statements if the acquiree prepared financial statements in accordance with U. S. GAAP. For public business entities, the ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption of the ASU is permitted. The Company early adopted ASU 2021-08 using a prospective approach and has carried over the contract assets and liabilities from the 2023 business acquisitions into the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2023. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-09, “Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures”, which requires disaggregated information about a reporting entity’s effective tax rate reconciliation as well as information on income taxes paid. The standard is intended to benefit investors by providing more detailed income tax disclosures that would be useful in making capital allocation decisions. For public business entities, the ASU will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. The guidance will be applied on a prospective basis with the option to apply the standard retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the effect of the adoption of this amendment on our consolidated financial statements.
In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-07, “Segment Reporting-Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures.” The standard is intended to improve reportable segment disclosure requirements, primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. For public business entities, the ASU will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023. The guidance will be applied retrospectively unless it is impracticable to do so. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the effect of the adoption of this amendment on our consolidated financial statements.
3. Revenue recognition
Disaggregation of revenue
The following table presents revenues disaggregated by revenue type and the timing of revenue recognition (in thousands):
 
F-16

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Year ended December 31,
Recognition
2023
2022
Subscription revenue
Over time
$ 401,013 $ 366,717
Volume-based revenue
Over time
386,276 335,452
Implementation services and other revenue
Various
3,721 2,705
Total revenues
$ 791,010 $ 704,874
Contract liabilities
We derive our revenue from contracts with clients primarily through subscription fees and volume-based fees. Our payment terms with the client generally comprise an initial payment for implementation services, which includes client enrollment and the setup of contracted solutions on our platform. These implementation fees are due upon contract execution. Additionally, subscription fees are earned on an ongoing basis, which are invoiced monthly.
Client payments received in advance of fulfilling the corresponding performance obligations are recorded as contract liabilities. Implementation fees are recognized over the customer life, with any unrecognized amounts deferred as contract liabilities. These amounts are reported as deferred revenue on our consolidated balance sheet.
The following table presents activity impacting deferred revenue balances (in thousands):
December 31,
2023
2022
Beginning balance
$ 16,454 $ 17,771
Revenue recognized
(9,900) (11,701)
Additional amounts deferred
10,554 10,384
Ending balance
$ 17,108 $ 16,454
Transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations
At December 31, 2023, the transaction price related to unsatisfied performance obligations that are expected to be recognized for the next 12 months and greater than 12 months was $23.8 million and $14.8 million, respectively.
The transaction price allocated to performance obligations that are unsatisfied (or partially unsatisfied) for executed contracts does not include revenue related to performance obligations that are part of a contract with an original expected duration of one year or less. Additionally, the balance does not include variable consideration that is allocated entirely to wholly unsatisfied promises that form part of a single performance obligation comprised of a series of distinct daily services.
Remaining performance obligation estimates are subject to change and are affected by several factors, including terminations and changes in the timing and scope of contracts, arising from contract modifications.
4. Fair value measurements and disclosures
The following table presents the fair value hierarchy for financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis (in thousands):
Balance Sheet Classification
Carrying value
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
December 31, 2023
Financial assets:
Interest rate swaps
Other current assets
$ 23,350 $ $ 23,350 $
 
F-17

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Balance Sheet Classification
Carrying value
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Financial liabilities:
Interest rate swaps
Other long-term liabilities
$ 2,472 $ $ 2,472 $
December 31, 2022
Financial assets:
Interest rate swaps
Other current assets;
other long-term assets
$ 39,529 $  — $ 39,529 $  —
The fair values of our interest rate swaps are based on the sum of all future net present value cash flows. The future cash flows are derived based on the terms of our interest rate swaps, as well as considering published discount factors, and projected SOFR. The fair value of long-term debt was determined using the present value of future cash flows based on the borrowing rates currently available for debt with similar terms and maturities. The carrying value of our first lien term loan facility was $1,730.8 million and $1,748.8 million compared to a fair value of $1,735.1 million and $1,716.0 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The carrying value of our second lien term loan facility approximated fair value at December 31, 2023 and 2022. There were no transfers in or out of Level 3 during years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
5. Acquisitions
HealthPay24 acquisition
On August 3, 2023, we completed the acquisition of all issued and outstanding membership interest of HealthPay24, which offers patient engagement and payment solutions. We accounted for the acquisition as a business combination using the acquisition method of accounting. The total consideration paid was allocated to the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired based on their fair values at the acquisition date. The excess consideration paid over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired was recorded as goodwill. Goodwill for the acquisition primarily represents future customer relationships. The goodwill is not deductible for tax purposes. We have included the financial results of HealthPay24 in the consolidated financial statements subsequent to the date of acquisition. Pro forma results, including the acquired business since the beginning of fiscal 2023, would not be materially different than the reported results. Revenue and net earnings since the completion of the acquisition were immaterial.
The acquisition date fair value of the consideration paid for HealthPay24 was $31.4 million which consisted of the following (in thousands):
Initial cash consideration
$ 31,374
Total
$ 31,374
 
F-18

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The following table summarizes the estimated fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date (in thousands):
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 1,374
Accounts receivable
1,772
Prepaid and other current assets
255
Other assets
229
Customer relationships
14,500
Developed technology
800
Tradenames and trademarks
400
Goodwill
13,935
Total acquired assets
$ 33,265
Other current liabilities
845
Deferred revenue
821
Other liabilities
225
Total acquired liabilities
$ 1,891
Total net assets acquired
$ 31,374
The fair values of the tangible assets were determined primarily using the income approach. The fair values of the acquired identifiable intangible assets were determined using Level 3 inputs such as discounted cash flows which are not observable in the market. Intangible assets acquired from the acquisition include customer relationships, developed technologies, and trade names and trademarks which are all amortized on a straight-line basis approximating the use of the assets. The useful lives of the acquired identifiable intangible assets are 19 years for customer relationships, 8 years for developed technology, and 2 years for trade names and trademarks. The weighted-average remaining useful life for all acquired intangibles is 12.1 years.
Total acquisition costs of $0.9 million were expensed as incurred and recorded in general and administrative expense in the statement of operations.
Olive AI acquisition
On October 31, 2023, we acquired certain assets of Olive AI, Inc.’s Clearinghouse and Patient Access businesses for total consideration of $10 million. We accounted for the Olive AI acquisition as a business combination using the acquisition method of accounting. As part of the acquisition, we recognized total intangible assets of $10.6 million, including goodwill of $6.5 million.
 
F-19

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
6. Property and equipment, net
The balances of the major classes of property and equipment are as follows (in thousands):
December 31
2023
2022
Building
$ 19,653 $ 19,653
Computer hardware
35,006 30,289
Capitalized internal-use software
25,567 15,692
Purchased computer software
22,079 20,133
Furniture and fixtures
2,980 2,594
Office equipment
211 196
Leasehold improvements
8,255 7,826
Capital lease asset
2,994 2,994
Construction in progress
15 15
Internal-use software in progress
13,626 8,529
130,386 107,921
Accumulated depreciation
(69,127) (52,065)
$ 61,259 $ 55,856
Depreciation of fixed assets, including the amortization of capitalized software, for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $17.1 million and $15.7 million, respectively.
We capitalized $15.0 million and $10.9 million in software development costs for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Amortization of capitalized software was $6.8 million and $5.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The net book value of capitalized software development costs was $23.4 million and $15.3 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
There were no impairments of property and equipment for the year ended December 31, 2023. For the year ended December 31, 2022, we recorded impairment expense of $4.6 million related to leasehold improvements at closed office locations as general and administrative expense in our consolidated statement of operations.
7. Goodwill and other intangible assets
The following table details the cost basis changes in the carrying amount of goodwill (in thousands):
Balance as of December 31, 2021
$ 3,009,769
Decreases due to measurement period adjustments related to prior year acquisitions
(211)
Balance as of December 31, 2022
3,009,558
Goodwill recorded in connection with acquisition (Note 5)
20,455
Balance as of December 31, 2023
$ 3,030,013
 
F-20

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Amortization for definite-lived intangible assets is as follows (in thousands, except useful life):
Gross Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Net Carrying
Value
Weighted-Average
Remaining
Useful Life
As of December 31, 2023
Customer relationships
$ 1,429,400 $ (345,848) $ 1,083,552 12.3
Purchased developed technology
301,100 (221,558) 79,542 3.0
Tradenames and trademarks
40,700 (16,857) 23,842 6.0
Total
$ 1,771,200 $ (584,263) $ 1,186,936
Gross Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Net Carrying
Value
Weighted-Average
Remaining
Useful Life
As of December 31, 2022
Customer relationships
$ 1,412,100 $ (251,797) $ 1,160,303 13.0
Purchased developed technology
299,400 (165,117) 134,283 3.3
Tradenames and trademarks
54,800 (22,844) 31,956 5.9
Total
$ 1,766,300 $ (439,758) $ 1,326,542
Amortization expense was $159.4 million and $167.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Estimated future amortization expense is as follows (in thousands):
Year Ending December 31,
2024
$ 147,888
2025
110,093
2026
103,831
2027
103,831
2028
103,831
Thereafter
617,462
Total
$ 1,186,936
 
F-21

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
8. Leases
We determine whether a contract is or contains a lease at inception. At the lease commencement date, we record a liability for the lease obligation and a corresponding asset representing the right to use the underlying asset over the lease term. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the consolidated balance sheet and are recognized in expense using a straight-line basis for all asset classes. Variable lease payments are expensed as incurred, which primarily include maintenance costs, services provided by the lessor, and other charges reimbursed to the lessor.
We lease office space and data center facilities with remaining lease terms ranging from one year to 10 years, some of which contain renewal options. The exercise of these options is at our sole discretion.
Certain of our leases contain lease and non-lease components. For leases held on or after January 1, 2022, we have elected the practical expedient under ASC 842-10-15-37 for all asset classes which allows companies to account for lease and non-lease components as a single lease component.
Our leases do not contain an implicit rate of return; therefore, an incremental borrowing rate was determined. We assessed which rate would be most reflective of a reasonable rate we would be able to borrow based on credit rating and lease term.
Finance lease right-of-use assets of $16.0 million and $17.6 million as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, are included in property and equipment, net on the consolidated balance sheet.
The following table presents components of lease expense for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
Year ended December 31,
2023
2022
Finance lease cost
Amortization of right-of-use assets
$ 1,586 $ 1,586
Interest on lease liabilities
797 843
Operating lease cost
3,780 3,554
Variable lease cost
360 1,020
Short-term lease
781 1,795
Total lease cost
$ 7,304 $ 8,798
Maturities of lease liabilities as of December 31, 2023 are as follows (in thousands):
Operating leases
Finance leases
2024 $ 5,151 $ 1,572
2025 4,898 1,604
2026 4,246 1,641
2027 2,004 1,678
2028 1,845 1,714
Thereafter
2,764 9,309
Total future minimum lease payments
20,908 17,518
Less: Interest
2,232 4,503
Total
$ 18,676 $ 13,015
Supplemental cash flow information related to leases for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 are as follows (in thousands):
 
F-22

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Year ended December 31,
2023
2022
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows for operating leases
$ 5,400 $ 4,671
Financing cash flows for financing leases
1,547 1,547
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new lease liabilities:
Operating leases
$ 2,284 $ 875
Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 are as follows:
Year ended December 31,
2023
2022
Weighted average remaining lease term (years):
Operating leases
4.9 5.8
Financing leases
10.1 11.1
Weighted average discount rate:
Operating leases
4.4 4.2
Financing leases
5.9 5.9
For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recorded no impairment expense related to right-of-use assets at closed office space. For the year ended December 31, 2022, we recorded impairment expense of $6.2 million related to right-of-use assets at closed office space as general and administrative expense in our consolidated statement of operations.
9. Income taxes
The provision for income taxes consisted of the following for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
2023
2022
Current tax expense:
Federal
$ 36,277 $ 3,388
State
12,888 9,300
Total current tax expense
49,165 12,688
Provision for uncertain tax positions
Deferred tax (benefit):
Federal
(53,382) (21,978)
State
(8,283) (5,130)
Total deferred tax benefit
(61,665) (27,108)
Income tax benefit
$ (12,500) $ (14,420)
 
F-23

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The reconciliation between the statutory income tax rate and the effective income tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 are as follows:
2023
2022
Statutory rate
21%
21%
State income tax, net of federal tax effect
-3%
-3%
Tax credits
4%
7%
Change in uncertain tax liability
-1%
-2%
Other
-1%
-1%
Effective tax rate
20%
22%
The tax effects of temporary differences that gave rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at December 31, 2023 and 2022 are as follows (in thousands):
2023
2022
Deferred tax assets:
State tax credits
$ 827 $ 869
Federal tax credits
7,007
Accrued bonus
3,535 3,676
Stock based compensation
7,252 5,178
Accrued revenue, expenses, deferrals and other
2,219
Interest expense
91,265 61,494
Other
2,171 1,637
Capitalized R&D costs
20,604 10,823
Lease Liability
4,632 5,373
Software development costs
526
Net operating loss
15,848 17,838
Valuation allowance
(197) (197)
Total deferred tax assets
146,463 115,917
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation of property and equipment
5,366 6,218
Software development costs
1,140
Transaction costs
15
Amortization
289,269 323,409
Other prepaid expenses
1,905 914
ROU Asset
2,561 2,892
Accrued revenue, expenses, deferrals and other
268
Deferred rent
96
Interest rate swap
5,069 9,634
Other
16,394 12,470
Total deferred liabilities
320,943 356,677
Net deferred tax liability
$ (174,480) $ (240,760)
 
F-24

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The following is a reconciliation of beginning and ending unrecognized tax benefits, including associated interest and penalties for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
2023
2022
Beginning balance
$ 2,814 $ 1,906
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year
319 177
Reductions based on tax positions related to the current year
(39) 731
Additions for positions related to prior years
Reductions for tax positions of prior years
Ending balance
$ 3,094 $ 2,814
As of December 31, 2023, there is no unrecognized benefit that if recognized would affect the effective rate. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized no expense for interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits. The above unrecognized tax benefits are recorded as an increase in the deferred tax liability in the accompanying balance sheet. Years 2019 to 2022 remain open to examination by federal, state, or local tax authorities.
At December 31, 2023, we had net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards, consisting of approximately $5.8 million of tax effected Federal NOLs that expire beginning in 2029 and $10.1 million of tax effected state NOLs net of federal benefit that expire beginning in 2029, limited under provisions of Internal Revenue Code Section 382.
The following table details the changes in the valuation allowance for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
State
attributes
December 31, 2023
Beginning balance
$ 197
Increase/(Decrease)
Ending balance
$ 197
December 31, 2022
Beginning balance
$ 564
Increase/(Decrease)
(367)
Ending balance
$ 197
At December 31, 2023, we had no remaining federal R&D tax credit carryforwards. We had a partial valuation allowance on our state credits of $0.2 million at December 31, 2023.
10. Accounts receivable securitization
On August 13, 2021, we entered into a receivables financing agreement with a counterparty as the lender, which provided for a three-year receivables facility with a limit of $50.0 million (the “Receivables Facility”). On May 22, 2023, we amended the Receivables Facility to replace all LIBOR-based interest rates applicable to the Receivables Facility with a Term SOFR-based rate plus a credit spread adjustment of 0.11%. On October 31, 2023, we increased our borrowing capacity to $80 million and extended the maturity date of the Receivables Facility to October 31, 2026. On November 29, 2023, we drew $20 million on the Receivables Facility to paydown $20 million on the Second Lien Credit Facility. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, $70 million and $50 million was outstanding under the Receivables Facility, respectively.
Pursuant to the Receivables Facility, we sell and/or contribute current and future receivables to Waystar RC, LLC as the Special Purpose Entity (“SPE”). The SPE, in turn, pledges its interests in the receivables to the counterparty, which either makes loans or issues letters of credit on behalf of the SPE.
 
F-25

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
All receivables remain on our balance sheet as they continue to be the property of our consolidated entities under the securitization.
The interest rate under the Receivables Facility is 2.36% per annum above the SOFR rate with a minimum base of 0%. The SOFR is adjusted each thirty-day period to the thirty-day SOFR rate. Interest under the Receivables Facility is paid monthly in arrears. At December 31, 2023, the effective interest rate for the Receivables Facility is 7.47%.
All principal under the Receivables Facility is due on October 31, 2026.
The Receivables Facility contains certain covenants which, among other things, require we maintain certain collection thresholds with respect to our accounts receivable. We were in compliance with all such debt covenants during the periods presented.
11. Debt
Debt instruments consist primarily of term notes, revolving lines of credit, and a Receivables Facility as follows (in thousands):
Year ended December 31,
2023
2022
First lien term loan facility outstanding debt
$ 1,730,816 $ 1,748,798
Second lien term loan facility outstanding debt
448,000 468,000
Receivables Facility outstanding debt
70,000 50,000
Total outstanding debt
2,248,816 2,266,798
Unamoritzed debt issuance costs
(31,155) (40,907)
Current portion of long-term debt
(17,983) (17,983)
Total long-term debt, net
$ 2,199,678 $ 2,207,908
First and Second Lien Term Loan Facilities
On October 22, 2019, we entered into a first lien credit agreement (the “First Lien Credit Agreement”), which initially provided for a first lien term loan of $825.0 million and a revolving credit facility of $125.0 million. On December 2, 2019, we increased the first lien term loans by $100.0 million (“2019 Incremental First Lien Term Loans”) to a total of $925.0 million. On September 23, 2020, we increased the first lien term loans by an incremental $620.0 million (“2020 Incremental First Lien Term Loans”) to a total of $1,545.0 million and the revolving credit facility by an incremental $75.0 million to a total of $200.0 million. On March 24, 2021, we entered into a debt repricing agreement (“2021 Debt Repricing”) related to the 2020 Incremental First Lien Term Loans to take advantage of preferential market rates, aligning its rates with the rest of the 2019 First Lien Term Loans. On August 24, 2021, we increased the first lien term loans by an incremental $247.0 million (the “2021 Incremental First Lien Term Loans”) to a total of $1,792.0 million in conjunction with the acquisition of Patientco. On June 1, 2023, we amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to replace all LIBOR-based interest rates applicable to borrowings under the revolving credit facility with a Term SOFR-based rate plus a credit spread adjustment of 0.11%. On June 23, 2023, we amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to replace all LIBOR-based interest rates applicable to the first lien term loans with a Term SOFR-based rate plus a credit spread adjustment of 0.11%. On October 6, 2023, we executed the Seventh Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement increasing the credit available on the Revolving Credit Facility from $200.0 million to $342.5 million, as well as extending the maturity date. We refer to the term loan facilities under the First Lien Credit Agreement as the “First Lien Credit Facility” and the revolving credit facility under the First Lien Credit Agreement as the “Revolving Credit Facility.” The First Lien Credit Facility matures on October 21, 2026, and the Revolving Credit Facility matures on October 6, 2028. Our lenders under the First Lien Credit Facility include Bain Affiliated Funds and CPPIB Credit Investments III Inc., affiliates of Bain Capital LP and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, respectively (together,
 
F-26

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
the “Affiliated Debtholders”). See Note 13, Related Party Transactions. Substantially all of our assets are pledged as collateral under the debt.
On October 22, 2019, we entered into a second lien credit agreement (the “Second Lien Credit Agreement”), which initially provided for a second lien term loan of $255.0 million. On September 23, 2020, we increased the second lien term loan by an incremental $190.0 million (“2020 Incremental Second Lien Term Loan”) to a total of $445.0 million. On August 24, 2021, we increased the second lien term loan by an incremental $70.0 million to a total of $515.0 million in conjunction with the acquisition of Patientco (“2021 Incremental Second Lien Term Loan”). We refer to the term loan facilities under the Second Lien Credit Agreement as the “Second Lien Credit Facility.” The Second Lien Credit Facility matures on October 21, 2027. On June 27, 2023, we amended the Second Lien Credit Agreement to replace all LIBOR-based interest rates applicable to the second lien term loans with a Term SOFR-based rate plus a credit spread adjustment of 0.11%.
The interest rate under the First Lien Credit Facility is 4.11% per annum above the SOFR rate with a minimum base of 0.00%. The interest rate with regard to the initial term loans under the Second Lien Credit Facility is 7.86% per annum above the SOFR rate with a minimum base of 0.00%. The interest rate under the 2020 Incremental Second Lien Term Loan is 8.11% per annum above the SOFR rate with a minimum base of 1.00%. The interest rate under the 2021 Incremental Second Lien Term Loan is 7.11% per annum above the SOFR rate with a minimum base of 0.75%. The SOFR is adjusted each thirty-day period to the thirty-day SOFR rate. Interest under the First Lien Credit Facility and Second Lien Credit Facility is paid monthly in arrears. At December 31, 2023, the effective interest rates for the First Lien Credit Facility and Second Lien Credit Facility are 4.59% and 8.31%, respectively.
Principal on the First Lien Credit Facility is payable in 26 equal quarterly installments with the remaining balance to be paid on October 21, 2026. As of December 31, 2023, there are 11 payments remaining. All principal under the Second Lien Credit Facility is due on October 21, 2027. The First Lien Credit Agreement and Second Lien Credit Agreement contain certain covenants which, among other things, restrict our ability to incur additional indebtedness. We were in compliance with all such debt covenants during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
The maturity of long-term debt principal payments (excluding debt discount) at December 31, 2023 is as follows (in thousands):
Year ending December 31,
2024 $ 17,983
2025 17,983
2026 1,764,850
2027
448,000
$ 2,248,816
Debt Issuance Costs
In connection with the 2021 Debt Repricing, we capitalized fees and other costs totaling $0.8 million. In connection with the 2021 Incremental First Lien Term Loans and 2021 Incremental Second Lien Term Loans, we capitalized fees and other costs totaling $9.4 million in conjunction with the Patientco acquisition. In connection with the Seventh Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement, we capitalized fees and other costs totaling $1.4 million. In connection with the Receivables Facility, we capitalized fees and other costs totaling $0.8 million. In connection with the first amendment to the Receivables Facility, we capitalized fees and other costs totaling $0.2 million. For the year ended December 31, 2022, we expensed previously capitalized fees and other debt issuance costs totaling $1.1 million as part of a $47.0 million paydown on our second lien term loans. For the year ended December 31, 2023, we expensed previously capitalized fees and other debt issuance costs totaling $0.4 million as part of a $20.0 million paydown on the Second Lien Credit Facility. These costs were recognized as
 
F-27

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
losses on extinguishment of debt in general and administrative expense in our consolidated statement of operations. We have unamortized debt issuance costs of $31.2 million and $40.9 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
In connection with the Revolving Credit Facility, unamortized debt issuance costs were $2.4 million and $1.8 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
12. Derivative financial instruments
To mitigate the risk of a rise in interest rates on the First Lien Credit Facility, we originally entered into two interest rate swaps on November 12, 2019. These swaps matured on November 30, 2022. To continue active mitigation of this risk, we entered into two additional interest rate swaps on October 13, 2021 and January 13, 2023. We attempt to minimize our interest risk exposure by fixing our rate through the utilization of interest rate swaps, which are derivative instruments. The interest rate swaps mitigate the exposure on the variable component of interest on our First Lien Credit Facility. Our swaps are entered into with financial institutions that participate in the First Lien Credit Facility. By using a derivative instrument to hedge exposures to changes in interest rates, we expose ourselves to credit risk due to the possible failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we have the following interest rate swap agreement designated as a hedging instrument:
Effective dates
Floating rate debt
Fixed rates
October 29, 2021 through October 31, 2024
$604.1 million
0.67%
As of December 31, 2023, we have the following interest rate swap agreement designated as a hedging instrument:
Effective dates
Floating rate debt
Fixed rates
January 31, 2023 through January 31, 2026
$506.7 million
3.87%
The gain or loss on the swaps is recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss and reclassified into earnings as adjustments to interest expense in the same period or periods during which the swaps affect earnings. Gains or losses on the swaps representing hedge components excluded from the assessment of effectiveness are recognized in current earnings.
The following table provides information on the location and amounts of our swaps designated as hedging instruments in the accompanying consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
Interest rate swap derivatives
Balance sheet location
Fair value
December 31, 2023
Fair value
December 31, 2022
Other current assets
$ 23,350 $ 23,881
Other long-term assets
$ $ 15,648
Other long-term liabilities
$ 2,472 $
 
F-28

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
The effect of derivative instruments designated as hedging instruments on the accompanying consolidated financial statements is as follows (in thousands):
Derivatives—Cash Flow Hedging
Relationships
Amount of Gain or
(Loss) Recognized
in AOCI/AOCL on
Derivative
Location of Gain or
(Loss) Reclassified
from AOCI/AOCL
into Income
Amount of Gain or
(Loss) Reclassified
from AOCI/AOCL
into Income
Total interest
Expense on
Consolidated
Statements of
Operations
Interest rate swaps:
2023
$ (14,036)
Interest Expense
$ 31,386 $ (205,917)
2022
$ 30,327
Interest Expense
$ 5,244 $ (155,325)
The net amount of accumulated other comprehensive income expected to be reclassified to interest income in the next twelve months is $17.7 million.
In June 2023, as a result of amendments to the First Lien Credit Agreement and Second Lien Credit Agreement to replace all LIBOR-based interest rates with a Term SOFR-based rate plus credit spread adjustment of 0.11%, we amended our interest rate swap agreements. Pursuant to which the LIBOR benchmark provisions were removed and replaced with Term SOFR benchmark provisions, we elected to apply the optional expedients under Topic 848 to eligible hedging relationships.
13. Related party transactions
At December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had $65.3 million and $109.3 million, respectively, of outstanding debt as part of the First Lien Credit Facility from Affiliated Debtholders. Interest expense associated with and paid to Affiliated Debtholders was $7.6 million and $6.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board has an ownership interest in us and a significant interest in the landlord that leases us office space under an operating lease agreement in Houston, Texas. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we expensed $0.3 million and $0.2 million, respectively, for this office space lease in general and administrative expense.
Bain Capital LP has an ownership interest in us and a significant interest in some clients for whom we provide software solutions. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we earned revenue of $1.5 million from four clients and $1.4 million from two clients, respectively. They also have an ownership interest in us and a significant interest in a vendor that provides us with software solutions. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we expensed $0.4 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for software services from this vendor in cost of revenue expense.
14. Common stock
We have authorized the issuance of 220,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share and 2,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.01. There are 200,401,461 and 200,386,661 common stock shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. There are 722,344 Class A common stock shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. Both common stock and Class A common stock have the same dividend and liquidation rights. However, each share of common stock is entitled to one vote and each share of the Class A common stock is not entitled to a vote.
15. Retirement plans
We maintain qualified 401(k) plans which cover substantially all employees meeting certain eligibility requirements. Participants may contribute a portion of their compensation to the plans, up to the maximum amount permitted under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Under these plans, we contribute various percentages of employees’ salaries to the plans. Total expenses included in operating expenses in the
 
F-29

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
accompanying consolidated statement of operations related to the plans were $4.1 million and $3.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
16. Stock-based compensation
Stock Plans
On October 22, 2019, the Board of Directors approved the Derby TopCo, Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan (“Derby TopCo, Inc. Plan”). Under this plan, we can issue up to 16.4 million options or other equity awards. The granted awards contain service criteria, performance criteria, market conditions, or a combination thereof for vesting and have a 10-year contractual term. Options with a service condition generally vest over 5 years with 20% vesting in equal vesting installments. Options with a performance condition and a market condition vest based upon a change in control, initial public offering, or a sponsor distribution or deemed return if the investors have achieved specified levels of return on investment. In addition, as part of a change in control in 2019, 6.3 million fully vested rollover options remain outstanding.
We recorded $8.8 million and $8.0 million of stock-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We expect to incur compensation expense of approximately $16.6 million over a weighted average of 2.5 years for all unvested time-based awards outstanding at December 31, 2023.
Stock-based compensation expense was recorded in the following cost and expense categories in the consolidated statements of operations:
Year ended December 31,
2023
2022
Cost of revenue
$ 645 $ 478
General and administrative
1,303 4,567
Sales and marketing
1,866 1,776
Research and development
5,034 1,182
Total
8,848 8,003
Stock Options
We utilize the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the fair value of the service condition options and the Monte Carlo pricing model to estimate the fair value of the performance condition options. We value both types of options at the grant date using the following assumptions:

Risk-free interest rate—reflects the average rate on the United States Treasury bond with maturity equal to the expected term of the option;

Expected dividend yield—as we do not currently pay dividends or expect to pay dividends in the near future, the expected dividend yield is zero;

Expected term of stock award—is based on historical experience that is modified based on expected future changes; and

Expected volatility in stock price—reflects the historical volatility of comparable public companies over the expected term of the stock option.
The weighted average grant date fair value of options granted during the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $11.89 and $9.47 per share, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, we had 11.5 million fully vested options with a weighted average exercise price of $6.25 per share, an aggregate intrinsic value of $187.4 million and an average remaining contractual term of 4.8 years. The total fair value of options vested during 2023 and 2022 were $8.5 million and $7.2 million, respectively.
 
F-30

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
At December 31, 2023, we did not believe the vesting of performance condition options criteria was probable and, therefore, no stock-based compensation has been recorded for our performance based options. Once vesting performance criteria becomes probable, the amortization of the fair value will commence and be recorded as compensation expense. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to the performance condition options subject to the vesting conditions being met was approximately $33.3 million and $34.3 million, respectively.
Information pertaining to option activity (including rollover options) during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 is as follows:
Number
of options
Weighted average
exercise price
per share
Weighted average
remaining
contractual life
Outstanding December 31, 2021
20,436,969 $ 8.32 7.4
Granted
1,908,000 20.02
Exercised
(56,465) 12.38
Canceled
(597,300) 15.87
Outstanding December 31, 2022
21,691,204 9.13 6.6
Granted
345,000 23.26
Exercised
(64,800) 13.01
Canceled
(430,000) 16.36
Outstanding December 31, 2023
21,541,404 9.20 5.7
The following is a summary of the significant assumptions used in estimating the fair value of both the service and performance options granted the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
2023
2022
Risk free interest rate
3.51%–4.55%
1.65%–4.29%
Expected dividend yield
0%
0%
Expected term of stock award
1.2–5
1.4–5
Expected volatility in stock price
51.64%–55%
50.46%–55%
During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised (the difference between the fair market value of our stock on the date of exercise and the exercise price) was approximately $0.4 million and $0.3 million, respectively. At December 31, 2023, 1.0 million options were available for future grant under the plans.
17. Other accrued expenses
Other accrued expenses consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31,
2023
2022
Other taxes payable
$ 3,506 $ 2,338
Accrued severance
8 463
Retirement plan payable
497 635
Accrued self insurance claims
993 821
Other
5,919 3,785
Total
$ 10,923 $ 8,042
18. Loss per share
A reconciliation of the numerators and the denominators of the basic and diluted per share computations are as follows:
 
F-31

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Year ended December 31,
2023
2022
Basic loss per share:
Net loss
$ (51,334) $ (51,455)
Net loss attributable to common shares
$ (51,334) $ (51,455)
Weighted average common stock outstanding–(voting)
200,394,070 200,409,510
Weighted average common stock outstanding–(non-voting)
722,344 722,344
Basic weighted average common stock outstanding
201,116,414 201,131,854
Basic loss per share
$ (0.26) $ (0.26)
Diluted loss per share:
Net loss
$ (51,334) $ (51,455)
Net loss attributable to common shares
$ (51,334) $ (51,455)
Weighted average common stock outstanding–(voting)
200,394,070 200,409,510
Weighted average common stock outstanding–(non-voting)
722,344 722,344
Diluted weighted average common stock outstanding
201,116,414 201,131,854
Diluted loss per share
$ (0.26) $ (0.26)
Because of their anti-dilutive effect, 115,352 and 100,310 common share equivalents comprised of stock options have been excluded from the diluted earnings per share calculation for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
19. Commitments and contingencies
We may be subject to legal proceedings, claims, asserted or unasserted, and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. We do not, however, currently expect that the ultimate costs to resolve any pending matter will have a material effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
20. Subsequent events
We have evaluated subsequent events through March 1, 2024, the date the financial statements were available to be issued.
On February 9, 2024, we executed the Eighth Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement whereby we extended the maturity date of the First Lien Credit Facility to October 22, 2029 and refinanced the outstanding balance on the facility resulting in a new outstanding loan balance of $2.2 billion. We utilized $449.6 million of the amended First Lien Credit Facility to paydown the remaining principal and interest on the Second Lien Credit Facility.
No other significant subsequent events have occurred through the date the financial statements were available to be issued.
 
F-32

TABLE OF CONTENTS
           shares
[MISSING IMAGE: lg_waystar-4c.jpg]
Waystar Holding Corp.
Common Stock
Prospectus
J.P. Morgan Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC Barclays
William Blair
Evercore ISI
BofA Securities
RBC Capital Markets
Deutsche Bank Securities
Canaccord GenuityRaymond James
           , 2024
Through and including the 25th day after the date of this prospectus, all dealers that effect transactions in these shares of common stock, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligations to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13.   Other expenses of issuance and distribution
The following table sets forth the expenses payable by the Registrant expected to be incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the common stock being registered hereby (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions). All of such expenses are estimates, except for the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) registration fee, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (“FINRA”) filing fee, and the stock exchange listing fee.
SEC registration fee
$       *
FINRA filing fee
*
Listing fee
*
Printing fees and expenses
*
Legal fees and expenses
*
Accounting fees and expenses
*
Blue Sky fees and expenses (including legal fees)
*
Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses
*
Miscellaneous
*
Total
$ *
*   To be completed by amendment.
Item 14.   Indemnification of directors and officers
Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) allows a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation will not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached the duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend, or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide for this limitation of liability.
Section 145 of the DGCL (“Section 145”) provides, among other things, that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was, is or is threatened to be made, party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was an officer, director, employee, or agent of such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such person acted in good faith, and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who were or are a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit, provided such person acted in good faith, and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, provided further that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer, director, employee, or agent is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him or her against the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) which such officer or director has actually and reasonably incurred.
 
II-1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Section 145 further authorizes a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the power to indemnify such person under Section 145.
Our amended and restated bylaws will provide that we must indemnify, and advance expenses to, our directors and officers to the full extent authorized by the DGCL. We also intend to enter into indemnification agreements with our directors, which agreements will require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified.
The indemnification rights set forth above shall not be exclusive of any other right which an indemnified person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our amended and restated bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders, or disinterested directors or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we shall not be obligated to indemnify a director or officer in respect of a proceeding (or part thereof) instituted by such director or officer, unless such proceeding (or part thereof) has been authorized by our board of directors pursuant to the applicable procedure outlined in the amended and restated bylaws.
Section 174 of the DGCL provides, among other things, that a director, who willfully or negligently approves of an unlawful payment of dividends or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption, may be held jointly and severally liable for such actions. A director who was either absent when the unlawful actions were approved or dissented at the time may avoid liability by causing his or her dissent to such actions to be entered in the books containing the minutes of the meetings of the board of directors at the time such action occurred or immediately after such absent director receives notice of the unlawful acts.
We expect to maintain standard policies of insurance that provide coverage (1) to our directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act and (2) to us with respect to indemnification payments that we may make to such directors and officers.
The underwriting agreement will provide for indemnification by the underwriters of us and our officers and directors, and by us of the underwriters, for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act or otherwise in connection with this offering.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us under any of the foregoing provisions, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 15.   Recent sales of securities
Within the past three years, the Registrant has granted or issued the following securities of the Registrant which were not registered under the Securities Act:

In September 2020, the Registrant issued an aggregate of 722,344 shares of its common stock to certain accredited investors, at a price per share of $14.00, for gross proceeds of approximately $10.1 million.

In September 2020, the Registrant issued an aggregate of 39,130,692 shares of its common stock to certain accredited investors, at a price per share of $14.00, for gross proceeds of approximately $547.8 million.

In July 2021, the Registrant issued an aggregate of 29,412 shares of its common stock to certain accredited investors, at a price per share of $17.00, for gross proceeds of approximately $0.5 million.

In August 2021, the Registrant issued an aggregate of 714,998 shares of its common stock to certain accredited investors, at a price per share of $17.00, for gross proceeds of approximately $12.2 million.
 
II-2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

In November 2021, the Registrant issued an aggregate of 8,824 shares of its common stock to certain accredited investors, at a price per share of $17.00, for gross proceeds of approximately $0.2 million.

Since January 1, 2021, the Registrant has granted an aggregate of 4,271,766 stock options to employees, directors, and consultants under the Registrant’s 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, with per share exercise prices ranging from $4.25 to $24.00.
None of the foregoing transactions involved any underwriters, underwriting discounts or commissions, or any public offering. Unless otherwise stated, the sales of the above securities were deemed to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance upon Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (or Regulation D or Regulation S promulgated thereunder) or Rule 701 promulgated under Section 3(b) of the Securities Act as transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering or pursuant to benefit plans and contracts relating to compensation as provided under Rule 701. The recipients of the securities in each of these transactions represented their intentions to acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof and appropriate legends were placed upon the stock certificates issued in these transactions.
Item 16.   Exhibits and financial statement schedules
(a)   Exhibits.
See the Exhibit Index immediately preceding the signature pages hereto, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
(b)   Financial Statement Schedules.
None.
Item 17.   Undertakings.
(1)   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(2)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:
(A)   For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b) (1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(B)   For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
 
II-3

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
number
Description
1.1**
3.1* Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Waystar Holding Corp., to be in effect upon the completion of this offering.
3.2* Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of Waystar Holding Corp., to be in effect upon the completion of this offering.
5.1* Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.
10.1* Form of Stockholders Agreement among Waystar Holding Corp. and the other parties named therein, to be in effect upon the completion of this offering.
10.2* Form of Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement by and among Waystar Holding Corp. and the other parties named therein, to be in effect upon the completion of this offering.
10.3** First Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of October 22, 2019, among Derby Merger Sub, Inc., BNVC Group Holdings, Inc., Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.), Derby Parent, Inc., BNVC Holdings, Inc., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Issuing Bank, Barclays Bank PLC, as Issuing Bank, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Issuing Bank, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
10.4** First Amendment, dated as of December 2, 2019, to the First Lien Credit Agreement, among BNVC Holdings, Inc. (as successor to Derby Parent, Inc.), Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.) (as successor to Derby Merger Sub, Inc. and BNVC Group Holdings, Inc.), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Issuing Bank, Barclays Bank PLC, as Issuing Bank, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Issuing Bank, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
10.5** Second Amendment, dated as of September 23, 2020, to the First Lien Credit Agreement, among BNVC Holdings, Inc. (as successor to Derby Parent, Inc.), Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.) (as successor to Derby Merger Sub, Inc. and BNVC Group Holdings, Inc.), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Issuing Bank, Barclays Bank PLC, as Issuing Bank, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Issuing Bank, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
10.6** Third Amendment, dated as of March 24, 2021, to the First Lien Credit Agreement, among BNVC Holdings, Inc. (as successor to Derby Parent, Inc.), Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.) (as successor to Derby Merger Sub, Inc. and BNVC Group Holdings, Inc.), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Issuing Bank, Barclays Bank PLC, as Issuing Bank, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Issuing Bank, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
10.7** Fourth Amendment, dated as of August 24, 2021, to the First Lien Credit Agreement, among BNVC Holdings, Inc. (as successor to Derby Parent, Inc.), Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.) (as successor to Derby Merger Sub, Inc. and BNVC Group Holdings, Inc.), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Issuing Bank, Barclays Bank PLC, as Issuing Bank, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Issuing Bank, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
10.8** Fifth Amendment, dated as of June 1, 2023, to the First Lien Credit Agreement, among BNVC Holdings, Inc. (as successor to Derby Parent, Inc.), Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.) (as successor to Derby Merger Sub, Inc. and BNVC Group Holdings, Inc.), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Issuing Bank, Barclays Bank PLC, as Issuing Bank, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Issuing Bank, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
10.9** Sixth Amendment, dated as of June 23, 2023, to the First Lien Credit Agreement, among BNVC Holdings, Inc. (as successor to Derby Parent, Inc.), Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.) (as successor to Derby Merger Sub, Inc. and BNVC Group Holdings, Inc.), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Issuing Bank, Barclays Bank PLC, as Issuing Bank, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Issuing Bank, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
 
II-4

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Exhibit
number
Description
10.10** Seventh Amendment, dated as of October 6, 2023, to the First Lien Credit Agreement, among BNVC Holdings, Inc. (as successor to Derby Parent, Inc.), Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.) (as successor to Derby Merger Sub, Inc. and BNVC Group Holdings, Inc.), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Issuing Bank, Barclays Bank PLC as Issuing Bank, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Issuing Bank, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
10.11 Eighth Amendment, dated as of February 9, 2024, to the First Lien Credit Agreement, among BNVC Holdings, Inc. (as successor to Derby Parent, Inc.), Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.) (as successor to Derby Merger Sub, Inc. and BNVC Group Holdings, Inc.), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Issuing Bank, Barclays Bank PLC as Issuing Bank, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Issuing Bank, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
10.12**
10.13**
10.14**†
10.15**†
10.16**†
10.17**†
10.18*† Form of 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.
10.19*† Form of Director Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.
10.20*† Form of Employee Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.
10.21*† Form of Option Agreement under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.
10.22*† Form of Notice of Amendment to Outstanding Options Granted under the Derby TopCo, Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.
10.23*† Form of 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
10.24*† Employment Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2023, between Waystar Holding Corp. and Matthew J. Hawkins.
10.25*† Form of Employment Agreement of Eric L. (Ric) Sinclair III.
10.26*† Form of Employment Agreement of T. Craig Bridge.
21.1**
23.1
23.2* Consent of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1**
24.2 Power of Attorney — Priscilla Hung
99.1**
107**
*   To be filed by amendment.
** Previously filed.
†   Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
 
II-5

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Lehi, Utah, on March 22, 2024.
WAYSTAR HOLDING CORP.
By:
/s/ Matthew J. Hawkins   
Name: Matthew J. Hawkins
Title:    Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on March 22, 2024.
Signatures
Title
/s/ Matthew J. Hawkins   
Matthew J. Hawkins
Chief Executive Officer and Director
(principal executive officer)
/s/ Steven M. Oreskovich   
Steven M. Oreskovich
Chief Financial Officer
(principal financial officer and principal accounting officer)
*
Robert DeMichiei
Director
*
Michael Douglas
Director
*
John Driscoll
Director
/s/ Priscilla Hung   
Priscilla Hung
Director
*
Eric C. Liu
Director
*
Heidi G. Miller
Director
*
Paul Moskowitz
Director
*
Vivian E. Riefberg
Director
* By:
/s/ Matthew J. Hawkins
   Name:
Matthew J. Hawkins
   Title:
Attorney-in-Fact
 
II-6

 

Exhibit 10.11

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

     EIGHTH AMENDMENT, dated as of February 9, 2024 (this “Agreement”), to the First Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of October 22, 2019, as amended by the First Amendment thereto, dated as of December 2, 2019, the Second Amendment thereto, dated as of September 23, 2020, the Third Amendment thereto, dated as of March 24, 2021, the Fourth Amendment thereto, dated as of August 24, 2021, the Fifth Amendment thereto, dated as of June 1, 2023, the Sixth Amendment thereto, dated as of June 23, 2023, and the Seventh Amendment thereto, dated as of October 6, 2023 (as further amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Credit Agreement”; the Existing Credit Agreement, as amended by this Agreement, the “Amended Credit Agreement”), by and among Waystar Intermediate, Inc. (f/k/a BNVC Holdings, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the financial institutions from time to time party thereto as Lenders and Issuing Banks, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

A.            The Borrower has requested, (i) pursuant to Section 9.02(c)(i) of the Existing Credit Agreement, to incur Replacement Term Loans (the “Replacement Term Loans”) in an aggregate principal amount equal to $1,730,815,632.68, which shall replace in full all Term Loans outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement immediately prior to the effectiveness of this Agreement (the “Existing Term Loans”), (ii) pursuant to Section 2.22(a) of the Existing Credit Agreement, to incur Incremental Term Loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to $469,184,367.32 (the “Incremental Term Loans”) and (iii) that the Revolving Lenders and the New Term Lenders (as defined below) consent to certain modifications to the Existing Credit Agreement. The Replacement Term Loans and the Incremental Term Loans shall form part of the same Class and collectively constitute “Initial Term Loans” under the Amended Credit Agreement, such that the aggregate amount of Initial Term Loans following the Eighth Amendment Closing Date (as defined below) shall be $2,200,000,000; and which Initial Term Loans shall have the terms set forth in the Amended Credit Agreement. The Borrower has appointed JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC, BofA Securities, Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Goldman Sachs Bank USA and Royal Bank of Canada as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners for such term loan facility (the “New Term Loan Facility”).

 

B.            Each Person identified on the signature pages hereto as a Term Lender (each such Person, a “New Term Lender”) will be deemed to have irrevocably agreed and consented to the terms of this Agreement and the Amended Credit Agreement and hereby commits to provide Initial Term Loans to the Borrower on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date (the commitment of each New Term Lender to provide its applicable portion of the Initial Term Loans, as set forth on Schedule 1.01(a) to the Amended Credit Agreement attached hereto, is such New Term Lender’s “Initial Term Commitment”). Each Person identified on the signature pages hereto as a Revolving Lender will be deemed to have irrevocably agreed and consented to the terms of this Agreement and the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

 

 

 

C.            The Initial Term Loans will be used (a) to (i) refinance the Existing Term Loans, (ii) repay in full all of the outstanding term loans under the Second Lien Credit Agreement and (iii) pay the accrued interest, fees and transaction expenses associated with the foregoing and (b) to the extent of any remaining proceeds, for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its subsidiaries and for any other purpose not prohibited by the Amended Credit Agreement. Accordingly, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

SECTION 1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Agreement have the meanings assigned thereto in the Existing Credit Agreement or the Amended Credit Agreement, as the context requires. The provisions of Section 1.03 of the Amended Credit Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference herein, mutatis mutandis. This Agreement shall be a “Refinancing Amendment” and an “Incremental Facility Agreement” for all purposes of the Amended Credit Agreement, and shall be a “Loan Document” for all purposes of the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Each New Term Lender shall, upon the effectiveness of this Agreement in accordance with Section 5 hereof, be a party to the Amended Credit Agreement, have the rights and obligations of a Lender thereunder, and shall be a “Term Lender” and an “Initial Term Lender” for all purposes of the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

SECTION 2. New Term Lenders; Administrative Agent Authorization.

 

(a)  On the terms set forth herein and in the Amended Credit Agreement and subject to the conditions set forth herein, each New Term Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement, (i) irrevocably agrees to the terms of this Agreement and the Amended Credit Agreement and (ii) upon the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, irrevocably agrees to make an Initial Term Loan to the Borrower in an aggregate principal amount equal to its Initial Term Commitment. The commitments and the undertakings of each New Term Lender are several.

 

(b)  The Initial Term Loans shall have the terms set forth in the Amended Credit Agreement and shall constitute “Term Loans” and “Initial Term Loans” thereunder and under the other Loan Documents. From and after the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, the New Term Lenders shall constitute “Term Lenders”, “Initial Term Lenders” and “Lenders” for all purposes of the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

(c)  The proceeds of the Initial Term Loans will be used by the Borrower to (i) prepay in full the Existing Term Loans, (ii) repay in full all of the outstanding Second Lien Term Loans under the Second Lien Credit Agreement, (iii) pay the accrued interest, fees and transaction expenses associated with the foregoing, and (iv) to the extent of any remaining proceeds, for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its subsidiaries and for any other purpose not prohibited by the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

(d)  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) each New Term Lender that is a Term Lender under the Existing Credit Agreement and that has delivered its signature page hereto (each such New Term Lender, a “Converting Term Lender”) shall, in lieu of its requirement to make an Initial Term Loan in accordance with Section 2(a), be deemed to have made to the Borrower an Initial Term Loan on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Existing Term Loans of such Converting Term Lender immediately prior to the Eighth Amendment Closing Date (or such lesser amount as may be notified to such Converting Term Lender by the Administrative Agent prior to the Eighth Amendment Closing Date) and (ii) the Borrower shall, in lieu of its obligation to prepay the Existing Term Loans of such Converting Term Lender in accordance with Sections 2(c) and 2(e), be deemed to have prepaid such Converting Term Lender’s Existing Term Loans on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date in an aggregate principal amount equal to such Converting Term Lender’s Initial Term Commitment.

 

2 

 

 

(e)  Notwithstanding anything herein or in the Credit Agreement to the contrary, on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, the Borrower shall pay all accrued and unpaid interest and fees with respect to the Existing Term Loans, if any, outstanding immediately prior to such date. Each Converting Term Lender hereby waives any requirement by the Borrower to pay any amounts due and owing to it pursuant to Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement as a result of the transactions described in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) of this Section 2.

 

(f)  Administrative Agent Authorization. The Borrower and each New Term Lender hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to (i) determine all amounts, percentages and other information with respect to the Initial Term Commitments and Initial Term Loans of each New Term Lender and (ii) enter and complete all such amounts, percentages and other information in the Register. The Administrative Agent’s determination and entry and completion shall be conclusive evidence of the existence, amounts, percentages and other information with respect to the obligations of the Borrower under the Amended Credit Agreement, in each case, absent manifest error.

 

SECTION 3. Amendments to the Credit Agreement. Immediately following the effectiveness of the New Term Loan Facility pursuant to Section 2 above, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Section 5 hereof, (i) the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the stricken test (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: stricken text) and adding the underlined text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: underlined text) as set forth on Annex A attached hereto and (ii) each of the applicable Schedules to the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the corresponding numbered Schedule as set forth on Annex B attached hereto.

 

SECTION 4. Representations and Warranties. To induce the other parties hereto to enter into this Agreement, Holdings and the Borrower hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and each Lender (including each New Term Lender) that, as of the Eighth Amendment Closing Date:

 

(a)  Holdings and the Borrower have the organizational power and authority, and the legal right, to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the transactions contemplated by, and perform their obligations under, this Agreement, the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents;

 

(b)  Holdings and the Borrower have taken all necessary organizational action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement;

 

3 

 

 

(c)  This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered on behalf of Holdings and the Borrower and this Agreement and the Amended Credit Agreement each constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of Holdings and the Borrower, enforceable against Holdings and the Borrower in accordance with its respective terms, except as enforceability may be limited by any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditor’s rights generally, by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or at law) and by general principles of good faith and fair dealing; and

 

(d)  Each of the representations and warranties made by any Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents after giving effect to this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Eighth Amendment Closing Date as if made on and as of such date, except for representations and warranties expressly stated to relate to a specified date, in which case such representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects as of such specified date.

 

SECTION 5. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness of this Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective on the first date (the “Eighth Amendment Closing Date”) on which the following conditions precedent are satisfied or waived:

 

(a)  Subject to Section 2(d) hereof, prior to or substantially concurrently with the funding of the Initial Term Loans pursuant to this Agreement, all principal, accrued and unpaid interest, fees, premium, if any, and other amounts outstanding with respect to the Existing Term Loans will be repaid in full and all commitments to provide Existing Term Loans under the Existing Credit Agreement will be terminated;

 

(b)  the Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received counterparts of this Agreement that, when taken together, bear the signatures of (i) the Borrower, (ii) Holdings, (iii) the Reaffirming Loan Parties (as defined in Section 8 hereof), (iv) the Administrative Agent, (v) the New Term Lenders and (vi) each Revolving Lender;

 

(c)  all fees and expenses in connection with this Agreement or under any other Loan Document or other agreement with the Borrower relating to the transactions contemplated hereby (including reasonable and documented out-of-pocket legal fees and expenses required to be paid by the Borrower pursuant to Section 9.03(a) of the Existing Credit Agreement) payable by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on or before the Eighth Amendment Closing Date shall have been paid to the extent then due; provided that any such expenses shall be required to be paid, as a condition precedent to the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, only to the extent invoiced at least three (3) Business Days prior to the Eighth Amendment Closing Date;

 

(d)  the Administrative Agent shall have received a duly executed officer’s certificate of the Borrower certifying, as of the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, that (A) each of the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4 above is true and correct as of the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and (B) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing both before and immediately after giving effect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby;

 

4 

 

 

(e)  subject to Section 6, the Administrative Agent shall have received the following:

 

(i)a copy of a short form certificate of the Secretary of State or other applicable Governmental Authority of the jurisdiction in which each Loan Party is organized, dated reasonably near the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, certifying that such Loan Party is duly organized and in good standing or full force and effect under the laws of such jurisdiction; and

 

(ii)a certificate of the Secretary, Assistant Secretary or other appropriate Responsible Officer of each Loan Party, dated the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and certifying (1) (x) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of (A) the certificate of incorporation or formation, as applicable, and (B) the by-laws or operating agreement, as applicable, of such Loan Party as in effect on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and at all times since a date prior to the date of the resolutions described in clause (2) below or (y) that the (A) the certificate of incorporation or formation, as applicable, and (B) the by-laws or operating agreement, as applicable, of such Loan Party in the certificate delivered on the Closing Date, the First Amendment Closing Date, the Second Amendment Closing Date, the Third Amendment Closing Date, the Fourth Amendment Closing Date, September 22, 2023 or the Seventh Amendment Closing Date, as applicable, are still in effect, (2) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions duly adopted by the board of directors, board of managers, members or other governing body, as applicable, of such Loan Party authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the borrowings hereunder, in the case of the Borrower, and any Loan Documents to which each such Loan Party is a party, and that such resolutions have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect and (3) (x) as to the incumbency and specimen signature of each officer executing this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any other document delivered in connection herewith on behalf of such Loan Party or (y) that the incumbency and specimen signature of each officer executing this Agreement provided on the Third Amendment Closing Date, the Fourth Amendment Closing Date or September 22, 2023, as applicable, has not changed;

 

(f)  the Administrative Agent shall have received, on behalf of itself and the Lenders, an opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, in its capacity as New York counsel to the Loan Parties dated as of the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and in form and substance consistent with the opinion delivered by such counsel on the Seventh Amendment Closing Date (to the extent applicable), taking into account the nature of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby;

 

(g)  the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received, at least three (3) Business Days prior to the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, all documentation and other information about the Borrower and the Guarantors that shall have been reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders in writing at least 10 Business Days prior to the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders reasonably determine is required by United States regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the USA PATRIOT Act, and, if (i) the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity” customer under 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230 and (ii) the Administrative Agent has provided the Borrower the name of each requesting Lender and its electronic delivery requirements at least 10 Business Days prior to the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, a customary beneficial ownership certification;

 

5 

 

 

(h)  the Administrative Agent shall have received from the Borrower, in accordance with Section 2.03 of the Existing Credit Agreement, a Borrowing Request with respect to the funding of Initial Term Loans on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date (it being agreed that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Amended Credit Agreement, the initial Interest Period for Initial Term Loans borrowed on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date may be of such duration as shall have been separately agreed by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and set forth in the Borrowing Request delivered with respect thereto, and for the purpose of determining Adjusted Term SOFR pursuant to the definition of such term, such Interest Period shall be deemed to have a tenor of one month);

 

(i)  the Administrative Agent shall have received from the Borrower, in accordance with Section 2.11(a) of the Existing Credit Agreement, a notice of prepayment with respect to the prepayment on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date of the Existing Term Loans;

 

(j)  the Administrative Agent shall have received from the Borrower a copy of a notice of prepayment that the Borrower delivered to the administrative agent under the Second Lien Credit Agreement with respect to the prepayment on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date of the outstanding Second Lien Term Loans under the Second Lien Credit Agreement; and

 

(k)  prior to or substantially concurrently with the funding of the Initial Term Loans pursuant to this Agreement, all principal, accrued and unpaid interest, fees, premium, if any, and other amounts outstanding under and with respect to the Second Lien Credit Agreement (other than contingent obligations not then due and payable and that by their terms survive the termination of the Second Lien Credit Agreement) will be repaid in full and all commitments to extend credit under the Second Lien Credit Agreement will be terminated and any security interests and guarantees in connection therewith shall be terminated and/or released.

 

SECTION 6. Effect of this Agreement. Except as expressly set forth herein, this Agreement shall not by implication or otherwise limit, impair, constitute a waiver of, or otherwise affect the rights and remedies of the Lenders or the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent under, the Amended Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, and shall not alter, modify, amend or in any way affect any of the terms, conditions, obligations, covenants or agreements contained in the Amended Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, all of which are ratified and affirmed in all respects and shall continue in full force and effect. Nothing herein shall be deemed to entitle any Loan Party to a consent to, or a waiver, amendment, modification or other change of, any of the terms, conditions, obligations, covenants or agreements contained in the Amended Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document in similar or different circumstances. Nothing herein can or may be construed as a novation of the Amended Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document. This Agreement shall apply and be effective only with respect to the provisions of the Amended Credit Agreement specifically referred to herein. After the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, any reference to the Credit Agreement shall mean the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

6 

 

 

SECTION 7. Reaffirmation. Each of Holdings, the Borrower and each Guarantor identified on the signature pages hereto (collectively, Holdings, the Borrower and such Guarantors, the “Reaffirming Loan Parties”) hereby acknowledges that it expects to receive substantial direct and indirect benefits as a result of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Each Reaffirming Loan Party hereby consents to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, and hereby confirms its respective guarantees (including in respect of the New Term Lenders), pledges and grants of security interests, as applicable, under each of the Loan Documents to which it is party, and agrees that, notwithstanding the effectiveness of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, such guarantees, pledges and grants of security interests shall continue to be in full force and effect and shall accrue to the benefit of the Secured Parties (including in respect of the New Term Lenders). Each of the Reaffirming Loan Parties hereby reaffirms its obligations under each provision of each Loan Document to which it is party.

 

SECTION 8. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery by telecopier (or other electronic transmission) of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement shall be effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means.

 

SECTION 9. Headings. Section headings used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and are not to affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

 

SECTION 10. Governing Law; Jurisdiction, etc. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York. The provisions of Sections 9.10 and 9.11 of the Amended Credit Agreement shall apply to this Agreement, mutatis mutandis.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

7 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

WAYSTAR INTERMEDIATE, INC., as Holdings
  
 By: /s/ Matthew Heiman
 Name: Matthew Heiman
 Title: General Counsel and Secretary
  
 WAYSTAR TECHNOLOGIES, Inc., as the Borrower
  
 By: /s/ Matthew Heiman
 Name: Matthew Heiman
 Title: General Counsel and Secretary

 

[Signature Page to Eighth Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

 

  SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS
   
  WAYSTAR, INC., as Guarantor
   
  By: /s/ Matthew Heiman
  Name: Matthew Heiman
  Title: General Counsel and Secretary
   
  MED-PAYMENT.COM, INC., as Guarantor
   
  By: /s/ Matthew Heiman
  Name: Matthew Heiman
  Title:  General Counsel and Secretary
   
  CONNANCE, INC., as Guarantor
   
  By: /s/ Matthew Heiman
  Name: Matthew Heiman
  Title:  General Counsel and Secretary
   
  WAYSTAR FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, INC., as Guarantor
   
  By: /s/ Matthew Heiman
  Name: Matthew Heiman
  Title:  General Counsel and Secretary
   
  IMAGEVISION.NET, LLC, as Guarantor
   
  By: /s/ Matthew Heiman
  Name: Matthew Heiman
  Title:  Chief Legal and Administrative Officer

 

[Signature Page to Eighth Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as
Administrative Agent, Term Lender and
Revolving Lender

     
 

By

/s/ Nicholas J. Watts
  Name: Nicholas J. Watts
  Title: Authorized Officer

 

[Signature Page to Eighth Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

 

[Converting Term Lenders’ signature pages are on file with the Administrative Agent]

 

 

 

 

 

BARCLAYS BANK PLC,

as Revolving Lender

     
 

By

/s/ Edward Pan
  Name: Edward Pan
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Eighth Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Revolving Lender

     
 

By

/s/ Gayatri Kulkarni
  Name: Gayatri Kulkarni
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Eighth Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

 

 

DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK

as Revolving Lender

     
 

By

/s/ Philip Tancorra
  Name: Philip Tancorra
  Title: Director
    philip.tancorra@db.com
    212-250-6576

 

 

By

/s/ Lauren Danbury
  Name: Lauren Danbury
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Eighth Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

 

 

Goldman Sachs Bank USA,

as Revolving Lender

     
 

By

/s/ Thomas Manning
  Name:

Thomas Manning

  Title:

Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Eighth Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

 

 

Royal Bank of Canada,

as Revolving Lender

     
 

By

/s/ Emily Grams
  Name:

Emily Grams

  Title:

Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Eighth Amendment to the First Lien Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

 

Annex A

 

Amended Credit Agreement

 

[Attached]

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIRST LIEN CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of October 22, 2019

 

among

 

DERBY MERGER SUB, INC.,,

as amended by the First Amendment dated as of December 2, 2019, 

as amended by the Second Amendment dated as of September 23, 2020, 

as amended by the Third Amendment dated as of March 24, 2021, 

as amended by the Fourth Amendment dated as of August 24, 2021, 

as amended by the Fifth Amendment dated as of June 1, 2023, 

as amended by the Sixth Amendment dated as of June 23, 2023, 

as amended by the Seventh Amendment dated as of October 6, 2023 and 

after giving effect to the Target Merger, BNVC GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. and after giving effect to the
Closing Date Borrower Assumption,
as amended by the Eighth Amendment dated as of February 9, 2024

 

among

 

WAYSTAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (F/K/A NAVICURE, INC.),

as the Borrower

 

DERBY PARENT, INC. and,

 

after giving effect to the Closing Date Holdings Assumption,WAYSTAR INTERMEDIATE, INC.
(F/K/A
BNVC HOLDINGS, INC.),

as Holdings

 

THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS PARTY HERETO,
as Lenders,

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent,

 

and

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., BARCLAYS BANK PLC and ,

DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
as Issuing Banks
, GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA,

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Issuing Banks

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., BARCLAYS BANK PLC and,

BOFA SECURITIES, INC., DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.,

 

DEUTSCHEGOLDMAN SACHS BANK SECURITIES INC.,USA and ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Page

 

Article I DEFINITIONS 22
   
Section 1.01 Defined Terms 22
Section 1.02 Classification of Loans and Borrowings 7478
Section 1.03 Terms Generally 7478
Section 1.04 Accounting Terms 7579
Section 1.05 Effectuation of Transactions 7680
Section 1.06 Timing of Payment of Performance 7680
Section 1.07 Times of Day 7680
Section 1.08 Currency Equivalents Generally; Exchange Rate 7680
Section 1.09 Cashless Rollovers 7781
Section 1.10 Certain Calculations and Tests 7781
Section 1.11 Limited Condition Transactions 7882
Section 1.12 Divisions 7983
Section 1.13 Interest Rates; Benchmark Notification 7983
     
Article II THE CREDITS 7984
   
Section 2.01 Commitments 7984
Section 2.02 Loans and Borrowings 8084
Section 2.03 Requests for Borrowings 8185
Section 2.04 Swingline Loans 8286
Section 2.05 Letters of Credit 8387
Section 2.06 [Reserved] 8892
Section 2.07 Funding of Borrowings 8892
Section 2.08 Type; Interest Elections 8993
Section 2.09 Termination and Reduction of Commitments 8994
Section 2.10 Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt 9095
Section 2.11 Prepayment of Loans 9297
Section 2.12 Fees and Premium 98102
Section 2.13 Interest 99104
Section 2.14 Alternate Rate of Interest 100105
Section 2.15 Increased Costs 100110
Section 2.16 Break Funding Payments 108111
Section 2.17 Taxes 108112
Section 2.18 Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Payments 112115

 

i 

 

 

Section 2.19 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders 114117
Section 2.20 Illegality 115119
Section 2.21 Defaulting Lenders 116120
Section 2.22 Incremental Credit Extensions 119122
Section 2.23 Extensions of Loans and Revolving Commitments 123127
     
Article III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 126130
   
Section 3.01 Organization; Powers 126130
Section 3.02 Authorization; Enforceability 126130
Section 3.03 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts 127130
Section 3.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Effect 127131
Section 3.05 Properties 127131
Section 3.06 Litigation and Environmental Matters 128131
Section 3.07 Compliance with Laws 128132
Section 3.08 Investment Company Status 128132
Section 3.09 Taxes 128132
Section 3.10 ERISA 128132
Section 3.11 Disclosure 129132
Section 3.12 Solvency 129133
Section 3.13 Capitalization and Subsidiaries 129133
Section 3.14 Security Interest in Collateral 129133
Section 3.15 Labor Disputes 129133
Section 3.16 Federal Reserve Regulations 129133
Section 3.17 Economic Sanctions, Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Corruption Laws 130133
Section 3.18 Senior Indebtedness 130134
Section 3.19 Use of Proceeds 130134
     
Article IV CONDITIONS 131135
   
Section 4.01 Closing Date[Reserved] 131135
Section 4.02 Each Credit Extension 134138
   
Article V AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS 135139
   
Section 5.01 Financial Statements and Other Reports 135139
Section 5.02 Existence 138142
Section 5.03 Payment of Taxes 138142
Section 5.04 Maintenance of Properties 138143
Section 5.05 Insurance 138143
Section 5.06 Inspections 139143
Section 5.07 Maintenance of Book and Records 139144
Section 5.08 Compliance with Laws 139144

 

ii 

 

 

Section 5.09 Environmental 139144
Section 5.10 Designation of Subsidiaries 140144
Section 5.11 Use of Proceeds 140145
Section 5.12 Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Provide Security 141146
Section 5.13 Maintenance of Ratings 143147
Section 5.14 Further Assurances 143147
Section 5.15 [Reserved] 143148
Section 5.16 [Reserved] 143148
Section 5.17 Changes in Fiscal Periods 143148
Section 5.18 Conduct of Business 143148
     
Article VI NEGATIVE COVENANTS 144148
   
Section 6.01 Indebtedness 144148
Section 6.02 Liens 153158
Section 6.03 [Reserved] 158163
Section 6.04 Restricted Payments; Restricted Debt Payments 158163
Section 6.05 Burdensome Agreements 163168
Section 6.06 Investments 165170
Section 6.07 Fundamental Changes; Disposition of Assets 169174
Section 6.08 Sale and Lease-Back Transactions 173178
Section 6.09 Transactions with Affiliates 173178
Section 6.10 Amendments of or Waivers with Respect to Restricted Junior Indebtedness 175181
Section 6.11 Permitted Activities of Holdings 176181
Section 6.12 Financial Covenant 177182
     
Article VII EVENTS OF DEFAULT 178183
   
Section 7.01 Events of Default 178183
     
Article VIII THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT 182186
   
Section 8.01 General 182186
Section 8.02 Certain ERISA Matters 190196
Section 8.03 Erroneous Payments 190197
     
Article IX MISCELLANEOUS 192198
   
Section 9.01 Notices 192198
Section 9.02 Waivers; Amendments 197203
Section 9.03 Expenses; Indemnity 204211
Section 9.04 WaiverLimitation of ClaimLiability 206213
Section 9.05 Successors and Assigns 206213
Section 9.06 Survival 215222

 

iii 

 

 

Section 9.07 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution 215222
Section 9.08 Severability 215223
Section 9.09 Right of Setoff 215223
Section 9.10 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process 216224
Section 9.11 Waiver of Jury Trial 217225
Section 9.12 Headings 217225
Section 9.13 Confidentiality 217226
Section 9.14 No Fiduciary Duty 219227
Section 9.15 Several Obligations 219228
Section 9.16 Anti-Money Laundering Legislation 219228
Section 9.17 Disclosure of Agent Conflicts 220228
Section 9.18 Appointment for Perfection; Release of Liens and Guarantees 220228
Section 9.19 Interest Rate Limitation 221229
Section 9.20 Intercreditor Agreements 221229
Section 9.21 Conflicts 221230
Section 9.22 Effectiveness of the Target Merger[Reserved] 221230
Section 9.23 Effectiveness of the Closing Date Borrower Assumption[Reserved] 222230
Section 9.24 Effectiveness of the Closing Date Holdings Assumption[Reserved] 222231
Section 9.25 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEAAffected Financial Institutions 222231
Section 9.26 Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs 223232

 

SCHEDULES:

 

Schedule 1.01(a) Commitment Schedule
Schedule 1.01(b) Dutch Auction
Schedule 1.01(c) [Reserved]
Schedule 1.01(d) Schedule of Closing DateSubsidiary Guarantors
Schedule 2.01 LC Commitments
Schedule 3.13 Subsidiaries
Schedule 5.10 Unrestricted Subsidiaries
Schedule 6.01 Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 Existing Liens
Schedule 6.06 Existing Investments
Schedule 6.07 Certain Dispositions
Schedule 9.01 Borrower’s Website Address for Electronic Delivery
     
EXHIBITS:    
     
Exhibit A-1 Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit A-2 Form of Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit C Form of Compliance Certificate

 

iv 

 

 

Exhibit D Form of Interest Election Request
Exhibit E Form of Perfection Certificate
Exhibit F Form of Perfection Certificate Supplement
Exhibit G Form of Promissory Note
Exhibit H Form of Pledge and Security Agreement
Exhibit I Form of Guaranty Agreement
Exhibit J Form of Intellectual Property Security Agreement
Exhibit K Form of Letter of Credit Request
Exhibit L-1 Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit L-2 Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That
  Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit L-3 Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That
  Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit L-4 Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are
  Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit M Form of Solvency Certificate
Exhibit N Form of Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement[Reserved]
Exhibit O Form of Intercompany Note

 

v 

 

 

FIRST LIEN CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

FIRST LIEN CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of October 22, 2019, as amended by the First Amendment as of December 2, 2019, as amended by the Second Amendment as of September 23, 2020, as amended by the Third Amendment as of March 24, 2021, as amended by the Fourth Amendment as of August 24, 2021, as amended by the Fifth Amendment as of June 1, 2023, as amended by the Sixth Amendment as of June 23, 2023, as amended by the Seventh Amendment as of October 6, 2023 and as amended by the Eighth Amendment as of February 9, 2024 (this “Agreement”), by and among Derby ParentWaystar Intermediate, Inc. (f/k/a BNVC Holdings, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (“Initial Holdings”) and, after giving effect to the Closing Date Holdings Assumption (as defined below), BNVC Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with Initial Holdings, collectively, “Holdings”), Derby Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Merger Sub”), after giving effect to the Target Merger (as defined below), BNVC Group Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Target”) and after giving effect to the Closing Date Borrower Assumption, Waystar Technologies, Inc. (f/k/a Navicure, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (the “Company” and, together with Merger Sub and the Target, collectively, the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party hereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders (in its capacity as administrative agent, the “Administrative Agent”), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as collateral agent for the Secured Parties (in its capacity as collateral agent, the “Collateral Agent”) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of America, N.A. as Issuing Banks.

 

RECITALS

 

A.            On the Closing Date, pursuant to the terms of that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 29, 2019 (the “Acquisition Agreement”), by and among, inter alios, Merger Sub (which on the Closing Date shall be merged (the “Target Merger”) with and into the Target, with the Target surviving the Target Merger as the surviving entity thereof) and the Target, Initial Holdings will acquire (the “Acquisition”) 100% of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of the Target.

 

B.            To fund a portion of the Acquisition, the Sponsors and certain other investors (including the other Investors) will make cash equity contributions (or, in the case of existing shareholders of the Target (including the Management Investors), cash or non-cash equity contributions) to Holdings, which Holdings will in turn contribute in the form of common Capital Stock or otherwise in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Arrangers, directly or indirectly, to Merger Sub, which equity, when combined with the equity of the existing shareholders of the Target (including the Management Investors) that will be retained, rolled over or converted, if any, shall be not less than 30% of the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of the Loans borrowed on the Closing Date (excluding any Loans borrowed under the Revolving Facility to fund any ordinary course working capital needs of the Borrower and its subsidiaries), plus (b) the aggregate principal amount of the Second Lien Term Loans incurred by the Borrower on the Closing Date plus (c) the equity capitalization of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date after giving effect to the Transactions (such contribution, retention, rollover and/or conversion, collectively, the “Equity Contribution”); it being understood and agreed that the Sponsors shall directly or indirectly control the Capital Stock having at least a majority of the ordinary voting power for the election of the Board of Directors of the Borrower immediately after giving effect to the Transactions.

 

CA.      The InitialIn connection with the Eighth Amendment, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders extend credit in the form of (a) Initial Term Loans in an aggregate initial principal amount of $825,000,0002,200,000,000 and (b) a Revolving Facility with an available amount of $125,000,000342,500,000, in each case, subject to increase as provided herein.

 

 

 

 

D.            To consummate the Transactions, the Borrower will incur Second Lien Term Loans in an aggregate initial principal amount of $255,000,000.

 

E.            Substantially simultaneously with the Borrowings on the Closing Date, the Target Merger, Closing Date Holdings Assumption and Closing Date Borrower Assumption shall occur.

 

FB.      The Lenders are willing to extend credit to the Borrower on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

Article I
DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01      Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

 

2020 Incremental Revolving Commitments” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Second Amendment.

 

2021 Replacement Term Loans” means the “Replacement Term Loans” specified in the Third Amendment.

 

2023 Revolving Commitments” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Seventh Amendment.

 

ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

 

Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement(s)” means (a) with respect to any Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the Collateral that ranks junior to the Lien on the Collateral securing the Secured Obligations, thea “first lien/second lien” intercreditor agreement in form substantially similar to the Original Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement (with such changes as are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower) and to which the Administrative Agent is a party and (b) otherwise, (i) a customary “equal priority” intercreditor agreement that is reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower and to which the Administrative Agent is a party and (ii) if applicable, the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement; provided that, to the extent applicable and required by the terms of this Agreement with respect to any such Indebtedness that is subordinated to the Obligations in right of payment, such intercreditor agreement shall contain customary subordination provisions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

 

ACH” means automated clearing house transfers.

 

Acquisition” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

Acquisition Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

Additional Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VIII.

 

2 

 

 

Additional Commitment” means any commitment hereunder added pursuant to Sections 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment and any Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment).

 

Additional Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.22(b).

 

Additional Loans” means any Additional Revolving Loans and any Additional Term Loans.

 

Additional Revolving Credit Commitments” means any revolving credit commitment added pursuant to Sections 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c)(ii).

 

Additional Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the aggregate Outstanding Amount at such time of all Additional Revolving Loans of such Lender, plus the aggregate outstanding amount at such time of such Lender’s LC Exposure attributable to its Additional Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

Additional Revolving Lender” means any lender with an Additional Revolving Credit Commitment or any Additional Revolving Credit Exposure.

 

Additional Revolving Loans” means any revolving loan added hereunder pursuant to Sections 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c)(ii).

 

Additional Term Lender” means any lender (including, for the avoidance doubt, each Second Amendment Incremental Term Lender and Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Lender) with an Additional Term Loan Commitment or an outstanding Additional Term Loan.

 

Additional Term Loan Commitment” means any term commitment added pursuant to Sections 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c)(i) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment and the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment).

 

Additional Term Loans” means any term loan added pursuant to Sections 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c)(i), (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans).

 

Adjusted Term SOFR” means, for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum equal to (a) Term SOFR for such Interest Period plus (b) the Term SOFR Adjustment; provided that, if Adjusted Term SOFR is less than 0.00% per annum, then Adjusted Term SOFR shall be deemed to be 0.00% per annum. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of Adjusted Term SOFR shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error.

 

Adjustment Date” means the date that is the date of delivery of financial statements and the Compliance Certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or Section 5.01(b), as applicable, and Section 5.01(c), respectively.

 

Administrative Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

Administrative Questionnaire” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.22(d).

 

3 

 

 

Adverse Proceeding” means any action, suit, proceeding (whether administrative, judicial or otherwise), governmental investigation or arbitration (whether or not purportedly on behalf of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) at law or in equity, or before or by any Governmental Authority, domestic or foreign (including any Environmental Claim), whether pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, threatened in writing, against or affecting Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any property of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

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

 

Affiliate” means, as applied to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly Controlling, Controlled by, or under common Control with, that Person. No Person shall be an “Affiliate” of Holdings or any subsidiary thereof solely because it is an unrelated portfolio company of any Sponsor and none of the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, any Lender (other than any Affiliated Lender or any Debt Fund Affiliate) or any of their respective Affiliates shall be considered an Affiliate of Holdings or any subsidiary thereof.

 

Affiliated Lender” means any Non-Debt Fund Affiliate, Holdings, the Borrower and/or any subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Affiliated Lender (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.05) or an assignee and an Affiliated Lender and accepted by the Administrative Agent in the form of Exhibit A-2 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

 

Affiliated Lender Cap” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.05(g)(iv).

 

“Agent-Related Person” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.03(e).

 

Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to this Credit Agreement.

 

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the NYFRB Rate in effect on such day plus 0.50%, (b) Adjusted Term SOFR for a one month Interest Period (with the Term SOFR component thereof determined in accordance with clause (b) of the definition of “Term SOFR”) plus 1.00% and (c) the Prime Rate. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or Adjusted Term SOFR, as the case may be, shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or Adjusted Term SOFR, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to (x) the Initial Term Loans, the Alternate Base Rate will be deemed to be 1.00% per annum if the Alternate Base Rate calculated pursuant to the foregoing provisions would otherwise be less than 1.00% per annum and (y) the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans, the Alternate Base Rate will be deemed to be 1.75% per annum if the Alternate Base Rate calculated pursuant to the foregoing provisions would otherwise be less than 1.75% per annum.

 

Alternate Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Term SOFR”.

 

AML Legislation” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.16(a).

 

Annual Financial StatementsAncillary Document” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.019.07(cb).

 

4 

 

 

Anti-Terrorism Laws” means any Requirement of Law relating to terrorism or money laundering, including Executive Order No. 13224 on Terrorist Financing, effective September 24, 2001, The Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act (also known as the “Bank Secrecy Act”), 31 U.S.C. §§ 5311-5330 and 12 U.S.C. §§ 1818(s), 1820(b) and 1951-1959.

 

Applicable Percentage” means (a) with respect to any Term Lender of any Class, a percentage equal to a fraction the numerator of which is the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans and unused Additional Term Loan Commitments of such Term Lender under the applicable Class and the denominator of which is the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans and unused Additional Term Loan Commitments of all Term Lenders under the applicable Class and (b) with respect to any Revolving Lender of any Class, the percentage of the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class represented by such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class; provided that for purposes of Section 2.21 and otherwise herein (except with respect to Section 2.11(a)(ii)), when there is a Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment shall be disregarded for any relevant calculation. In the case of clause (b), in the event that the Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class have expired or been terminated, the Applicable Percentage of any Revolving Lender of such Class shall be determined on the basis of the Revolving Credit Exposure of such Revolving Lender attributable to its Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class, giving effect to any assignment thereof.

 

Applicable Rate” means, for any day, (a) with respect to any (i) Initial Term Loan (including the 2021 Replacement Term Loans and the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans), , the rate per annum set forth below under the caption “Initial Term Loan ABR Spread” or “Initial Term Loan Adjusted Term SOFR Spread”; provided that prior to the delivery by the Borrower of the quarterly financial statements required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) for the first full Fiscal Quarter ended after the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, the “Applicable Rate” for any Initial Term Loan shall be 3.00% for ABR Loans and 4.00% for Adjusted Term SOFR Loans and (ii) Initial Revolving Loan, the rate per annum set forth below under the caption “Initial Revolving Loan ABR Spread” or “Initial Revolving Loan Adjusted Term SOFR Spread” of the grid below titled “Initial Revolving Loans”, as the case may be, based upon the First Lien Leverage Ratio; provided that until the first Adjustment Date following the completion of at least one full Fiscal Quarter ended after the Closing Date, the “Applicable Rate” for any Initial Revolving Loan shall be the applicable rate per annum set forth below in Category 1 of the grid set forth below and (b) with respect to any Additional Term Loan and Additional Revolving Loan of any Class, the rate or rates per annum specified in the applicable Refinancing Amendment, Incremental Facility Agreement or Extension Amendment:

 

Initial Term Loans:

 

On any day prior to a Qualifying IPO:

 

First Lien Leverage Ratio Initial Term
Loan ABR Spread
Initial Term Loan Adjusted
Term SOFR Spread

Category 1

Greater than 4.50 to 1.00

3.00% 4.00%

Category 2

Less than or equal to 4.50 to 1.00

2.75% 3.75%

 

5 

 

 

On any day on or after a Qualifying IPO:

 

First Lien Leverage Ratio Initial Term
Loan ABR Spread
Initial Term Loan Adjusted
Term SOFR Spread

Category 1

Greater than 4.50 to 1.00

2.75% 3.75%

Category 2

Less than or equal to 4.50 to 1.00

2.50% 3.50%

 

Initial Revolving Loans

 

On any day prior to a Qualifying IPO:

 

First Lien Leverage Ratio Initial Revolving
Loan ABR Spread
Initial Revolving Loan
Adjusted Term SOFR Spread

Category 1

Greater than 5.00 to 1.00

 

 

2.75%

 

 

3.75%

Category 2

Less than or equal to 5.00 to 1.00 but greater than 4.50 to 1.00

 

 

2.50%

 

 

3.50%

Category 3

Less than or equal to 4.50 to 1.00

 

 

2.25%

 

 

3.25%

 

On any day on or after a Qualifying IPO:

 

First Lien Leverage Ratio Initial Revolving
Loan ABR Spread
Initial Revolving Loan
Adjusted Term SOFR Spread

Category 1

Greater than 4.50 to 1.00

 

 

2.00%

 

 

3.00%

Category 2

Less than or equal to 4.50 to 1.00 but greater than 3.50 to 1.00

 

 

1.75%

 

 

2.75%

Category 3

Less than or equal to 3.50 to 1.00

but greater than 3.00 to 1.00

 

 

1.50%

 

 

2.50%

Category 4

Less than or equal to 3.00 to 1.00

1.25% 2.25%

 

The Applicable Rate with respect to Initial Term Loans and Initial Revolving Loans shall be adjusted quarterly on a prospective basis on each Adjustment Date based upon the First Lien Leverage Ratio in accordance with the table above; provided that if financial statements (and the corresponding Compliance Certificate required pursuant to Section 5.01(c)) are not delivered when required pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable, the “Applicable Rate” for any Initial Term Loan or Initial Revolving Loan shall, at the option of the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) and upon notice to the Borrower, be the rate per annum set forth above in Category 1 of the table above until such financial statements (and the corresponding Compliance Certificate required pursuant to Section 5.01(c)) are delivered in compliance with Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable.

 

6 

 

 

Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage” means, with respect to any Revolving Lender at any time, the percentage of the Total Revolving Credit Commitment at such time represented by such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitments at such time; provided that for purposes of Section 2.21, when there is a Defaulting Lender, any such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment shall be disregarded in the relevant calculations. In the event that (a) the Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class have expired or been terminated in accordance with the terms hereof (other than pursuant to Article VII), the Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage shall be recalculated without giving effect to the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class or (b) the Revolving Credit Commitments of all Classes have terminated (or the Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class have terminated pursuant to Article VII), the Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage shall be determined based upon the Revolving Credit Commitments (or the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class) most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments thereof.

 

“Approved Borrower Portal” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01.

 

Approved Fund” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities and is administered, advised or managed by (a) such Lender, (b) any Affiliate of such Lender or (c) any entity or any Affiliate of any entity that administers, advises or manages such Lender.

 

Arrangers” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and, BofA Securities, Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Goldman Sachs Bank USA and Royal Bank of Canada, in their capacities as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners with respect to the Credit Facilities initially made available hereunder.

 

Assignment and Assumption” means (a) an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.05), and accepted by the Administrative Agent in the form of Exhibit A-1 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower or (b) if the assignee or assignor party to the relevant assignment and assumption is an Affiliated Lender, an Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption.

 

Assumed Acquisition Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01(n).

 

Available Amount” means, at any time, an amount equal to, without duplication:

 

(a)            the sum of:

 

(i)            the greater of $75,000,000215,000,000 and 50.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period; plus

 

(ii)           if greater than zero, the CNI Growth Amount; plus

 

7 

 

 

(iii)          the amount of any cash capital contribution to the common equity capital of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or the cash proceeds received by the Borrower from any issuance of Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower after the Original Closing Date (other than any amount (A) constituting a Cure Amount or an Available Excluded Contribution Amount, (B) received from the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or (C) consisting of the proceeds of any loan or advance made pursuant to Section 6.06(h)(i) received as Cash equity by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), plus the fair market value, as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower, of Cash Equivalents, marketable securities or other property received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary as a capital contribution to the common equity capital of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or in return for any issuance of Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower (other than any amounts (1) constituting a Cure Amount or an Available Excluded Contribution Amount, (2) used to make a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 6.04(a)(ii)(B) or a Restricted Debt Payment pursuant to Section 6.04(b)(v)(A) or (3) received from the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary), in each case, during the period from and including the day immediately following the Original Closing Date through and including such time; plus

 

(iv)          the net cash proceeds received by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from the incurrence or issuance after the Original Closing Date of any Indebtedness or Disqualified Capital Stock, in each case, of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness or such Disqualified Capital Stock issued to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary), which has been converted into or exchanged for Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or any Parent Company, during the period from and including the day immediately following the Original Closing Date through and including such time; plus

 

(v)           the net cash proceeds received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during the period from and including the day immediately following the Original Closing Date through and including such time in connection with the Disposition to any Person (other than the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary) of any Investment made pursuant to Section 6.06(r)(i); plus

 

(vi)          to the extent not already reflected as a return of capital with respect to such Investment for purposes of determining the amount of such Investment, the proceeds received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during the period from and including the day immediately following the Original Closing Date through and including such time in connection with cash returns, cash profits, cash distributions and similar cash amounts, including cash principal repayments of loans, in each case received in respect of any Investment made after the Original Closing Date pursuant to Section 6.06(r)(i) but excluding any return, profit, distribution or similar amount paid by any Unrestricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of the payment of any Tax liability of such Unrestricted Subsidiary; plus

 

(vii)         an amount equal to the sum of (A) the amount of any Investment by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.06(r)(i) in any Unrestricted Subsidiary that has been re-designated as a Restricted Subsidiary or has been merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or is liquidated, wound up or dissolved into, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (equal to the fair market value (as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower) of the Investment of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in such Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time of such re-designation or merger, consolidation or amalgamation); provided that in the case of original Investments made in Cash the fair market value thereof shall be such cash value), (B) the fair market value (as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower) of the assets of any Unrestricted Subsidiary that have been transferred, conveyed or otherwise distributed to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary was made after the Original Closing Date pursuant to Section 6.06(r)(i) and (C) the Net Proceeds of any Disposition of any Unrestricted Subsidiary (including the issuance or sale of the Capital Stock thereof) received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case, during the period from and including the day immediately following the Original Closing Date through and including such time; plus

 

8 

 

 

(viii)        to the extent not included in Consolidated Net Income, dividends or other distributions or returns on capital received by Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from an Unrestricted Subsidiary; plus

 

(ix)           to the extent not otherwise applied to prepay the Second Lien Term Loans in accordance with the terms thereof, the amount of any Declined Proceeds; plus

 

(x)            the amount of any Retained Asset Sale Proceeds; minus

 

(b)            an amount equal to the sum of (i) Restricted Payments made pursuant to Section 6.04(a)(iii)(A), plus (ii) Restricted Debt Payments made pursuant to Section 6.04(b)(vi)(A), plus (iii) Investments made pursuant to Section 6.06(r)(i), in each case, after the Original Closing Date and prior to such time or contemporaneously therewith.

 

Available Excluded Contribution Amount” means the aggregate amount of Cash or Cash Equivalents or the fair market value of other assets (as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower, but excluding any Cure Amount) received by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Original Closing Date from:

 

(a)            contributions in respect of Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than any amounts received from the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), and

 

(b)            the sale of Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower (other than (i) to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, (ii) pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or (iii) with the proceeds of any loan or advance made pursuant to Section 6.06(h)(i)), in each case, designated as an Available Excluded Contribution Amount pursuant to a certificate of a Responsible Officer on or promptly after the date on which the relevant capital contribution is made or the relevant proceeds are received, as the case may be, and which have not been applied in reliance on the Available Amount or to make a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 6.04(a)(ii)(B).

 

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

 

Bail-In Legislation” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, regulation, rule or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.; and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).

 

9 

 

 

Banking Services” means each and any of the following bank services: commercial credit cards, stored value cards, purchasing cards, treasury management services, netting services, overdraft protections, check drawing services, automated payment services (including depository, overdraft, controlled disbursement, ACH transactions, return items and interstate depository network services), employee credit card programs, cash pooling services and any arrangements or services similar to any of the foregoing and/or otherwise in connection with cash management and Deposit Accounts.

 

Banking Services Obligations” means any and all obligations of Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, whether absolute or contingent and however and whenever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor) (a) under any arrangement to provide Banking Services that is in effect on the Original Closing Date between Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and a counterparty that is (or is an Affiliate of) either (i) the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any Lender as of the Original Closing Date or (ii) any other Person identified to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Original Closing Date or (b) under any arrangement to provide Banking Services that is entered into after the Original Closing Date by Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary with any counterparty that is (or is an Affiliate of) the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any Lender at the time such arrangement is entered into, in each case in connection with Banking Services, in each case (other than in the case of an arrangement with the Administrative Agent), that have been designated to the Administrative Agent in writing by the Borrower as being “Banking Services Obligations” for purposes of the Loan Documents; it being understood that each counterparty thereto shall be deemed (A) to appoint the Administrative Agent as its agent under the applicable Loan Documents and (B) to agree to be bound by the provisions of Article VIII, Section 9.03 and Section 9.10 and any applicable Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement as if it were a Lender.

 

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code (11 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.).

 

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

 

BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.

 

Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the US.

 

Board of Directors” means, with respect to any Person, (a) in the case of any corporation, the board of directors of such Person or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board, (b) in the case of any limited liability company, the board of managers, board of directors, manager or managing member of such Person or the functional equivalent of the foregoing, (c) in the case of any partnership, the board of directors, board of managers, manager or managing member of a general partner of such Person or the functional equivalent of the foregoing and (d) in any other case, the functional equivalent of the foregoing. In addition, the term “director” means a director or functional equivalent thereof with respect to the relevant Board of Directors.

 

10 

 

 

Bona Fide Debt Fund” means any debt fund, investment vehicle, regulated bank entity or unregulated lending entity that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business which is managed, sponsored or advised by any Person controlling, controlled by or under common control with (a) any competitor of the Borrower and/or any of its subsidiaries or (b) any Affiliate of such competitor, but with respect to which no personnel involved with any investment in such Person (other than a limited number of senior employees in connection with the relevant Person’s internal legal, compliance, risk management and/or credit practices) (i) directly or indirectly makes, has the right to make or participates with others in making any investment decisions with respect to such debt fund, investment vehicle, regulated bank entity or unregulated lending entity or (ii) has access to any information (other than information that is publicly available) relating to Holdings, the Borrower or its subsidiaries or any entity that forms a part of any of their respective businesses; it being understood and agreed that the term “Bona Fide Debt Fund” shall not include any Person that is separately identified to the Arrangers or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, in accordance with clause (a) of the definition of “Disqualified Institution” or any Affiliate of any such Person that is reasonably identifiable as an Affiliate of such Person on the basis of such Affiliate’s name.

 

Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to this Agreement; provided that on and after the effectiveness of the Closing Date Borrower Assumption, the term “Borrower” shall cease to include the Target and/or Merger Sub.

 

“Borrower Communications” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01.

 

Borrower Materials” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01.

 

Borrowing” means (a) any Loans of the same Type and Class made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Adjusted Term SOFR Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect and (b) any Swingline Loan.

 

Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03 and substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B or such other form that is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

 

Business Day” means:

 

(a)            any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the laws of, or are in fact closed in, New York City;

 

(b)            with respect to all notices and determinations in connection with, and payments of principal and interest on or with respect to, Adjusted Term SOFR Loans, any such day described in clause (a) above that is also a U.S. Government Securities Business Day.

 

Capital Expenditures” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the aggregate amount, without duplication, of (a) all expenditures (whether paid in cash or accrued as liabilities and including in all events all amounts expended or capitalized under Capital Leases) that would, in accordance with GAAP, be included as additions to property, plant and equipment, (b) other capital expenditures of such Person for such period (whether paid in cash or accrued as liabilities and including in all events all amounts expended or capitalized under Capital Leases) that are reported in the Borrower’s consolidated statement of cash flows for such period and (c) other capital expenditures of such Person for such period (whether paid in cash or accrued as liabilities and including in all events all amounts expended or capitalized under Capital Leases, including, without limitation, any capitalized bonus payment).

 

Capital Lease” means, as applied to any Person, any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) by that Person as lessee that, in conformity with GAAP but subject to Section 1.04(b), is or should be accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of that Person.

 

11 

 

 

Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation), including partnership interests and membership interests, and any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase or other arrangements or rights to acquire any of the foregoing, but excluding for the avoidance of doubt any Indebtedness convertible into or exchangeable for any of the foregoing.

 

Captive Insurance Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is subject to regulation as an insurance company (and any Restricted Subsidiary thereof).

 

Cash” means money, currency or a credit balance in any Deposit Account, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Cash Equivalents” means, as at any date of determination,

 

(a)            Dollars, euro, pounds, Australian dollars, Canadian dollars, Yuan or such other currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of business;

 

(b)            readily marketable securities (i) issued or directly and unconditionally guaranteed or insured as to interest and principal by the government of the US, Canada, the United Kingdom or any member nation of the European Union rated at least A-2 from S&P or at least P-2 from Moody’s (or, if at any time either S&P or Moody’s is not rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency) or (ii) issued by any agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing, the obligations of which are backed by the full faith and credit of the US, Canada, the United Kingdom or any such member nation of the European Union, as applicable, in each case having average maturities of not more than 24 months from the date of acquisition thereof and, in each case, repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements relating thereto;

 

(c)            readily marketable direct obligations issued by any state, commonwealth or territory of the US or any political subdivision, taxing authority or any public instrumentality thereof or by any foreign government, in each case having average maturities of not more than 24 months from the acquisition thereof and having, at the time of the acquisition thereof, a rating of at least A-2 from S&P or at least P-2 from Moody’s (or, if at any time either S&P or Moody’s is not rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency) and, in each case, repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements relating thereto;

 

(d)            commercial paper having average maturities of not more than 24 months from the date of creation thereof and having, at the time of the acquisition thereof, a rating of at least A-2 from S&P or at least P-2 from Moody’s (or, if at any time either S&P or Moody’s is not rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency);

 

(e)            deposits, money market deposits, time deposit accounts, certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances (or similar instruments) maturing within one year after such date and issued or accepted by any Lender or by any bank organized under, or authorized to operate as a bank under, the laws of the US, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or any political subdivision thereof and that has capital and surplus of not less than $100,000,000 and, in each case, repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements relating thereto;

 

12 

 

 

(f)            securities with maturities of six months or less from the date of acquisition backed by standby letters of credit issued by any commercial bank having capital and surplus of not less than $100,000,000;

 

(g)            marketable short-term money market and similar highly liquid funds having a rating of at least P-2 or A-2 from either Moody’s or S&P, respectively (or, if at any time either S&P or Moody’s is not rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency);

 

(h)            investments with average maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition in money market funds rated AAA- (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or Aaa3 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s (or, if at any time either S&P or Moody’s is not rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency);

 

(i)            shares of any money market mutual fund that has (i) substantially all of its assets invested in the types of investments referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above, (ii) net assets of not less than $250,000,000 and (iii) a rating of at least A-2 from S&P or at least P-2 from Moody’s (or, if at any time either S&P or Moody’s is not rating such fund, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency);

 

(j)            instruments equivalent to those referred to in clauses (b) through (i) above denominated in euros or any other foreign currency comparable in credit quality and tenor to those referred to above and customarily used by corporations for cash management purposes in any jurisdiction outside the US to the extent reasonably required in connection with any business conducted by any Subsidiary organized in such jurisdiction;

 

(k)            investments, classified in accordance with GAAP as current assets of Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary, in money market investment programs that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or that are administered by financial institutions having capital of at least $250,000,000, and, in either case, the portfolios of which are limited such that substantially all of such investments are of the character, quality and maturity described in clauses (a) through (j) of this definition;

 

(l)             investment funds investing at least 90% of their assets in the types of investments referred to in clauses (a) through (k) above; and

 

(m)           solely with respect to any Captive Insurance Subsidiary, any investment that such Captive Insurance Subsidiary is not prohibited to make in accordance with applicable law.

 

The term “Cash Equivalents” shall also include (x) Investments of the type and maturity described in clauses (b) through (m) above of foreign obligors, which Investments or obligors (or the parent companies thereof) have the ratings described in such clauses or equivalent ratings from comparable foreign rating agencies and (y) other short-term Investments utilized by Foreign Subsidiaries in accordance with normal investment practices for cash management in Investments that are analogous to the Investments described in clauses (b) through (m) and in this paragraph.

 

CFC” means (a) any Foreign Subsidiary that is a “controlled foreign corporation” (within the meaning of Section 957), but only if a US Person that is an Affiliate of a Loan Party is, with respect to such Person, a “United States shareholder” (within the meaning of Section 951(b)) described in Section 951(a)(1); and (b) each Subsidiary of any Person described in clause (a). For purposes of this definition, all Section references are to the Code.

 

13 

 

 

 

Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, treaty, rule or regulation after the Original Closing Date, (b) any change in any law, treaty, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the Original Closing Date or (c) compliance by any Lender or any Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending office of such Lender or such Issuing Bank or by such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the Original Closing Date (other than any such request, guideline or directive to comply with any law, rule or regulation that was in effect on the Original Closing Date). For purposes of this definition and Section 2.15, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or in implementation thereof and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or US or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case described in clauses (a), (b) and (c) above, be deemed to be a Change in Law, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

 

Change of Control” means the earliest to occur of:

 

(a)            at any time prior to a Qualifying IPO, the Permitted Holders ceasing to beneficially own, either directly or indirectly, Capital Stock representing more than 50% of the total voting power of all of the outstanding voting stock of Holdings unless the Permitted Holders otherwise have the right (pursuant to contract, proxy or otherwise), directly or indirectly, to designate, nominate or appoint (and do so designate, nominate or appoint) directors of Holdings having a majority of the aggregate votes on the Board of Directors of Holdings;

 

(b)            at any time on or after a Qualifying IPO, the acquisition by any Person or group, including any group acting for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of Securities, other than one or more Permitted Holders, of Capital Stock representing more than the greater of (i) 35% of the total voting power of all of the outstanding voting stock of Holdings and (ii) the percentage of the total voting power of all of the outstanding voting stock of Holdings owned, directly or indirectly, beneficially by the Permitted Holders unless the Permitted Holders otherwise have the right (pursuant to contract, proxy or otherwise), directly or indirectly, to designate, nominate or appoint (and do so designate, nominate or appoint) directors of Holdings having a majority of the aggregate votes on the Board of Directors of Holdings; and

 

(c)             the Borrower ceasing to be a direct or indirect Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Holdings.

 

For purposes of this definition, including other defined terms used herein in connection with this definition, (i) “beneficial ownership” shall be as defined in Rules 13(d)-3 and 13(d)-5 under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof and (ii) the words “Person” and “group” shall be within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but shall exclude any employee benefit plan of such Person or group or its subsidiaries and any Person acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan.

 

14

 

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this definition or any provision of Section 13(d)-3 or 13(d)-5 of the Exchange Act, (A) if any group includes one or more Permitted Holders, the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of Holdings that is directly or indirectly owned by the Permitted Holders that are part of such group shall not be treated as being beneficially owned by such group or any other member of such group for purposes of this definition, (B) a Person or group shall not be deemed to beneficially own Capital Stock to be acquired by such Person or group pursuant to a stock or asset purchase agreement, merger agreement, option agreement, warrant agreement or similar agreement (or voting or option or similar agreement related thereto) until the consummation of the acquisition of Capital Stock in connection with the transactions contemplated by such agreement and (C) a Person or group will not be deemed to beneficially own Capital Stock of another Person as a result of its ownership of Capital Stock or other securities of such other Person’s parent (or related contractual rights) unless it owns 50% or more of the total voting power of the Capital Stock entitled to vote for the election of directors of such Person’s parent; provided that, notwithstanding this clause (C), after a Qualifying IPO of a Parent Company, the determination of beneficial ownership of outstanding voting stock of Holdings resulting from any Person’s or group’s ownership of Capital Stock or other securities of such Parent Company shall be deemed to equal the percentage of voting stock of such Parent Company directly owned by such Person or group multiplied by the percentage ownership of voting stock of Holdings owned directly or indirectly by such Parent Company.

 

Charge” means any fee, loss, charge, expense, cost, accrual or reserve of any kind (in each case, if applicable, as defined under GAAP).

 

Charged Amounts” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.19.

 

Class”, when used with respect to (a) any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Initial Term Loans, Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans, Additional Term Loans of any series established as a separate “Class” pursuant to Section 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c)(i) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans) or Initial Revolving Loans or Additional Revolving Loans of any series established as a separate “Class” pursuant to Section 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c)(ii) or Swingline Loans, (b) any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is an Initial Term Loan Commitment, a Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment, an Additional Term Loan Commitment of any series established as a separate “Class” pursuant to Section 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c)(i) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment), an Initial Revolving Credit Commitment or an Additional Revolving Credit Commitment of any series established as a separate “Class” pursuant to Section 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c)(ii) or a Swingline Commitment, (c) any Lender, refers to whether such Lender has a Loan or Commitment of a particular Class and (d) any Revolving Credit Exposure, refers to whether such Revolving Credit Exposure is attributable to a Revolving Credit Commitment of a particular Class.

 

Closing Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02), which date shall be October 22, 2019.

 

Closing Date Borrower Assumption” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.23(a).

 

Closing Date Holdings Assumption” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.24(a).

 

Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement” means the Intercreditor Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit N, dated as of the Closing Date, among, inter alios, the Collateral Agent, as senior priority representative for the First Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties referred to therein, GLAS AMERICAS LLC, as Second Lien Collateral Agent, as second priority representative for the Second Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties referred to therein, and the Loan Parties from time to time party thereto.

 

15

 

 

Closing Date Material Adverse Effect” has the meaning given to the term “Material Adverse Effect” in the Acquisition Agreement as in effect on July 29, 2019.

 

CNI Growth Amount” means, at any date of determination, an amount determined on a cumulative basis equal to 50% of Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower for the period (treated as one accounting period) from the first day of the Fiscal Quarter commencing immediately prior to the Original Closing Date to the end of the most recent Fiscal Quarter for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

Collateral” means any and all property subject (or purported to be subject) to a Lien under any Collateral Document and any and all other property, now existing or hereafter acquired by any Loan Party, that is or becomes subject (or purported to be subject) to a Lien pursuant to any Collateral Document to secure the Secured Obligations.

 

Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” means, at any time, subject to (a) the applicable limitations set forth in this Agreement and/or any other Loan Document and (b) the time periods (and extensions thereof) set forth in Section 5.12, the requirement that the Administrative Agent shall have received in the case of any Restricted Subsidiary that is required or elects (in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary, with the reasonable consent of the Administrative Agent) to become a Loan Party after the Original Closing Date in the case of any Restricted Subsidiary that is required or elects to become a Loan Party after the Original Closing Date (i) a joinder to the Loan Guaranty in substantially the form attached as an exhibit thereto, (ii) a supplement to the Security Agreement in substantially the form attached as an exhibit thereto, (iii) if such Restricted Subsidiary required to comply with the requirements set forth in this definition pursuant to Section 5.12(a) owns registrations of or applications for Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and/or exclusive Copyright Licenses that constitute Collateral, an Intellectual Property Security Agreement in substantially the form attached as Exhibit J, (iv) a completed Perfection Certificate and, in accordance with Section 5.01(i), a Perfection Certificate Supplement, (v) certificates of the type described in Section 4.015(de)(ii) of the Eighth Amendment and good standing certificates, (vi) UCC financing statements in appropriate form for filing in such jurisdictions as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, (vii) each item of Collateral that such Restricted Subsidiary is required to deliver under Section 4.03 of the Security Agreement (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be delivered within the time periods set forth in Section 5.12(a)) and (viii) an executed joinder to any Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement in substantially the form attached as an exhibit thereto. In the event a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary becomes a Loan Party, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, such Loan Party shall grant a perfected lien on substantially all of its assets (other than any Excluded Assets) pursuant to arrangements reasonably agreed between the Administrative Agent and the Borrower subject to customary limitations and additional exclusions in such jurisdiction as reasonably agreed between the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

 

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, (a) the Security Agreement, (b) each Intellectual Property Security Agreement, (c) any supplement to any of the foregoing delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” or the requirements of any other Collateral Document and (d) each other document and/or instrument pursuant to which any Loan Party grants (or purports to grant) a Lien on any Collateral as security for payment of the Secured Obligations.

 

16

 

 

Commercial Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued for the purpose of providing the primary payment mechanism in connection with the purchase of any materials, goods or services by the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of such Person.

 

Commercial Tort Claim” has the meaning set forth in Article 9 of the UCC.

 

Commitment” means, (a) with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s Initial Term Loan Commitment, Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment, Initial Revolving Credit Commitment and Additional Commitment, as applicable, in effect as of such time and (b) with respect to any Swingline Lender, its Swingline Commitment.

 

Commitment Fee Rate” means, on any date (a) with respect to the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments, the applicable rate per annum set forth below based upon the First Lien Leverage Ratio; provided that until the first Adjustment Date following the completion of at least one full Fiscal Quarter after the Closing Date, “Commitment Fee Rate” shall be the applicable rate per annum set forth below in Category 1 and (b) with respect to Additional Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class, the rate or rates per annum specified in the applicable Refinancing Amendment, Incremental Facility Agreement or Extension Amendment:

 

On any day prior to a Qualifying IPO:

 

First Lien Leverage Ratio Commitment Fee Rate

Category 1

Greater than 5.00 to 1.00

 

 

0.50%

Category 2

Less than or equal to 5.00 to 1.00

but greater than 4.50 to 1.00

 

 

0.375%

Category 3

Less than or equal to 4.50 to 1.00

 

 

0.250%

 

On any day on or after a Qualifying IPO:

 

First Lien Leverage Ratio Commitment Fee Rate

Category 1

Greater than 4.50 to 1.00

 

 

0.375%

Category 2

Less than or equal to 4.50 to 1.00

 

 

0.250%

 

The Commitment Fee Rate with respect to the Initial Revolving Credit Commitment shall be adjusted quarterly on a prospective basis on each Adjustment Date based upon the First Lien Leverage Ratio in accordance with the table set forth above; provided that if financial statements (and the corresponding Compliance Certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(c)) are not delivered when required pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable, the Commitment Fee Rate shall, at the option of the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Revolving Lenders) and upon notice to the Borrower, be the rate per annum set forth above in Category 1 until such financial statements (and the corresponding Compliance Certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(c)) are delivered in compliance with Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable.

 

17

 

 

Commitment Schedule” means the Schedule attached hereto as Schedule 1.01(a).

 

Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).

 

Communications” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01.

 

Company Competitor” means any competitor of the TargetBorrower and/or any of its subsidiaries.

 

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

 

Confidential Information” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.13.

 

Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA” means, with respect to any Person for any Test Period, the sum of:

 

(a)             Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period; plus

 

(b)            without duplication, those amounts which, in the determination of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, have been deducted for:

 

(i)        total interest expense and, to the extent not reflected in such total interest expense, any losses on hedging obligations or other derivative instruments entered into for the purpose of hedging interest rate risk, and bank and letter of credit fees and costs of surety bonds in connection with financing activities, together with items excluded from the definition of “Consolidated Interest Expense” pursuant to clauses (a) through (l) thereof;

 

(ii)       Taxes paid and any provision for Taxes, including income, capital, profit, revenue, state, foreign, provincial, franchise, excise and similar Taxes, property Taxes, foreign withholding Taxes and foreign unreimbursed value added Taxes (including (x) penalties and interest related to any such Tax or arising from any Tax examination, (y) pursuant to any Tax sharing arrangement or as a result of any Tax distribution and (z) in respect of repatriated funds) of such Person paid or accrued during such period and (without duplication) any payments to a Parent Company pursuant to Section 6.04(a)(i)(A) or (B) in respect of Taxes;

 

(iii)      (A) depreciation and (B) amortization (including amortization of goodwill, software, internal labor costs, deferred financing fees or costs, other intangible assets, customer acquisition costs, original issue discount resulting from the issuance of Indebtedness at less than par and incentive payments, conversion costs, and contract acquisition costs);

 

18

 

 

(iv)      any non-cash Charge (provided that (x) to the extent that any such non-cash Charge represents an accrual or reserve for any potential cash item in any future period, (A) such Person may elect not to add back such non-cash Charge in the current period and (B) to the extent such Person elects to add back such non-cash Charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (as a deduction in calculating net income or otherwise) to such extent and (y) any non-cash Charge representing amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid and not expensed in a prior period shall be excluded);

 

(v)       (A) any Charge incurred as a result of, in connection with or pursuant to any management equity plan, profits interest or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement, any pension plan (including any post-employment benefit scheme to which the relevant pension trustee has agreed), any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, any employee benefit trust, any employee benefit scheme or any similar equity plan or agreement (including any deferred compensation arrangement), including any payment made to option holders in connection with, or as a result of, any distribution being made to, or share repurchase from, a shareholder, which payments are being made to compensate option holders as though they were shareholders at the time of, and entitled to share in, such distribution or share repurchase and (B) any Charge incurred in connection with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Capital Stock held by management of Holdings (or any other Parent Company to the extent related to its indirect ownership of the Borrower), the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(vi)      Public Company Costs;

 

(vii)     the amount of any Charge or deduction associated with any Restricted Subsidiary that is attributable to any non-controlling interest and/or minority interest of any third party;

 

(viii)    the amount of any contingent payments in connection with the licensing of intellectual property or other assets;

 

(ix)       the amount of management, monitoring, consulting, transaction and advisory fees and related expenses (including any termination fees payable in connection with the early termination of management and monitoring agreements) actually paid by or on behalf of, or accrued by, such Person or any of its subsidiaries (A) to any Investor (and/or any Affiliate thereof and/or related management company) to the extent permitted under this Agreement and/or (B) prior to the Original Closing Date;

 

(x)       the amount of fees, expense reimbursements and indemnities paid to directors, including directors of Holdings or any other Parent Company (but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the portion, if any, of such amount that is attributable to the ownership or operations of any Parent Company other than the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries);

 

(xi)      the amount of any Charge incurred or accrued in connection with sales of receivables and related assets in connection with any Permitted Receivables Financing;

 

(xii)      any net pension or other post-employment benefit costs representing amortization of unrecognized prior service costs, actuarial losses, including amortization of such amounts arising in prior periods, amortization of the unrecognized net obligation (and loss or cost) existing at the date of initial application of FASB Accounting Standards Codification 715, and any other items of a similar nature;

 

19

 

 

(xiii)     adjustments permitted or required by Article 11 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act; and

 

(xiv)    expenses consisting of internal software development costs that are expensed during the period but could have been capitalized under alternative accounting policies in accordance with GAAP; plus

 

(c)             to the extent not included in Consolidated Net Income for such period, cash actually received (or any netting arrangement resulting in reduced cash expenditures) during such period so long as the non-cash gain relating to the relevant cash receipt or netting arrangement was deducted in the calculation of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA pursuant to clause (f) below for any previous period and not added back; plus

 

(d)            without duplication, the amount of “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies (collectively, “Expected Cost Savings”) related to the Transactions or any Investment, Disposition, operating improvement, restructuring, cost savings initiative and/or any similar transaction or initiative (any such operating improvement, restructuring, cost savings initiative or similar transaction or initiative, a “Cost Saving Initiative”) projected by the Borrower in good faith to be realized as a result of actions that have been taken (or with respect to which substantial steps have been taken) or initiated or are expected to be taken (in the good faith determination of the Borrower), including any cost savings, expenses and Charges (including restructuring and integration charges) in connection with, or incurred by or on behalf of, any joint venture of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (whether accounted for on the financial statements of any such joint venture or the Borrower) (i) with respect to the Transactions, on or prior to the date that is 24 months after the Closing Date (including actions initiated prior to the Closing Date) and (ii) with respect to any other Cost Savings Initiative whether initiated before, on or after the Original Closing Date, within 24 months after such Cost Savings Initiative (which Expected Cost Savings shall be added to Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA until fully realized and calculated on a Pro Forma Basis as though such Expected Cost Savings had been realized on the first day of the relevant period), net of the amount of actual benefits realized from such actions; provided that (A) such cost savings are reasonably identifiable, (B) no Expected Cost Savings shall be added pursuant to this clause (d) to the extent duplicative of any Charges relating to such Expected Cost Savings that increased Consolidated Net Income pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof (it being understood and agreed that “run rate” shall mean the full annual recurring benefit that is associated with any action taken) and (C) the share of any such cost savings, expenses and Charges with respect to a joint venture that are to be allocated to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall not exceed the total amount thereof for any such joint venture multiplied by the percentage of income of such venture expected to be included in Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the relevant Test Period; provided, further, that the aggregate amount of any adjustments made pursuant to this clause (d) for any period shall not exceed in the aggregate 20% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for such period (after giving effect to all such adjustments); plus

 

(e)             the excess (if any) of (i) the aggregate amount of “run rate” profits pursuant to contracts entered into during the relevant Test Period (net of actual profits pursuant to such contracts during such Test Period) projected by the Borrower, in good faith, as if such contracted pricing was applicable (at the contracted rate and calculated based on an assumed margin determined by the Borrower to be a reasonable good faith estimate of the actual costs (including increased overhead costs) associated with such contracts) during the entire Test Period, and (ii) profits associated with contracts that were cancelled or otherwise terminated during such Test Period; minus

 

20

 

 

(f)             any amount that, in the determination of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, has been included for any non-cash income or non-cash gain, all as determined in accordance with GAAP (provided that if any non-cash income or non-cash gain represents an accrual or deferred income in respect of potential cash items in any future period, such Person may determine not to deduct the relevant non-cash gain or income in the then-current period); minus

 

(g)            the amount of any cash payment made during such period in respect of any non-cash accrual, reserve or other non-cash Charge that is accounted for in a prior period and that was added to Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower to determine Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for such prior period and that does not otherwise reduce such Consolidated Net Income for the current period; minus

 

(h)            the amount of any income or gain associated with any Restricted Subsidiary that is attributable to any non-controlling interest and/or minority interest of any third party; plus

 

(i)             an amount equal to the net change in deferred revenue at the end of such period from the deferred revenue at the end of the previous period,

 

provided that, if a Qualifying IPO occurred at any time prior to the end of a Test Period, commencing with the first Test Period which includes the Fiscal Quarter during which such Qualifying IPO occurred the addition of any amounts pursuant to clauses (b)(ix), (e), and (i) above for each Fiscal Quarter included in such Test Period and each subsequent Test Period shall be disregarded for the purpose of calculating the First Lien Leverage Ratio solely in connection with calculating and determining compliance with Section 6.12(a), the Applicable Rate solely with respect to Revolving Loans, or the Commitment Fee Rate.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, it is agreed that for the purpose of calculating Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for any period that includes any of the Fiscal Quarters ended June 30, 2019, March 31, 2019, December 31, 2018 or September 30, 2018, (i) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the Fiscal Quarter ended June 30, 2019 shall be deemed to be $41,400,000, (ii) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the Fiscal Quarter ended March 31, 2019 shall be deemed to be $38,900,000, (iii) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the Fiscal Quarter ended December 31, 2018 shall be deemed to be $36,700,000 and (iv) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the Fiscal Quarter ended September 30, 2018 shall be deemed to be $37,000,000, in each case, as adjusted on a Pro Forma Basis, as applicable, and as further adjusted pursuant to paragraph (d) or (e) above to the extent such adjustment was not otherwise included in the calculation of the foregoing amounts.

 

Consolidated First Lien Debt” means, as to any Person at any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Consolidated Total Debt outstanding on such date that is (a) incurred pursuant to the Loan Documents or (b) secured by a Lien on the Collateral that does not rank junior to the Lien on the Collateral securing the Secured Obligations (excluding, in any event, any Capital Lease or purchase money Indebtedness of any Loan Party secured by Liens on the assets subject thereto).

 

21

 

 

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, cash interest expense (including that attributable to Capital Leases), net of cash interest income of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, including all commissions, discounts and other cash fees and Charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing and net costs (less net cash payments in connection therewith) under hedging agreements and any Restricted Payments on account of Disqualified Capital Stock made pursuant to Section 6.04(a)(xiv), but in any event excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, (a) amortization of original issue discount resulting from the issuance of Indebtedness at less than par, amortization of deferred financing costs, debt issuance costs, commissions, fees and expenses and any other amounts of non-cash interest expense and any capitalized interest, whether paid or accrued (including as a result of the effects of purchase accounting or pushdown accounting), (b) non-cash interest expense attributable to the movement of the mark-to-market valuation of obligations under hedging agreements or other derivative instruments pursuant to FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 815-Derivatives and Hedging and any capitalized interest, (c) any one-time cash costs associated with breakage in respect of hedging agreements for interest rates, (d) commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and Charges (including any interest expense) incurred in connection with any Permitted Receivables Financing, (e) all non-recurring interest expense or “additional interest” for failure to timely comply with registration rights obligations, (f) any interest expense attributable to the exercise of appraisal rights and the settlement of any claims or actions (whether actual, contingent or potential) with respect thereto and with respect to the Original Transactions or any other acquisition or Investment, all as calculated on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, (g) any payments with respect to make-whole premiums or other breakage costs of any Indebtedness, including, without limitation, any Indebtedness issued in connection with the Original Transactions, (h) penalties and interest relating to taxes, (i) accretion or accrual of discounted liabilities not constituting Indebtedness, (j) any interest expense attributable to a Parent Company resulting from push down accounting, (k) any expense resulting from the discounting of Indebtedness in connection with the application of recapitalization or purchase accounting and (l) expensing of bridge, arrangement, structuring, commitment or other financing fees.

 

Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to any Person (the “Subject Person”) for any Test Period, an amount equal to the net income (loss), determined in accordance with GAAP, of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, but excluding:

 

(a)            (i) the income of any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Subject Person) in which any other Person (other than the Subject Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) has a joint interest, except to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments (including any ordinary course dividend, distribution or other payment) paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the Subject Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries by such Person during such period or (ii) the loss of any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Subject Person) in which any other Person (other than the Subject Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) has a joint interest, other than to the extent that the Subject Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has contributed Cash or Cash Equivalents to such Person in respect of such loss during such period;

 

(b)            any gain or loss (less all fees and expenses chargeable thereto) attributable to any asset Disposition (including asset retirement costs) or of returned or surplus assets outside the ordinary course of business;

 

(c)            any gain or Charge from (A) any extraordinary or exceptional item and/or (B) any non-recurring or unusual item (including any non-recurring or unusual accruals or reserves in respect of any extraordinary, exceptional, non-recurring or unusual items) and/or (C) any Charge associated with and/or payment of any actual or prospective legal settlement, fine, judgment or order;

 

22

 

 

(d)            any Charge attributable to the development, undertaking and/or implementation of any Cost Savings Initiatives (including in connection with any integration, restructuring or transition, any reconstruction, decommissioning, recommissioning or reconfiguration of fixed assets for alternative uses, any facility/location opening and/or pre-opening, any inventory optimization program and/or any curtailment), any business optimization Charge, any restructuring Charge (including any Charge relating to any tax restructuring and/or any acquisitions after the Original Closing Date and adjustments to existing reserves and whether or not classified as a restructuring expense on the consolidated financial statements), any Charge relating to the closure or consolidation of any facility or location and/or discontinued operations (including but not limited to severance, rent termination costs, contract termination costs, moving costs and legal costs), any systems implementation Charge, any severance Charge, any Charge relating to entry into a new market, any Charge relating to any strategic initiative (including multi-year strategic initiatives), any signing Charge, any retention or completion bonus, any other recruiting, signing and retention Charges (including payments made to employees or producers who are subject to non-compete agreements), any expansion and/or relocation Charge, any Charge associated with any curtailments or modification to any pension and post-retirement employee benefit plan (including any settlement of pension liabilities and charges resulting from changes in estimates, valuations and judgments thereof), any software or intellectual property development Charge, any Charge associated with new systems design, any implementation Charge, any project startup Charge, any Charge in connection with new operations, any consulting Charge and/or any business development Charge;

 

(e)            Transaction Costs (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) (including any Charges associated with the rollover, acceleration or payout of equity interests held by management of the Target (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) or any of their respective direct or indirect subsidiaries or parents in connection with the Original Transactions and any other payments contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) as in effect on the Original Closing Date);

 

(f)            any Charge (including any transaction or retention bonus or similar payment or any amortization thereof for such period) incurred in connection with the consummation of any transaction outside the ordinary course of business (including any such transaction consummated prior to the Original Closing Date and any such transaction undertaken but not completed), including any issuance or offering of Capital Stock (including in connection with any Qualifying IPO), any Disposition, any recapitalization, any merger, consolidation or amalgamation, any option buyout or any incurrence, repayment, refinancing, amendment or modification of Indebtedness (including any amortization or write-off of debt issuance or deferred financing costs, premiums and prepayment penalties) or any similar transaction and/or any Investment, including any Permitted Acquisition, and/or “growth” Capital Expenditure including, in each case any earnout or other contingent consideration obligation expense or purchase price adjustment, integration expense or nonrecurring merger costs incurred during such period as a result of any such transactions (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the effects of expensing all transaction-related expenses in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification 805 and gains or losses associated with FASB Accounting Standards Codification 460) and any adjustments of any of the foregoing;

 

(g)            the amount of any Charge that is actually reimbursed (or reimbursable by one or more third parties pursuant to indemnification or reimbursement provisions or similar agreements or insurance); provided that the relevant Person in good faith expects to receive reimbursement for such fee, cost, expense or reserve within the next four Fiscal Quarters (it being understood that to the extent any reimbursement amount is not actually received within such four Fiscal Quarters, such reimbursement amount shall be deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income in the next succeeding Fiscal Quarter);

 

23

 

 

(h)            any net gain or Charge with respect to (i) any disposed, abandoned, divested and/or discontinued asset, property or operation (other than (A) at the option of the Borrower, any asset, property or operation pending the disposal, abandonment, divestiture and/or termination thereof and (B) dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business) and/or (ii) any location that has been closed during such period;

 

(i)             any net income or Charge attributable to the early extinguishment of Indebtedness or any Hedge Agreement;

 

(j)             any Charge that is established, adjusted and/or incurred, as applicable, that is required to be established, adjusted or incurred, as applicable, as a result of the Original Transactions in accordance with GAAP;

 

(k)            (i) the effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the relevant Person and its subsidiaries) resulting from the application of acquisition method, purchase and/or recapitalization accounting in relation to the Original Transactions or any consummated acquisition or similar transaction or recapitalization accounting or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of Taxes including adjustments in component amounts required or permitted by GAAP (including, without limitation, in the inventory, property and equipment, lease, software, goodwill, intangible asset, in-process research and development, deferred revenue, advanced billing and debt line items thereof) and/or (ii) the cumulative effect of any change in accounting principles (effected by way of either a cumulative effect adjustment or a retroactive application, in each case, in accordance with GAAP) and/or any change resulting from the adoption or modification of accounting principles and/or policies in accordance with GAAP;

 

(l)             any non-cash compensation Charge and/or any other non-cash Charge arising from the granting of any stock option or similar arrangement (including any profits interest), the granting of any stock appreciation right, management equity plan, employee benefit plan or agreement, stock option plan and/or similar arrangement (including any repricing, amendment, modification, substitution or change of any such stock option, stock appreciation right, profits interest or similar arrangement);

 

(m)            amortization of intangible assets;

 

(n)            any impairment charge or asset write-off or write-down (including related to intangible assets (including goodwill), long-lived assets, and investments in debt and equity securities);

 

(o)            (i) the income or loss of any Person accrued prior to the date on which such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person or is merged into or consolidated with such Person or any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person or the date that such other Person’s assets are acquired by such Person or any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person and (ii) the net income in such period of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Loan Party) that, as of the date of determination, is subject to any restriction on its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions, directly or indirectly, by operation of its organizational documents or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order or Requirement of Law applicable thereto (other than (A) any restriction that has been waived or otherwise released and/or (B) any restriction set forth in the Loan Documents or the documents related to any Incremental Equivalent Debt, the documents relating to the Second Lien Term Loans or any “Incremental Equivalent Debt” (as defined in the Second Lien Credit Agreement or any equivalent term under any Indebtedness that refinances Second Lien Term Loans) and the documents relating to any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of any of the foregoing); it being understood and agreed that Consolidated Net Income will be increased by the amount of any payments made in Cash (or converted into Cash) or in Cash Equivalents to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Restricted Subsidiary that is subject to the relevant restriction) in respect of any such income;

 

24

 

 

(p)            (i) any realized or unrealized gain or loss in respect of (A) any obligation under any Hedge Agreement as determined in accordance with GAAP and/or (B) any other derivative instrument pursuant to, in the case of this clause (B), Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification No. 815-Derivatives and Hedging and (ii) any realized or unrealized foreign currency exchange gain or loss (including any currency re-measurement of Indebtedness or other balance sheet items, any net gain or loss resulting from Hedge Agreements for currency exchange risk associated with the foregoing or any other currency related risk and any gain or loss resulting from revaluation of intercompany balances (including Indebtedness and other balance sheet items);

 

(q)            any deferred Tax expense associated with any tax deduction or net operating loss arising as a result of the Original Transactions, or the release of any valuation allowance related to any such item;

 

(r)            any reserves, accruals or non-cash Charges related to adjustments to historical tax exposures, including social security, federal unemployment, state unemployment and state disability taxes deducted in the calculation of net income during such period (provided, in each case, that the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated Net Income for the period in which such cash payment was made);

 

(s)            any accruals or obligations accrued related to workers’ compensation programs to the extent that expenses deducted in the calculation of net income exceed the net amounts paid in cash related to workers’ compensation programs in that period; and

 

(t)            adjustments (i) contained in the due diligence quality of earnings report prepared by the Borrower’s accountants and delivered to the Administrative Agent on July 18, 2019, (ii) previously identified in the Sponsor model delivered to certain of the Lead Arrangers on July 15, 2019 or (iii) contained in a due diligence quality of earnings report made available to the Administrative Agent and prepared with respect to the target of a Permitted Acquisition or other Investment permitted hereunder by (x) independent registered public accountants of recognized national standing or (y) any other accounting firm that shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

In addition, to the extent not already included in Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated Net Income shall include (i) the amount of proceeds received or due from business interruption insurance in an amount representing the earnings for the applicable period that such proceeds are intended to replace and reimbursement of expenses and charges that are covered by indemnification, insurance and other reimbursement provisions, including to the extent such insurance proceeds or reimbursement relate to events or periods occurring prior to the Original Closing Date (whether or not received during such period so long as such Person in good faith expects to receive the same within the next four Fiscal Quarters; it being understood that to the extent such proceeds are not actually received within the next four Fiscal Quarters, such proceeds shall be deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income for such Fiscal Quarters) and (ii) the amount of any cash tax benefits related to the tax amortization of intangible assets in such period.

 

25

 

 

provided that, if a Qualifying IPO occurred at any time prior to the end of a Test Period, commencing with the first Test Period which includes the Fiscal Quarter during which such Qualifying IPO occurred the addition of any amounts pursuant to clause (t) above for each Fiscal Quarter included in such Test Period and each subsequent Test Period shall be disregarded for the purpose of calculating the First Lien Leverage Ratio solely in connection with calculating and determining compliance with Section 6.12(a), the Applicable Rate solely with respect to Revolving Loans, or the Commitment Fee Rate.

 

Consolidated Secured Debt” means, as to any Person at any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Consolidated Total Debt of such Person outstanding on such date that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral (excluding, in any event, any Capital Lease or purchase money Indebtedness of any Loan Party secured by Liens on the assets subject thereto).

 

Consolidated Total Assets” means, at any date, all amounts that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption “total assets” (or any like caption) on a consolidated balance sheet of the applicable Person at such date (assuming, for such purpose, that such Person’s only subsidiaries are its Restricted Subsidiaries).

 

Consolidated Total Debt” means, as to any Person at any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of all third party debt for borrowed money (including letter of credit drawings that have not been reimbursed within three Business Days and the outstanding principal balance of all Indebtedness of such Person represented by notes, bonds and similar instruments) (but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, (a) undrawn letters of credit and (b) Hedging Obligations), in each case of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date, on a consolidated basis and determined in accordance with GAAP (excluding, in any event, the effects of any discounting of Indebtedness resulting from the application of purchase or pushdown accounting in connection with the Original Transactions or, any Permitted Acquisition or other Investment); provided that “Consolidated Total Debt” shall be calculated (i) net of the Unrestricted Cash Amount and (ii) to exclude any obligation, liability or indebtedness of such Person if, upon or prior to the maturity thereof, such Person has irrevocably deposited with the proper Person in trust or escrow the necessary funds (or evidences of indebtedness) for the payment, redemption or satisfaction of such obligation, liability or indebtedness, and thereafter such funds and evidences of such obligation, liability or indebtedness or other security so deposited are not included in the calculation of the Unrestricted Cash Amount.

 

Consolidated Working Capital” means, as at any date of determination, the excess of Current Assets over Current Liabilities.

 

Contractual Obligation” means, as applied to any Person, any provision of any Security issued by that Person or of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, contract, undertaking, agreement or other instrument to which that Person is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound or to which it or any of its properties is subject.

 

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

 

“Converting Term Lenders” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Eighth Amendment.

 

26

 

 

Copyright” means the following: (a) all copyrights, rights and interests in works protectable by copyright whether published or unpublished and whether registered or unregistered, including copyright registrations and copyright applications (including all copyrights embodied in Software); (b) all renewals of any of the foregoing; (c) all income, royalties, damages, and payments now or hereafter due and/or payable under any of the foregoing, including, without limitation, damages or payments for past or future infringements for any of the foregoing; (d) the right to sue for past, present, and future infringements of any of the foregoing; and (e) all rights corresponding to any of the foregoing anywhere in the world.

 

Copyright License” means any written agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting to any Person any right to use any Copyright owned by any Loan Party or that any Loan Party otherwise has the right to license, or granting to any Loan Party any right to use any Copyright owned by any other Person or that any other Person otherwise has the right to license, and all rights of any Loan Party under any such agreement.

 

Cost Saving Initiative” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA”.

 

Covered Entity” means any of the following:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Covered Party” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.26.

 

Credit Extension” means each of (i) the making of any Revolving Loan (other than any Letter of Credit Reimbursement Loan) or (ii) the issuance, amendment, modification, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit (other than any such amendment, modification, renewal or extension that does not increase the Stated Amount of the relevant Letter of Credit).

 

Credit Facilities” means the Revolving Facility and the Term Facility.

 

“Credit Party” means the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender and any other Lender.

 

Cure Amount” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.12(b).

 

Cure Right” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.12(b).

 

Current Assets” means, at any date, all assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries which under GAAP would be classified as current assets on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower (excluding (a) any Cash or Cash Equivalents (including cash and Cash Equivalents held on deposit for third parties by the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary), (b) the current portion of current and deferred Taxes, (c) assets held for sale, (d) permitted loans to third parties, (e) deferred bank fees, (f) pension assets and (g) management fees receivables).

 

27

 

 

Current Liabilities” means, at any date, all liabilities of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries which under GAAP would be classified as current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower, other than (a) the current portion of any Funded Debt, (b) outstanding revolving loans (including any Revolving Loans) and letter of credit or similar exposure (including any LC Obligations), (c) the current portion of interest, (d) the current portion of current and deferred Taxes, (e) liabilities in respect of unpaid earnouts and/or holdbacks, (f) accruals relating to restructuring reserves, (g) liabilities in respect of funds of third parties on deposit with the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (h) management fee payables, (i) the current portion of any Capital Lease Obligation, (j) deferred revenue arising from cash receipts that are earmarked for specific projects and (k) the current portion of any other long-term liability.

 

Customary Bridge Loans” means customary bridge loans, escrow or other similar arrangements with a maturity date not later than one year from incurrence thereof and which provide for an automatic extension of the maturity date thereof to a date no earlier than the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date, subject to customary conditions or the exchange or replacement thereof with other Indebtedness; provided that (a) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any loans, notes, securities or other Indebtedness which are exchanged for or otherwise replace such bridge loans is not shorter than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the then-existing Term Loans and (b) the final maturity date of any loans, notes, securities or other Indebtedness which are exchanged for or otherwise replace such bridge loans is no earlier than the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date on the date of the issuance or incurrence thereof.

 

Debt Fund Affiliate” means any Affiliate of a Sponsor (other than a natural person, Holdings, the Borrower or any of their subsidiaries) that is a bona fide debt fund or investment vehicle that is primarily engaged in, or advises (or whose general partner or manager advises (as appropriate)) funds or other investment vehicles that are primarily engaged in, making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans, bonds and similar extensions of credit or securities in the ordinary course and with respect to which no personnel making investment decisions in respect of such affiliate are engaged in making investment decisions with respect to the equity investment in Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

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

 

Declined Proceeds” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(b)(v).

 

Default” means any event or condition which upon notice, lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default.

 

Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

 

28

 

 

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that has (a) defaulted in its obligations under this Agreement, (i) to make a Loan within two Business Days of the date required to be made by it hereunder or (ii) to fund its participation in a Letter of Credit or Swingline Loan within two Business Days of the date such obligation arose or such Loan or Letter of Credit was required to be made or funded, (b) notified the Administrative Agent, any Swingline Lender or any Issuing Bank or the Borrower in writing that it does not intend to satisfy any such obligation or has made a public statement to the effect that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations under this Agreement or under agreements in which it commits to extend credit generally, (c) failed, within two Business Days after the request of the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing that it will comply with the terms of this Agreement relating to its obligations to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit; provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent, (d) become (or any parent company thereof has become) insolvent or been determined by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Person or its assets, to be insolvent, or the assets or management of which has been taken over by any Governmental Authority, (e) become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or custodian, appointed for it, or has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, unless in the case of any Lender subject to this clause (e), the Borrower and the Administrative Agent have each determined that such Lender intends, and has all approvals (in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent) required to enable it to continue to perform its obligations as a Lender hereunder or (f) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that no Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Capital Stock in such Lender or its parent by any Governmental Authority so long as such action does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the US or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contract or agreement to which such Lender is a party.

 

Deposit Account” means a demand, time, savings, passbook or like account with a bank, excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any investment property (within the meaning of the UCC) or any account evidenced by an instrument (within the meaning of the UCC).

 

Derivative Transaction” means (a) any interest-rate transaction, including any interest-rate swap, basis swap, forward rate agreement, interest rate option (including a cap, collar or floor), and any other instrument linked to interest rates that gives rise to similar credit risks (including when-issued securities and forward deposits accepted), (b) any exchange-rate transaction, including any cross-currency interest-rate swap, any forward foreign-exchange contract, any currency option, and any other instrument linked to exchange rates that gives rise to similar credit risks, (c) any equity derivative transaction, including any equity-linked swap, any equity-linked option, any forward equity-linked contract, and any other instrument linked to equities that gives rise to similar credit risk and (d) any commodity (including precious metal) derivative transaction, including any commodity-linked swap, any commodity-linked option, any forward commodity-linked contract, and any other instrument linked to commodities that gives rise to similar credit risks; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees, members of management, managers or consultants of the Borrower or its subsidiaries shall constitute a Derivative Transaction.

 

Designated Non-Cash Consideration” means the fair market value (as reasonably determined by the Borrower in good faith) of non-Cash consideration received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with any Disposition pursuant to Section 6.07(h) and/or Section 6.08 that is designated as Designated Non-Cash Consideration pursuant to a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, setting forth the basis of such valuation (which amount will be reduced by the amount of Cash or Cash Equivalents received in connection with a subsequent sale or conversion of such Designated Non-Cash Consideration to Cash or Cash Equivalents).

 

29

 

 

Designs” means any and all and any part of the following: (a) all design patents and intangibles of like nature (whether registered or unregistered), all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith; (b) all reissues, extensions or renewals thereof; (c) all income, royalties, damages and payments now or hereafter due or payable with respect thereto, including, without limitation, damages, claims, and payments for past and future infringements thereof; (d) all rights to sue for past, present, and future infringements of the foregoing and (e) all rights corresponding to any of the foregoing.

 

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, lease, sublease or other disposition of any property of any Person.

 

Disqualified Capital Stock” means any Capital Stock which, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event, (a) matures (excluding any maturity as the result of an optional redemption by the issuer thereof) or is mandatorily redeemable (other than for Qualified Capital Stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares of such Capital Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than for Qualified Capital Stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares of such Capital Stock), in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days following the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Capital Stock is issued (it being understood that if any such redemption is in part, only such part coming into effect prior to the date that is 91 days following the Latest Maturity Date shall constitute Disqualified Capital Stock), (b) is or becomes convertible into or exchangeable (unless at the sole option of the issuer thereof) for (i) debt securities or (ii) any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Capital Stock, in each case at any time on or prior to the date that is 91 days following the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Capital Stock is issued, (c) contains any mandatory repurchase obligation or any other repurchase obligation at the option of the holder thereof (other than for Qualified Capital Stock), in whole or in part, which may come into effect prior to the date that is 91 days following the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Capital Stock is issued (it being understood that if any such repurchase obligation is in part, only such part coming into effect prior to the date that is 91 days following the Latest Maturity Date shall constitute Disqualified Capital Stock) or (d) provides for the scheduled payments of dividends in Cash on or prior to the date that is 91 days following the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Capital Stock is issued; provided that any Capital Stock that would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock but for provisions thereof giving holders thereof (or the holders of any security into or for which such Capital Stock is convertible, exchangeable or exercisable) the right to require the issuer thereof to redeem or purchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of any change of control, Qualifying IPO, any Disposition or any similar event, occurring prior to the date that is 91 days following the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Capital Stock is issued shall not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock if such Capital Stock provides that the issuer thereof will not redeem or purchase any such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions prior to the Termination Date.

 

Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, (A) if such Capital Stock is issued pursuant to any plan for the benefit of directors, officers, employees, members of management, managers or consultants or by any such plan to such directors, officers, employees, members of management, managers or consultants, in each case in the ordinary course of business of Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, such Capital Stock shall not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock solely because it may be required to be repurchased by the issuer thereof in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations, and (B) no Capital Stock held by any future, present or former employee, director, officer, manager, member of management or consultant (or their respective Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) of the Borrower (or any Parent Company or any subsidiary) shall be considered Disqualified Capital Stock solely because such stock is redeemable or subject to repurchase pursuant to any management equity subscription agreement, stock option, stock appreciation right or other stock award agreement, stock ownership plan, put agreement, stockholder agreement or similar agreement that may be in effect from time to time.

 

30

 

 

Disqualified Institution” means, unless otherwise consented to by Borrower in writing (including by email):

 

(a)             (i) any Person identified as such by the Borrower or the Sponsors in writing to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. on or prior to July 29, 2019the Eighth Amendment Closing Date (the Persons described in this clause (a)(i), the “Identified Disqualified Lenders”) and (ii) any Affiliate of any Identified Disqualified Lender that is identified in writing to the Administrative Agent as such, and

 

(b)             (i) any Person that is or becomes a Company Competitor and (A) was identified as such in writing to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. on or prior to July 29, 2019the Eighth Amendment Closing Date or (B) is identified in writing as such to the Administrative Agent from time to time thereafter and (ii) any Affiliate of any Person described in clause (b)(i) above (other than a Bona Fide Debt Fund) that is identified in writing to the Administrative Agent as such, and

 

(c)             any Affiliate of any Person described in clause (a) or (b) above that is readily identifiable as an Affiliate of such Person on the basis of such Affiliate’s name, other than, in the case of clause (b) above, a Bona Fide Debt Fund;

 

it being understood and agreed that the identification of any Person as a Disqualified Institution after the Eighth Amendment Closing Date shall not (A) apply to retroactively disqualify any Person that has previously acquired an assignment or participation interest in any Loan, subject, in the case of assignments and participations made after the date on which any such Person is identified as a Disqualified Institution, to the provisions of Section 9.05(f) or (B) become effective until three Business Days after written notice of the identification of such Person as a Disqualified Institution is delivered to JPMDQ_Contact@jpmorgan.com.

 

Disqualified Person” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.05(f).

 

Dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the US.

 

Domain Name” means Internet domain names and associated uniform resource locator addresses.

 

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that is a US Person.

 

Dutch Auction” has the meaning assigned to such term on Schedule 1.01(b).

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

31

 

 

Effective Yield” means, as to any Indebtedness on any date of determination, the effective yield applicable thereto as determined by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in a manner consistent with generally accepted financial practices, taking into account (a) interest rate margins, (b) interest rate floors (subject to the proviso set forth below), (c) any amendment to the relevant interest rate margins and interest rate floors prior to the applicable date of determination and (d) original issue discount and upfront or similar fees (based on an assumed four-year average life to maturity or lesser remaining average life to maturity and assuming, if applicable, that the Initial Revolving Facility and the applicable Incremental Revolving Facility are fully drawn), but excluding (i) any arrangement, commitment, structuring, closing payments, underwriting and/or similar fees that are not generally shared with all relevant lenders (in their capacities as lenders); (ii) customary consent or amendment fees for an amendment paid generally to consenting lenders (regardless of whether any such fees are paid to or shared in whole or in part with any lender), (iii) any other fee that is not payable to all relevant lenders generally and (iv) if applicable, ticking fees accruing prior to the funding of such Indebtedness; provided, however, that (A) to the extent that Term SOFR, for a period of three months, or Alternate Base Rate (without giving effect to any floor specified in the definition thereof), is less than any floor applicable to the loans in respect of which the Effective Yield is being calculated on the date on which the Effective Yield is determined, the amount of the resulting difference will be deemed added to the interest rate margin applicable to the relevant Indebtedness for purposes of calculating the Effective Yield and (B) to the extent that Term SOFR, as applicable, for a period of three months or Alternate Base Rate (without giving effect to any floor specified in the definition thereof) is greater than any applicable floor on the date on which the Effective Yield is determined, the floor will be disregarded in calculating the Effective Yield.

 

“Eighth Amendment” means that certain Eighth Amendment to this Agreement, dated as of the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, among the Borrower, Holdings, the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party thereto.

 

“Eighth Amendment Closing Date” means February 9, 2024.

 

“Electronic Signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

 

Eligible Assignee” means (a) any Lender, (b) any commercial bank, insurance company, or finance company, financial institution, any fund that invests in loans or any other “accredited investor” (as defined in Regulation D of the Securities Act), (c) any Affiliate of any Lender, (d) any Approved Fund of any Lender and (e) to the extent permitted under Section 9.05(g), any Affiliated Lender or any Debt Fund Affiliate; provided that in any event, “Eligible Assignee” shall not include (i) any natural person, (ii) any Disqualified Institution or (iii) except as permitted under Section 9.05(g), the Borrower or any of its Affiliates.

 

Environmental Claim” means any investigation, notice, notice of violation, claim, action, suit, proceeding, demand, abatement order or other order or directive (conditional or otherwise), by any Governmental Authority or any other Person, arising (a) pursuant to or in connection with any actual or alleged violation of, or liability under, any Environmental Law, or (b) in connection with any release of any Hazardous Material.

 

Environmental Laws” means any and all foreign or domestic, federal, provincial, territorial, municipal or state (or any subdivision of any of them), statutes, ordinances, orders, rules, regulations, judgments, Governmental Authorizations, or any other applicable and legally enforceable requirements of Governmental Authorities and the common law relating to (a) protection of the environment or (b) the generation, use, storage, transportation or Release of or exposure to Hazardous Materials, applicable to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any Facility.

 

32

 

 

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise, including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

Equity Contribution” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.

 

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that is under common control with the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and is treated as a single employer within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.

 

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations at any facility of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate as described in Section 4062(e) of ERISA, in each case, resulting in liability pursuant to Section 4063 of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan resulting in the imposition of Withdrawal Liability on the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, notification of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate of the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is “insolvent” within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA or the receipt by the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate, of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, that a Multiemployer Plan is in endangered or critical status under Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan under Section 4041(c) of ERISA, the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041(c) of ERISA, the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or the receipt by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate of notice of the treatment of a Multiemployer Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041A of ERISA or of notice of the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Multiemployer Plan; (e) the occurrence of an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliates, with respect to the termination of any Pension Plan; (g) the failure to make a required contribution to any Pension Plan that would result in the imposition of a Lien or other encumbrance under Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 or 4068 of ERISA, or the imposition of a Lien under Section 303(k) of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan; or (h) the filing of any request for or receipt of a minimum funding waiver under Section 412 of the Code with respect to any Plan; or a determination that any Pension Plan is, or is expected to be, considered an at-risk plan within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA; the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate incurring any liability under Section 436 of the Code, or a violation of Section 436 of the Code with respect to a Pension Plan.

 

33

 

 

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

 

Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.

 

Excess Cash Flow” means, for any Excess Cash Flow Period, any amount (if positive) equal to:

 

(a)             Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower for such Excess Cash Flow Period; plus

 

(b)            an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash Charges to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income (provided, in each case, that if any non-cash charge represents an accrual or reserve for cash items in any future period, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Excess Cash Flow for such Excess Cash Flow Period in such future period); plus

 

(c)             the decreases, if any, in long-term receivables, long-term prepaid assets and/or Consolidated Working Capital from the first day to the last day of such Excess Cash Flow Period, but excluding any such decrease in Consolidated Working Capital arising from (i) the acquisition or Disposition of any Person by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary designation, (ii) the reclassification during such period of current assets to long-term assets or current liabilities to long-term liabilities, (iii) the application of acquisition method, purchase and/or recapitalization accounting and/or (iv) the effect of any fluctuation in the amount of accrued and contingent obligations under any Hedge Agreement; plus

 

(d)            increases in long-term deferred revenue; plus

 

(e)             an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash loss on Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such Excess Cash Flow Period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income; plus

 

(f)             extraordinary gains for such Excess Cash Flow Period; minus

 

(g)            an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash gains for such Excess Cash Flow Period included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income (including any amounts included in Consolidated Net Income pursuant to the last sentence of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income” to the extent such amounts are due but not received during such period, provided that such amounts are added to Excess Cash Flow in the period received) and cash Charges included in clauses (a) through (s)  of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income” to the extent financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries; minus

 

(h)            [reserved]; minus

 

(i)            (i) the aggregate amount of all principal payments of Indebtedness during such Excess Cash Flow Period, including (A) the principal component of payments in respect of Capital Leases and (B) the amount of any mandatory prepayment of Loans to the extent required due to a Disposition that resulted in an increase to Consolidated Net Income and not in excess of the amount of such increase but excluding (x) all other prepayments or repurchases of Term Loans, any Indebtedness secured by Liens on the Collateral ranking on an equal priority basis with the Liens securing the Secured Obligations, and the Second Lien Term Loans and Second Lien Incremental Debt and (y) all prepayments of revolving loans (including Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans) made during such period (other than in respect of any revolving credit facility (excluding Revolving Loans) to the extent there is an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder), except to the extent financed with the proceeds of other Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) the aggregate amount of any premium, make-whole or penalty payments actually paid in cash by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such Excess Cash Flow Period that are required to be made in connection with any prepayment of Indebtedness; minus

 

34

 

 

(j)             an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash gain on Dispositions by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such Excess Cash Flow Period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income; minus

 

(k)             increases in long-term receivables, long-term prepaid assets and/or Consolidated Working Capital from the first day to the last day of such Excess Cash Flow Period but excluding any such increase in Consolidated Working Capital arising from (i) the acquisition or Disposition of any Person by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary designation, (ii) the reclassification during such period of current assets to long-term assets or current liabilities to long-term liabilities, (iii) the application of acquisition method, purchase and/or recapitalization accounting and/or (iv) the effect of any fluctuation in the amount of accrued and contingent obligations under any Hedge Agreement; minus

 

(l)             decreases in long-term deferred revenue during such Excess Cash Flow Period; minus

 

(m)            the aggregate amount of expenditures actually made by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in cash during such Excess Cash Flow Period (including expenditures for the payment of financing fees and cash restructuring charges) to the extent that such expenditures are not expensed during such Excess Cash Flow Period or are not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, to the extent that such expenditure was financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries; minus

 

(n)            the amount of taxes (including penalties and interest) paid in cash and/or tax reserves set aside or payable (without duplication) in such Excess Cash Flow Period to the extent they exceed the amount of tax expense deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income for such Excess Cash Flow Period; minus

 

(o)            extraordinary losses for such Excess Cash Flow Period; minus

 

(p)            amounts excluded under clause (g) of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income” for such Excess Cash Flow Period, to the extent the relevant insurance proceeds have not yet been received, minus

 

(q)            cash expenditures in respect of Hedge Agreements during such Excess Cash Flow Period to the extent not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income.

 

For purposes of this definition of “Excess Cash Flow”, (i) “deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income” shall mean deducted in calculating the net income (loss) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and not thereafter excluded pursuant to the definition of Consolidated Net Income, (ii) “included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income” shall mean included in calculating the net income (loss) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and not thereafter excluded pursuant to the definition of Consolidated Net Income and (iii) amounts shall be deducted from, or added to, Consolidated Net Income without duplication.

 

35

 

 

Excess Cash Flow Period” means each Fiscal Year of the Borrower, commencing with the Fiscal Year of the Borrower ending on December 31, 20202024.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

Excluded Assets” means each of the following:

 

(a)             any asset the grant of a security interest in which would (i) be prohibited by any enforceable anti-assignment provision set forth in any contract relating to such asset that is permitted or otherwise not prohibited by the terms of this Agreement, (ii) violate the terms of any contract relating to such asset that is permitted or otherwise not prohibited by the terms of this Agreement (in the case of clause (i) above, this clause (iii)(ii) and clause (iii) below, after giving effect to any applicable anti-assignment provision of the UCC or other applicable Requirements of Law) or (iii) trigger termination of any contract relating to such asset that is permitted or otherwise not prohibited by the terms of this Agreement pursuant to any “change of control” or similar provision; it being understood that (A) the term “Excluded Asset” shall not include proceeds or receivables arising out of any contract described in this clause (a) to the extent that the assignment of such proceeds or receivables is expressly deemed to be effective under the UCC or any other applicable Requirement of Law notwithstanding the relevant prohibition, violation or termination right, (B) the exclusions referenced in clauses (a)(i), (a)(ii) and (a)(iii) above shall not apply to the extent that the relevant contract prohibits the grant of a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets of any Loan Party and (C) the exclusion set forth in this clause (a) shall only apply if the contractual prohibitions or contractual provisions that would be so violated or that would trigger any such termination under clause (a)(i), (a)(ii) or (a)(iii) above (x) existed on the Original Closing Date (or in the case of any contract of a Subsidiary that is acquired following the Original Closing Date, as of the date of such acquisition) and were not entered into in contemplation of the Original Closing Date (or such acquisition) and (y) cannot be waived unilaterally by Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries,

 

(b)            (i) the Capital Stock of any (A) Captive Insurance Subsidiary, (B) Unrestricted Subsidiary, (C) not-for-profit or special purpose subsidiary, (D) Receivables Subsidiary or (E) Immaterial Subsidiary and/or (ii) voting Capital Stock representing in excess of 65% of the voting Capital Stock of any Foreign Subsidiary or FSHCO,

 

(c)             any intent-to-use (or similar) Trademark application prior to the filing and acceptance of a “Statement of Use”, “Declaration of Use”, “Amendment to Allege Use” or similar notice and/or filing with respect thereto, only to the extent, if any, that, and solely during the period if any, in which, the grant of a security interest therein may impair the validity or enforceability of such intent-to-use Trademark application under applicable Requirements of Law,

 

36

 

 

(d)            any asset, the grant of a security interest in which would (i) require any governmental consent, approval, license or authorization that has not been obtained, (ii) be prohibited by applicable Requirements of Law, except, in each case of clause (i) above and this clause (ii), to the extent such requirement or prohibition would be rendered ineffective under the UCC or any other applicable Requirement of Law notwithstanding such requirement or prohibition; it being understood that the term “Excluded Asset” shall not include proceeds or receivables arising out of any asset described in clause (d)(i) or clause (d)(ii) to the extent that the assignment of such proceeds or receivables is expressly deemed to be effective under the UCC or any other applicable Requirement of Law notwithstanding the relevant requirement or prohibition or (iii) result in material adverse tax consequences to Initial Holdings, Holdings or the Borrower or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent, including as a result of the operation of Section 956 of the Code,

 

(eb)          (i) any leasehold real property interests and (ii) any fee owned real property,

 

(fc)           any interest in any partnership, joint venture or non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiary which cannot be pledged without (i) the consent of one or more third parties other than Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under the Organizational Documents (and/or shareholders’ or similar agreement) of such partnership, joint venture or non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (after giving effect to Sections 9-406, 9-407, 9408 or 9-409 of the UCC (or any successor provision or provisions) of any relevant jurisdiction or any other applicable Requirement of Law) or (ii) giving rise to a “right of first refusal”, a “right of first offer” or a similar right permitted or otherwise not prohibited by the terms of this Agreement that may be exercised by any third party other than Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with the Organizational Documents (and/or shareholders’ or similar agreement) of such partnership, joint venture or non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (after giving effect to Sections 9-406, 9-407, 9-408 or 9-409 of the UCC (or any successor provision or provisions) of any relevant jurisdiction or any other applicable Requirement of Law,

 

(gd)          (i) motor vehicles, aircraft, aircraft engines and other assets subject to certificates of title, (ii) letter-of-credit rights not constituting supporting obligations of other Collateral and (iii) Commercial Tort Claims with a value (as reasonably estimated by the Borrower) of less than $10,000,000, except, in each case of clauses (i)-(iii), to the extent a security interest therein can be perfected by the filing of a UCC financing statement,

 

(he)          any Margin Stock,

 

(if)            any Cash or Cash Equivalents, Deposit Account, commodities account or securities account (including securities entitlement and related assets but excluding Cash and Cash Equivalents representing the proceeds of assets otherwise constituting Collateral),

 

(jg)           any lease, license or agreement or any asset that is being leased, licensed, purchased or otherwise subject thereto (including pursuant to a purchase money security interest, Capital Lease or similar arrangement) that is, in each case, permitted by this Agreement to the extent that the grant of a security interest therein would violate or invalidate such lease, license or agreement or purchase money, Capital Lease or similar arrangement or trigger a right of termination in favor of any other party thereto (other than Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) after giving effect to the applicable anti-assignment provisions of the UCC or any other applicable Requirement of Law; it being understood that the term “Excluded Asset” shall not include any proceeds or receivables arising out of any asset described in this clause (j) to the extent that the assignment of such proceeds or receivables is expressly deemed to be effective under the UCC or any other applicable Requirement of Law notwithstanding the relevant requirement or prohibition,

 

37

 

 

(kh)          any asset with respect to which the Administrative Agent and the Borrower have reasonably determined that the cost, burden, difficulty or consequence (including any effect on the ability of the relevant Loan Party to conduct its operations and business in the ordinary course of business) of obtaining or perfecting a security interest therein outweighs the benefit of a security interest to the relevant Secured Parties afforded thereby, which determination is evidenced in writing,

 

(li)             all assets of Holdings other than the Capital Stock of the Borrower;

 

(mj)           receivables and related assets (or interests therein) (i) sold to any Receivables Subsidiary in connection with a Permitted Receivables Financing or (ii) otherwise pledged, factored, transferred or sold in connection with any Permitted Receivables Financing, and

 

(nk)          any governmental licenses or state or local franchises, charters or authorizations, to the extent a security interest in any such license, franchise, charter or authorization would be prohibited or restricted thereby after giving effect to the applicable anti-assignment provisions of the UCC or any other applicable Requirement of Law.

 

Excluded Subsidiary” means:

 

(a)             any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower,

 

(b)            any Immaterial Subsidiary,

 

(c)             any Restricted Subsidiary:

 

(i)            that is prohibited from providing a Guarantee under the Loan Guaranty by (A) any Requirement of Law or (B) any Contractual Obligation that, in the case of this clause (B), exists on the Original Closing Date or, if such Restricted Subsidiary is acquired after the Original Closing Date, at the time such Restricted Subsidiary is acquired and which Contractual Obligation was not entered into in contemplation of such acquisition and only for so long as such prohibition is continuing,

 

(ii)           that would require a governmental consent, approval, license or authorization to provide a Guarantee under the Loan Guaranty (including any regulatory consent, approval, license or authorization) unless such consent, approval, license or authorization has been obtained (it being understood that the Borrower shall not be required to obtain such consent, approval, license or authorization), or

 

(iii)          the provision of a Loan Guaranty by which would result in material adverse tax consequences to Initial Holdings, Holdings or the Borrower or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries, as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent, including as a result of the operation of Section 956 of the Code,

 

(d)            any not-for-profit subsidiary,

 

(e)             any Captive Insurance Subsidiary or other special purpose subsidiaries designated by the Borrower from time to time,

 

38

 

 

(f)             any Receivables Subsidiary,

 

(g)            (i) any Foreign Subsidiary, (ii) any FSHCO and/or (iii) any Domestic Subsidiary that is a direct or indirect subsidiary of any Foreign Subsidiary that is a CFC,

 

(h)            any Unrestricted Subsidiary,

 

(i)             any Restricted Subsidiary acquired by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Original Closing Date in a transaction not prohibited by this Agreement that, at the time of the relevant acquisition, is an obligor in respect of assumed Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01 to the extent (A) (and for so long as) the documentation governing the applicable assumed Indebtedness prohibits such subsidiary from providing a Guarantee under the Loan Guaranty and (B) the relevant prohibition was not implemented in contemplation of the applicable acquisition, for so long as such prohibition exists,

 

(j)             any other Restricted Subsidiary with respect to which, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the burden or cost of providing a Guarantee under the Loan Guaranty outweighs the benefits afforded thereby, and

 

(k)            any broker-dealer Subsidiaries.

 

Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Loan Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guarantee under the Loan Guaranty of such Loan Guarantor of, or the grant by such Loan Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Loan Guaranty thereof) is or becomes illegal or unlawful under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Loan Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder (determined after giving effect to any “keepwell”, support or other agreement for the benefit of such Loan Guarantor) at the time the Guarantee under the Loan Guaranty of such Loan Guarantor or the grant of such security interest becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If any Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such Guarantee under the Loan Guaranty or security interest is or becomes illegal.

 

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or Issuing Bank, or any other recipient (“Recipient”) of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document, (a) Taxes imposed on (or measured by) such recipient’s net or overall gross income or franchise Taxes (i) imposed as a result of such recipient being organized or having its principal office located in or, in the case of any Lender, having its applicable lending office located in, the taxing jurisdiction or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) any branch profits Taxes imposed under Section 884(a) of the Code, or any similar Tax, imposed by any jurisdiction described in clause (a), (c) in the case of any Lender or Issuing Bank, any U.S. federal withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Lender or Issuing Bank pursuant to a Requirement of Law in effect at the time such Lender or Issuing Bank becomes a party to this Agreement (other than any Lender that became a recipient pursuant to an assignment under Section 2.19 or any Issuing Bank that becomes a recipient pursuant to Section 2.05(i)(i)) or designates a new lending office, except in each case to the extent that such Lender or Issuing Bank (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, immediately prior to the designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from any Loan Party with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.17, (d) any tax imposed as a result of a failure by such recipient to comply with Section 2.17(e) and (e) withholding tax under FATCA.

 

39

 

 

“Existing Credit Agreement” means this Agreement as in effect immediately prior to the Eighth Amendment Closing Date.

 

Existing Term Loans” has the meaning specifiedassigned to such term in the ThirdEighth Amendment.

 

Expected Cost Savings” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA”.

 

Extended Revolving Credit Commitment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.23(a).

 

Extended Revolving Loans” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.23(a)(i).

 

Extended Term Loans” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.23(a)(ii).

 

Extension” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.23(a).

 

Extension Amendment” means an amendment to this Agreement that is reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower executed by each of (a) Holdings, the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors, (b) the Administrative Agent and (c) each Lender that has accepted the applicable Extension Offer pursuant hereto and in accordance with Section 2.23.

 

Extension Offer” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.23(a).

 

Facility” means any real property (including all buildings, fixtures or other improvements located thereon) now, hereafter or hereof owned, leased, operated or used by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any of their respective predecessors or Affiliates.

 

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to current Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code (or any amended or successor version described above), any intergovernmental agreements (or related laws or official administrative guidance or practices) implementing any of the foregoing and any laws, fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules, guidance notes and practices adopted by another jurisdiction to effect any such intergovernmental agreement.

 

FCPA” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.17(d).

 

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the NYFRB based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depositary institutions, as determined in such manner as the NYFRB shall set forth on its public website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as the effective federal funds rate; provided that if the Federal Funds Effective Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Fee Letter” means that certain Fee Letter, dated as of July 29, 2019, by and among, inter alios, Merger Sub, the Arrangers (and each Affiliate thereof)January 23, 2024, between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

40

 

 

Financial Covenant Standstill” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.01(c).

 

Fifth Amendment” means thethat certain Fifth Amendment to this Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2023, among the Borrower, Holdings, the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the Revolving Lenders party thereto.

 

Fifth Amendment Closing DateFinancial Covenant Standstill” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Fifth AmendmentSection 7.01(c).

 

First Amendment” means thethat certain First Amendment to this Agreement, dated as of December 2, 2019, among the Borrower, Holdings, the Guarantorsother Loan Parties party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party thereto.

 

First Amendment Closing Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in the First Amendment.

 

First Amendment Incremental Term Lender” has the meaning assigned to the term “Incremental Term Loan Lender” in the First Amendment.

 

First Amendment Incremental Term Loans” has the meaning assigned to the term “Incremental Term Loans” in the First Amendment.

 

First Lien Leverage Ratio” means the ratio, as of any date, of (a) Consolidated First Lien Debt as of the last day of the Test Period then most recently ended to (b) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the Test Period then most recently ended, in each case of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

 

First Priority” means, with respect to any Lien purported to be created in any Collateral pursuant to any Collateral Document, that, subject to any Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement, such Lien is senior in priority to any other Lien to which such Collateral is subject, other than any Permitted Lien (excluding any Permitted Lien that is expressly subordinated or otherwise required to be junior to such Lien).

 

Fiscal Quarter” means a fiscal quarter of any Fiscal Year.

 

Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Borrower ending December 31 of each calendar year.

 

Fixed Amounts” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.10(c).

 

Flood Insurance Laws” means, collectively, (a) National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (which comprehensively revised the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973), (b) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 and (c) the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, as amended.

 

Foreign Lender” means any Lender or Issuing Bank that is not a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

Foreign Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

 

Fourth Amendment” means thethat certain Fourth Amendment to this Agreement, dated as of AugustMarch 24, 2021, among the Borrower, Holdings, the Guarantorsother Loan Parties party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party thereto.

 

41

 

 

Fourth Amendment Closing Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Fourth Amendment.

 

Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Lender” has the meaning assigned to the term “2021 Incremental Term Loan Lender” in the Fourth Amendment.

 

“Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans” has the meaning assigned to the term “2021 Incremental Term Loans” in the Fourth Amendment.

 

FSHCO” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower that has no material assets other than Capital Stock or Capital Stock and Indebtedness of one or more direct or indirect Foreign Subsidiaries that are CFCs (including any debt instrument treated as Capital Stock for U.S. federal income tax purposes).

 

Funded Debt” means all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for borrowed money that matures more than one year from the date of its creation, or that matures within one year from such date and that is renewable or extendable, at the option of such Person, to a date that is more than one year from such date, or arises under a revolving credit or similar agreement that obligates the lender or lenders thereunder to extend credit during a period of more than one year from such date, including Indebtedness in respect of the Loans.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the US, in effect and applicable to the accounting period in respect of which reference to GAAP is made, in each case, subject to the terms of Section 1.04.

 

Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, provincial, territorial, municipal, national or other government, governmental department, ministry, commission, board, bureau, court, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision thereof or any entity or officer exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to any government or any court, in each case whether associated with the US, a foreign government or any political subdivision thereof, including any supra-national bodies (such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

 

Governmental Authorization” means any permit, license, authorization, approval, plan, directive, consent order or consent decree of or from any Governmental Authority.

 

Granting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.05(e).

 

Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “Guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the Guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of any other Person (the “Primary Obligor”) in any manner and including any obligation of the Guarantor (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the Primary Obligor so as to enable the Primary Obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or monetary obligation, (e) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part) or (f) secured by any Lien on any assets of such Guarantor securing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or monetary other obligation is assumed by such Guarantor (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation to obtain any such Lien); provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business, or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Original Closing Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition, Disposition or other transaction permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith.

 

42

 

 

Hazardous Materials” means any material, substance or waste, which is classified or otherwise characterized as “hazardous”, or “toxic” or as a “pollutant” or “contaminant” or words of similar import pursuant to Environmental Laws.

 

Hedge Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any Derivative Transaction between any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary and any other Person.

 

Hedging Obligations” means the obligations of a Loan Party or Restricted Subsidiary under any Hedge Agreement.

 

Holdings” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to this Agreement and shall, for the avoidance of doubt, include any Successor Holdings; provided that on and after the effectiveness of the Closing Date Holdings Assumption, the term “Holdings” shall cease to include Initial Holdings.

 

Identified Disqualified Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Disqualified Institution”.

 

IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of IAS Regulation 1606/2002, as in effect from time to time (subject to the provisions of Section 1.04), to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements.

 

Immaterial Subsidiary” means, as of any date, any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower (a) the assets of which do not exceed 5.0% of Consolidated Total Assets of the Borrower and (b) the contribution to Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of which does not exceed 5.0% of the Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower, in each case, as of the last day of or for the most recently ended Test Period and calculated to include the assets and results of operations of any Restricted Subsidiaries that are subsidiaries of such Restricted Subsidiary on a consolidated basis; provided that, the Consolidated Total Assets and Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (as so determined) of all Immaterial Subsidiaries shall not exceed 10.0% of Consolidated Total Assets and 10.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower, in each case, as of the last day of or for the most recently ended Test Period and calculated to include the assets and results of operations of any Restricted Subsidiaries that are subsidiaries of such Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; provided further that, at all times prior to the first delivery of financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), this definition shall be applied based on the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower delivered pursuant to Section 4.01..

 

Immediate Family Member” means, with respect to any individual, such individual’s child, stepchild, grandchild or more remote descendant, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, domestic partner, former domestic partner, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law and daughter-in-law (including adoptive relationships), any trust, partnership or other bona fide estate-planning vehicle the only beneficiaries of which are any of the foregoing individuals, such individual’s estate (or an executor or administrator acting on its behalf), heirs or legatees or any private foundation or fund that is controlled by any of the foregoing individuals or any donor-advised fund of which any such individual is the donor.

 

43

 

 

 

Incremental Cap” means, on any date, the sum of the following:

 

(a)            the Shared Incremental Amount on such date, plus

 

(b)            (i) the amount of any optional prepayment of any Term Loan in accordance with Section 2.11(a) and/or the amount of any permanent reduction of any Revolving Credit Commitment, in each case, after the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, plus (ii) the aggregate principal amount of any Term Loan reduction resulting from any assignment of such Term Loan to (and/or purchase or buybacks of such Term Loan by) Holdings, the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary including any prepayments, reductions, assignments, purchases or buybacks made at a discount to par, with credit given to the aggregate principal amount of the Loans subject thereto, so long as, in the case of any such optional prepayment or assignment, the relevant prepayment or assignment, purchase and/or buyback was not funded (A) with the proceeds of any long-term Indebtedness (including pursuant to clause (c) below) or (B) with the proceeds of any Incremental Facility incurred in reliance on the Shared Incremental Amount, in each case, after the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, minus (iii) the aggregate principal amount of all Incremental Facilities and/or Incremental Equivalent Debt incurred in reliance on this clause (b) after the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and prior to such date minus (iv) the aggregate principal amount of all Second Lien Incremental Debt incurred in reliance on the equivalent of this clause (b) in the Second Lien Credit Agreement, plus

 

(c)            an unlimited amount so long as, in the case of this clause (c), after giving effect to the relevant Incremental Facility, the First Lien Leverage Ratio does not exceed 5.50:1.00 calculated on a Pro Forma Basis (but without giving effect to any amount incurred substantially simultaneously or contemporaneously therewith under the Shared Incremental Amount, under clause (a) or (b) of this definition of “Incremental Cap” or under any revolving facility (whether or not incurred in connection with a Permitted Acquisition, Investment or other similar transaction)), including the application of the proceeds thereof (without “netting” the cash proceeds of the applicable Incremental Facility), and in the case of any Incremental Revolving Facility, assuming a full drawing of such Incremental Revolving Facility.

 

Incremental Commitment” means any commitment made by a lender to provide all or any portion of any Incremental Facility or Incremental Loan.

 

Incremental Equivalent Debt” means Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any other Loan Party in the form of (i) notes or loans secured on a pari passu basis with the Secured Obligations, (ii) notes or loans secured on a junior basis to the Secured Obligations, (iii) unsecured notes or loans and/or (iv) commitments in respect of any of the foregoing issued, incurred or implemented in lieu of loans under an Incremental Facility; provided that:

 

44

 

 

(a)            at the time of issuance or incurrence of such Indebtedness, the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness to be so incurred or issued does not exceed the Incremental Cap at such time; provided that, for purposes of this definition, in the case of Incremental Equivalent Debt that is (I) secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is junior to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations, in lieu of the First Lien Leverage Ratio test applicable thereto, an unlimited amount of Incremental Equivalent Debt may be incurred under clause (c) of the definition of “Incremental Cap” so long as after giving effect to the relevant incurrence of Incremental Equivalent Debt, the Secured Leverage Ratio does not exceed 7.50:1.00 calculated on a Pro Forma Basis or (II) unsecured, in lieu of the First Lien Leverage Ratio test applicable thereto, an unlimited amount of Incremental Equivalent Debt may be incurred under clause (c) of the definition of “Incremental Cap” so long as after giving effect to the relevant incurrence of Incremental Equivalent Debt, either (A) the Total Leverage Ratio does not exceed either 7.50:1.00 calculated on a Pro Forma Basis or (B) the Interest Coverage Ratio is no less than 2.00:1.00 calculated on a Pro Forma Basis (in the case of each of clauses (I) and (II) above, without giving effect to any amount incurred substantially simultaneously or contemporaneously therewith under the Shared Incremental Amount and assuming any unsecured Indebtedness incurred as Incremental Equivalent Debt is secured by a Lien on the Collateral, including the application of the proceeds thereof (without “netting” the cash proceeds of the applicable Incremental Equivalent Debt), and in the case of any Incremental Equivalent Debt that is revolving debt, assuming a full drawing of such Incremental Equivalent Debt),

 

(b)            no Event of Default then exists (except in the case of the incurrence or provision of any Incremental Equivalent Debt in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or other Investment not prohibited by the terms of this Agreement or any Limited Condition Transaction, in which case, no Specified Event of Default then exists) immediately prior to or after giving effect to such notes or loans,

 

(c)            the Weighted Average Life to Maturity applicable to such notes or loans (other than Customary Bridge Loans and Term A Loans) is no shorter than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Initial Term Loans (without giving effect to any prepayment thereof),

 

(d)            the final maturity date with respect to such notes or loans (other than Customary Bridge Loans and Term A Loans) is no earlier than (A) in the case of notes or term loans, the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date and (B) in the case of revolving facilities, the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date, in each case, on the date of the issuance or incurrence, as applicable, thereof,

 

(e)            any such notes or loans that are secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is junior to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations shall be secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is pari passu with or junior to the Lien on the Collateral securing the Second Lien Term Loans;

 

(e)            [reserved];

 

(f)            any such Indebtedness that is secured shall be subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement and no such Indebtedness may be (i) guaranteed by any Person that is not a Loan Party or (ii) secured by any assets other than the Collateral,

 

(g)            except as otherwise permitted in Section 2.22 (including with respect to maturity, amortization, pricing, currency types and denominations, interest rate margins, rate floors, MFN terms, discounts, premiums, fees, and (subject to clause (h) below) prepayment or redemption terms and provisions, in each case, which shall each be determined by the Borrower and the lenders with respect to such Incremental Equivalent Debt) with respect to an analogous Incremental Facility, the terms of any Incremental Equivalent Debt (other than any terms which are applicable only after the Maturity Date of any then-existing Class of Term Loans) must, at the option of the Borrower, either (A) reflect market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence, issuance or effectiveness of such Incremental Equivalent Debt (as determined by the Borrower in good faith) or (B) not be materially more restrictive on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (when taken as a whole) than those applicable to any then-existing Term Loans (when taken as a whole) or otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (it being understood that to the extent that any financial maintenance covenant or other term is added for the benefit of any such Indebtedness, the terms and conditions of such Indebtedness will be deemed not to be more restrictive than the terms and conditions of this Agreement if such financial maintenance covenant or other term is also added for the benefit of all Classes of Loans), and

 

45

 

 

(h)            no such Indebtedness (other than Customary Bridge Loans and Term A Loans) shall have any mandatory prepayment or redemption features (other than customary asset sale events, insurance and condemnation proceeds events, change of control offers or events of default and in the case of loans, excess cash flow sweeps) that could result in prepayments or redemptions of such Indebtedness prior to the Maturity Date of any then-existing Class of Loans.

 

Incremental Facilities” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.22(a).

 

Incremental Facility Agreement” means an amendment to this Agreement that is reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower executed by each of (a) the Borrower, (b) the Administrative Agent and (c) each Lender that agrees to provide all or any portion of the Incremental Facility being incurred pursuant thereto and in accordance with Section 2.22.

 

Incremental Increase Facility” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.22(a).

 

Incremental Loans” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.22(a).

 

Incremental Revolving Commitment” means any commitment made by a lender to provide all or any portion of any Incremental Revolving Facility.

 

Incremental Revolving Facilities” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.22(a).

 

Incremental Revolving Facility Lender” means, with respect to any Incremental Revolving Facility, each Revolving Lender providing any portion of such Incremental Revolving Facility.

 

Incremental Revolving Loans” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.22(a).

 

Incremental Term Facility” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.22(a).

 

Incremental Term Loans” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.22(a).

 

Incurred Acquisition Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01(q).

 

Incurrence-Based Amounts” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.10(c).

 

Indebtedness” as applied to any Person means, without duplication:

 

(a)            all indebtedness for borrowed money;

 

(b)            that portion of obligations with respect to Capital Leases to the extent recorded as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP;

 

46

 

 

(c)            all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments to the extent the same would appear as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP;

 

(d)            any obligation of such Person owed for all or any part of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding (i) any earn out obligation or purchase price adjustment until such obligation (A) becomes a liability on the balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) of such Person in accordance with GAAP and (B) has not been paid within 30 days after becoming due and payable, (ii) any such obligations incurred under ERISA, (iii) accrued expenses and trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business (including on an intercompany basis) and (iv) liabilities associated with customer prepayments and deposits), which purchase price is (A) due more than six months from the date of incurrence of the obligation in respect thereof or (B) evidenced by a note or similar written instrument;

 

(e)            all Indebtedness of others that is secured by any Lien on any asset owned or held by such Person regardless of whether the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed by such Person or is non-recourse to the credit of such Person;

 

(f)            the face amount of any letter of credit issued for the account of such Person or as to which such Person is otherwise liable for reimbursement of drawings;

 

(g)            the Guarantee by such Person of the Indebtedness of another;

 

(h)            all obligations of such Person in respect of any Disqualified Capital Stock; and

 

(i)            all net obligations of such Person in respect of any Derivative Transaction, including any Hedge Agreement, whether or not entered into for hedging or speculative purposes; provided that (i) in no event shall any obligation under any Derivative Transaction be deemed “Indebtedness” for any calculation of the Total Leverage Ratio, the First Lien Leverage Ratio, the Secured Leverage Ratio, the Interest Coverage Ratio or any other financial ratio under this Agreement and (ii) the amount of Indebtedness of any Person for purposes of clause (e) shall be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (A) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (B) the fair market value of the property encumbered thereby as reasonably determined by such Person in good faith.

 

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any third person (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner and any unincorporated joint venture in which such Person is a joint venture) to the extent such Person would be liable therefor under applicable Requirements of Law or any agreement or instrument by virtue of such Person’s ownership interest in such Person, (A) except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provided that such Person is not liable therefor and (B) only to the extent the relevant Indebtedness is of the type that would be included in the calculation of Consolidated Total Debt; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the term “Indebtedness” shall not include, and shall be calculated without giving effect to, (x) the effects of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 815 or International Accounting Standard 39 and related interpretations to the extent such effects would otherwise increase or decrease an amount of Indebtedness for any purpose hereunder as a result of accounting for any embedded derivatives created by the terms of such Indebtedness (it being understood that any such amounts that would have constituted Indebtedness hereunder but for the application of this proviso shall not be deemed an incurrence of Indebtedness hereunder) and (y) the effects of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133 and related interpretations to the extent such effects would otherwise increase or decrease an amount of Indebtedness for any purpose under this Agreement as a result of accounting for any embedded derivative created by the terms of such Indebtedness (it being understood that any such amount that would have constituted Indebtedness under this Agreement but for the application of this sentence shall not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness under this Agreement). The amount of Indebtedness issued at a discount to its initial principal amount shall be calculated based on the initial stated principal amount thereof without giving effect to any such discount. For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall exclude (i) intercompany liabilities arising from their cash management and accounting operations and intercompany loans, advances or Indebtedness among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any rollover or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business, (ii) deferred or prepaid revenue, (iii) purchase price holdbacks in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warranty or other unperformed obligations of the seller, (iv) any obligations attributable to the exercise of appraisal rights and the settlement of any claims or actions (whether actual, contingent or potential) with respect thereto, (v) Indebtedness of any Parent Company appearing on the balance sheet of the Borrower solely by reason of push down accounting under GAAP, (vi) accrued expenses and royalties, and (vii) asset retirement obligations and other pension related obligations (including pensions and retiree medical care) that are not overdue by more than 60 days and (viii) any payments contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement (as in effect on the Closing Date).

 

47

 

 

Indemnified Taxes” means all Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document.

 

Indemnitee” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.03(b).

 

Information Memorandum” means the Confidential Information Memorandum dated September 2019, relating to the Target and its subsidiaries and the Transactions.

 

Initial Lenders” means the Arrangers (or their applicable affiliates), in each case, who are party to this Agreement as Lenders on the Closing Date.

 

Initial Revolving Credit Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Initial Revolving Loans (and acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans) hereunder as set forth on Schedule I to the Seventh Amendment (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the 2023 Revolving Commitments), or in the Assignment and Assumption entered into after the Seventh Amendment Closing Date pursuant to which such Lender assumed its Initial Revolving Credit Commitment, as applicable, as the same may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09 or 2.19, (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.05 or (c) increased pursuant to Section 2.22. The aggregate amount of the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments as of the Seventh Amendment Closing Date is $342,500,000.

 

Initial Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the aggregate Outstanding Amount at such time of all Initial Revolving Loans of such Lender, plus the aggregate amount at such time of such Lender’s LC Exposure attributable to its Initial Revolving Credit Commitment, plus the aggregate amount at such time of such Lender’s Swingline Exposure attributable to its Initial Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

48

 

 

Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date” means the date that is five years after the Seventh Amendment Closing Date (which date is October 6, 2028 and defined as the “Stated Revolving Credit Maturity Date”); provided that, (x) if, on any date prior to the Stated Revolving Credit Maturity Date that is ninety-one (91) days prior to the scheduled maturity date in respect of (A) the Initial Term Loans and/or (B) any Indebtedness that refinances or extends the maturity date of the Initial Term Loans (any such date, a “Revolving Facility First Lien Springing Maturity Date” and any such maturing Initial Term Loans or refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof, “First Lien Reference Debt”), First Lien Reference Debt is outstanding in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $150,000,000, the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date shall instead be the Revolving Facility First Lien Springing Maturity Date and (y) if, on any date prior to the Stated Revolving Credit Maturity Date that is ninety-one (91) days prior to the scheduled maturity date in respect of (A) the Second Lien Term Loans and/or (B) any Indebtedness that refinances or extends the maturity date of the Second Lien Term Loans (any such date, a “Revolving Facility Second Lien Springing Maturity Date” and any such maturing Second Lien Term Loans or refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof, “Second Lien Reference Debt”), any Second Lien Reference Debt is outstanding, the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date shall instead be the Revolving Facility Second Lien Springing Maturity Date; provided further, in each case, if such date is not a Business Day, the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date shall be the immediately preceding Business Day.  Any provisions relating to the determination of a minimum tenor, maturity or Weighted Average Life to Maturity with respect to any Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall assume that neither clause (x) or clause (y) of the foregoing applies.

 

Initial Revolving Facility” means the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments and the Initial Revolving Loans and other extensions of credit thereunder.

 

Initial Revolving Lender” means any Lender with an Initial Revolving Credit Commitment or any Initial Revolving Credit Exposure.

 

Initial Revolving Loan” means (i) prior to the Seventh Amendment Closing Date, any revolving loan made by the Initial Revolving Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a)(iii) prior to the Seventh Amendment Closing Date and (ii) on and after the Seventh Amendment Closing Date, the collective reference to any revolving loan made by the Initial Revolving Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a)(iii) prior to, on or after the Seventh Amendment Closing Date.

 

Initial Term Lender” means any Lender with an Initial Term Loan Commitment or an outstanding Initial Term Loan.

 

Initial Term Loan Applicable Percentage” means, for purposes of Section 2.18(a), with respect to any Initial Term Lender, a percentage equal to a fraction the numerator of which is the aggregate outstanding amount of the Initial Term Loans and Initial Term Loan Commitment of such Initial Term Lender and the denominator of which is the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Initial Term Loans and Initial Term Loan Commitments of all Initial Term Lenders holding Initial Term Loans or Initial Term Loan Commitments.

 

Initial Term Loan Commitment” means, with respect to each Initial Term Lender, the commitment of such Initial Term Lender to make Initial Term Loans hereunder in an aggregate amount not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Initial Term Lender’s nameapplicable portion of the Initial Term Commitments as set forth on the Commitment Schedule or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Initial Term Lender becomes a party hereto, as the same may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09 or 2.19, (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Initial Term Lender pursuant to Section 9.05 or (c) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.22 and, with respect to each Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Lender, the commitment of such Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Lender to make Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans as set forth in the Fourth Amendment.. The aggregate amount of the Initial Term Lenders’ Initial Term Loan Commitments on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date is $2,200,000,000.

 

49

 

 

Initial Term Loan Maturity Date” means the date that is seven years after the Closing DateOctober 22, 2029.

 

Initial Term Loans” means (i) prior to the First Amendment Closing Date, the term loans made by the Initial Term Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a)(i) on the Closing Date, (ii) on and after the First Amendment Closing Date and prior to the Third Amendment Closing Date, the collective reference to (a) the term loans made by the Initial Term Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a)(i) on the Closing Date and (b) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the First Amendment Closing Date, (iii) on and after the Third Amendment Closing Date and prior to the Fourth Amendment Closing Date, the collective reference to (a) the term loans made by the Initial Term Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a)(i) on the Closing Date, (b) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the First Amendment Closing Date and (c) the 2021 Replacement Term Loans made on the Third Amendment Closing Date and (iv) on and after the Fourth Amendment Closing Date, the collective reference to (a) the term loans made by the Initial Term Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a)(i) on the Closing Date, (b) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the First Amendment Closing Date, (c) the 2021 Replacement Term Loans made on the Third Amendment Closing Date and (d) the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the Fourththe Eighth Amendment on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date.

 

Insolvency Disposition” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VIII.

 

Intellectual Property Security Agreement” means any agreement executed on or after the Original Closing Date confirming or effecting the grant of any Lien on IP Rights owned by any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, in accordance with this Agreement and any Security Agreement, including an Intellectual Property Security Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit J.

 

Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such Test Period.

 

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower in the form of Exhibit D or another form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08.

 

Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (including any Swingline Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December (commencing with the last Business Day of December 2019) and the Latest Maturity Date, or the maturity date applicable to such Loan, (b) with respect to any Adjusted Term SOFR Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of an Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day that would have been an Interest Payment Date had successive Interest Periods of three months’ duration been applicable to such Borrowing and (c) to the extent necessary or advisable to create a fungible tranche of Term Loans, the date of the incurrence of any Incremental Term Loans.

 

Interest Period” means with respect to any Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, three or six months (or, to the extent approved by all relevant affected Lenders and the Administrative Agent, 12 months or a shorter period) thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period and (iii) with respect to the Initial Revolving Facility only, no tenor that has been removed from this definition pursuant to Section 2.14(c)(iv) shall be available for specification in any Borrowing Request. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

 

50

 

 

Investment” means (a) any purchase or other acquisition by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of any of the Securities of any other Person (other than any Loan Party), (b) the acquisition by purchase or otherwise (other than any purchase or other acquisition of inventory, materials, supplies and/or equipment in the ordinary course of business) of all or substantially all the business, property or fixed assets of any other Person or any division or line of business or other business unit of any other Person and (c) any loan, advance (other than any advance to any current or former employee, officer, director, member of management, manager, consultant or independent contractor of the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or any Parent Company for moving, entertainment and travel expenses, drawing accounts and similar expenditures in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries) or capital contribution by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to any other Person. The amount, as of any date of determination, of (i) any Investment in the form of a loan or an advance shall be the principal amount thereof outstanding on such date, minus any cash payments actually received by such investor as a repayment of principal or a return of capital, and any cash payments actually received by such investor representing interest in respect of such Investment (to the extent any such payments to be deducted do not, in the aggregate, exceed the remaining principal amount of such Investment and without duplication of amounts increasing the Available Amount), but without any adjustment for write-downs or write-offs (including as a result of forgiveness of any portion thereof) with respect to such loan or advance after the date thereof, (ii) any Investment in the form of a Guarantee shall be equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof, as determined in good faith by the Borrower, (iii) any Investment in the form of a transfer of Capital Stock or other non-cash property by the investor to the investee, including any such transfer in the form of a capital contribution, shall be the fair market value (as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower) of such Capital Stock or other property as of the time of the transfer, minus any payments actually received by such investor representing a return of capital of, or dividends or other distributions in respect of, such Investment (to the extent such payments do not exceed, in the aggregate, the original amount of such Investment and without duplication of amounts increasing the Available Amount), but without any other adjustment for increases or decreases in value of, or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to, such Investment after the date of such Investment, and (iv) any Investment (other than any Investment referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above) by the specified Person in the form of a purchase or other acquisition for value of any Capital Stock, evidences of Indebtedness or other securities of any other Person shall be the original cost of such Investment (including any Indebtedness assumed in connection therewith), plus (A) the cost of all additions thereto and minus (B) the amount of any portion of such Investment that has been repaid to the investor in cash as a repayment of principal or a return of capital, and of any cash payments actually received by such investor representing interest, dividends or other distributions in respect of such Investment (to the extent the amounts referred to in this clause (B) do not, in the aggregate, exceed the original cost of such Investment plus the costs of additions thereto and without duplication of amounts increasing the Available Amount), but without any other adjustment for increases or decreases in value of, or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to, such Investment after the date of such Investment.

 

51

 

 

Investors” means (a) the Sponsors and (b) the Management Investors and any Affiliate thereof (excluding any operating portfolio company).

 

IP Rights” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.05(c).

 

IRS” means the US Internal Revenue Service.

 

Issuing Bank” means, as the context may require, (a) JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., (b) Barclays Bank PLC; provided that Barclays Bank PLC shall only be required to issue standby Letters of Credit, (c) Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch; provided that Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch shall only be required to issue standby Letters of Credit, (d) Goldman Sachs Bank USA; provided that Goldman Sachs Bank USA shall only be required to issue standby Letters of Credit, (e) Royal Bank of Canada, (f) Bank of America, N.A. and (g) any other Revolving Lender that is appointed as an Issuing Bank in accordance with Section 2.05(i), in each case, through itself or through one of its designated affiliates or branch offices. Each Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by any Affiliate of such Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

 

joint venture” means any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Borrower) in which the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries owns Capital Stock representing 50% or less of the Capital Stock of such Person.

 

Junior Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness among Holdings, the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries) of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with an individual outstanding principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount that is either (a) expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations or (b) secured by a security interest on the Collateral that is expressly junior or subordinated to any First Priority Lien securing any Credit Facility (including the Second Lien Term Loans).

 

Latest Maturity Date” means, as of any date of determination, the latest maturity or expiration date applicable to any Loan or commitment hereunder at such time, including the latest maturity or expiration date of any Term Loan, Term Commitment, Revolving Loan or Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

Latest Revolving Credit Maturity Date” means, as of any date of determination, the latest maturity or expiration date applicable to any Revolving Loan or Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder at such time.

 

Latest Term Loan Maturity Date” means, as of any date of determination, the latest maturity or expiration date applicable to any term loan or term commitment hereunder at such time, including the latest maturity or expiration date of any Term Loan or any Additional Term Loan Commitment.

 

LC Collateral Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(j)(i).

 

LC Commitment” means, with respect to each Issuing Bank, the commitment of such Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder. The initial amount of each Issuing Bank’s LC Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or (a) if an Issuing Bank has entered into an Assignment and Assumption or became an Issuing Bank pursuant to an agreement designating it as contemplated by Section 2.05(i), the amount set forth for such Issuing Bank as its LC Commitment in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent or in such agreement or (b) if an Issuing Bank has agreed with the Borrower to increase its LC Commitment, such greater amount as may be agreed by such Issuing Bank in its sole discretion.

 

52

 

 

LC Disbursement” means a payment or disbursement made by an Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

 

LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the Outstanding Amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the Outstanding Amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed at such time. The LC Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall equal its Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage of the aggregate LC Exposure at such time. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the International Standby Practices (ISP98), such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

LC Obligations” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the Outstanding Amount under Letters of Credit then outstanding, assuming compliance with all requirements for drawings referenced therein, plus (b) the Outstanding Amount of all unreimbursed LC Disbursements.

 

LCT Election” has the meaning provided in Section 1.11.

 

LCT Test Date” has the meaning provided in Section 1.11.

 

Legal Reservations” means the application of relevant Debtor Relief Laws, general principles of equity and/or principles of good faith and fair dealing.

 

“Lender Presentation” means the Lender Presentation dated January 2024, relating to Holdings, the Borrower, their respective subsidiaries and the Transactions.

 

“Lender-Related Person” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.

 

Lenders” means the Term Lenders, the Revolving Lenders, any lender with an Additional Commitment or an outstanding Additional Loan and any other Person that becomes a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lenders.

 

Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, none of Barclays Bank PLC, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch or Goldman Sachs Bank USA shall be required to issue a Commercial Letter of Credit.

 

Letter of Credit Reimbursement Loan” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(e).

 

Letter of Credit Request” means any request by the Borrower for a Letter of Credit in accordance with Section 2.05 and substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit K or such other form that is reasonably acceptable to the relevant Issuing Bank and the Borrower.

 

Letter of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $50,000,000, and (b) the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments, which amount is subject to increase in accordance with Section 2.22.

 

53

 

 

“Liabilities” means any losses, claims (including intraparty claims), demands, damages or liabilities of any kind.

 

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or other security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any Capital Lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing), in each case, in the nature of security; provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to constitute a Lien.

 

Limited Condition Transaction” means any acquisition or Investment permitted by this Agreement, in each case whose consummation is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party financing, any redemption, repurchase, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge or repayment of Indebtedness requiring irrevocable notice in advance of such redemption, repurchase, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge or repayment or any declaration of a dividend to be made on a future date.

 

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, the Third Amendment, the Fourth Amendment, the Fifth Amendment, the Sixth Amendment, the Seventh Amendment, the Eighth Amendment, any Promissory Note, each Loan Guaranty, the Collateral Documents, the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement, any otherany Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement, each Refinancing Amendment, each Incremental Facility Agreement, each Extension Amendment and any other document or instrument designated by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent as a “Loan Document.” Any reference in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to any Loan Document shall include all appendices, exhibits or schedules thereto.

 

Loan Guarantor” means (a) Holdings and any Subsidiary Guarantor and (b) with respect to any Secured Hedging Obligation and/or Banking Services Obligation of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, the Borrower.

 

Loan Guaranty” means the Guaranty Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit I, executed by each Loan Party thereto and the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, as supplemented in accordance with the terms of Section 5.12.

 

Loan Installment Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.10(a).

 

Loan Parties” means the Borrower and each Loan Guarantor.

 

Loans” means any loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Management Investors” means the officers, directors, managers, employees and members of management of the Borrower, any Parent Company and/or any subsidiary of the Borrower (including, on the Closing Date, those of the Target and its subsidiaries).

 

Margin Stock” has the meaning assigned to such term in Regulation U.

 

Material Acquisition” means any Investment or acquisition or other similar transaction (including by way of merger or other similar transaction) consummated by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary for aggregate consideration (including the amount of any Indebtedness assumed in connection therewith) in excess of the lesser of (x) $37,250,000107,500,000 and (y) 25% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period.

 

54

 

 

Material Adverse Effect” means a circumstance or condition that has or would materially and adversely affect (a) the business, results of operations or financial condition, in each case, of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under the applicable Loan Documents or (c) the ability of the Loan Parties (taken as a whole) to perform their payment obligations under the Loan Documents.

 

Material Debt Instrument” means any physical instrument evidencing any Indebtedness for borrowed money with an individual outstanding principal amount in excess of $10,000,000 and which is required to be pledged and delivered to the Administrative Agent (or its bailee) pursuant to any Security Agreement.

 

Material Disposition” means any Disposition consummated by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary for aggregate consideration (including the amount of any Indebtedness assumed in connection therewith) in excess of the lesser of (x) $37,250,000107,500,000 and (y) 25% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period.

 

Maturity/Weighted Average Life Excluded Amount” means (x) the greater of (i) $149,000,000430,000,000 and (ii) 100% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period less (y) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness incurred utilizing the Maturity/Weighted Average Life Excluded Amount.

 

Maturity Date” means (a) with respect to the Initial Revolving Facility, the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date, (b) with respect to the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans, the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, (c) with respect to any Replacement Term Loans or Replacement Revolving Facility, the final maturity date for such Replacement Term Loans or Replacement Revolving Facility, as the case may be, as set forth in the applicable Refinancing Amendment, (d) with respect to any Incremental Facility, the final maturity date set forth in the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement and (e) with respect to any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment or Extended Term Loans, the final maturity date set forth in the applicable Extension Amendment.

 

Maximum Rate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.19.

 

Merger Sub” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

Minimum Extension Condition” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.23(b).

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan which is a “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA that is subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates, makes or is obligated to make contributions or with respect to which any of them has any ongoing obligation or liability, contingent or otherwise.

 

55

 

 

Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds” means an amount equal to:  (a) any Cash payment or proceeds (including Cash Equivalents) received by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (i) under any casualty insurance policy in respect of a covered loss thereunder of any assets of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or (ii) as a result of the taking of any assets of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries by any Person pursuant to the power of eminent domain, condemnation, expropriation or otherwise, or pursuant to a sale of any such assets to a purchaser with such power under threat of such a taking, minus (b) (i) any actual out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with the adjustment, settlement or collection of any claims of the Borrower or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary in respect thereof, (ii) payment of the outstanding principal amount of, premium or penalty, if any, and interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness (other than the Loans, Indebtedness outstanding with respect to the Second Lien Term Loans and any Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is pari passu with or expressly subordinated to the Lien on the Collateral securing any Secured Obligation) that is secured by a Lien on the assets in question and that is required to be repaid or otherwise comes due under the terms thereof as a result of such loss, taking or sale, (iii) in the case of a taking, the reasonable out-of-pocket costs of putting any affected property in a safe and secure position, (iv) any selling costs and out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable broker’s fees or commissions, legal fees, transfer and similar Taxes and the Borrower’s good faith estimate of income or other Taxes paid or payable (including pursuant to Tax sharing arrangements or any Tax distribution)) in connection with any sale or taking of such assets as described in clause (a) of this definition, (v) any amounts provided as a reserve in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities under any indemnification obligation or purchase price adjustments associated with any sale or taking of such assets as referred to in clause (a) of this definition (provided that to the extent and at the time any such amounts are released from such reserve (other than in connection with a payment in respect of such liability), such amounts shall constitute Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds) and (vi) the pro rata portion of such Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds (calculated without regard to this clause vi) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as a result thereof.

 

Net Proceeds” means (a) with respect to any Disposition (including any Prepayment Asset Sale), the Cash proceeds (including Cash Equivalents and Cash proceeds subsequently received (as and when received) in respect of non-cash consideration initially received), net of (i) all fees and out-of-pocket expenses paid by (or on behalf of) the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such event (including attorney’s fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, underwriting discounts and commissions, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant, accountant and other customary fees and the amount of all transfer and similar Taxes and the Borrower’s good faith estimate of income or other Taxes paid or payable (including pursuant to Tax sharing arrangements or any Tax distributions) in connection with such Disposition), (ii) amounts provided as a reserve in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities under any indemnification obligation or purchase price adjustment associated with such Disposition (provided that to the extent and at the time any such amounts are released from such reserve (other than in connection with a payment in respect of such liability), such amounts shall constitute Net Proceeds), (iii) the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness (other than the Loans, Indebtedness outstanding with respect to the Second Lien Term Loans and any other Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is pari passu with or expressly subordinated to the Lien on the Collateral securing any Secured Obligation) which is secured by the asset sold in such Disposition and which is required to be repaid or otherwise comes due and is repaid (other than any such Indebtedness that is assumed by the purchaser of such asset), (iv) Cash escrows (until released from escrow to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) from the sale price for such Disposition, (v) the pro rata portion of such Net Proceeds (calculated without regard to this clause (v)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as a result thereof and (vi)  the amount of any liabilities directly associated with such asset and retained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; and (b) with respect to any issuance or incurrence of Indebtedness or Capital Stock, the Cash proceeds thereof, net of all Taxes and customary fees, commissions, costs, underwriting discounts and other fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith.

 

New Incremental Revolving Facility” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.22(a).

 

56

 

 

New Incremental Term Facility” means any Incremental Term Facility which provides for a new tranche or Class of Term Loans hereunder in accordance with Section 2.22.

 

Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.19(b).

 

Non-Debt Fund Affiliate” means any Affiliate of the Borrower other than (a) a natural person, (b) Holdings, the Borrower and its subsidiaries and/or (c) any Debt Fund Affiliate.

 

Notice of Intent to Cure” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.12(b).

 

NYFRB” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

 

NYFRB Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day (or for any day that is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day); provided that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “NYFRB Rate” means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates as so determined with respect to the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

Obligations” means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest (including interest accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding) on the Loans, all LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees (including fees accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding) and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and all other advances to, debts, liabilities and obligations of any Loan Party to the Lenders or to any Lender, the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Arranger or any beneficiary of any indemnification obligations arising under the Loan Documents or otherwise in respect of any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute, contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising.

 

OFAC” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.17(a).

 

Organizational Documents” means (a) with respect to any corporation, its certificate or articles of incorporation and its by-laws, (b) with respect to any limited partnership, its certificate of limited partnership and its partnership agreement, (c) with respect to any general partnership, its partnership agreement, (d) with respect to any limited liability company, its articles of organization or certificate of formation, and its operating agreement, and (e) with respect to any other form of entity, such other organizational documents required by local Requirements of Law or customary under such jurisdiction to document the formation and governance principles of such type of entity. In the event that any term or condition of this Agreement or any other Loan Document requires any Organizational Document to be certified by a secretary of state or similar governmental official, the reference to any such “Organizational Document” shall only be to a document of a type customarily certified by such governmental official.

 

“Original Closing Date” means October 22, 2019.

 

“Original Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement” means that certain Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of the Original Closing Date, among, inter alios, the Collateral Agent, as senior priority representative for the First Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties referred to therein, GLAS AMERICAS LLC, as second lien collateral agent, as second priority representative for the Second Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties referred to therein, and the Loan Parties from time to time party thereto.

 

57

 

 

“Original Transactions” has the meaning assigned to the term “Transactions” in the Existing Credit Agreement.

 

Other Applicable Indebtedness” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(b)(ii).

 

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

 

Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary Taxes or any intangible, recording, filing or other excise or property Taxes arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Excluded Taxes.

 

Outstanding Amount” means (a) with respect to any Term Loan, the amount of the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowing and/or prepayment or repayment of such Term Loan occurring on such date, (b) with respect to any Revolving Loan on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowing and/or prepayment or repayment of such Revolving Loan occurring on such date, (c) with respect to any Letter of Credit, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit after giving effect to any change in the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit or the issuance or expiry of such Letter of Credit, including as a result of any LC Disbursement and (d) with respect to any LC Disbursement on any date, the aggregate outstanding amount of such LC Disbursement on such date after giving effect to any disbursement with respect to any Letter of Credit occurring on such date and any other change in the aggregate amount of such LC Disbursement as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursement by the Borrower of such LC Disbursement.

 

Overnight Bank Funding Rate” means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight Eeurodollar borrowingstransactions denominated in Dollars by U.S.-managed banking offices of depository institutions, as such composite rate shall be determined by the NYFRB as set forth on its public website (http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source) from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as an overnight bank funding rate.

 

Oz Acquisition” means the acquisition of Emerald ES Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, by the wholly-owned direct Subsidiary of the Borrower, Oz Merger Corp., a Delaware corporation, to be consummated pursuant to the terms of that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of August 9, 2020 by and among the Borrower, Emerald ES Holdings, Inc., Oz Merger Corp. and the Equityholders’ Representative (as defined therein).

 

Parent Company” means (a) Holdings, (b) any other Person of which Holdings is or becomes a subsidiary after the Original Closing Date, (c) any holding company established by any Permitted Holder for purposes of holding its investment in any other Parent Company and (d) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Holdings of which the Borrower is a Wholly–Owned Subsidiary (provided that any such intermediate holding company shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement applicable to Holdings, including, for the avoidance of doubt, the requirement to execute and deliver a joinder to the Loan Guaranty and a supplement to the Security Agreement, in substantially the forms attached thereto and comply with the covenant set forth in Section 6.11 and the other covenants and representations applicable to Holdings and shall be considered a Loan Guarantor on the same terms as Holdings).

 

58

 

 

Participant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.05(c).

 

Participant Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.05(c).

 

Patent” means the following: (a) any and all patents and patent applications; (b) all inventions or designs described and claimed therein; (c) all reissues, divisions, continuations, renewals, extensions and continuations-in-part thereof; (d) all income, royalties, damages, claims, and payments now or hereafter due or payable under and with respect thereto, including, without limitation, damages and payments for past and future infringements thereof; (e) all rights to sue for past, present, and future infringements thereof; and (f) all rights corresponding to any of the foregoing anywhere in the world.

 

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

 

Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA (other than a Multiemployer Plan), that is subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, which the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates, maintains or contributes to or has an obligation to contribute to, or otherwise has any liability, contingent or otherwise.

 

Perfection Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E.

 

Perfection Certificate Supplement” means a supplement to the Perfection Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F.

 

Perfection Requirements” means (a) the filing of appropriate financing statements with the office of the Secretary of State or other appropriate office in the state of organization or other location under Section 9-307 of the UCC of such Loan Party, (b) the filing of appropriate assignments or notices with the US Patent and Trademark Office and/or the US Copyright Office, as applicable, with respect to registered (and applied for) Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and exclusive Copyright Licenses (except to the extent any of the foregoing are included in the definition of Excluded Assets), (c) the delivery to the Administrative Agent of any stock certificate or promissory note required to be delivered pursuant to the applicable Loan Documents, together with instruments of transfer executed in blank and (d) in the case of a Loan Party that is not a Domestic Subsidiary (and its Capital Stock) the other actions required by the Collateral Documents delivered in accordance with the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and Section 5.12.

 

Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Term SOFR”.

 

Permitted Acquisition” means any acquisition made by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether by purchase, merger or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the assets of, or any business line, unit or division of, any Person or the Capital Stock of any Person who is engaged in a Similar Business and becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (and, in any event, including any Investment in (a) any Restricted Subsidiary the effect of which is to increase the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s equity ownership in such Restricted Subsidiary or (b) any joint venture for the purpose of increasing the Borrower’s or its relevant Restricted Subsidiary’s ownership interest in such joint venture); provided that no Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; provided further that all actions required to be taken with respect to any such newly acquired subsidiary (including each subsidiary thereof) or assets in order to satisfy the requirements set forth in the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement”, the Collateral Documents, Section 5.12(b) and Section 5.13 to the extent applicable shall have been taken (or arrangements for the taking of such actions after the consummation of the Permitted Acquisition shall have been made that are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) (unless such newly created or acquired subsidiary is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or is otherwise an Excluded Subsidiary).

 

59

 

 

Permitted Holders” means (a) the Investors (and, with respect to any Investor that is a natural person, his or her Immediate Family Members) and (b) any group of which the Investors are members and any other member of such group; provided that the Investors, without giving effect to the existence of such group or any other group, collectively own, directly or indirectly, Capital Stock representing a majority of the aggregate votes entitled to vote for the election of directors of Holdings owned by such group.

 

Permitted Liens” means Liens permitted pursuant to Section 6.02.

 

Permitted Receivables Financing” means, collectively, any receivables securitizations or other receivables financing (including any factoring program) in an aggregate outstanding amount not to exceed the greater of $40,000,000107,500,000 and 25.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period (provided that with respect to Permitted Receivables Financings incurred in the form of a factoring program, the outstanding amount of such Permitted Receivables Financing for the purposes of this definition shall be deemed to be equal to the Permitted Receivables Net Investment for the most recently ended Test Period) so long as such financings are non-recourse to Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except for (a) recourse to any Foreign Subsidiaries, (b) any customary limited recourse obligations, (c) any performance undertaking or Guarantee that is no more extensive in any material respect than customary performance undertakings or (d) an unsecured parent Guarantee by a Restricted Subsidiary that is a parent company of the Foreign Subsidiary referred to in the foregoing clause (a) of obligations of Foreign Subsidiaries, and in each case, reasonable extensions thereof).

 

Permitted Receivables Net Investment” means the aggregate cash amount paid by the purchasers under any Permitted Receivables Financing in the form of a factoring program in connection with their purchase of accounts receivable and customary related assets or interests therein, as the same may be reduced from time to time by collections with respect to such accounts receivable and related assets or otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Permitted Receivables Financing (but excluding any such collections used to make payments of commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges incurred in connection with any Permitted Receivables Financing in the form of a factoring program which are payable to any Person other than the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries).

 

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

 

Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) maintained by the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any of its ERISA Affiliates, other than any Multiemployer Plan.

 

Platform” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01.

 

60

 

 

Prepayment Asset Sale” means any Disposition of Collateral by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries made outside the ordinary course of business pursuant to Section 6.07(h).

 

Prestige Acquisition” means the acquisition of Patientco Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, by the wholly-owned direct Subsidiary of the Borrower, Prestige Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation, to be consummated pursuant to the terms of that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 8, 2021 by and among the Borrower, Patientco Holdings, Inc., Prestige Merger Sub, Inc. and the Equityholders’ Representative (as defined therein).

 

Primary Obligor” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Guarantee”.

 

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” in the US or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Federal Reserve Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the “bank prime loan” rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent) or any similar release by the Federal Reserve Board (as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent). Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced or quoted as being effective.

 

Private Lender Information” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01.

 

Pro Forma Basis” or “Pro Forma Effect” means, with respect to any determination of the Total Leverage Ratio, the First Lien Leverage Ratio, the Secured Leverage Ratio, the Interest Coverage Ratio, Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA or Consolidated Total Assets (including component definitions thereof), that each Subject Transaction required to be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis in accordance with Section 1.10 shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable Test Period (or, in the case of Consolidated Total Assets, as of the last day of such Test Period) with respect to any test or covenant for which such calculation is being made and that:

 

(a)            (i) in the case of (A) any Disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary or any division, facility, business line and/or product line of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and (B) any designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, income statement items (whether positive or negative and including any Expected Cost Savings related thereto) attributable to the property or Person subject to such Subject Transaction shall be excluded as of the first day of the applicable Test Period with respect to any test or covenant for which the relevant determination is being made and (ii) in the case of any Permitted Acquisition, Investment and/or designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary described in the definition of the term “Subject Transaction”, income statement items (whether positive or negative and including any Expected Cost Savings related thereto) attributable to the property or Person subject to such Subject Transaction shall be included as of the first day of the applicable Test Period with respect to any test or covenant for which the relevant determination is being made; it being understood that any pro forma adjustment described in the definition of “Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA” may be applied to any such test or covenant solely to the extent that such adjustment is consistent with the definition of “Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA”,

 

(b)            any retirement or repayment of Indebtedness (other than normal fluctuations in revolving Indebtedness incurred for working capital purposes) shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable Test Period with respect to any test or covenant for which the relevant determination is being made,

 

61

 

 

(c)            any Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection therewith shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable Test Period with respect to any test or covenant for which the relevant determination is being made; provided that, (i) if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, such Indebtedness shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable Test Period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate that is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness at the relevant date of determination (taking into account any interest hedging arrangements applicable to such Indebtedness), (ii) interest on any obligation with respect to any Capital Lease shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to be the rate of interest implicit in such obligation in accordance with GAAP and (iii) interest on any Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate or other rate shall be determined to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen by the Borrower,

 

(d)            the acquisition of any asset included in calculating Consolidated Total Assets, whether pursuant to any Subject Transaction or any Person becoming a subsidiary or merging, amalgamating or consolidating with or into the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries, or the Disposition of any asset included in calculating Consolidated Total Assets described in the definition of “Subject Transaction” shall be deemed to have occurred as of the last day of the applicable Test Period with respect to any test or covenant for which such calculation is being made, and

 

(e)            Unrestricted Cash shall be calculated as of the date of the consummation of such Subject Transaction after giving Pro Forma Effect thereto (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, the cash proceeds of any Indebtedness that is the Subject Transaction for which such a calculation in being made or is incurred to finance such Subject Transaction).

 

It is hereby agreed that for purposes of determining pro forma compliance with Section 6.12(a) prior to the last day of the first Fiscal Quarter after the Closing Date, the applicable level shall be the level cited in Section 6.12(a). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph, for the avoidance of doubt, when calculating the First Lien Leverage Ratio for purposes of the definitions of “Applicable Rate” and “Commitment Fee Rate” and for purposes of Section 6.12(a) (other than for the purpose of determining pro forma compliance with Section 6.12(a) as a condition to taking any action under this Agreement), the events described in the immediately preceding paragraph that occurred subsequent to the end of the applicable Test Period shall not be given Pro Forma Effect.

 

“Proceeding” means any claim, litigation, investigation, action, suit, arbitration or administrative, judicial or regulatory action or proceeding in any jurisdiction.

 

Projections” means the financial projections and pro forma financial statements of the Borrower and its subsidiaries included in the Information MemorandumLender Presentation (or a supplement thereto) or otherwise provided by the Borrower to the Arrangers in connection with the Transactions.

 

Promissory Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to any Lender or its registered assigns, in substantially the form of Exhibit G, evidencing the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Loans of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from the Loans made by such Lender.

 

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

 

62

 

 

Public Company Costs” means Charges associated with, or in anticipation of, or preparation for, compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, and Charges relating to compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (and any similar Requirement of Law under any other applicable jurisdiction), as applicable to companies with equity or debt securities held by the public, the rules of national securities exchanges applicable to companies with listed equity or debt securities, directors’, managers’ and/or employees’ compensation or other costs to the extent attributable to being a public company, officer and director fee and expense reimbursement to the extent attributable to being a public company, Charges relating to investor relations, shareholder meetings and reports to shareholders or debtholders associated with being a public company, directors’ and officers’ insurance and other legal and other professional fees, listing fees and other costs and/or expenses associated with being a public company.

 

Public Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01.

 

Public Lender Information” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01.

 

QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 5390(c)(8)(D).

 

QFC Credit Support” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.26.

 

Qualified Capital Stock” of any Person means any Capital Stock of such Person that is not Disqualified Capital Stock.

 

Qualifying IPO” means the issuance and sale by the Borrower or any Parent Company of which the Borrower is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of its common Capital Stock in an underwritten primary public offering (other than a public offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act or any analogous filing under the securities laws of any jurisdiction other than the US (whether alone or in connection with a secondary public offering).

 

Quarterly Financial Statements” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01(c).

 

Recondo Acquisition” means the acquisition of Recondo Technology, Inc. by the wholly-owned direct Subsidiary of the Borrower, Zirmed, Inc., to be consummated pursuant to the terms of that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 13, 2019 by and among Zirmed, Inc., Bighorn Merger Sub, Inc., Recondo Technology, Inc. and the Seller Representative (as defined therein).

 

Ratio Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01(w).

 

Real Estate Asset” means, at any time of determination, all right, title and interest (fee, leasehold or otherwise) of any Loan Party in and to real property (including, but not limited to, land, improvements and fixtures thereon).

 

Receivables Subsidiary” means any special purpose entity established in connection with a Permitted Receivables Financing.

 

Refinancing” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01(g).

 

63

 

 

Refinancing Amendment” means an amendment to this Agreement that is reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower executed by (a) the Borrower, (b) the Administrative Agent and (c) each Lender that agrees to provide all or any portion of the Replacement Term Loans or the Replacement Revolving Facility, as applicable, being incurred pursuant thereto and in accordance with Section 9.02(c).

 

Refinancing Indebtedness” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01(p).

 

Refunding Capital Stock” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.04(a)(viii).

 

Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.05(b)(iv).

 

Regulated Bank” means a commercial bank with a consolidated combined capital and surplus of at least $5,000,000,000 that is (i) a U.S. depository institution the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; (ii) a corporation organized under section 25A of the U.S. Federal Reserve Act of 1913; (iii) a branch, agency or commercial lending company of a foreign bank operating pursuant to approval by and under the supervision of the Board of Governors under 12 CFR part 211; (iv) a non-U.S. branch of a foreign bank managed and controlled by a U.S. branch referred to in clause (iii); or (v) any other U.S. or non-U.S. depository institution or any branch, agency or similar office thereof supervised by a bank regulatory authority in any jurisdiction.

 

Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Board as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Regulation H” means Regulation H of the Board as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Regulation U” means Regulation U of the Board as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Regulation X” means Regulation X of the Board as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

“Regulatory Authority” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.13.

 

Related Funds” means with respect to any Lender that is an Approved Fund, any other Approved Fund that is managed by the same investment advisor as such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor.

 

Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors and other representatives of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

 

Release” means any release, spill, emission, leaking, pumping, pouring, injection, escaping, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, dumping, leaching or migration of any Hazardous Material into the environment (including the abandonment or disposal of any barrels, containers or other closed receptacles containing any Hazardous Material), including the movement of any Hazardous Material through the air, soil, surface water or groundwater.

 

Replaced Revolving Facility” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(c)(ii).

 

Replaced Term Loans” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(c)(i).

 

64

 

 

Replacement Revolving Facility” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(c)(ii).

 

Replacement Term Loans” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(c)(i).

 

Reportable Event” means, with respect to any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan, any of the events described in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than those events as to which the 30-day notice period is waived under PBGC Reg. Section 4043.

 

Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.13.

 

Repricing Transaction” means each of (a) the prepayment, repayment, refinancing, substitution or replacement of all or a portion of the Initial Term Loans (including the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans) with the incurrence by any Loan Party of any broadly syndicated senior secured “term loan B” financings (including any Replacement Term Loans) having an Effective Yield that is less than the Effective Yield applicable to the Initial Term Loans (including the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans) so prepaid, repaid, refinanced, substituted or replaced and (b) any amendment, waiver or other modification to this Agreement that would reduce the Effective Yield applicable to the Initial Term Loans (including the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans); provided that the primary purpose of such prepayment, repayment, refinancing, substitution, replacement, amendment, waiver or other modification was to reduce the Effective Yield applicable to the Initial Term Loans (including the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans); provided, further, that in no event shall any such prepayment, repayment, refinancing, substitution, replacement, amendment, waiver or other modification in connection with a Change of Control, Qualifying IPO, Material Acquisition or Material Disposition constitute a Repricing Transaction. Any determination by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower of the Effective Yield for purposes of this definition shall be conclusive and binding on all Lenders, and the Administrative Agent shall have no liability to any Person with respect to such determination absent bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct.

 

Required Asset Sale Percentage” means, as of the date on which any Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary receives (a) Net Proceeds in respect of any Prepayment Asset Sale or (b) Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds, 100%.

 

Required Excess Cash Flow Percentage” means, as of any date of determination, (a) if the First Lien Leverage Ratio is greater than 5.00:1.00, 50%, (b) if the First Lien Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 5.00:1.00 and greater than 4.50:1.00, 25% and (c) if the First Lien Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 4.50:1.00 (the First Lien Leverage Ratio levels set forth in clauses (a), (b) and (c), the “Stepdown Levels”), 0% (the percentages set forth in clauses (a), (b) and (c), the “Stepdown Percentages”); it being understood and agreed that, for purposes of this definition as it applies to the determination of the amount of Excess Cash Flow that is required to be applied to prepay the Term Loans under Section 2.11(b)(i) for any Excess Cash Flow Period, the Required Excess Cash Flow Percentage shall be determined on (and as of) the scheduled date of prepayment by first, determining the applicable Stepdown Level by calculating the First Lien Leverage Ratio on a pro forma basis without giving effect to any Excess Cash Flow payment required to be made on such date (the “Base Level”, and the Stepdown Level one level below the Base Level, the “Lower Level”) and second, calculating the First Lien Leverage Ratio on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such Excess Cash Flow payment based on the Lower Level on such date (the “Assumed Payment”). If after calculating the First Lien Leverage Ratio on a pro forma basis giving effect to the Assumed Payment at the Lower Level the Borrower would be entitled to a stepdown to the Lower Level from the Base Level, then the Required Excess Cash Flow Percentage applicable to such Excess Cash Flow payment required to be made shall be the Stepdown Percentage for the Lower Level; otherwise, the Stepdown Percentage for the Base Level shall apply.

 

65

 

 

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Loans or unused Commitments (other than Swingline Commitments) representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Loans and such unused commitments at such time.

 

Required Revolving Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Loans, Additional Revolving Loans, unused Revolving Credit Commitments and/or unused Additional Revolving Credit Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Revolving Loan and Additional Revolving Loans and such unused Revolving Credit Commitments and/or Additional Revolving Credit Commitments at such time.

 

Requirements of Law” means, with respect to any Person, collectively, the common law and all federal, state, provincial, territorial, municipal, local, foreign, multinational or international laws, statutes, codes, treaties, standards, rules and regulations, guidelines, ordinances, orders, judgments, writs, injunctions, decrees (including administrative or judicial precedents or authorities) and the interpretation or administration thereof by, and other determinations, directives, requirements or requests of any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law and that are applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

 

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

 

Responsible Officer” means, with respect to any Person, the president, the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, the treasurer, manager of treasury activities, any assistant treasurer, any executive vice president, any senior vice president, any senior vice president (finance), any vice president or the chief operating officer of such Person and any other individual or similar official thereof responsible for the administration of the obligations of such Person in respect of this Agreement, and, as to any document delivered on the Original Closing Date, shall include any secretary or assistant secretary or any other individual or similar official thereof with substantially equivalent responsibilities of a Loan Party. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of any Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party, and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Responsible Officer” shall refer to a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

 

Responsible Officer Certification” means, with respect to the financial statements for which such certification is required, the certification of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower that such financial statements fairly present, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP, the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower as at the dates indicated and its consolidated income and cash flows for the periods indicated, subject (in the case of unaudited interim financial statements) to changes resulting from audit and normal year-end adjustments.

 

Restricted Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(b)(iv).

 

Restricted Cash Award” means the cash award received upon exchange of Restricted Stock Units in the Restricted Stock Unit Exchange Offer that will pay an amount equal to the per share merger consideration set forth in the Acquisition Agreement upon vesting.

 

Restricted Debt Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04(b).

 

Restricted Investment” means any Investment other than a Permitted Investment.

 

66

 

 

Restricted Junior Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness among Holdings, the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries) of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with an individual outstanding principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount that is either (a) expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations or (b) the Second Lien Term Loans.

 

Restricted Payment” means (a) any dividend or other distribution on account of any shares of any class of the Capital Stock of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, except a dividend payable solely in shares of Qualified Capital Stock to the holders of such class; (b) any redemption, retirement, sinking fund or similar payment, purchase or other acquisition for value of any shares of any class of the Capital Stock of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, (c) any payment made to retire, or to obtain the surrender of, any outstanding warrants, options or other rights to acquire shares of any class of the Capital Stock of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower now or hereafter outstanding and (d) any Restricted Investment.

 

Restricted Stock Unit” means any restricted stock unit or performance based unit of the Target awarded pursuant to a stock plan that is outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of the Acquisition.

 

Restricted Stock Unit Exchange Offer” means the exchange offer by the Target pursuant to Schedule TO under the Exchange Act to exchange for Restricted Stock Units granted and outstanding under stock plans for (a) Restricted Cash Awards that will pay an amount equal to the per share merger consideration set forth in the Acquisition Agreement upon vesting and (b) options to purchase common stock of Holdings.

 

Restricted Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any subsidiary of such Person that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Unless otherwise specified, “Restricted Subsidiary” shall mean any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

Retained Asset Sale Proceeds” means the Net Proceeds in respect of any Prepayment Asset Sale or Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds not required to be applied to make a prepayment or to be reinvested under Section 2.11(b)(ii).

 

Revolving Commitment Increase” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.22(a).

 

Revolving Credit Commitment” means any Initial Revolving Credit Commitment and any Additional Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the aggregate Outstanding Amount at such time of such Lender’s Initial Revolving Credit Exposure and Additional Revolving Credit Exposure.

 

Revolving Facility” means the Initial Revolving Facility, any Incremental Revolving Facility and any Replacement Revolving Facility.

 

Revolving Facility Test Condition” means, as of any date of determination, without duplication, that the Outstanding Amount of the sum of (a) all Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans (other than, for any such determination made during the first four full Fiscal Quarters ending after the Closing Date, Revolving Loans made on the Closing Date applied to fund the Acquisition), (b) LC Disbursements that have not been reimbursed within three Business Days and (c) undrawn Letters of Credit (other than (i) undrawn Letters of Credit that have been cash collateralized or backstopped (in the case of any such non-cash collateral backstop, in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the applicable Issuing Bank) in an amount equal to 100% of the then-available face amount thereof and (ii) undrawn Letters of Credit that have not been cash collateralized or backstopped in an aggregate amount of up to $10,000,000 at any time outstanding) exceeds an amount equal to 35% of the Total Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

67

 

 

Revolving Lender” means any Initial Revolving Lender and any Additional Revolving Lender.

 

Revolving Loans” means any Initial Revolving Loans and any Additional Revolving Loans.

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

 

Sale and Lease-Back Transaction” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.08.

 

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

 

Second Amendment” means thethat certain Second Amendment to this Agreement, dated as of September 23, 2020, among the Borrower, Holdings, the Guarantorsother Loan Parties party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party thereto.

 

Second Amendment Closing DateLien Credit Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Second AmendmentExisting Credit Agreement.

 

Second Amendment Incremental Term Lender” has the meaning assigned to the term “2020 Incremental Term Loan Lender” in the Second Amendment.

 

Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Applicable Percentage” means, for purposes of Section 2.18(a), with respect to any Second Amendment Incremental Term Lender, a percentage equal to a fraction the numerator of which is the aggregate outstanding amount of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment of such Second Amendment Incremental Term Lender and the denominator of which is the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitments of all Second Amendment Incremental Term Lenders holding Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans or Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitments.

 

Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment” means, with respect to each Second Amendment Incremental Term Lender, the commitment of such Second Amendment Incremental Term Lender to make Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans hereunder in an aggregate amount not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Second Amendment Incremental Term Lender’s name on Schedule I to the Second Amendment or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Second Amendment Incremental Term Lender becomes a party hereto, as the same may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09 or 2.19, (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Term Lender pursuant to Section 9.05 or (c) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.22. The aggregate amount of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Lenders’ Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitments on the Second Amendment Closing Date is $620,000,000.

 

Second Amendment IncrementalLien Term Loans” has the meaning assigned to thesuch term “2020 Incremental Term Loans” in the Second AmendmentExisting Credit Agreement.

 

68

 

 

Second Lien Credit Agreement” means the Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, among, inter alios, Holdings, the Borrower, the guarantors party thereto and GLAS USA LLC, as administrative agent, and GLAS AMERICAS LLC, as collateral agent.

 

Second Lien Incremental Debt” means any “Incremental Facilities” and “Incremental Equivalent Debt”, as defined in the Second Lien Credit Agreement (or any equivalent terms under any Indebtedness that refinances the Second Lien Term Loans in full).

 

Second Lien Term Loans” means the $255,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Borrower’s term loans incurred pursuant to the Second Lien Credit Agreement on the Closing Date.

 

Secured Hedging Obligations” means all Hedging Obligations (other than any Excluded Swap Obligation) under each Hedge Agreement that (a) is in effect on the Original Closing Date between Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and a counterparty that is (or is an Affiliate of) the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Arranger as of the Original Closing Date or (b) is entered into after the Original Closing Date between Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and any counterparty that is (or is an Affiliate of) the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Arranger at the time such Hedge Agreement is entered into, for which such Person agrees to provide security and in each case (other than in the case of a HedgingHedge Agreement with the Administrative Agent) that has been designated to the Administrative Agent in writing by the Borrower as being a “Secured Hedging Obligation” for purposes of the Loan Documents; it being understood that each counterparty thereto shall be deemed (A) to appoint the Administrative Agent as its agent under the applicable Loan Documents and (B) to agree to be bound by the provisions of Article VIII, Section 9.03 and Section 9.10 and any Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement as if it were a Lender.

 

Secured Leverage Ratio” means the ratio, as of any date of determination, of (a) Consolidated Secured Debt as of the last day of the Test Period then most recently ended to (b) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the Test Period then most recently ended, in each case of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

 

Secured Obligations” means all Obligations, together with (a) all Banking Services Obligations and (b) all Secured Hedging Obligations; provided that Banking Services Obligations and Secured Hedging Obligations shall cease to constitute Secured Obligations on and after the Termination Date.

 

Secured Parties” means (a) the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, (b) the Administrative Agent, (c) each counterparty to a Hedge Agreement the obligations under which constitute Secured Hedging Obligations, (d) each provider of Banking Services the obligations under which constitute Banking Services Obligations, (e) the Arrangers and (f) the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by any Loan Party under any Loan Document.

 

Securities” means any stock, shares, units, partnership interests, voting trust certificates, certificates of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement or arrangement, options, warrants, bonds, debentures, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness, secured or unsecured, convertible, subordinated or otherwise, or in general any instruments commonly known as “securities” or any certificates of interest, shares or participations in temporary or interim certificates for the purchase or acquisition of, or any right to subscribe to, purchase or acquire, any of the foregoing; provided that the term “Securities” shall not include any earn-out agreement or obligation or any employee bonus or other incentive compensation plan or agreement.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

69

 

 

Security Agreement” means the First Lien Pledge and Security Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit H, among the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

 

Seventh Amendment” means the Seventh Amendment to this Agreement, dated as of October 6, 2023the Seventh Amendment Closing Date, among the Borrower, Holdings, the Administrative Agent and the Revolving Lenders party thereto.

 

Seventh Amendment Closing Datehas the meaning assigned to such term in the Seventh Amendmentmeans October 6, 2023.

 

Shared Incremental Amount” means, on any date of determination, (a) the greater of (i) $149,000,000430,000,000 and (ii) 100% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period minus (b) (i) the aggregate principal amount of all Incremental Facilities and/or Incremental Equivalent Debt incurred or issued in reliance on the Shared Incremental Amount prior to such date and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Second Lien Incremental Debt incurred or issued in reliance on clause (a) of the definition of “Incremental Cap” in the Second Lien Credit Agreement (or any equivalent provision in the documentation governing any Indebtedness that refinances the Second Lien Term Loans in full) on orafter the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and prior to such date plus (c) at the election of the Borrower, an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(u) on such date of determination (which shall be deemed to utilize capacity under Section 6.01(u)).

 

Significant Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that, or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries taken together that, as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower most recently ended for which financial statements are internally available, had revenues or total assets for such quarter in excess of 10% of the consolidated revenues or total assets, as applicable, of the Borrower for such quarter; provided that solely for purposes of Section 7.01(f) and Section 7.01(g), each Restricted Subsidiary forming part of such group is subject to an Event of Default under one or more of such Sections.

 

Similar Business” means any Person the majority of the revenues of which are derived from a business that would be permitted by Section 5.18 if the references to “Restricted Subsidiaries” in Section 5.18 were read to refer to such Person.

 

Sixth Amendment” means thethat certain Sixth Amendment to this Agreement, dated as of June 23, 2023, among the Borrower, Holdings, the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the Revolving Lenders party thereto.

 

Sixth Amendment Closing Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Sixth Amendment.

 

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

 

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

 

SOFR Administrator’s Website” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s website, currently at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the SOFR Administrator from time to time.

 

70

 

 

Software” means computer programs, object code, source code and supporting documentation, including, without limitation, “software” as such term is defined in the UCC as in effect on the date hereof in the State of New York and computer programs that may be construed as included in the definition of “goods” in the UCC as in effect on the date hereof in the State of New York.

 

Solvent” shall mean, at the time of determination:

 

(a)            each of the Fair Value and the Present Fair Salable Value of the assets of a Person and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole exceed their Stated Liabilities and Identified Contingent Liabilities; and

 

(b)            such Person and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole do not have unreasonably small capital; and

 

(c)            such Person and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole can pay their Stated Liabilities and Identified Contingent Liabilities as they mature.

 

Defined terms used in the foregoing definition shall have the meanings set forth in the Solvency Certificate delivered on the Original Closing Date pursuant to Section 4.01(i).

 

SPC” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.05(e).

 

Specified Acquisition Agreement Representations” means the representations and warranties made by, or with respect to, the Target and its subsidiaries in the Acquisition Agreement that are material to the interests of the Lenders, but only to the extent that the Borrower (or its applicable affiliate) has the right (taking into account applicable cure provisions) to terminate its obligations under the Acquisition Agreement or to decline to consummate the Acquisition (in each case, in accordance with the terms thereof) as a result of a breach of any such representations and warranties.

 

Specified Event of Default” means an Event of Default under Section 7.01(a), (f) or (g).

 

Specified Representations” means the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in Section 3.01(a)(i) (solely as it relates to the Loan Parties), Section 3.01(b), Section 3.02 (with respect to the entering into, borrowing under, guaranteeing under, performance of, and granting of Liens in the Collateral pursuant to the Loan Documents), Section 3.03(b)(i) (with respect to the entering into, borrowing under, guaranteeing under, performance of, and granting of Liens in the Collateral pursuant to the Loan Documents), Section 3.08, Section 3.12, Section 3.14 (subject to the last sentence of Section 4.01) as it relates to the creation, validity and perfection of the security interests in the Collateral), Section 3.16, Section 3.17(e) (with respect to the use of the proceeds of the Initial Term Loans on the Closing Date, with respect to the use of proceeds of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the Second Amendment Closing Date and with respect to the use of proceeds of the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the Fourth Amendment Closing Date, as applicable) and Section 3.18.

 

Sponsors” means, collectively, (i) EQT VIII SCSp. together with any EQT branded fund, investment vehicle or managed account arrangement established, managed and/or operated and/or advised by CBTJ Financial Services B.V., EQT AB or SEP Holdings B.V. or by any of their respective affiliates, together with its affiliates and its funds, partnerships or other co-investment vehicles managed, advised or controlled by the foregoing, (but excluding any operating portfolio company of the foregoing), (ii) Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, together with its affiliates and its and its affiliates’ investment entities, including funds, partnerships, co-investment vehicles and managed account arrangements established, operated, managed, advised or controlled directly or indirectly by the foregoing or other entities under common control with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board or its affiliates (but excluding any operating portfolio company of the foregoing) and (iii) Bain Capital Private Equity, L.P., together with its affiliates and its and its affiliates’ investment entities, including funds, partnerships, co-investment vehicles and managed account arrangements established, operated, managed, advised or controlled directly or indirectly by the foregoing or other entities under common control with the Bain Capital Private Equity, L.P. or its affiliates (but excluding any operating portfolio company of the foregoing).

 

71

 

 

Stated Amount” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, at any time, the maximum amount available to be drawn thereunder, in each case determined (a) as if any future automatic increases in the maximum available amount provided for in any such Letter of Credit had in fact occurred at such time and (b) without regard to whether any conditions to drawing could then be met but after giving effect to all previous drawings made thereunder.

 

Stated Revolving Credit Maturity Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date”.

 

Stepdown Level” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Required Excess Cash Flow Percentage”.

 

Stepdown Percentage” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Required Excess Cash Flow Percentage”.

 

Subject Loans” means, as of any date of determination, the Initial Term Loans, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and any Additional Term Loans subject to ratable prepayment requirements in accordance with Section 2.11(b)(vi) on such date of determination.

 

Subject Person” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Consolidated Net Income”.

 

Subject Proceeds” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(b)(ii).

 

Subject Transaction” means, with respect to any Test Period, (a) the Transactions, (b) any Permitted Acquisition or any other acquisition, whether by purchase, merger or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the assets of, or any business line, unit or division of, any Person or the Capital Stock of any Person (and, in any event, including any Investment in (i) any Restricted Subsidiary the effect of which is to increase the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s respective equity ownership in such Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) any joint venture for the purpose of increasing the Borrower’s or its relevant Restricted Subsidiary’s ownership interest in such joint venture), in each case that is permitted by this Agreement, (c) any Disposition of all or substantially all of the assets or Capital Stock of any subsidiary (or any facility, business unit, line of business, product line or division of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary) not prohibited by this Agreement, (d) the designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 5.10 hereof, (e) any incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, (f) the implementation of any Cost Savings Initiative, and/or (g) any other event that by the terms of the Loan Documents requires pro forma compliance with a test or covenant hereunder or requires such test or covenant to be calculated on a pro forma basis.

 

72

 

 

subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of stock or other ownership interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of the Person or Persons (whether directors, trustees or other Persons performing similar functions) having the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof; provided that in determining the percentage of ownership interests of any Person controlled by another Person, no ownership interests in the nature of a “qualifying share” of the former Person shall be deemed to be outstanding. Unless otherwise specified, “subsidiary” shall mean any subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

Subsidiary Guarantor” means (a) on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, each subsidiary of the Borrower set forth on Schedule 1.01(d) and (b) thereafter each subsidiary of the Borrower that becomes a guarantor of the Secured Obligations pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, in each case, until such time as the relevant subsidiary is released from its obligations under the Loan Guaranty in accordance with the terms and provisions hereof.

 

Successor Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.07(a).

 

Successor Holdings” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.11(c).

 

Supported QFC” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.26.

 

Swap Obligations” means, with respect to any Loan Guarantor, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

Swingline Commitment” means the commitment of the Swingline Lender to make Swingline Loans up to an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $50,000,000.

 

Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate Swingline Exposure at such time.

 

Swingline Lender” means (a) JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity the lender of Swingline Loans hereunder and (b) each Revolving Lender that shall have become a Swingline Lender hereunder as provided in Section 2.04(d) (other than any Person that shall have ceased to be a Swingline Lender as provided in Section 2.04(e)), each in its capacity as a lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.

 

Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.

 

Target” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

Target Credit Agreements” means the collective reference to (i) that certain First Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of November 1, 2017 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof), by and among the Company, as borrower, BNVC Holdings, Inc., as holdings, the lenders from time to time party thereto, Antares Capital LP, as administrative agent and collateral agent and each other party thereto and (ii) that certain Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of November 1, 2017 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof), by and among the Company, as borrower, BNVC Holdings, Inc., as holdings, the lenders from time to time party thereto, Antares Capital LP, as administrative agent and collateral agent and each other party thereto.

 

Target Merger” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

73

 

 

 

Taxes” means all present and future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

Term A Loans” means term loans that (a) are provided primarily by Regulated Banks, (b) amortize at a rate per annum of not less than 2.50% in each period of four consecutive fiscal quarters commencing on or after the funding of such loans and ending on or prior to the applicable maturity date (subject to any customary grace period) and (c) have a weighted average life to maturity, when incurred, of five years or less.

 

Term Commitment” means any Initial Term Loan Commitment, Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment and any Additional Term Loan Commitment.

 

Term Facility” means any Term Loans provided to or for the benefit of the Borrower pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

Term Lender” means any Initial Term Lender, any Second Amendment Incremental Term Lender and any Additional Term Lender.

 

Term Loan” means the Initial Term Loans, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and, if applicable, any Additional Term Loans (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans).

 

Term SOFR” means,

 

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

 

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

 

74 

 

 

Term SOFR Adjustment” means a percentage equal to (i) with respect to Initial Term Loans, 0.11448% (11.448 basis points) per annum for an Interest Period of one-month’s duration, 0.26161% (26.161 basis points) per annum for an Interest Period of three-month’s duration, and 0.42826% (42.826 basis points) per annum for an Interest Period of six-months’ duration, and (ii) with respect to Initial Revolving Loans, 0.00% per annum.

 

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

 

Term SOFR Reference Rate” means the rate per annum published by the Term SOFR Administrator and identified by the Administrative Agent as the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR.

 

Termination Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in the lead-in to Article V.

 

Test Period” means, as of any date, the period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters then most recently ended for which financial statements are internally available (or, in the case of Section 6.12, the period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters then most recently ended for which financial statements have been delivered).

 

“Third Amendment” means that certain Third Amendment to this Agreement, dated as of the March 24, 2021, among the Borrower, Holdings, the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party thereto.

 

Threshold Amount” means (a) solely for purposes of Section 7.01, $50,000,000 and (b) otherwise, the greater of $25,000,00068,800,000 and 16.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period.

 

Third Amendment” means the Third Amendment, dated as of March 24, 2021, among the Borrower, Holdings, the Guarantors party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party thereto.

 

Third Amendment Closing Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Third Amendment.

 

Total Leverage Ratio” means the ratio, as of any date, of (a) Consolidated Total Debt outstanding as of the last day of the Test Period then most recently ended to (b) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the Test Period then most recently ended, in each case of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

 

Total Revolving Credit Commitment” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments, in effect at such time.

 

Trade Secrets” means any trade secrets or other proprietary and confidential information, including unpatented inventions, invention disclosures, engineering or other technical data, financial data, procedures, know-how, designs, personal information, supplier lists, customer lists, business, production or marketing plans, formulae, methods (whether or not patentable), processes, compositions, schematics, ideas, algorithms, techniques, analyses, proposals, Software (to the extent not a Copyright) and data collections.

 

75 

 

 

Trademark” means the following: (a) all trademarks (including service marks), common law marks, trade names, trade dress, and logos, slogans and other indicia of origin under the Requirements of Law of any jurisdiction in the world and the registrations and applications for registration thereof and the goodwill of the business symbolized by the foregoing; (b) all renewals of the foregoing; (c) all income, royalties, damages and payments now or hereafter due or payable with respect thereto, including, without limitation, damages, claims and payments for past and future infringements, dilutions or violations thereof; (d) all rights to sue for past, present and future infringements, dilutions or violations of the foregoing, including the right to settle suits involving claims and demands for royalties owing; and (e) all rights corresponding to any of the foregoing anywhere in the world.

 

Transaction Costs” means fees, premiums, expenses, closing payments and other similar transaction costs (including original issue discount or upfront fees) payable or otherwise borne by Holdings and/or its subsidiaries in connection with the Transactions and the transactions contemplated thereby.

 

Transactions” means, collectively, (a) the execution, delivery and performance by the Loan Parties of the Loan Documents to which they are a party and the Borrowing of Initial Term Loans hereunder on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, (b) the execution, delivery and performance by the Loan Parties of the “Loan Documents” (as defined inrefinancing of the Existing Term Loans, (c) the repayment in full of all outstanding Second Lien Term Loans under the Second Lien Credit Agreement) to which they are a party and the borrowing of the Second Lien Term Loans on the Closing Date, (c) the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement, (d) the Equity Contribution, (e) the Refinancing, (f) the Target Merger, (g) the Closing Date Holdings Assumption, (h) the Closing Date Borrower Assumption and (i) the payment of the (including all principal, accrued and unpaid interest, fees, premium, if any, and other amounts outstanding thereunder) and the termination and/or release of any security interests and guarantees in connection therewith and (d) the payment of fees and transaction expenses associated with the foregoing (“Transaction Costs”).

 

Treasury Capital Stock” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.04(a)(viii).

 

Treasury Regulations” means the US federal income tax regulations promulgated under the Code.

 

Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to Adjusted Term SOFR or the Alternate Base Rate.

 

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect, from time to time, in the State of New York or any other state the laws of which are required to be applied in connection with the creation or perfection of security interests.

 

“UK Financial Institution” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person falling within IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.

 

76 

 

 

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

 

Unfunded Advances/Participations” means (a) with respect to the Administrative Agent, the aggregate amount, if any, (i) (A) made available to the Borrower on the assumption that each Lender has made available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of the applicable Borrowing as contemplated by Section 2.07(b) and (B) made available to the Lenders on the assumption that the Borrower has made any payment as contemplated by Section 2.18(d) and (ii) with respect to which a corresponding amount has not in fact been returned or paid to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or made available to the Administrative Agent by any such Lender and (b) with respect to any Issuing Bank, the aggregate amount, if any, of LC Disbursements in respect of which a Revolving Lender shall have failed to make Revolving Loans or Pparticipations to reimburse such Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.05(e).

 

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

 

Unrestricted Cash Amount” means, as to any Person on any date of determination, the amount of unrestricted Cash and Cash Equivalents of such Person.

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower that is listed on Schedule 5.10 hereto or designated by the Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary after the Eighth Amendment Closing Date pursuant to Section 5.10.

 

US” means the United States of America.

 

US Person” means any “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

USA PATRIOT Act” means The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Title III of Pub. L. No. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).

 

U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any day except for (i) a Saturday, (ii) a Sunday or (iii) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.

 

U.S. Special Resolution Regime” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.26.

 

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.17(e).

 

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing: (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.

 

77 

 

 

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” of any Person means a subsidiary of such Person, 100% of the Capital Stock of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares or shares required by Requirements of Law to be owned by a resident of the relevant jurisdiction) shall be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

Withdrawal Liability” means the liability to any Multiemployer Plan as the result of a “complete” or “partial” withdrawal by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (or any ERISA Affiliate of the Borrower) from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

 

Withholding Agent” means the Administrative Agent, the Borrower or, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, any other applicable withholding agent.

 

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule. and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.

 

Section 1.02         Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Term Loan”) or by Type (e.g., an “Adjusted Term SOFR Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., an “Adjusted Term SOFR Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Term Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., an “Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., an “Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing”).

 

Section 1.03         Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein or in any Loan Document (including any Loan Document and the Second Lien Credit Agreement) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified or extended, replaced or refinanced (subject to any restrictions or qualifications on such amendments, restatements, amendment and restatements, supplements or modifications or extensions, replacements or refinancings set forth herein), (b) any reference to any Requirement of Law in any Loan Document shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing, superseding or interpreting such Requirement of Law, (c) any reference herein or in any Loan Document to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and permitted assigns, (d) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (e) all references herein or in any Loan Document to Articles, Sections, clauses, paragraphs, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles, Sections, clauses and paragraphs of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, such Loan Document, (f) in the computation of periods of time in any Loan Document from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”, the words “to” and “until” mean “to but excluding” and the word “through” means “to and including” and (g) the words “asset” and “property”, when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including Cash, securities, accounts and contract rights. For purposes of determining compliance at any time with Sections 6.01, 6.02, 6.04, 6.05, 6.06, 6.07 and 6.09 and the definition of “Incremental Cap”, in the event that any Indebtedness, Lien, Restricted Payment, Restricted Debt Payment, Investment, Disposition or Affiliate transaction, as applicable, meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of transactions or items permitted pursuant to any clause of such Sections 6.01 (other than Sections 6.01(a) and (z)), 6.02 (other than Sections 6.02(a) and (t)), 6.04, 6.05, 6.06, 6.07 and 6.09 and the definition of “Incremental Cap”, the Borrower, in its sole discretion, may, from time to time, classify or reclassify such transaction or item (or portion thereof) and will only be required to include the amount and type of such transaction (or portion thereof) in any one category. It is understood and agreed that any Indebtedness, Lien, Restricted Payment, Restricted Debt Payment, Investment, Disposition and/or Affiliate transaction need not be permitted solely by reference to one category of permitted Indebtedness, Lien, Restricted Payment, Restricted Debt Payment, Investment, Disposition and/or Affiliate transaction under Sections 6.01, 6.02, 6.04, 6.05, 6.06, 6.07 or 6.09 or the definition of “Incremental Cap”, respectively, but may instead be permitted in part under any combination thereof.

 

78 

 

 

Section 1.04         Accounting Terms. (a) (i) All financial statements to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature that are used in calculating the Total Leverage Ratio, the First Lien Leverage Ratio, the Secured Leverage Ratio, the Interest Coverage Ratio, Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA or Consolidated Total Assets shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time; provided that (A) if any change to GAAP or in the application thereof is implemented after the date of delivery of the financial statements described in Section 3.04(a) and/or there is any change in the functional currency reflected in the financial statements or (B) if the Borrower elects or is required to report under IFRS, the Borrower or the Required Lenders may request to amend the relevant affected provisions hereof (whether or not the request for such amendment is delivered before or after the relevant change or election) to eliminate the effect of such change or election, as the case may be, on the operation of such provisions and (x) the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall negotiate in good faith to enter into an amendment of the relevant affected provisions (it being understood that no amendment or similar fee shall be payable to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection therewith) to preserve the original intent thereof in light of the applicable change or election, as the case may be, (y) the relevant affected provisions shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately prior to the applicable change or election, as the case may be, until the request for amendment has been withdrawn by the Borrower or the Required Lenders, as applicable, or this Agreement has been amended as contemplated hereby and (z) after giving effect to any such amendment, the term “GAAP” as used herein shall be deemed to be a reference to IFRS (as in effect in the US); it being understood and agreed that the Borrower may not convert to GAAP after exercising its right or complying with any requirement to report under IFRS in accordance with clause (B) above.

 

(ii)          All terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made without giving effect to (A) any election under Accounting Standards Codification 825-10-25 (previously referred to as Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 159) (or any other Accounting Standards Codification, International Accounting Standard or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any subsidiary at “fair value,” as defined therein and (B) any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification, International Accounting Standard or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof.

 

79 

 

 

(b)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in paragraph (a) above or in the definition of “Capital Lease,” in the event of an accounting change requiring all leases to be capitalized, only those leases (assuming for purposes hereof that such leases were in existence on the date hereof) that would constitute Capital Leases in conformity with GAAP on the Original Closing Date shall be considered Capital Leases, and all calculations and deliverables under this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be made or delivered, as applicable, in accordance therewith.

 

Section 1.05         Effectuation of Transactions. Each of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement (and all corresponding definitions) is made after giving effect to the Transactions, unless the context otherwise requires.

 

Section 1.06         Timing of Payment of Performance. When payment of any obligation or the performance of any covenant, duty or obligation is stated to be due or performance required on a day which is not a Business Day, the date of such payment (other than as described in the definition of “Interest Period”) or performance shall extend to the immediately succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension.

 

Section 1.07         Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified herein, all references herein to times of day shall be references to New York City time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

Section 1.08         Currency Equivalents Generally; Exchange Rate. (a) For purposes of any determination under Article V, Article VI (other than Section 6.12(a) and the calculation of compliance with any financial ratio for purposes of taking any action hereunder) or Article VII with respect to the amount of any Indebtedness, Lien, Restricted Payment, Restricted Debt Payment, Investment, Disposition, Sale and Lease-Back Transaction, Affiliate transaction or other transaction, event or circumstance, or any determination under any other provision of this Agreement (any of the foregoing, a “specified transaction”) in a currency other than Dollars, (i) the equivalent amount in Dollars of a specified transaction in a currency other than Dollars shall be calculated based on the rate of exchange quoted by the Bloomberg Foreign Exchange Rates & World Currencies Page (or any successor page thereto, or in the event such rate does not appear on any Bloomberg Page, by reference to such other publicly available service for displaying exchange rates as may be agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower) for such foreign currency, as in effect at 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the date of such specified transaction (which, in the case of any Restricted Payment, shall be deemed to be the date of the declaration thereof and, in the case of the incurrence of Indebtedness, shall be deemed to be on the date first committed); provided, that if any Indebtedness is incurred (and, if applicable, associated Lien granted) to refinance or replace other Indebtedness denominated in a currency other than Dollars, and the relevant refinancing or replacement would cause the applicable Dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing or replacement, such Dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing or replacement Indebtedness (and, if applicable, associated Lien granted) does not exceed an amount sufficient to repay the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced or replaced, except by an amount equal to (x) unpaid accrued interest and premiums (including premiums) thereon plus other reasonable and customary fees and expenses (including upfront fees and original issue discount) incurred in connection with such refinancing or replacement, (y) any existing commitments unutilized thereunder and (z) additional amounts permitted to be incurred under Section 6.01 and (ii) for the avoidance of doubt, no Default or Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of a change in the rate of currency exchange occurring after the time of any specified transaction so long as such specified transaction was permitted at the time incurred, made, acquired, committed, entered or declared as set forth in clause (i). For purposes of Section 6.12(a) and the calculation of compliance with any financial ratio for purposes of taking any action hereunder (including for purposes of calculating compliance with the Incremental Cap), on any relevant date of determination, amounts denominated in currencies other than Dollars shall be translated into Dollars at the applicable currency exchange rate used in preparing the financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) (or, prior to the first such delivery, the financial statements referred to in Section 3.04), as applicable, for the relevant Test Period and will, with respect to any Indebtedness, reflect the currency translation effects, determined in accordance with GAAP, of any Hedge Agreement permitted hereunder in respect of currency exchange risks with respect to the applicable currency in effect on the date of determination for the Dollar equivalent amount of such Indebtedness.

 

80 

 

 

(b)          Each provision of this Agreement shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time specify with the Borrower’s consent to appropriately reflect a change in currency of any country and any relevant market convention or practice relating to such change in currency.

 

Section 1.09         Cashless Rollovers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, to the extent that any Lender extends the maturity date of, or replaces, renews or refinances, any of its then-existing Loans with Incremental Loans, Replacement Term Loans, Loans in connection with any Replacement Revolving Facility, Extended Term Loans, Extended Revolving Loans or loans incurred under a new credit facility, in each case, to the extent such extension, replacement, renewal or refinancing is effected by means of a “cashless roll” by such Lender pursuant to settlement mechanisms approved by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Lender, such extension, replacement, renewal or refinancing shall be deemed to comply with any requirement hereunder or any other Loan Document that such payment be made “in Dollars”, “in immediately available funds”, “in Cash” or any other similar requirement.

 

Section 1.10         Certain Calculations and Tests. (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, but subject to Sections 1.10(b) and (c) and Section 1.11, all financial ratios and tests (including the Total Leverage Ratio, the First Lien Leverage Ratio, the Secured Leverage Ratio, the Interest Coverage Ratio and the amount of Consolidated Total Assets and Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA) contained in this Agreement that are calculated with respect to any Test Period during which any Subject Transaction occurs shall be calculated with respect to such Test Period and each such Subject Transaction on a Pro Forma Basis. Further, if since the beginning of any such Test Period and on or prior to the date of any required calculation of any financial ratio or test (i) any Subject Transaction has occurred or (ii) any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any joint venture since the beginning of such Test Period has consummated any Subject Transaction, then, in each case, any applicable financial ratio or test shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis for such Test Period as if such Subject Transaction had occurred at the beginning of the applicable Test Period (it being understood, for the avoidance of doubt, that solely for purposes of (x) calculating compliance with Section 6.12(a) and (y) calculating the First Lien Leverage Ratio for purposes of the definitions of “Applicable Rate” and “Commitment Fee Rate”, in each case, no Subject Transaction occurring after the end of the relevant Test Period shall be taken into account).

 

(b)          For purposes of determining the permissibility of any action, change, transaction or event that requires a calculation of any financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, Section 6.12(a), any First Lien Leverage Ratio test, any Secured Leverage Ratio test, any Total Leverage Ratio test and/or any Interest Coverage Ratio test, the amount of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA and/or Consolidated Total Assets), such financial ratio or test shall be calculated at the time such action is taken (subject to Section 1.11), such change is made, such transaction is consummated or such event occurs, as the case may be, and no Default or Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of a change in such financial ratio or test occurring after the time such action is taken, such change is made, such transaction is consummated or such event occurs, as the case may be.

 

81 

 

 

(c)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, with respect to any amounts incurred or transactions entered into (or consummated) in reliance on a provision of this Agreement (including any covenant or the definition of “Incremental Cap”) that does not require compliance with a financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, Section 6.12(a), any First Lien Leverage Ratio test, any Secured Leverage Ratio test, any Total Leverage Ratio test and/or any Interest Coverage Ratio test) (any such amounts, the “Fixed Amounts”) substantially concurrently with any amounts incurred or transactions entered into (or consummated) in reliance on a provision of this Agreement (including any covenant or the definition of “Incremental Cap”) that requires compliance with a financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, Section 6.12(a), any First Lien Leverage Ratio test, any Secured Leverage Ratio test, any Total Leverage Ratio test and/or any Interest Coverage Ratio test) (any such amounts, the “Incurrence-Based Amounts”), it is understood and agreed that the Fixed Amounts shall be disregarded in the calculation of the financial ratio or test applicable to the Incurrence-Based Amounts.

 

Section 1.11         Limited Condition Transactions. In connection with any action being taken solely in connection with a Limited Condition Transaction (including any contemplated incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness in connection therewith), for purposes of:

 

(a)          determining compliance with any provision of this Agreement (other than Section 6.12(a)) that requires the calculation of the Interest Coverage Ratio, Total Leverage Ratio, the First Lien Leverage Ratio or the Secured Leverage Ratio;

 

(b)          determining the accuracy of representations and warranties and/or whether a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (or any subset of Defaults or Events of Default); or

 

(c)          testing availability under baskets set forth in this Agreement (including baskets measured as a percentage of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA or Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA or by reference to the Available Amount or the Available Excluded Contribution Amount);

 

in each case, at the option of the Borrower (the Borrower’s election to exercise such option in connection with any Limited Condition Transaction, an “LCT Election”), with such option to be exercised on or prior to the date of execution of the definitive agreements, submission of notice or the making of a definitive declaration, as applicable, with respect to such Limited Condition Transaction, the date of determination of whether any such action is permitted hereunder, shall be deemed to be (a) the date the definitive agreements, notice or declaration with respect to such Limited Condition Transaction are entered into, provided or made, as applicable or (b) with respect to sales in connection with an acquisition to which the United Kingdom City Code on Takeovers and Mergers applies (or similar law or practice in other jurisdictions), the date on which a “Rule 2.7 announcement” of a firm intent to make an offer or similar announcement or determination in another jurisdiction subject to laws similar to the United Kingdom City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the “LCT Test Date”), and if, after giving Pro Forma Effect to the Limited Condition Transaction and the other transactions to be entered into in connection therewith (including any incurrence of Indebtedness or Liens and the use of proceeds thereof) as if they had occurred at the beginning of the most recent Test Period ending prior to the LCT Test Date, the Borrower could have taken such action on the relevant LCT Test Date in compliance with such ratio or basket, such ratio or basket shall be deemed to have been complied with.

 

82 

 

 

For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower has made an LCT Election and any of the ratios or baskets for which compliance was determined or tested as of the LCT Test Date are exceeded as a result of fluctuations in any such ratio or basket, including due to fluctuations in Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower or the Person subject to such Limited Condition Transaction, at or prior to the consummation of the relevant transaction or action, such baskets or ratios will not be deemed to have been exceeded as a result of such fluctuations; provided however, if any ratios improve or baskets increase as a result of such fluctuations, such improved ratios or baskets may be utilized. If the Borrower has made an LCT Election for any Limited Condition Transaction, then, in connection with any subsequent calculation of the ratios or baskets on or following the relevant LCT Test Date and prior to the earlier of (i) the date on which such Limited Condition Transaction is consummated or (ii) the date that the definitive agreement, notice or declaration for such Limited Condition Transaction is terminated or expires without consummation of such Limited Condition Transaction, any such ratio or basket shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis assuming such Limited Condition Transaction and other transactions in connection therewith (including any incurrence of Indebtedness or Liens and the use of proceeds thereof) have been consummated.

 

Section 1.12         Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Capital Stock at such time.

 

Section 1.13         Interest Rates; Benchmark Notification. The interest rate on a Revolving Loan may be derived from an interest rate benchmark that may be discontinued or is, or may in the future become, the subject of regulatory reform. Upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event with respect to Initial Revolving Loans, Section 2.14(c) provides a mechanism for determining an alternative rate of interest. The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission, performance or any other matter related to any interest rate used in this Agreement, or with respect to any alternative or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate thereof, including without limitation, whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement reference rate will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, the existing interest rate being replaced or have the same volume or liquidity as did any existing interest rate prior to its discontinuance or unavailability. The Administrative Agent and its affiliates and/or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of any interest rate used in this Agreement or any alternative, successor or alternative rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) and/or any relevant adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Borrower. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain any interest rate used in this Agreement, any component thereof, or rates referenced in the definition thereof, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.

 

83 

 

 

Article II

THE CREDITS

 

Section 2.01         Commitments.

 

(a)          Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) each Initial Term Lender severally, and not jointly, agrees to make Initial Term Loans to the Borrower on the Closing Date, in the case of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans, on the FirstEighth Amendment Closing Date, or in the case of the 2021 Replacement Term Loans, on the Third Amendment Closing Date, or in the case of the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans, on the Fourth Amendment Closing Date, in each case in Dollars in a principal amount not to exceed its Initial Term Loan Commitment, (ii) each Second Incremental Term Loan Lender severally, and not jointly, agrees to make Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans to the Borrower on the Second Amendment Closing Date and (iii as set forth in the Eighth Amendment and (ii) each Revolving Lender severally, and not jointly, agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower in Dollars at any time and from time to time on and after the Original Closing Date, and until the earlier of the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date and the termination of the Initial Revolving Credit Commitment of such Initial Revolving Lender in accordance with the terms hereof; provided that, after giving effect to any Borrowing of Initial Revolving Loans, the Outstanding Amount of such Initial Revolving Lender’s Initial Revolving Credit Exposure shall not exceed such Initial Revolving Lender’s Initial Revolving Credit Commitment. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms, conditions and limitations set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, pay or prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans. Amounts paid or prepaid in respect of the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans may not be reborrowed.

 

(b)          Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and any applicable Refinancing Amendment, Extension Amendment or Incremental Facility Agreement, each Lender with an Additional Commitment of a given Class, severally and not jointly, agrees to make Additional Loans of such Class to the Borrower, which Loans shall not exceed for any such Lender at the time of any incurrence thereof the Additional Commitment of such Class of such Lender as set forth in the applicable Refinancing Amendment, Extension Amendment or Incremental Facility Agreement.

 

Section 2.02         Loans and Borrowings.

 

(a)          Each Loan (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages of the applicable Class.

 

(b)          Subject to Section 2.01 and Section 2.14, each Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Adjusted Term SOFR Loans. Each Lender at its option may make any Adjusted Term SOFR Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that (i) any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, (ii) such Adjusted Term SOFR Loan shall be deemed to have been made and held by such Lender, and the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Adjusted Term SOFR Loan shall nevertheless be to such Lender for the account of such domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender and (iii) in exercising such option, such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to minimize increased costs to the Borrower resulting therefrom (which obligation of such Lender shall not require it to take, or refrain from taking, actions that it determines would result in increased costs for which it will not be compensated hereunder or that it otherwise determines would be disadvantageous to it and in the event of such request for costs for which compensation is provided under this Agreement, the provisions of Section 2.15 shall apply); provided, further, that no such domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender shall be entitled to any greater indemnification under Section 2.17 in respect of any withholding tax with respect to such Adjusted Term SOFR Loan than that to which the applicable Lender was entitled on the date on which such Loan was made (except in connection with any indemnification entitlement arising as a result of any Change in Law after the date on which such Loan was made).

 

84 

 

 

(c)          At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, such Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing shall comprise an aggregate principal amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000. Each ABR Borrowing when made shall comprise an aggregate principal amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $500,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Loan Borrowing may be made in a lesser aggregate principal amount that is (i) equal to the entire aggregate unused Revolving Credit Commitments or (ii) required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(e). Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of ten (10) different Interest Periods in effect for Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowings at any time outstanding (or such greater number of different Interest Periods as the Administrative Agent may agree from time to time). Each Swingline Loans shall be an ABR Loan.

 

(d)          Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not, nor shall it be entitled to, request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date applicable to the relevant Loans.

 

Section 2.03         Requests for Borrowings.

 

(a)          Each Term Borrowing, each Revolving Loan Borrowing, each conversion of Term Loans or Revolving Loans from one Type to the other and each continuation of Adjusted Term SOFR Loans shall be made upon notice by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent. Each such notice is irrevocable and must be in the form of a written Borrowing Request or Interest Election Request, as the case may be, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower or by telephone (and promptly confirmed by delivery of a written Borrowing Request or Interest Election Request, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower) (provided, however, that if such Borrowing Request is submitted through an Approved Borrower Portal, the foregoing signature requirement may be waived at the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent) and must be received by the Administrative Agent (by hand delivery, fax or other electronic transmission (including “.pdf” or “.tif”)) not later than (i) 1:00 p.m. three U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the requested day of any Borrowing or continuation of Adjusted Term SOFR Loans or any conversion of ABR Loans to Adjusted Term SOFR Loans and (ii) 2:00 p.m. one Business Day prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of or conversion to ABR Loans (or, in each case, such later time as is acceptable to the Administrative Agent); provided, however, that if the Borrower wishes to request Adjusted Term SOFR Loans having an Interest Period of other than one (1), three (3) or six (6) months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” (A) the applicable notice from the Borrower must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. four (4) Business Days prior to the requested date of the relevant Borrowing, conversion or continuation (or such later time as is acceptable to the Administrative Agent), whereupon the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the appropriate Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is available to them and (B) not later than 12:00 p.m. three Business Days before the requested date of the relevant Borrowing, conversion or continuation, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower whether or not the requested Interest Period is available to the appropriate Lenders.

 

(b)          If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. The Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details and amount of any Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing (i) in the case of any ABR Borrowing, on the same Business Day of receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section or (ii) in the case of any Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, no later than one (1) Business Day following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section.

 

85 

 

 

Section 2.04         Swingline Loans.

 

(a)          Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans to the Borrower from time to time on and after the Original Closing Date, and until the earlier of the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date and the termination of the Initial Revolving Credit Commitment in accordance with the terms hereof, denominated in dollars, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the outstanding Swingline Loans of the Swingline Lender exceeding its Swingline Commitment or (ii) the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments, provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.

 

(b)          To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and the Swingline Lender of such request by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile or electronic communication, (including an Approved Borrower Portal) if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Swingline Lender (confirmed by telephone)and the Administrative Agent, not later than 1:00 p.m., New York time, on the day of such proposed Swingline Loan. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day), the amount of the requested Swingline Loan and (x) if the funds are not to be credited to a general deposit account of the Borrower maintained with the Swingline Lender because the Borrower is unable to maintain a general deposit account with the Swingline Lender under applicable Requirements of Law, the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with Section 2.07, or (y) in the case of any Swingline Loan requested to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e), the identity of the Issuing Bank that made such LC Disbursement. The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a credit to the general deposit accounts of the Borrower maintained with the Swingline Lender (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e), by remittance to the applicable Issuing Bank) by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

 

(c)          The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on any Business Day require the Revolving Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Revolving Lenders will participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Revolving Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Swingline Loans. Each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Swingline Loans. Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or any reduction or termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Revolving Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (with references to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., New York City time, in such Section being deemed to be references to 3:00 p.m., New York City time) (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Revolving Lenders pursuant to this paragraph), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender. Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrower (or other Person on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted by the Swingline Lender to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Revolving Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear, provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, and thereafter to the Borrower, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof.

 

86 

 

 

(d)          The Borrower may, at any time and from time to time, designate as additional Swingline Lenders one or more Revolving Lenders that agree to serve in such capacity as provided below. The acceptance by a Revolving Lender of an appointment as a Swingline Lender hereunder shall be evidenced by an agreement, which shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such designated Swingline Lender, and, from and after the effective date of such agreement, (i) such Revolving Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of a Swingline Lender under this Agreement and (ii) references herein to the term “Swingline Lender” shall be deemed to include such Revolving Lender in its capacity as a lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.

 

(e)          The Borrower may terminate the appointment of any Swingline Lender as a “Swingline Lender” hereunder by providing a written notice thereof to such Swingline Lender, with a copy to the Administrative Agent. Any such termination shall become effective upon the earlier of (i) such Swingline Lender’s acknowledging receipt of such notice and (ii) the fifth (5th) Business Day following the date of the delivery thereof, provided that no such termination shall become effective until and unless the Swingline Exposure of such Swingline Lender shall have been reduced to zero. Notwithstanding the effectiveness of any such termination, the terminated Swingline Lender shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights of a Swingline Lender under this Agreement with respect to Swingline Loans made by it prior to such termination, but shall not make any additional Swingline Loans.

 

Section 2.05         Letters of Credit.

 

(a)          General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) each Issuing Bank agrees, in each case in reliance upon the agreements of the other Revolving Lenders set forth in this Section 2.05, (A) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Original Closing Date to the earlier of (x) the third Business Day prior to the Latest Revolving Credit Maturity Date and (y) the termination of 100% of the Revolving Credit Commitments in accordance with this Agreement, upon the request of the Borrower, to issue Letters of Credit denominated in Dollars issued on sight basis only for the account of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary (provided that the Borrower will be the applicant) and to amend or renew Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with Section 2.05(b), and (B) to honor drafts under the Letters of Credit, and (ii) the Revolving Lenders severally agree to participate in the Letters of Credit issued under this Section 2.05(a) in accordance with the terms of Section 2.05(d). No Issuing Bank shall be obligated to issue, amend or extend any Letter of Credit if such issuance, amendment or extension would violate any policies of such Issuing Bank governing letters of credit in general.

 

87 

 

 

(b)          Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of any Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall deliver to the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent, at least three (3) Business Days in advance of the requested date of issuance (or such shorter period as is acceptable to the applicable Issuing Bank or, in the case of any issuance to be made on the Original Closing Date, one Business Day prior to the Original Closing Date), a written Letter of Credit Request. To request an amendment, extension or renewal of an outstanding Letter of Credit, (other than any automatic extension of a Letter of Credit permitted under Section 2.05(c)), the Borrower shall submit a written Letter of Credit Request (which may be transmitted by electronic communication, including an Approved Borrower Portal, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the respective Issuing Bank) to the applicable Issuing Bank (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) at least three (3) Business Days in advance of the requested date of amendment, extension or renewal (or such shorter period as is acceptable to the applicable Issuing Bank). If requested by the applicable Issuing Bank in connection with any request for any Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall also submit a letter of credit application on such Issuing Bank’s standard form. In the event of any inconsistencyconflict between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the applicable Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. No Letter of Credit, letter of credit application or other document entered into by the Borrower with any Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit shall contain any representation or warranty, covenant or event of default that is in direct conflict with this Agreement, and all representations and warranties, covenants and events of default set forth therein shall contain standards, qualifications, thresholds and exceptions for materiality or otherwise consistent with those set forth in this Agreement. No Letter of Credit may be issued, amended, extended or renewed unless (and on the issuance, amendment, extension or renewal of each Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, extension, or renewal (i) the LC Exposure does not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit, (ii) the portion of the LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by any Issuing Bank does not exceed the LC Commitment of such Issuing Bank (unless otherwise agreed by such Issuing Bank) and (iii) (A) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender does not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment, (B) the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Exposure does not exceed the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments then in effect and (C) if such Letter of Credit has a term that extends beyond the Maturity Date applicable to the Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class, the aggregate amount of the LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit expiring after such Maturity Date does not exceed the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments then in effect that are scheduled to remain in effect after such Maturity Date.

 

(c)          Expiration Date. No Letter of Credit shall expire later than the earlier of (i) the date that is one (1) year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (ii) the date that is three (3) Business Days prior to the Latest Revolving Credit Maturity Date; provided that, any Letter of Credit may provide for the automatic extension thereof for any number of additional periods of up to one (1) year in duration (which additional periods shall not extend beyond the date referred to in the preceding clause (ii) unless 100% of the then-available face amount thereof is Cash collateralized or backstopped on or before the date on which such Letter of Credit is extended beyond the date referred to in clause (ii) above pursuant to arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the relevant Issuing Bank).

 

88 

 

 

(d)          Participations. By the issuance of any Letter of Credit (or an amendment to any Letter of Credit increasing the amount or extending the term thereof) and without any further action on the part of the applicable Issuing Bank or the Revolving Lenders, the applicable Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Revolving Lender, and each Revolving Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the applicable Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section 2.05, or of any reimbursement payment that is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligations to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit isand to make payments in respect of such acquired participations are absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of any Default or Event of Default or reduction or termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

 

(e)          Reimbursement.

 

(i)          If the applicable Issuing Bank makes any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to such Issuing Bank an amount equal to the amount of such LC Disbursement not later than 1:00 p.m. two (2) Business Days immediately following the date on which the Borrower receives notice of such LC Disbursement under paragraph (g) of this Section 2.05; provided, that the Borrower may, without satisfying the conditions to Borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Loan or a Swingline Loan (a “Letter of Credit Reimbursement Loan”) in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the obligation of the Borrower to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting Revolving Loan. The relevant Issuing Bank shall immediately notify the Administrative Agent of any payment made by the Borrower in accordance with the terms of the preceding sentence (without giving effect to the proviso therein). If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Revolving Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage thereof. No later than the date set forth in such notice, each Revolving Lender or Swingline Lender, as the case may be, shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Revolving Lender or Swingline Lender, as the case may be, (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Revolving Lenders and Swingline Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the applicable Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders or Swingline Lender, as the case may be. In the event that the Revolving Lenders or Swingline Lenders have made payments to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse any Issuing Bank for the amount of any LC Disbursement, if the Administrative Agent receives any payment in respect of any LC Disbursement (or interest thereon) (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise (including proceeds of cash collateral applied thereto)), the Administrative Agent shall promptly distribute such payment to the Revolving Lenders or the Swingline Lenders, as applicable, as their interests may appear.

 

89 

 

 

(ii)          If any Revolving Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Issuing Bank any amount required to be paid by such Revolving Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.05(e) by the time specified therein, such Issuing Bank shall be entitled to recover from such Revolving Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to such Issuing Bank at a rate per annum equal to the greater of Federal Funds Effective Rate from time to time in effect and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation. A certificate of the applicable Issuing Bank submitted to any Revolving Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (ii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(f)          Obligations Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph  of this Section 2.05 shall be absolute and unconditional and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision herein or therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under any Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the applicable Issuing Bank under any Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the obligations of the Borrower hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Revolving Lenders nor any Issuing Bank, nor any of their respective Related Parties shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance, amendment or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, document, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of such Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse such Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of applicable Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of any Letter of Credit, the applicable Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

 

(g)          Disbursement Procedures. The applicable Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. Such Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by electronic means) upon any LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that such notice need not be given prior to payment by the Issuing Bank and no delay in giving such notice shall relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such Issuing Bank and the Revolving Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement within the time period prescribed in Section 2.05(e).

 

90 

 

 

(h)          Interim Interest. If any Issuing Bank makes any LC Disbursement, unless the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement has been made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement (or the date on which such LC Disbursement is reimbursed with the proceeds of Loans, as applicable), at the rate per annum then applicable to Initial Revolving Loans that are ABR Loans (or, to the extent of the participation in such LC Disbursement by any Revolving Lender of another Class, the rate per annum then applicable to the Revolving Loans of such other Class); provided that if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section 2.05, Section 2.13(c) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the applicable Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Revolving Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section 2.05 to reimburse such Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Revolving Lender to the extent of such payment and shall be payable on the date on which the Borrower is required to reimburse the applicable LC Disbursement in full (and, thereafter, on demand).

 

(i)           Replacement or Resignation of an Issuing Bank or Designation of New Issuing Banks.

 

(i)          Any Issuing Bank may be replaced with the consent of the Administrative Agent (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the Borrower at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Revolving Lenders of any such replacement of an Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement becomes effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b)(ii). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the replaced Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the replacement of any Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

 

(ii)          The Borrower may, at any time and from time to time with the consent of the Administrative Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the relevant Revolving Lender, designate one or more additional Revolving Lenders to act as an issuing bank under the terms of this Agreement. Any Revolving Lender designated as an issuing bank pursuant to this paragraph (ii) who agrees in writing to such designation shall be deemed to be an “Issuing Bank” (in addition to being a Revolving Lender) in respect of Letters of Credit issued or to be issued by such Revolving Lender, and, with respect to such Letters of Credit, such term shall thereafter apply to the other Issuing Bank and such Revolving Lender.

 

(iii)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Issuing Bank may, upon 15 days’ prior written notice to the Borrower, each other Issuing Bank and the Lenders, resign as Issuing Bank, which resignation shall be effective as of the date referenced in such notice (but in no event less than 15 days after the delivery of such written notice); it being understood that in the event of any such resignation, any Letter of Credit then outstanding shall remain outstanding (irrespective of whether any amount has been drawn at such time). In the event of any such resignation as an Issuing Bank, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint any Revolving Lender that accepts such appointment in writing as successor Issuing Bank. Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Issuing Bank hereunder, the successor Issuing Bank shall thereupon succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Issuing Bank, and the retiring Issuing Bank shall be discharged from its duties and obligations in such capacity hereunder. After the resignation of any Issuing Bank hereunder, the resigning Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all rights (including all rights to payments pursuant to Section 2.12(b)) and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such resignation, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

 

91 

 

 

(j)           Cash Collateralization.

 

(i)          If any Event of Default exists and the Loans have been declared due and payable in accordance with Article VII, then on the Business Day on which the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Required Revolving Lenders demanding the deposit of Cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph (j), the Borrower shall deposit, in an interest-bearing account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Revolving Lenders (the “LC Collateral Account”), an amount in Cash equal to 100% of the LC Exposure as of such date (minus the amount then on deposit in the LC Collateral Account); provided that the obligation to deposit such Cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in Section 7.01(f) or (g).

 

(ii)          Any such deposit under clause (i) above shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph (j). The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over the LC Collateral Account, and the Borrower hereby grants the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a First Priority security interest in the LC Collateral Account. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in the LC Collateral Account. Moneys in the LC Collateral Account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, subject to the consent of the Required Revolving Lenders, applied to satisfy other Secured Obligations. The amount of any Cash Collateral posted in accordance with the terms of this Section 2.05(j) (together with all interest and other earnings with respect thereto, to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower promptly but in no event later than three (3) Business Days after the Event of Default giving rise to the obligation to do so has been cured or waived (so long as no other Event of Default has occurred and is continuing).

 

Section 2.06         [Reserved].

 

Section 2.07         Funding of Borrowings.

 

(a)          Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder not later than (i) 1:00 p.m., in the case of Adjusted Term SOFR Loans and (ii) 2:00 p.m., in the case of ABR Loans, in each case on the Business Day specified in the applicable Borrowing Request by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders in an amount equal to such Lender’s respective Applicable Percentage; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.04. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to the account designated in the relevant Borrowing Request or as otherwise directed by the Borrower; provided that Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of any LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the applicable Issuing Bank.

 

92 

 

 

(b)          Unless the Administrative Agent has received notice from any Lender that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of any Borrowing prior to the proposed date of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make a corresponding amount available to the Borrower. In such event, if any Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent (without duplication) such corresponding amount with interest thereon forthwith on demand for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate from time to time in effect and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to the Loans comprising such Borrowing at such time. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing, and the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Administrative Agent the corresponding amount pursuant to this Section 2.07(b) shall cease. If the Borrower pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, the amount so paid shall constitute a repayment of such Borrowing by such amount. Nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to fulfill its Commitment or to prejudice any rights which the Administrative Agent or the Borrower or any other Loan Party may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder.

 

Section 2.08         Type; Interest Elections.

 

(a)          Each Borrowing shall initially be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of any Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, shall have the initial Interest Period specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert any Borrowing to a Borrowing of a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of an Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders based upon their respective Applicable Percentages, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to Swingline Loans, which may not be converted or continued.

 

(b)          To make an election pursuant to this Section 2.08, the Borrower shall deliver an Interest Election Request, in accordance with the terms of Section 2.03(a).

 

(c)          Promptly following receipt of each Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each applicable Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

 

(d)          If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to any Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, such Borrowing shall be continued at the end of such Interest Period to an Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, as applicable, with an Interest Period of one month. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if an Event of Default exists and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as such Event of Default exists (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as an Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the then-current Interest Period applicable thereto.

 

93 

 

 

Section 2.09         Termination and Reduction of Commitments.

 

(a)          Unless previously terminated, (i) the Initial Term Loan Commitments shall automatically terminate upon the making of the Initial Term Loans on the Closing Date, in the case of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans, on the First Amendment Closing Date, or in the case of the 2021 Replacement Term Loans, on the Third Amendment Closing Date, or in the case of the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans, on the Fourth Amendment Closing Date (ii) the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitments shall automatically terminate upon the making of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the SecondEighth Amendment Closing Date, (iii) the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments shall automatically terminate on the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date, (iviii) the Additional Term Loan Commitments of any Class shall automatically terminate upon the making of the Additional Term Loans of such Class and, if any such Additional Term Loan Commitment is not drawn on the date that such Additional Term Loan Commitment is required to be drawn pursuant to the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement, Extension Amendment or Refinancing Amendment, as applicable, the undrawn amount thereof shall automatically terminate, and (viv) the Additional Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class shall automatically terminate on the Maturity Date specified therefor in the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement, Extension Amendment or Refinancing Amendment, as applicable.

 

(b)          Upon delivery of the notice required by Section 2.09(c), the Borrower may at any time terminate or from time to time reduce the Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class; provided that (i) each reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of Revolving Loans, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Exposure attributable to the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class would exceed the aggregate amount Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class; provided that, after the establishment of any Additional Revolving Credit Commitment, any such termination or reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class shall be subject to the provisions set forth in Section 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c), as applicable.

 

(c)          The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce any Revolving Credit Commitment under paragraph (b) of this Section 2.09 in writing on or prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction (or such later date to which the Administrative Agent may agree), specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Revolving Lenders of each applicable Class of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that any such notice may state that it is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other transactions, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of any Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to this Section 2.09 shall be permanent. Upon any reduction of any Revolving Credit Commitment, the Revolving Credit Commitment of each Revolving Lender of the relevant Class shall be reduced by such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of such reduction.

 

94 

 

 

Section 2.10         Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.

 

(a)          (i) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to repay the outstanding principal amount of the Initial Term Loans to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Initial Term Lender (A) commencing June 2020with the first full Fiscal Quarter after the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, on the last Business Day of each September, December, March and June prior to the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date (each such date being referred to as a “Loan Installment Date”), in each case in thean amount equal to 0.25% of the original principal amounts set forth inof the table belowInitial Term Loans (as such payments may be reduced from time to time as a result of the application of prepayments in accordance with Section 2.11 and purchases or assignments in accordance with Section 9.05(g) or increased as a result of any increase in the amount of such Initial Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.22(a)) and (B) on the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, in an amount equal to the remainder of the principal amount of the Initial Term Loans outstanding on such date, together in each case with accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount to be paid to but excluding the date of such payment.

 

Installment Principal Amount
September 30, 2021 $4,495,625.02
December 31, 2021 $4,495,625.02
March 31, 2022 $4,495,625.02
June 30, 2022 $4,495,625.02
September 30, 2022 $4,495,625.02
December 31, 2022 $4,495,625.02
March 31, 2023 $4,495,625.02
June 30, 2023 $4,495,625.02
September 30, 2023 $4,495,625.02
December 31, 2023 $4,495,625.02
March 31, 2024 $4,495,625.02
June 30, 2024 $4,495,625.02
September 30, 2024 $4,495,625.02
December 31, 2024 $4,495,625.02
March 31, 2025 $4,495,625.02
June 30, 2025 $4,495,625.02
September 30, 2025 $4,495,625.02
December 31, 2025 $4,495,625.02
March 31, 2026 $4,495,625.02
June 30, 2026 $4,495,625.02
September 30, 2026 $4,495,625.02

 

(ii)          The Borrower shall repay the Additional Term Loans of any Class in such scheduled amortization installments and on such date or dates as shall be specified therefor in the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement, Extension Amendment or Refinancing Amendment (as such payments may be reduced from time to time as a result of the application of prepayments in accordance with Section 2.11 or purchases or assignments in accordance with Section 9.05(g)).

 

(b)          (i) The Borrower hereby promises to pay in Dollars (A) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Initial Revolving Lender, the then-unpaid principal amount of the Initial Revolving Loans of such Lender on the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date owing by the Borrower and (B) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Additional Revolving Lender, the then-unpaid principal amount of each Additional Revolving Loan of such Additional Revolving Lender on the Maturity Date applicable thereto.

 

(ii)          On the Maturity Date applicable to the Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class, the Borrower shall (A) cancel and return outstanding Letters of Credit, or alternatively, with respect to each outstanding Letter of Credit, furnish to the Administrative Agent a Cash deposit (or otherwise provide a “backstop” letter of credit or such other credit support or other arrangements as are reasonably satisfactory to the relevant Issuing Bank(s) pursuant to which such Letters of Credit are no longer subject to this Agreement) equal to 100% of the LC Exposure (minus any amount then on deposit in any Cash collateral account established for the benefit of the relevant Issuing Bank in respect of its LC Exposure) as of such date, in each case to the extent necessary so that, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Exposure attributable to the Revolving Credit Commitments of any other Class shall not exceed the Revolving Credit Commitments of such other Class then in effect and (B) make payment in full in Cash of all accrued and unpaid fees and all reimbursable expenses and other Obligations with respect to the Revolving Facility of the applicable Class then due, together with accrued and unpaid interest (if any) thereon.

 

95 

 

 

(c)          The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to repay to each Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan made by such Swingline Lender on the earlier to occur of (A) the date that is ten (10) Business Days after such Loan is made and (B) the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date; provided that on each date that a Borrowing of Revolving Loan is made the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans that are then outstanding.

 

(d)          Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

 

(e)          The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the accounts of the Lenders or the Issuing Banks and each Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s share thereof.

 

(f)          The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraphs (d) and (e) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein (absent manifest error); provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any manifest error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; provided, further, that in the event of any inconsistency between the accounts maintained by the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section and any Lender’s records, the accounts of the Administrative Agent shall govern.

 

(g)          Any Lender may request (through the Administrative Agent) that any Loan made by it be evidenced by a Promissory Note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a Promissory Note that is payable to such Lender and its registered assigns; it being understood and agreed that such Lender (and/or its applicable assign) shall be required to return such Promissory Note to the Borrower in accordance with Section 9.05(b)(iii) and upon the occurrence of the Termination Date (or as promptly thereafter as practicable). If any Lender (and/or its applicable assign) loses the original copy of its Promissory Note, it shall execute an affidavit of loss containing an indemnification provision that is reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower. The obligation of each Lender to execute an affidavit of loss containing an indemnification provision that is reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower shall survive the Termination Date.

 

96 

 

 

Section 2.11         Prepayment of Loans.

 

(a)          Optional Prepayments.

 

(i)       Upon prior notice in accordance with paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 2.11, the Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing of its Term Loans of any Class in whole or in part without premium or penalty (but subject (A) in the case of Borrowings of Initial Term Loans or Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans only, to Section 2.12(e) and (B) if applicable, to Section 2.16). Each such prepayment shall be paid to the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages of the relevant Class.

 

(ii)      Upon prior notice in accordance with paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 2.11, the Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing of Revolving Loans of any Class in whole or in part without premium or penalty (but subject to Section 2.16); provided that after the establishment of any Additional Revolving Credit Commitment, any such prepayment of any Borrowing of Revolving Loans of any Class shall be subject to the provisions set forth in Section 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c), as applicable. Each such prepayment shall be paid to the Revolving Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages of the relevant Class.

 

(iii)     The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) in writing (including by electronic communication and, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Administrative Agent and, if relevant, the Swingline Lender, an Approved Borrower Portal) of any prepayment under this Section 2.11(a) in the case of any prepayment of (i) an Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, not later than 1:00 p.m. three (3) Business Days (or, in the case of an Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days) before the date of prepayment or (ii) an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of prepayment (or, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), such later time as to which the Administrative Agent may agree). Each such notice shall be irrevocable (except as set forth in the proviso to this sentence) and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that any notice of prepayment delivered by the Borrower may be conditioned upon the effectiveness of other transactions, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to any Borrowing (other than a notice relating solely to Swingline Loans), the Administrative Agent shall advise the applicable Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount at least equal to the amount that would be permitted in the case of a Borrowing of the same Type and Class as provided in Section 2.02(c), or such lesser amount that is then outstanding with respect to such Borrowing being repaid (and in increments of $100,000 in excess thereof or such lesser incremental amount that is then outstanding with respect to such Borrowing being repaid). Each prepayment of Term Loans shall be applied to the Class of Term Loans specified in the applicable prepayment notice, and each prepayment of Term Loans of such Class made pursuant to this Section 2.11(a) shall be applied against the remaining scheduled installments of principal due in respect of the Term Loans of such Class in the manner specified by the Borrower or, in the absence of any such specification on or prior to the date of the relevant optional prepayment, in direct order of maturity.

 

97 

 

 

(b)       Mandatory Prepayments.

 

(i)       No later than the tenth (10th) Business Day after the date on which the financial statements with respect to each Fiscal Year of the Borrower are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(b), commencing with the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 20202024, the Borrower shall prepay the outstanding principal amount of Subject Loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to (A) the Required Excess Cash Flow Percentage of Excess Cash Flow of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the Excess Cash Flow Period then ended, minus (B) at the option of the Borrower, the sum of (1) the aggregate principal amount of any other Indebtedness that is secured on a pari passu basis with the Secured Obligations that the Borrower voluntarily repays or repurchases during such period and prior to such date, (2) the aggregate principal amount of any Term Loans and/or Revolving Loans prepaid pursuant to Section 2.11(a) during such period and prior to such date (in the case of any prepayment of Revolving Loans, to the extent accompanied by a permanent reduction in the relevant commitment), (3) the aggregate principal amount of any Second Lien Term Loans (or any other Indebtedness constituting Second Lien Obligations (as defined in the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement) optionally prepaid pursuant to Section 2.11(a) of the Second Lien Credit Agreement (or otherwise optionally prepaid, redeemed or repurchased pursuant to any equivalent provision under any other document governing any such other Indebtedness constituting Second Lien Obligations (as defined in the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement))) during such period and prior to such date[reserved] and (4) the amount of any reduction in the outstanding amount of any Term Loans resulting from any assignment to or purchase by Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 9.05(g) of this Agreement in connection with any Dutch Auction during such period and prior to such date and, in the case of this clause (4), based upon the principal amount of Indebtedness subject to the relevant assignment or purchase, minus (C) at the option of the Borrower, the sum of (1) cash payments by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such Excess Cash Flow Period in respect of purchase price holdbacks, earn out obligations, or long-term liabilities of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries other than Indebtedness to the extent such payments are not expensed during such Excess Cash Flow Period or are not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income to the extent financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, (2) the amount of Investments (other than Investments in Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and other than Investments in Cash or Cash Equivalents) and acquisitions not prohibited by this Agreement made during such Excess Cash Flow Period, to the extent that such Investments and acquisitions were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, (3) the amount of Restricted Payments (other than Restricted Investments) paid in cash during such Excess Cash Flow Period not prohibited by this Agreement (other than Restricted Payments made (i) to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) pursuant to Section 6.04(a)(iii)(A)), to the extent that such Restricted Payments were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, (4) the amount of Capital Expenditures (including acquisitions of intellectual property) made in Cash or accrued during such Excess Cash Flow Period, to the extent that such Capital Expenditures were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries and (5) without duplication of amounts deducted from Excess Cash Flow in prior periods, (i) the aggregate consideration required to be paid in Cash by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to binding contract commitments, letters of intent or purchase orders (the “Contract Consideration”), in each case, entered into prior to or during such Excess Cash Flow Period and (ii) to the extent set forth in a certificate of a Responsible Officer delivered to the Administrative Agent at or before the time the Compliance Certificate for the period ending simultaneously with such Test Period is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(c), the aggregate amount of cash that is reasonably expected to be paid in respect of planned cash expenditures by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (the “Planned Expenditures”), in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii), relating to Permitted Acquisitions, other Investments (other than Investments in Cash Equivalents) or Capital Expenditures (including purchases of intellectual property) to be consummated or made within the succeeding 12-month period; provided, that to the extent the aggregate amount of internally generated cash actually utilized to finance such Permitted Acquisitions, Investments or Capital Expenditures during such succeeding 12-month period is less than the Contract Consideration or Planned Expenditures, the amount of such shortfall shall be added to the calculation of Excess Cash Flow at the end of such Test Period, in each case, (I) to the extent such payments are made during such Fiscal Year or after the end of such Fiscal Year and prior to the date any payment in respect of Excess Cash Flow would be due under this Section 2.11(b)(i), (II) excluding any such optional prepayment made during such Fiscal Year that reduced the amount required to be prepaid pursuant to this Section 2.11(b)(i) in the prior Fiscal Year and (III) to the extent that the relevant prepayments were not financed with the proceeds of other Indebtedness (other than revolving Indebtedness) of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that no prepayment under this Section 2.11(b)(i) shall be required unless and to the extent the amount thereof would exceed $20,000,000 after giving effect to the calculations and adjustments described in clauses (A) and (B) above.

 

98 

 

 

(ii)      No later than the tenth (10th) Business Day following the receipt of Net Proceeds in respect of any Prepayment Asset Sale or Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds, the Borrower shall apply an amount equal to the Required Asset Sale Percentage of the Net Proceeds or Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds received with respect thereto in excess of the threshold specified in clause (B) of this Section 2.11(b)(ii) (collectively, the “Subject Proceeds”) to prepay the outstanding principal amount of Subject Loans; provided that (A) if prior to the date any such prepayment is required to be made, the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent of its intention to reinvest the Subject Proceeds (other than Subject Proceeds with respect to any Disposition consummated pursuant to Section 6.07(h)(B)) in the business of the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries (including any acquisition or other Investment permitted hereunder but not in Cash or Cash Equivalents), then the Borrower shall not be required to make a mandatory prepayment under this clause (ii) in respect of the Subject Proceeds to the extent (x) the Subject Proceeds are so reinvested within 540 days following receipt thereof, or (y) the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries has committed to so reinvest the Subject Proceeds during such 540-day period and the Subject Proceeds are so reinvested within 180 days after the expiration of such 540-day period; it being understood that if the Subject Proceeds have not been so reinvested prior to the expiration of the applicable period, the Borrower shall promptly prepay the Subject Loans with the amount of Subject Proceeds not so reinvested as set forth above (without regard to the immediately preceding proviso) and (B) the obligation to make a prepayment under this Section 2.11(b)(ii) shall only apply if and to the extent the aggregate amount of (I) Net Proceeds resulting from Prepayment Asset Sales and (II) Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds, in each case received by the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiaries (x) for any such single transaction (or related transactions) exceeds $10,000,000 and (y) in any Fiscal Year exceeds $20,000,000 (with only the amount of Net Proceeds exceeding such amount for any single transaction (or related transactions) or in such Fiscal Year to be applied to make a prepayment under this Section 2.11(b)(ii)).

 

(iii)     In the event that the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries receives Net Proceeds from the issuance or incurrence of Indebtedness by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness that is permitted to be incurred under Section 6.01, except to the extent the relevant Indebtedness constitutes (A) Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refinance all or a portion of the Term Loans pursuant to Section 6.01(p), (B) Incremental Loans incurred to refinance all or a portion of the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.22, (C) Replacement Term Loans incurred to refinance all or any portion of the Term Loans in accordance with the requirements of Section 9.02(c) and/or (D) Incremental Equivalent Debt incurred to refinance all or a portion of the Loans in accordance with the requirements of Section 6.01(z)), the Borrower or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary shall, substantially simultaneously with (and in any event not later than the next succeeding Business Day) the receipt of such Net Proceeds by the relevant Person, apply an amount equal to 100% of such Net Proceeds to prepay the outstanding principal amount of the relevant Term Loans in accordance with clause (iv) below.

 

99 

 

 

(iv)    Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.11(b) to the contrary:

 

(A)                  the Borrower shall not be required to prepay any amount that would otherwise be required to be paid pursuant to Sections 2.11(b)(i) or (ii) above to the extent that the relevant affected Excess Cash Flow is attributable to any Foreign Subsidiary or the relevant Subject Proceeds are received by any Foreign Subsidiary, as the case may be, for so long as the repatriation to the Borrower of any such amount would be prohibited, delayed or restricted under any Requirement of Law or conflict with the fiduciary duties of such Foreign Subsidiary’s directors, or result in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a material risk of personal or criminal liability for any officer, director, employee, manager, member of management or consultant of such Foreign Subsidiary (the Borrower hereby agreeing to cause the applicable Foreign Subsidiary to promptly take all commercially reasonable actions available under applicable Requirements of Law to permit such repatriation or to remove such prohibition); it being understood and agreed that if the repatriation of the relevant affected Excess Cash Flow or Subject Proceeds, as the case may be, is permitted under the applicable Requirement of Law and, to the extent applicable, would no longer conflict with the fiduciary duties of such director, or result in, or be reasonably expected to result in, a material risk of personal or criminal liability for the Persons described above, in either case, within 540 days following the end of the applicable Excess Cash Flow Period or the event giving rise to the relevant Subject Proceeds, an amount equal to the relevant Excess Cash Flow or Subject Proceeds, as the case may be, will be promptly applied (net of additional Taxes that would be payable or reserved against as a result of repatriating such amounts) to the repayment of the Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.11(b) to the extent required herein (without regard to this clause (iv)),

 

(B)                   the Borrower shall not be required to prepay any amount that would otherwise be required to be paid pursuant to Sections 2.11(b)(i) or (ii) to the extent that the relevant Excess Cash Flow is generated by any joint venture or the relevant Subject Proceeds are received by any joint venture, in each case, for so long as the distribution to the Borrower of such Excess Cash Flow or Subject Proceeds would be prohibited, delayed or restricted under the Organizational Documents governing such joint venture; it being understood and agreed that if the relevant prohibition ceases to exist within the 540-day period following the end of the applicable Excess Cash Flow Period or the event giving rise to the relevant Subject Proceeds, the relevant joint venture will promptly distribute the relevant Excess Cash Flow or the relevant Subject Proceeds, as the case may be, and the distributed Excess Cash Flow or Subject Proceeds, as the case may be, will be promptly (and in any event not later than two Business Days after such distribution) applied to the repayment of the Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.11(b) to the extent required herein (without regard to this clause (iv)), and

 

(C)                   if the Borrower determines in good faith that the repatriation to the Borrower as a distribution or dividend of any amounts required to mandatorily prepay the Term Loans pursuant to Sections 2.11(b)(i) or (ii) above that are attributable to any Foreign Subsidiary would result in a material adverse Tax liability (including any withholding Tax) (such amount, a “Restricted Amount”), the amount that the Borrower shall be required to mandatorily prepay pursuant to Sections 2.11(b)(i) or (ii) above, as applicable, shall be reduced by the Restricted Amount; provided that to the extent that the repatriation of the relevant Subject Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow from the relevant Foreign Subsidiary would no longer have a material adverse tax consequence within the 540-day period following the event giving rise to the relevant Subject Proceeds or the end of the applicable Excess Cash Flow Period, as the case may be, an amount equal to the Subject Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow, as applicable and to the extent available, not previously applied pursuant to this clause (C), shall be promptly applied to the repayment of the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.11(b) as otherwise required above (net of additional Taxes that would be payable or reserved against as a result of repatriating such amounts),

 

100 

 

 

(v)     Any Term Lender may elect, by notice to the Administrative Agent at or prior to the time and in the manner specified by the Administrative Agent, prior to any prepayment of Term Loans required to be made by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.11(b), to decline all (but not a portion) of its Applicable Percentage of such prepayment (such declined amounts, the “Declined Proceeds”), in which case such Declined Proceeds shall be applied to any mandatory prepayment, repurchase or redemption required under the Second Lien Credit Agreement or the documentation governing any other Indebtedness in excess of the Threshold Amount; provided that (A) in the event that any lender under the Second Lien Credit Agreement (or such other Indebtedness) elects to decline receipt of such Declined Proceeds in accordance with the terms of the Second Lien Credit Agreement (or the documentation governing such other Indebtedness), the remaining amount thereof may be retained by the Borrower and (B) that for the avoidance of doubt, no Lender may reject any prepayment made under Section 2.11(b)(iii) above to the extent that such prepayment is made with the Net Proceeds of (w) Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refinance all or a portion of the Term Loans pursuant to Section 6.01(p), (x) Incremental Loans incurred to refinance all or a portion of the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.22, (y) Replacement Term Loans incurred to refinance all or any portion of the Term Loans in accordance with the requirements of Section 9.02(c) and/or (z) Incremental Equivalent Debt incurred to finance all or a portion of the Loans in accordance with the requirements of Section 6.01(z). If any Lender fails to deliver a notice to the Administrative Agent of its election to decline receipt of its Applicable Percentage of any mandatory prepayment within the time frame specified by the Administrative Agent, such failure will be deemed to constitute an acceptance of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the total amount of such mandatory prepayment of Term Loans.

 

(vi)     Except as otherwise provided in any Refinancing Amendment, any Incremental Facility Agreement or any Extension Amendment, and subject to the last sentence of this Section 2.11(b)(vi), each prepayment of Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.11(b) shall be applied ratably to each Class of Term Loans then outstanding irrespective of whether such Term Loan is an ABR Loan or an Adjusted Term SOFR Loan (provided that any prepayment of Term Loans with the Net Proceeds of any Refinancing Indebtedness and/or any Incremental Term Facility or Replacement Term Loans incurred for the purpose of refinancing or replacing such Term Loans shall be applied to the applicable Class of Term Loans being refinanced or replaced) other than with respect to Lenders holding a Class of Term Loans that have agreed to receive less than a pro rata share of such prepayments. With respect to each Class of Term Loans, all prepayments accepted under this Section 2.11(b) shall be applied against the remaining scheduled installments of principal due in respect of such Class of Term Loans as directed by the Borrower (or, in the absence of direction from the Borrower, to the remaining scheduled amortization payments in respect of such Class of Term Loans in direct order of maturity), and each such prepayment shall be paid to the Term Lenders of such Class in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages of the applicable Class. If no Lender exercises its right to decline its Applicable Percentage of a given mandatory prepayment made pursuant to Section 2.11(b)(v), then with respect to such prepayment, the amount of such prepayment shall be applied first to the then outstanding Term Loans that are ABR Loans to the full extent thereof before application to the outstanding Term Loans that are Adjusted Term SOFR Loans in a manner that minimizes the amount of any payments required to be made by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.16.

 

101 

 

 

(vii)    Prepayments made under this Section 2.11(b) shall be (A) accompanied by accrued interest as required by Section 2.13, (B) subject to Section 2.16 and (C) in the case of prepayments of Initial Term Loans or Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans under clause (iii) above as part of a Repricing Transaction, subject to Section 2.12(e), but shall otherwise be without premium or penalty.

 

(viii)   Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if, at the time that any prepayment would be required under Section 2.11(b)(i) or (ii), the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is required to repay or repurchase any other Indebtedness (or offer to repay or repurchase such Indebtedness) that is secured on a pari passu basis with the Subject Loans pursuant to the terms of the documentation governing such Indebtedness with the Subject Proceeds (such Indebtedness required to be so repaid or repurchased (or offered to be repaid or repurchased), the “Other Applicable Indebtedness”), then the relevant Person may apply the Subject Proceeds on a pro rata basis to the prepayment of the Subject Loans and to the repurchase or repayment of the Other Applicable Indebtedness (determined on the basis of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Subject Loans and the Other Applicable Indebtedness (or accreted amount if such Other Applicable Indebtedness is issued with original issue discount) at such time); it being understood that (1) the portion of the Subject Proceeds allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness shall not exceed the amount of the Subject Proceeds required to be allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness pursuant to the terms thereof (and the remaining amount, if any, of the Subject Proceeds shall be allocated to the Subject Loans in accordance with the terms hereof), and the amount of the prepayment of the Subject Loans that would have otherwise been required pursuant to Section 2.11(b)(i) or (ii) shall be reduced accordingly and (2) to the extent the holders of the Other Applicable Indebtedness decline to have such Indebtedness prepaid or repurchased, the declined amount shall promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days after the date of such rejection) be applied to prepay the Subject Loans in accordance with the terms hereof (without giving effect to this Section 2.11(b)(viii)).

 

Section 2.12         Fees and Premium.

 

(a)       The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Initial Revolving Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender) a commitment fee, which shall accrue at a rate equal to the Commitment Fee Rate per annum applicable to the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments on the average daily amount of the unused Initial Revolving Credit Commitment of such Revolving Lender during the period from and including the Original Closing Date to the date on which such Initial Revolving Lender’s Initial Revolving Credit Commitment terminates. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the fifteenth day after the last day of each March, June, September and December commencing with December 2019 for the quarterly period then ended (or, in the case of the payment to be made in December 2019, for the period from the Closing Date to December 31, 2019), and on the date on which the Initial Revolving Credit Commitment terminates. For purposes of calculating the commitment fee only, the Initial Revolving Credit Commitment of any Initial Revolving Lender shall be deemed to be used to the extent of Initial Revolving Loans of such Class of such Initial Revolving Lender and the LC Exposure of such Initial Revolving Lender attributable to its Initial Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class (and the Swingline Exposure of such Lender shall be disregarded for such purpose).

 

(b)       The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender of any Class a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit issued at the request of the Borrower, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Revolving Loans of such Class that are Adjusted Term SOFR Loans, as applicable, on the daily face amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure that is attributable to its Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class (excluding any portion thereof that is attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements), during the period from and including the Original Closing Date to the earlier of (A) the later of the date on which such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class terminates and the date on which such Revolving Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure that is attributable to its Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class and (B) the Termination Date, and (ii) to each Issuing Bank, for its own account, a fronting fee, in respect of each Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank for the period from the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit to the earliest of (A) the expiration date of such Letter of Credit, (B) the date on which such Letter of Credit terminates and (C) the Termination Date, computed at a rate equal to the rate agreed by such Issuing Bank and the Borrower (but in any event not to exceed 0.125% per annum) of the daily face amount of such Letter of Credit, as well as such Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees shall accrue to but excluding the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and be payable in arrears for the quarterly period then ended on the fifteenth day following the last day of each March, June, September and December (commencing, if applicable, December 31, 2019 (it being understood that such payment shall be with respect to the period from the Closing Date to December 31, 2019)); provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Revolving Credit Commitments of the applicable Class terminate. Any fee other than the participation fee and the fronting fee described above that is payable to any Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 30 days after receipt of a written demand (accompanied by reasonable back-up documentation) therefor.

 

102 

 

 

(c)       The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, the annual administration fee described in the Fee Letter.

 

(d)       All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due and in immediately available funds to the Administrative Agent (or to the applicable Issuing Bank, in the case of any fee payable to any Issuing Bank). Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances except as otherwise provided in the Fee Letter. Fees payable hereunder shall accrue through and including the last day of the month immediately preceding the applicable fee payment date.

 

(e)       In the event that, on or prior to the date that is six (6) months after the ThirdEighth Amendment Closing Date, the Borrower (A) prepays, repays, refinances, substitutes or replaces any Initial Term Loans (including 2021 Replacement Term Loans or Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans) in connection with a Repricing Transaction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any prepayment made pursuant to Section 2.11(b)(iii) that constitutes a Repricing Transaction) or (B) effects any amendment, modification or waiver of, or consent under, this Agreement resulting in a Repricing Transaction, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable account of each applicable Initial Term Lender, (I) in the case of clause (A), a premium of 1.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the Initial Term Loans (including Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans) so prepaid, repaid, refinanced, substituted or replaced and (II) in the case of clause (B), a fee equal to 1.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the Initial Term Loans (including Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans) that are the subject of such Repricing Transaction outstanding immediately prior to such amendment. If, on or prior to the date that is six (6) months after the ThirdEighth Amendment Closing Date, all or any portion of the Initial Term Loans (including Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans) held by any Term Lender are prepaid, repaid, refinanced, substituted or replaced pursuant to Section 2.19(b)(iv) as a result of, or in connection with, such Term Lender not agreeing or otherwise consenting to any waiver, consent, modification or amendment in connection with a Repricing Transaction, such prepayment, repayment, refinancing, substitution or replacement will be made at 101% of the principal amount so prepaid, repaid, refinanced, substituted or replaced. All such amounts shall be due and payable on the date of effectiveness of such Repricing Transaction in Dollars and in immediately available funds.

 

103 

 

 

(f)            Unless otherwise indicated herein, all computations of fees shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and shall be payable for the actual days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The determination by the Administrative Agent of the amount of any fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

Section 2.13      Interest.

(a)            The Term Loans and Revolving Loans that comprise each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b)            [reserved];

(c)            The Term Loans and Revolving Loans that comprise each Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing shall bear interest at Adjusted Term SOFR for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

(d)            Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of a Specified Event of Default, for so long as any principal of or interest on any Term Loan, Revolving Loan or any LC Disbursement or any fee payable by the Borrower hereunder is not, in each case, paid or reimbursed, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, the relevant overdue amount shall bear interest, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Term Loan, Revolving Loan or unreimbursed LC Disbursement, 2.00% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Term Loan, Revolving Loan or LC Disbursement as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section 2.13 or (ii) in the case of any other amount (including overdue interest), 2.00% plus the rate applicable to Revolving Loans that are ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section 2.13; provided that no amount shall accrue pursuant to this Section 2.13(d) on any overdue amount, reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement or other amount that is payable to any Defaulting Lender so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender.

(e)            Accrued interest on each Term Loan or Revolving Loan borrowed by the Borrower shall be payable by the Borrower in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Term Loan or Revolving Loan and (i) on the Maturity Date applicable to such Loan and (ii) in the case of a Revolving Loan of any Class, upon termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class; provided that (A) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section 2.13 shall be payable on demand, (B) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Term Loan or Revolving Loan (other than an ABR Revolving Loan of any Class prior to the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (C) in the event of any conversion of any Adjusted Term SOFR Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

(f)            All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days (except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate shall be on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable) and actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate or Adjusted Term SOFR shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid; provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall bear interest for one day.

104

Section 2.14      Alternate Rate of Interest. (a)  If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for an Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing:

(i)the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining Adjusted Term SOFR (including because the Term SOFR Reference Rate is not available or published on a current basis) for such Interest Period; or

(ii)the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that Adjusted Term SOFR for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone, telecopy or electronic mail as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (A) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, an Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing shall be ineffective and (B) if any Borrowing Request requests an Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.

(b)            [Reserved].

(c)            Benchmark Replacement Setting.

(i) Benchmark Replacement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, if a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any setting of the then current Benchmark, then (x) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (a) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document and (y) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided to the Initial Revolving Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders. If the Benchmark Replacement is Daily Simple SOFR, all interest payments will be payable on a monthly basis.

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

105

(iii) Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (i) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement and (ii) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. The Administrative Agent will notify the Borrower of (x) the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to Section 2.14(c)(iv) and (y) the commencement of any Benchmark Unavailability Period. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 2.14(c), including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 2.14(c).

(iv) Unavailability of Tenor of Benchmark. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if any then-current Benchmark is a term rate and either (A) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion or (B) the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is not or will not be representative, then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable or non-representative tenor and (ii) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (A) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (B) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is not or will not be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.

(v) Benchmark Unavailability Period. Upon the Borrower’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period with respect to a given Benchmark or Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, (i) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for an Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Adjusted Term SOFR Loans, in each case, to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, in the case of any request for any affected Adjusted Term SOFR Borrowing, if applicable, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for an ABR Borrowing or conversion to ABR Loans in the amount specified therein, (ii) any outstanding affected Adjusted Term SOFR Loans, if applicable, will be deemed to have been converted into ABR Loans at the end of the applicable Interest Period. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 2.16. During a Benchmark Unavailability Period with respect to any Benchmark or at any time that a tenor for any then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of the Alternate Base Rate based upon the then-current Facility Benchmark that is the subject of such Benchmark Unavailability Period or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of the Alternate Base Rate.

Capitalized terms used in the foregoing Section 2.14(c) but not otherwise defined herein shall have the following meanings:

Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, (x) if such Benchmark is a term rate, any tenor for such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining the length of an Interest Period pursuant to this Agreement or (y) otherwise, any payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining any frequency of making payments of interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark pursuant to this Agreement, in each case, as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of “Interest Period” pursuant to Section 2.14(c)(iv).

106

Daily Simple SOFR” means, for any day (a “SOFR Rate Day”), a rate per annum equal to SOFR for the day (such day “SOFR Determination Date”) that is five (5) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to (i) if such SOFR Rate Day is a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, such SOFR Rate Day or (ii) if such SOFR Rate Day is not a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, the U.S. Government Securities Business Day immediately preceding such SOFR Rate Day, in each case, as such SOFR is published by the SOFR Administrator on the SOFR Administrator’s Website. Any change in Daily Simple SOFR due to a change in SOFR shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in SOFR without notice to the Borrower. If by 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the second (2nd) U.S. Government Securities Business Day immediately following any SOFR Determination Date, SOFR in respect of such SOFR Determination Date has not been published on the SOFR Administrator’s Website and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Daily Simple SOFR has not occurred, then SOFR for such SOFR Determination Date will be SOFR as published in respect of the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such SOFR was published on the SOFR Administrator’s Website.

Reference Time” with respect to any setting of the then-current Benchmark means (1) if such Benchmark is the Term SOFR Reference Rate, 5:00 a.m. (Chicago time) on the day that is two U.S. Government Securities Business Days preceding the date of such setting, (2) if such Benchmark is Daily Simple SOFR, then four U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such setting or (3) if such Benchmark is none of the Term SOFR Reference Rate or Daily Simple SOFR, the time determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.

Benchmark” means, initially, with respect to any Obligations, interest, fees, commissions or other amounts, the Term SOFR Reference Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event, and the related Benchmark Replacement Date, have occurred with respect to the applicable then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means, with respect to such Obligations, interest, fees, commissions or other amounts, the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior Benchmark rate pursuant to Section 2.14(c).

Benchmark Replacement” means, with respect to any Benchmark Transition Event for any then-current Benchmark, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent for the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date:

(a) Daily Simple SOFR (with all interest payments being payable on a monthly basis); or

(b) the sum of: (i) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower as the replacement for such Benchmark giving due consideration to (A) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (B) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement for such Benchmark for syndicated credit facilities denominated in Dollars at such time and (ii) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;

provided that, the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (a) or (b) above shall not be less than 0.00% per annum.

107

Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of any then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero), that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (a) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body or (b) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Benchmark Replacement for syndicated credit facilities denominated in Dollars at such time.

Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to either the use or administration of Term SOFR or the use, administration, adoption or implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Alternate Base Rate,” the definition of “Business Day”, the definition of “U.S. Government Securities Business Day”, the definition of “Interest Period” or any similar or analogous definition (or the addition of a concept of “interest period”), timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, the applicability and length of lookback periods, the applicability of Section 2.16 and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower, decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of any such rate or to permit the use and administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent reasonably decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent reasonably determines that no market practice for the administration of any such rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower, decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).

Benchmark Replacement Date” means a date and time determined by the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower, which date shall be no later than the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:

(a)in the case of clause (a) or (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event”, the later of (i) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (ii) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

(b)in the case of clause (c) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event”, the first date on which such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) has been, or, if such Benchmark is a term rate, all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or component thereof) have been, determined and announced by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) to be non-representative; provided that such non-representativeness will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication referenced in such clause (c) and even if such Benchmark (or component thereof) or, if such Benchmark is a term rate, any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date.

For the avoidance of doubt, (i) if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for such determination and (ii) the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (a) or (b) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

108

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

(a)a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof) or, if such Benchmark is a term rate, any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);

(b)a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Term SOFR Administrator, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof) or, if such Benchmark is a term rate, all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof) or, if such Benchmark is a term rate, any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

(c)a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such Benchmark (or such component thereof) or, if such Benchmark is a term rate, all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are not, or as of a specified future date will not be, representative.

For the avoidance of doubt, a “Benchmark Transition Event” will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

Benchmark Unavailability Period” means, with respect to any then-current Benchmark, the period (if any) (a) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to such Benchmark has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.14(c) and (b) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.14(c).

“Daily Simple SOFR” means, for any day (a “SOFR Rate Day”), a rate per annum equal to SOFR for the day (such day “SOFR Determination Date”) that is five (5) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to (i) if such SOFR Rate Day is a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, such SOFR Rate Day or (ii) if such SOFR Rate Day is not a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, the U.S. Government Securities Business Day immediately preceding such SOFR Rate Day, in each case, as such SOFR is published by the SOFR Administrator on the SOFR Administrator’s Website. Any change in Daily Simple SOFR due to a change in SOFR shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in SOFR without notice to the Borrower. If by 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the second (2nd) U.S. Government Securities Business Day immediately following any SOFR Determination Date, SOFR in respect of such SOFR Determination Date has not been published on the SOFR Administrator’s Website and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Daily Simple SOFR has not occurred, then SOFR for such SOFR Determination Date will be SOFR as published in respect of the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such SOFR was published on the SOFR Administrator’s Website.

109

“Reference Time” with respect to any setting of the then-current Benchmark means (1) if such Benchmark is the Term SOFR Reference Rate, 5:00 a.m. (Chicago time) on the day that is two U.S. Government Securities Business Days preceding the date of such setting, (2) if such Benchmark is Daily Simple SOFR, then four U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such setting or (3) if such Benchmark is none of the Term SOFR Reference Rate or Daily Simple SOFR, the time determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.

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

Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the Benchmark Replacement Rate excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.

Section 2.15      Increased Costs.

(a)            If any Change in Law:

(i)            imposes, modifies or deems applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender or Issuing Bank;

(ii)            subjects any Lender or Issuing Bank to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Other Taxes and (C) Excluded Taxes) on or with respect to its loans, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

(iii)            imposes on any Lender or Issuing Bank any other condition (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Adjusted Term SOFR Loans, as applicable, made by any Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the cost to the relevant Lender of making or maintaining any or Adjusted Term SOFR Loans (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender or Issuing Bank of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or Issuing Bank hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise) in respect of any Adjusted Term SOFR Loan or Letter of Credit in an amount deemed by such Lender or Issuing Bank to be material;

then, within 30 days after the Borrower’s receipt of the certificate contemplated by paragraph (c) of this Section 2.15, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or Issuing Bank, as applicable, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank, as applicable, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered; provided that the Borrower shall not be liable for such compensation if (x) the relevant Change in Law occurs on a date prior to the date such Lender becomes a party hereto, (y) such Lender invokes Section 2.20 or (z) in the case of any request for reimbursement under clause (iii) above resulting from a market disruption, (A) the relevant circumstances do not generally affect the banking market or (B) the applicable request has not been made by Lenders constituting Required Lenders.

110

(b)            If any Lender or Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding liquidity or capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law other than due to Taxes (taking into consideration such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then within 30 days of receipt by the Borrower of the certificate contemplated by paragraph (c) of this Section 2.15 the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as applicable, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c)            Any Lender or Issuing Bank requesting compensation under this Section 2.15 shall be required to deliver a certificate to the Borrower that (i) sets forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank or the holding company thereof, as applicable, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 2.15, (ii) sets forth, in reasonable detail, the manner in which such amount or amounts were determined and (iii) certifies that such Lender or Issuing Bank is generally charging such amounts to similarly situated borrowers, which certificate shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d)            Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 2.15 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided, however that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate any Lender or any Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or Issuing Bank notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided, further, that if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

Section 2.16      Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the conversion or prepayment of any principal of any Adjusted Term SOFR Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration or otherwise), (b) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Adjusted Term SOFR Loan on the date or in the amount specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto or (c) the assignment of any Adjusted Term SOFR Loan of any Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense incurred by such Lender that is attributable to such event (other than loss of profit). In the case of any Adjusted Term SOFR Loan, the loss, cost or expense of any Lender shall be the amount reasonably determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred at the Adjusted Term SOFR that would have been applicable to such Loan for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for deposits in Dollars of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the Eurodollar market; it being understood that such loss, cost or expense shall in any case exclude any interest rate floor and all administrative, processing or similar fees. Any Lender requesting compensation under this Section 2.16 shall be required to deliver a certificate to the Borrower that (A) sets forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section, the basis therefor and, in reasonable detail, the manner in which such amount or amounts were determined and (B) certifies that such Lender is generally charging the relevant amounts to similarly situated borrowers, which certificate shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 30 days after receipt thereof.

111

Section 2.17      Taxes.

(a)            All payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Requirements of Law. If any applicable Requirement of Law (as determined in the good faith discretion of the applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then (i) if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax and/or Other Tax, the amount payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after all required deductions or withholdings have been made (including deductions or withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.17) each Lender (or, in the case of any payment made to the Administrative Agent for its own account, the Administrative Agent) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no deductions or withholdings for Indemnified Taxes and/or Other Taxes been made, (ii) the applicable Withholding Agent shall make such deductions and (iii) the applicable Withholding Agent shall timely pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Requirements of Law. In addition, the Loan Parties shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Requirements of Law, or, at the option of the Administrative Agent, timely reimburse it for the payment of any Other Taxes.

(b)            The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender within 30 days after receipt of the certificate described in the succeeding sentence, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 2.17), other than any interest or penalties determined by a final and non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction (or documented in any settlement agreement) to have resulted from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, and, in each case, any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto (whether or not correctly or legally imposed or asserted); provided that if the Borrower reasonably believes that such Taxes were not correctly or legally asserted, the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, will use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to obtain a refund of such Taxes (which shall be repaid to the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.17(f)) so long as such efforts would not, in the sole determination of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, result in any additional out-of-pocket costs or expenses not reimbursed by the Borrower or be otherwise materially disadvantageous to the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable. In connection with any request for reimbursement under this Section 2.17(b), the relevant Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, shall deliver a certificate to the Borrower setting forth, in reasonable detail, the basis and calculation of the amount of the relevant payment or liability, which shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.17(b), the Borrower shall not be required to indemnify the Administrative Agent or any Lender pursuant to this Section 2.17(b) for any amount to the extent the Administrative Agent or such Lender fails to notify the Borrower of the relevant possible indemnification claim within 180 days after the Administrative Agent or such Lender receives written notice from the applicable taxing authority of the specific tax assessment giving rise to such indemnification claim.

112

(c)            Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand thereof, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.05(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to such Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph.

(d)            As soon as practicable after any payment of any Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.17, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment that is reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(e)            Status of Lenders.

(i)            Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of any withholding Tax with respect to any payment made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation as the Borrower or the Administrative Agent may reasonably request to permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Requirements of Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.

(ii)            Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,

(A)            each Lender that is not a Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), two executed original copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding Tax;

(B)            each Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

113

(1)            in the case of any Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party, two executed original copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing any available exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax;

(2)            two executed original copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;

(3)            in the case of any Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code, (x) two executed original copies of a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit L-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and that no payments payable to such Lender are effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) two executed original copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable; or

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

(C)            each Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), two executed original copies of any other form prescribed by applicable Requirements of Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Requirements of Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

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

114

Each Lender agrees that if any documentation it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 2.17(e) expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such documentation or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal ineligibility to do so.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.17(e), no Lender shall be required to provide any documentation that such Lender is not legally eligible to deliver.

Each Lender authorizes the Administrative Agent to deliver to the Loan Parties and to any successor Administrative Agent any documentation provided by such Lender to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.17(e).

(f)            If the Administrative Agent or any Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17, it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender (including any Taxes imposed with respect to such refund), and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (f), in no event will the Administrative Agent or any Lender be required to pay any amount to the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph (f) to the extent that the payment thereof would place the Administrative Agent or such Lender in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the position that the Administrative Agent or such Lender would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid. This Section 2.17 shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

(g)            Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.17 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, any Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

(h)            Definition of “Lender” for Purposes of Section 2.17. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Lender” shall, for all purposes of this Section 2.17, include any Issuing Bank and any Swingline Lender.

Section 2.18      Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Payments.

115

(a)            Unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, the Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest or fees, reimbursements of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise). Each such payment shall be made prior to 3:00 p.m. on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amount received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent to the applicable account designated by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.05(e)(i), 2.12(b)(ii), 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Person or Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. Except as provided in Sections 2.19(b), 2.20 and 9.05(g), (i) each Borrowing, each payment or prepayment of principal of any Borrowing, each payment of interest on the Loans of a given Class and each conversion of any Borrowing to or continuation of any Borrowing as a Borrowing of any Type (and of the same Class) shall be allocated pro rata among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages of the applicable Class, and (ii) each payment or prepayment of Initial Term Loans shall be allocated pro rata among the Initial Term Lenders in accordance with their respective Initial Term Loan Applicable Percentages of the Initial Term Loans and (iii) each payment or prepayment of Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans shall be allocated pro rata among the Second Amendment Incremental Term Lenders in accordance with their respective Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Applicable Percentages of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans. All payments (including accrued interest) hereunder shall be made in Dollars. Each Lender agrees that in computing such Lender’s portion of any Borrowing to be made hereunder, the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion, round each Lender’s percentage of such Borrowing to the next higher or lower whole Dollar amount. Any payment required to be made by the Administrative Agent hereunder shall be deemed to have been made by the time required if the Administrative Agent shall, at or before such time, have taken the necessary steps to make such payment in accordance with the regulations or operating procedures of the clearing or settlement system used by the Administrative Agent to make such payment.

(b)            Subject in all respects to the provisions of the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement and any otherany Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement, all proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent while an Event of Default exists and all or any portion of the Loans have been accelerated hereunder pursuant to Section 7.01 shall be applied first, to the payment of all costs, fees, indemnities and expenses then due that have been incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with any collection, sale or realization on Collateral or otherwise in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any of the Secured Obligations, including all court costs and the fees and expenses of agents and legal counsel, the repayment of all advances made by the Administrative Agent hereunder or under any other Loan Document on behalf of any Loan Party and any other costs or expenses incurred in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy hereunder or under any other Loan Document, second, to payment in full of any Unfunded Advance/Participation (the amounts so applied to be distributed between or among, as applicable, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks on a pro rata basis in accordance with the amount of such Unfunded Advance/Participation owed to them on the date of the relevant distribution), third, to pay any fees, indemnities or expense reimbursements then due to any Issuing Bank from the Borrower that constitute Secured Obligations, fourth, on a pro rata basis in accordance with the amounts of the Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim has yet been made) owed to the Secured Parties on the date of any such distribution, to the payment in full of the Secured Obligations (including, with respect to LC Exposure, an amount to be paid to the Administrative Agent equal to 100% of the LC Exposure (minus the amount then on deposit in the LC Collateral Account) on such date, to be held in the LC Collateral Account as Cash collateral for such Obligations); provided that if any Letter of Credit expires undrawn, then any Cash collateral held to secure the related LC Exposure shall be applied in accordance with this Section 2.18(b), beginning with clause first above, and fifth, after all Secured Obligations have been paid in full to, or at the direction of, the Borrower or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct.

116

(c)            If any Lender obtains payment (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off or otherwise) in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans of any Class or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans held by it resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans of such Class and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender with Loans of such Class and participations in LC Disbursements, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for Cash at face value) participations in the Loans of such Class and sub-participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans of other Lenders of such Class at such time outstanding to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders of such Class ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans of such Class and participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to (A) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or (B) any payment obtained by any Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any permitted assignee or participant, including any payment made or deemed made in connection with Sections 2.22, 2.23, 9.02(c) and/or Section 9.05. The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable Requirements of Law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise rights of set-off and counterclaim against the Borrower with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation. The Administrative Agent will keep records (which shall be conclusive and binding in the absence of manifest error) of participations purchased under this Section 2.18(c) and will, in each case, notify the Lenders following any such purchases or repayments. Each Lender that purchases a participation pursuant to this Section 2.18(c) shall, from and after the date of such purchase, have the right to give all notices, requests, demands, directions and other communications under this Agreement with respect to the portion of the Obligations purchased to the same extent as though the purchasing Lender were the original owner of the Obligations purchased.

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

(e)            If any Lender fails to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.07(b) or Section 2.18(d), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.

Section 2.19      Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a)            If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15 or determines that it can no longer make or maintain Adjusted Term SOFR Loans pursuant to Section 2.20, or any Loan Party is required to pay any additional amount to or indemnify any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or its participation in any Letter of Credit affected by such event, or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17, as applicable, in the future or mitigate the impact of Section 2.20, as the case may be, and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed out-of-pocket cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender in any material respect. The Borrower in respect of the relevant obligations hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

117

(b)            If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15 or determines that it can no longer make or maintain Adjusted Term SOFR Loans pursuant to Section 2.20, (ii) any Loan Party is required to pay any additional amount to or indemnify any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, (iii) any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or (iv) in connection with any proposed amendment, waiver or consent requiring the consent of “each Lender”, “each Revolving Lender” or “each Lender directly affected thereby” (or any other Class or group of Lenders other than the Required Lenders and including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with any Extension Offer with respect to which a majority of the applicable Class of Lenders have agreed to extend the applicable Class of Loans) with respect to which Required Lender or Required Revolving Lender consent (or the consent of Lenders holding loans or commitments of such Class or lesser group representing more than 50% of the sum of the total loans and unused commitments of such Class or lesser group at such time) has been obtained, as applicable, any Lender is a non-consenting Lender (each such Lender described in this clause (iv), a “Non-Consenting Lender”), then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, (x) terminate the applicable Commitments of such Lender and repay all Obligations of the Borrower owing to such Lender relating to the applicable Loans and participations held by such Lender as of such termination date (provided that, if, after giving effect such termination and repayment, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Class exceeds the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class then in effect, then the Borrower shall, not later than the next Business Day, prepay one or more Revolving Loan Borrowings of the applicable Class (and, if no Revolving Loan Borrowings of such Class are outstanding, deposit Cash collateral in the LC Collateral Account) in an amount necessary to eliminate such excess) or (y) replace such Lender by requiring such Lender to assign and delegate (and such Lender shall be obligated to assign and delegate), without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.05), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an Eligible Assignee that assumes such obligations (which Eligible Assignee may be another Lender, if any Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (A) such Lender has received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal amount of its Loans and, if applicable, participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, in each case of such Class of Loans and/or Commitments, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it under any Loan Document with respect to such Class of Loans and/or Commitments, (B) in the case of any assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payment required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment would result in a reduction in such compensation or payment and (C) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Requirements of Law. No Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender) shall be required to make any such assignment and delegation, and the Borrower may not repay the Obligations of such Lender or terminate its Commitments, in each case if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply. Each Lender agrees that if it is replaced pursuant to this Section 2.19, it shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption to evidence such sale and purchase and shall deliver to the Administrative Agent any Promissory Note (if the assigning Lender’s Loans are evidenced by one or more Promissory Notes) subject to such Assignment and Assumption (provided that the failure of any Lender replaced pursuant to this Section 2.19 to execute an Assignment and Assumption or deliver any such Promissory Note shall not render such sale and purchase (or the corresponding assignment) invalid), such assignment shall be recorded in the Register and any such Promissory Note shall be deemed cancelled. In connection with any replacement under this Section 2.20, if the replaced Lender does not execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a duly executed Assignment and Assumption by the time all Obligations of the Borrower owing to such Lender have been paid in full to such replaced Lender, then such replaced Lender shall be deemed to have executed and delivered such Assignment and Assumption. To the extent that any Lender is replaced pursuant to Section 2.19(b)(iv) in connection with a Repricing Transaction requiring payment of a fee pursuant to Section 2.12(e), the Borrower shall pay the fee set forth in Section 2.12(e) to each Lender being replaced as a result of such Repricing Transaction.

118

Section 2.20      Illegality.

(a)            If any Lender reasonably determines that any Change in Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted after the Original Closing Date that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its applicable lending office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to Term SOFR or to determine or charge interest rates based upon Term SOFR, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars, then, upon notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent:

(i)            any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Adjusted Term SOFR Loans in the affected currency or currencies or to convert ABR Loans to Adjusted Term SOFR Loans shall be suspended,

(ii)            if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining ABR Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Term SOFR component of the Alternate Base Rate, the interest rate on such Lender’s ABR Loans shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Term SOFR component of the Alternate Base Rate in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist (which notice such Lender agrees to give promptly),

(iii)            the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or convert all of such Lender’s Adjusted Term SOFR Loans to ABR Loans (the interest rate on which ABR Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Term SOFR component of the Alternate Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Adjusted Term SOFR Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Adjusted Term SOFR Loans (in which case the Borrower shall not be required to make payments pursuant to Section 2.16 in connection with such payment), and

(iv)            if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon Term SOFR, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Alternate Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to Term SOFR component thereof, as applicable, until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon Term SOFR.

(b)            Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

119

(c)            Each Lender agrees to designate a different lending office if such designation will avoid the need for such notice and will not, in the determination of such Lender, otherwise be materially disadvantageous to such Lender.

Section 2.21      Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

(a)            Fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of any Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a) and, subject to clause (d)(iv) below, on the participation of such Defaulting Lender in Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.12(b) and pursuant to any other provisions of this Agreement or other Loan Document.

(b)            The Commitments and the Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether all Lenders, each affected Lender, the Required Lenders, the Required Revolving Lenders or such other number of Lenders as may be required hereby or under any other Loan Document have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any waiver, amendment or modification pursuant to Section 9.02); provided that any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender which affects such Defaulting Lender disproportionately and adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

(c)            Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of any Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Section 2.11, Section 2.15, Section 2.16, Section 2.17, Section 2.18, Article VII, Section 9.05 or otherwise, and including any amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 9.09), shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent and, where relevant, the Borrower as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to any applicable Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender hereunder; third, if so reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent or reasonably requested by the applicable Issuing Bank, to be held as Cash collateral for future funding obligations of such Defaulting Lender in respect of any participation in any Letter of Credit; fourth, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, as the Borrower may request, to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement; fifth, as the Administrative Agent or the Borrower may elect, to be held in a deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of such Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the non-Defaulting Lenders or Issuing Banks or Swingline Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any non-Defaulting Lender or any Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Exposure in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share and (y) such Loan or LC Exposure was made or created, as applicable, at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and LC Exposure owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or LC Exposure owed to, such Defaulting Lender. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to any Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by any Defaulting Lender or to post Cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.21(c) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

120

(d)            If any LC Exposure or Swingline Exposure exists at the time any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

(i)            the LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Ddefaulting Revolving Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Revolving Credit Percentages but only to the extent that (A) the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of all non-Defaulting Lenders attributable to the Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class does not exceed the total of the Revolving Credit Commitments of all non-Ddefaulting Revolving Lenders of such Class and (B) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any non-Defaulting Lender that is attributable to its Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class does not exceed such non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class;

(ii)            if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any other right or remedy available to it hereunder or under applicable Requirements of Law, within two (2) Business Days following notice by the Administrative Agent, Cash collateralize 100% of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to paragraph (i) above and any Cash collateral provided by such Defaulting Lender or pursuant to Section 2.21(c) above) or make other arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and to the applicable Issuing Bank with respect to such LC Exposure and obligations to fund participations. Cash collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce LC Exposure or other obligations shall be released promptly following (A) the elimination of the applicable LC Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of the Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 2.19)) or (B) the Administrative Agent’s good faith determination that there exists excess Cash collateral (including as a result of any subsequent reallocation of LC Exposure among non-Defaulting Lenders described in clause (i) above);

(iii)            (A) if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to this Section 2.21(d), then the fees payable to the Revolving Lenders pursuant to Sections 2.12(a) and (b), as the case may be, shall be adjusted to give effect to such reallocation and (B) if the LC Exposure of any Defaulting Lender is Cash collateralized pursuant to this Section 2.21(d), then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the applicable Issuing Bank, any Revolving Lender or the Borrower hereunder, no letter of credit fees shall be payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure; and

(iv)            if any Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is not Cash collateralized, prepaid or reallocated pursuant to this Section 2.21(d), then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the applicable Issuing Bank, any Revolving Lender or the Borrower hereunder, all letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the applicable Issuing Bank until such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is Cash collateralized or reallocated.

121

(e)            So long as any Revolving Lender is a Defaulting Lender, (i) no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, extend, create, incur, amend or increase any Letter of Credit unless it is reasonably satisfied that the related exposure will be 100% covered by the Revolving Credit Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders, Cash collateral provided pursuant to Section 2.21(c) and/or Cash collateral provided in accordance with Section 2.21(d), and participating interests in any such or newly issued, extended or created Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Ddefaulting Revolving Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.21(d)(i) (it being understood that Defaulting Lenders shall not participate therein) and (ii) no Swingline Lender shall be required to make any Swingline Loans unless it is reasonably satisfied that the related exposure will be 100% covered by the Revolving Credit Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders.

(f)            In the event that the Administrative Agent and the Borrower agree that any Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage of LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure of the Revolving Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment, and on such date such Revolving Lender shall purchase at par such of the Revolving Loans of the applicable Class of the other Revolving Lenders or participations in Revolving Loans of the applicable Class as the Administrative Agent determine as necessary in order for such Revolving Lender to hold such Revolving Loans or participations in accordance with its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Class or its Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage, as applicable. Notwithstanding the fact that any Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, (x) no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while such Lender was a Defaulting Lender and (y) except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from “Defaulting Lender” to “Lender” will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from such Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

Section 2.22      Incremental Credit Extensions.

(a)            The Borrower may, at any time after the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, on one or more occasions pursuant to an Incremental Facility Agreement, (i) add one or more new tranches of term facilities (each new tranche, a “New Incremental Term Facility”) and/or increase the principal amount of the Term Loans of any existing Class by requesting new commitments to provide such Term Loans (each increase, an “Incremental Increase Facility”; together with any New Incremental Term Facility, “Incremental Term Facilities” and any loans made pursuant to an Incremental Term Facilities, “Incremental Term Loans”) and/or (ii) add one or more new tranches of Incremental Revolving Commitments (each new tranche, a “New Incremental Revolving Facility”) and/or increase the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments of any existing Class (each increase, a “Revolving Commitment Increase”; together with any New Incremental Revolving Facility, “Incremental Revolving Facilities” and, together with any Incremental Term Facility, “Incremental Facilities”; and the loans thereunder, “Incremental Revolving Loans” and any Incremental Revolving Loans, together with any Incremental Term Loans, “Incremental Loans”) in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed the Incremental Cap; provided that:

(i)            unless the Administrative Agent otherwise agrees, no Incremental Facility may be less than $1,000,000,

122

(ii)            except as the Borrower and any Lender may separately agree, no Lender shall be obligated to provide any Incremental Commitment, and the determination to provide such commitments shall be within the sole and absolute discretion of such Lender,

(iii)            no Incremental Facility or Incremental Loan (nor the creation, provision or implementation thereof) shall require the approval of any existing Lender other than in its capacity, if any, as a lender providing all or part of any Incremental Commitment or Incremental Loan,

(iv)            except as otherwise permitted herein (including as provided in clause (xii) below), (A) the terms of any Incremental Term Facility (other than any terms which are applicable only after the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date) must be substantially consistent with those applicable to any then-existing Class of Term Loans or otherwise, at the option of the Borrower, either (I) reflect, in the good faith determination of the Borrower, market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence of such Incremental Term Facility or (II) be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and (B) the terms of any Incremental Revolving Facility (other than any terms which are applicable only after the then-existing Latest Revolving Credit Maturity Date) must be substantially consistent with those applicable to any then-existing Revolving Facility or otherwise, at the option of the Borrower, either (I) reflect, in the good faith determination of the Borrower, market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence of such Incremental Revolving Facility or (II) be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (it being understood that to the extent that any financial maintenance covenant or other term is added for the benefit of (A) any Incremental Term Facility, no consent shall be required from the Administrative Agent or any Lender to the extent that such financial maintenance covenant or other term is also added for the benefit of all Classes of Loans or (B) any Incremental Revolving Facility, no consent shall be required from the Administrative Agent or any Lender to the extent that such financial maintenance covenant or other term is also added for the benefit of each then-existing Revolving Facility),

(v)            the Effective Yield (and the components thereof, including interest rate margins, rate floors, fees, premiums and funding discounts), currency types and denominations and any “MFN” terms or prepayment premiums applicable to any Incremental Facility may be determined by the Borrower and the lender or lenders providing such Incremental Facility; provided that (A) in the case of any Incremental Term Facility that is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Secured Obligations and incurred prior to the date that is 186 months following the Eighth Amendment Closing Date (other than, at the option of the Borrower, any Incremental Term Facility that, (I) is incurred to finance a Permitted Acquisition, Investment or similar transaction and/or (II) do not fall within clause (I) above in an aggregate amount not exceeding the greater of $149,000,000430,000,000 and 100.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period), the Effective Yield applicable thereto may not be more than 0.50% higher than the Effective Yield applicable to the Initial Term Loans or the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans unless the Applicable Rate with respect to the Initial Term Loans or the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans, as applicable, is adjusted to the extent necessary to be equal to the Effective Yield with respect to such Incremental Facility, minus 0.50%, and (B) the Applicable Rate for any Incremental Increase Facility shall be (x) the Applicable Rate for the Class being increased in connection therewith or (y) higher than the Applicable Rate for the Class being increased as long as the Applicable Rate for the Class being increased is automatically increased as and to the extent necessary to eliminate the deficiency,

123

(vi)            the maturity date of any Incremental Facility may be determined by the Borrower and the lender or lenders providing such Incremental Facility; provided that except with respect to customary prepayment terms in connection with customary escrow arrangements, (A) the final maturity date with respect to any Incremental Term Loans shall be no earlier than the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date and (B) no Incremental Revolving Facility may have a final maturity date earlier than (or require scheduled amortization or mandatory commitment reductions prior to) the Initial Revolving Credit Maturity Date; provided that, at the option of the Borrower, (A) Incremental Facilities constituting Customary Bridge Loans and (B) Incremental Facilities incurred in the form of Term A Loans, in the case of each of clauses (A) and (B), may be incurred without regard to this clause (vi),

(vii)            the amortization schedule for any Incremental Term Facility may be determined by the Borrower and the lender or lenders providing such Incremental Facility; provided that except with respect to customary prepayment terms in connection with customary escrow arrangements, the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Incremental Term Facility shall be no shorter than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Initial Term Loans (without giving effect to any prepayments thereof); provided that, at the option of the Borrower, (A) Incremental Term Facilities constituting Customary Bridge Loans and (B) Incremental Facilities in the form of Term A Loans, in the case of each of clauses (A) and (B), may be incurred without regard to this clause (vii),

(viii)            (A) any Incremental Term Facility or Incremental Revolving Facility shall be secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is pari passu with the Lien securing the Secured Obligations and (B) no Incremental Facility shall be (x) guaranteed by any Person other than a Loan Guarantor or (y) secured by any assets other than the Collateral,

(ix)            any mandatory prepayment (other than any scheduled amortization payment) of Incremental Term Loans shall be made on a pro rata basis with all then-existing Term Loans, except that the Borrower and the lenders providing the relevant Incremental Term Loans shall be permitted, in their sole discretion, to elect to prepay or receive, as applicable, any such mandatory prepayment on a less than pro rata basis (but not on a greater than pro rata basis),

(x)            no Event of Default then exists (except in the case of the incurrence or provision of any Incremental Facility in connection with a Permitted Acquisition, Investment or similar transaction not prohibited by the terms of this Agreement or any Limited Condition Transaction, in which case, no Specified Event of Default then exists or would exist after giving effect thereto),

(xi)            the proceeds of any Incremental Revolving Facility and/or any Incremental Term Facility may be used by the Borrower and its subsidiaries for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including the financing of Permitted Acquisitions and other Investments and any other use not prohibited by this Agreement,

(xii)            (A) any Incremental Increase Facility shall be on the same terms (including maturity date and interest rates) and pursuant to the same documentation (other than the relevant Incremental Facility Agreement) applicable to such Class of Term Loans, and (B) any Revolving Commitment Increase (x) shall be on the same terms (including maturity date and interest rates (except (i) if required to consummate such Revolving Commitment Increase, any increase in interest rates, rate floors and undrawn fees that is provided to all Lenders for such Class of Revolving Credit Commitments), but excluding upfront fees or similar fees) and pursuant to the same documentation (other than the relevant Incremental Facility Agreement) applicable to such Class of Revolving Credit Commitments and (y) shall not require any scheduled amortization or mandatory commitment reduction prior to the Maturity Date with respect to such Class of Revolving Credit Commitments, and

124

(xiii)            on the date of the Borrowing of any Incremental Term Loans that will be of the same Class as any then-existing Class of Term Loans, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Section 2.08 or 2.13, such Incremental Term Loans shall be added to (and constitute a part of, be of the same Type as and, at the election of the Borrower, have the same Interest Period as) each Borrowing of outstanding Term Loans of such Class on a pro rata basis (based on the relative sizes of such Borrowings), so that each Term Lender providing such Incremental Term Loans will participate proportionately in each then-outstanding Borrowing of Term Loans of such Class; it being acknowledged that the application of this clause (a)(xiii) may result in new Incremental Term Loans having Interest Periods (the duration of which may be less than one month) that begin during an Interest Period then applicable to outstanding Adjusted Term SOFR Loans of the relevant Class and that end on the last day of such Interest Period.

(b)            Incremental Commitments may be provided by any existing Lender, or by any other Eligible Assignee (any such other lender being called an “Additional Lender”); provided that the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of any Incremental Revolving Facility, any Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender) shall have a right to consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) to the relevant Additional Lender’s provision of Incremental Commitments if such consent would be required under Section 9.05(b) for an assignment of Loans to such Additional Lender; provided, further, that any Additional Lender that is an Affiliated Lender shall be subject to the provisions of Section 9.05(g), mutatis mutandis, to the same extent as if the relevant Incremental Commitments and related Obligations had been acquired by such Lender by way of assignment.

(c)            Each Lender or Additional Lender providing a portion of any Incremental Commitment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower all such documentation (including the relevant Incremental Facility Agreement) as may be reasonably required by the Administrative Agent to evidence and effectuate such Incremental Commitment. On the effective date of such Incremental Commitment, each Additional Lender shall become a Lender for all purposes in connection with this Agreement.

(d)            As conditions precedent to the effectiveness of any Incremental Facility or the making of any Incremental Loans, (i) upon its request, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to receive customary written opinions of counsel, as well as such solvency certificates, reaffirmation agreements, supplements and/or amendments as it shall reasonably require, (ii) the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to receive, from each Additional Lender, (1) an administrative questionnaire, in the form provided to such Additional Lender by the Administrative Agent (the “Administrative Questionnaire”), and (2) such other documents as it shall reasonably require from such Additional Lender, (iii) the Administrative Agent and the relevant Additional Lenders shall be entitled to receive all fees required to be paid in respect of such Incremental Facility or Incremental Loans, (iv) subject to Section 2.22(a)(x), the Administrative Agent shall have received a Borrowing Request as if the relevant Incremental Loans were subject to Section 2.03 or another written request the form of which is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (it being understood and agreed that the requirement to deliver a Borrowing Request shall not, unless agreed by the Borrower, result in the imposition of any additional condition precedent to the availability of the relevant Incremental Loans) and (v) the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to receive a certificate of the Borrower signed by a Responsible Officer thereof:

(A)            certifying and attaching a copy of the resolutions adopted by the governing body of the Borrower approving or consenting to such Incremental Facility or Incremental Loans, and

125

(B)            to the extent applicable, certifying that the condition set forth in clause (a)(x) above has been satisfied.

(e)            Upon the implementation of any Incremental Revolving Facility pursuant to this Section 2.22:

(i)            if such Incremental Revolving Facility establishes Revolving Credit Commitments of the same Class as any then-existing Class of Revolving Credit Commitments, (A) each Revolving Lender immediately prior to such increase will automatically and without further act be deemed to have assigned to each relevant Incremental Revolving Facility Lender, and each relevant Incremental Revolving Facility Lender will automatically and without further act be deemed to have assumed a portion of such Revolving Lender’s participations hereunder in outstanding Letters of Credit such that, after giving effect to each deemed assignment and assumption of participations, all of the Revolving Lenders’ (including each Incremental Revolving Facility Lender’s) participations hereunder in Letters of Credit shall be held ratably on the basis of their respective Revolving Credit Commitments (after giving effect to any increase in the Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to this Section 2.22) and (B) the existing Revolving Lenders of the applicable Class shall assign Revolving Loans to certain other Revolving Lenders of such Class (including the Revolving Lenders providing the relevant Incremental Revolving Facility), and such other Revolving Lenders (including the Revolving Lenders providing the relevant Incremental Revolving Facility) shall purchase such Revolving Loans, in each case to the extent necessary so that all of the Revolving Lenders of such Class participate in each outstanding Borrowing of Revolving Loans pro rata on the basis of their respective Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class (after giving effect to any increase in the Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to this Section 2.22); it being understood and agreed that the minimum borrowing, pro rata borrowing and pro rata payment requirements contained elsewhere in this Agreement shall not apply to the transactions effected pursuant to this clause (i); and

(ii)            if such Incremental Revolving Facility establishes a New Incremental Revolving Facility, then (A) the borrowing and repayment (except (x) payments of interest and fees at different rates on the Revolving Facilities (and related outstandings), (y) repayments required on the Maturity Date of any Revolving Facility and (z) as provided in clause (C) below) of Revolving Loans with respect to any Revolving Facility after the effective date of such Incremental Revolving Facility shall be made on a pro rata basis with all other Revolving Facilities, (B) all Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans shall be participated on a pro rata basis by all Revolving Lenders and (C) unless the relevant Additional Lenders elect payments and/or Commitment reductions on a less-than-pro rata basis, any permanent repayment of Revolving Loans with respect to, and reduction and termination of Revolving Credit Commitments under, any Revolving Facility after the effective date of such Incremental Revolving Facility shall be made on a pro rata basis with all other Revolving Facilities.

(f)            On the date of effectiveness of any Incremental Revolving Facility, the maximum amount of LC Exposure permitted hereunder shall increase by an amount, if any, agreed upon by Administrative Agent, the relevant Issuing Bank and the Borrower.

(g)            The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into any Incremental Facility Agreement and/or any amendment to any other Loan Document as may be necessary in order to establish new Classes or sub-Classes in respect of Loans or commitments pursuant to this Section 2.22 and such technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in connection with the establishment of such new Classes or sub-Classes, in each case on terms consistent with this Section 2.22.

126

(h)            This Section 2.22 shall supersede any provision in Section 2.18 or 9.02 to the contrary.

Section 2.23      Extensions of Loans and Revolving Commitments.

(a)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, pursuant to one or more offers (each, an “Extension Offer”) made from time to time by the Borrower to all Lenders holding Loans of the Borrower of any Class or Commitments with respect to any Class, in each case on a pro rata basis (based on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the respective Loans or Commitments of such Class) and on the same terms to each such Lender, the Borrower is hereby permitted to consummate transactions with any individual Lender who accepts the terms contained in the relevant Extension Offer to extend the Maturity Date of such Lender’s Loans and/or Commitments of such Class and/or otherwise modify the terms of such Loans and/or Commitments pursuant to the terms of the relevant Extension Offer (including by increasing the interest rate or fees payable (or adding other pricing terms, including premiums, discounts, MFN terms or rate floors) in respect of such Loans and/or Commitments (and related outstandings) and/or modifying the amortization schedule, if any, in respect of such Loans) (each, an “Extension”), so long as the following terms are satisfied:

(i)            except as to (A) interest rates, fees and other pricing terms (including rate floors, premiums, discounts and any MFN terms) and final maturity (which shall, subject to immediately succeeding clause (iii), be determined by the Borrower and any Lender who agrees to an Extension of its Revolving Credit Commitments and set forth in the relevant Extension Offer) and (B) covenants or other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Maturity Date (in each case, as of the date of such Extension), the Revolving Credit Commitment of any Lender who agrees to an extension with respect to such Commitment (an “Extended Revolving Credit Commitment”; and the Loans thereunder, “Extended Revolving Loans”), and the related outstandings, shall constitute a revolving commitment (or related outstandings, as the case may be) with the same terms (or terms not more favorable to extending Lenders) as the Class of Revolving Credit Commitments subject to the relevant Extension Offer (and related outstandings) provided hereunder; provided that to the extent more than one Revolving Facility exists after giving effect to any such Extension, (x) the borrowing and repayment (except for (1) payments of interest and fees at different rates on the Revolving Facilities (and related outstandings), (2) repayments required upon the Maturity Date of any Revolving Facility and (3) as provided in clause (z) below) of Revolving Loans with respect to any Revolving Facility after the effective date of such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall be made on a pro rata basis with all other Revolving Facilities, (y) all Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans shall be participated on a pro rata basis by all Revolving Lenders and (z) unless the relevant Lenders elect payments and/or Commitment reductions on a less-than-pro rata basis, any permanent repayment of Revolving Loans with respect to, and reduction and termination of Revolving Credit Commitments under, any Revolving Facility after the effective date of such Extended Revolving Credit Commitment shall be made on a pro rata basis with all other Revolving Facilities; provided, further, that any representations and warranties, affirmative and negative covenants (including financial covenants) and events of default applicable to such Class of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments Loans that also expressly apply to (and for the benefit of) the Class of Revolving Credit Commitments subject to the Extension Offer and each other Class of Revolving Credit Commitments hereunder may be more favorable to the lenders of the applicable Class of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments than those originally applicable to the Class of Revolving Credit Commitments subject to the Extension Offer

127

(ii)            except as to (A) interest rates, fees, other pricing terms (including rate, discounts, floors and MFN terms), amortization, final maturity date, premiums, required prepayment dates and participation in prepayments (which shall, subject to immediately succeeding clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), be determined by the Borrower and any Lender who agrees to an Extension of its Term Loans and set forth in the relevant Extension Offer) and (B) covenants or other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Maturity Date (in each case, as of the date of such Extension), the Term Loans of any Lender extended pursuant to any Extension (any such extended Term Loans, the “Extended Term Loans”) shall have the same terms (or terms not more favorable to extending Lenders) as the Class of Term Loans subject to the relevant Extension Offer; provided, however, that any representations and warranties, affirmative and negative covenants (including financial covenants) and events of default applicable to such Class of Extended Term Loans that also expressly apply to (and for the benefit of) the Class of Term Loans subject to the Extension Offer and each other Class of Term Loans hereunder may be more favorable to the lenders of the applicable Class of Extended Term Loans than those originally applicable to the Class of Term Loans subject to the Extension Offer;

(iii)            (x) the final Maturity Date of any Class of Extended Term Loans may be no earlier than the Maturity Date of the Class of Term Loans subject to such Extension at the time of Extension and (y) no Class of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Extended Revolving Loans may have a final Maturity Date earlier than (or require commitment reductions prior to) the Latest Maturity Date applicable to any then-existing Revolving Facility;

(iv)            the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Class of Extended Term Loans shall be no shorter than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Class of Term Loans subject to such Extension; provided that, at the option of the Borrower, Extended Term Loans in an aggregate principal amount up to the available Maturity/Weighted Average Life Excluded Amount may be incurred without regard to this clause (iv);

(v)            any Class of Extended Term Loans may participate on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not greater than a pro rata basis) in any mandatory prepayment (but, for purposes of clarity, not scheduled amortization payments) in respect of the Term Loans, in each case as specified in the relevant Extension Offer;

(vi)            if the aggregate principal amount of Loans or Commitments, as the case may be, in respect of which Lenders have accepted the relevant Extension Offer exceeds the maximum aggregate principal amount of Loans or Commitments, as the case may be, offered to be extended by the Borrower pursuant to such Extension Offer, then the Loans or Commitments, as the case may be, of such Lenders shall be extended ratably up to such maximum amount based on the respective principal amounts (but not to exceed the applicable Lender’s actual holdings of record) with respect to which such Lenders have accepted such Extension Offer;

(vii)            unless the Administrative Agent otherwise agrees, each Extension shall be in a minimum amount of $1,000,000;

(viii)            any applicable Minimum Extension Condition must be satisfied or waived by the Borrower;

(ix)            any documentation in respect of any Extension shall be consistent with the foregoing;

(x)            no Extension of any Revolving Facility shall be effective as to the obligations of any Issuing Bank with respect to Letters of Credit without the consent of such Issuing Bank (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) (and, in the absence of such consent, all references herein to Latest Revolving Credit Maturity Date shall be determined, when used in reference to such Issuing Bank, as applicable, without giving effect to such Extension); and

128

(xi)            no Extension of any Revolving Facility shall be effective as to the obligations of any Swingline Lender without the consent of such Swingline Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) (and, in the absence of such consent, all references herein to Latest Revolving Credit Maturity Date shall be determined, when used in reference to such Swingline Lender’s Swingline Commitment, as applicable, without giving effect to such Extension).

(b)            (i) No Extension consummated in reliance on this Section 2.23 shall constitute a voluntary or mandatory prepayment for purposes of Section 2.11, (ii) the scheduled amortization payments (insofar as such schedule affects payments due to Lenders participating in the relevant Class) set forth in Section 2.10 shall be adjusted to give effect to any Extension of any Class of Loans and/or Commitments and (iii) except as set forth in clause (a)(vii) above, no Extension Offer is required to be in any minimum amount or any minimum increment; provided that the Borrower may at its election specify as a condition (a “Minimum Extension Condition”) to the consummation of any Extension that a minimum amount (to be specified in the relevant Extension Offer in the Borrower’s sole discretion) of Loans or Commitments (as applicable) of any or all applicable tranches be extended; it being understood that the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, waive any such Minimum Extension Condition. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby consent to the transactions contemplated by this Section 2.23 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the payment of any interest, fees or premium in respect of any Extended Term Loans and/or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments on such terms as may be set forth in the relevant Extension Offer) and hereby waive the requirements of any provision of this Agreement (including Sections 2.10, 2.11 and/or 2.18) or any other Loan Document that may otherwise prohibit any such Extension or any other transaction contemplated by this Section.

(c)            Subject to any consent required in Section 2.23(a)(x), no consent of any Lender or the Administrative Agent shall be required to effectuate any Extension, other than the consent of each Lender agreeing to such Extension with respect to one or more of its Loans and/or Commitments of any Class (or a portion thereof). All Extended Term Loans and Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and all obligations in respect thereof shall constitute Secured Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents that are secured by the Collateral and guaranteed on a pari passu basis with all other applicable Secured Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into any Extension Amendment and any amendment to any of the other Loan Documents with the Loan Parties as may be necessary in order to establish new Classes or sub-Classes in respect of Loans or Commitments so extended and such technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in connection with the establishment of such new Classes or sub-Classes, in each case on terms consistent with this Section 2.23.

(d)            In connection with any Extension, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent at least five Business Days’ (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent) prior written notice thereof, and shall agree to such procedures (including regarding timing, rounding and other adjustments and to ensure reasonable administrative management of the credit facilities hereunder after such Extension (including mechanics to permit conversions, cashless rollovers and exchanges by Lenders and other repayments and reborrowings of Loans of Lenders agreeing to such Extension or non-accepting Lenders replaced or repaid in accordance with this Section 2.23)), if any, as may be established by, or acceptable to, the Administrative Agent, in each case acting reasonably to accomplish the purposes of this Section 2.23.

129

(e)            Any Extended Term Loan and/or Extended Revolving Credit Commitment shall be established pursuant to an Extension Amendment, which shall be consistent with the provisions set forth in this Section 2.23. As conditions precedent to the effectiveness of any Extension Amendment, (i) upon its request, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to receive customary written opinions of counsel, as well as such reaffirmation agreements, supplements and/or amendments as it shall reasonably require, (ii) the Administrative Agent and the relevant Lenders shall be entitled to receive all fees required to be paid in respect of such Extension Amendment and (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to receive a certificate of the Borrower signed by a Responsible Officer thereof certifying and attaching a copy of the resolutions adopted by the governing body of the Borrower approving or consenting to such Extension Amendment (and the Extended Term Loans and/or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments borrowed or implemented thereunder).

(f)            This Section 2.23 shall supersede any provision in Sections 2.11, 2.18 or 9.02 to the contrary.

Article III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Holdings (solely with respect to Sections 3.01, 3.02, 3.03, 3.07, 3.08, 3.09, 3.13, 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17) and the Borrower hereby represent and warrant to the Lenders that:

Section 3.01      Organization; Powers. Holdings, the Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) is (i) duly organized and validly existing and (ii) in good standing (to the extent such concept exists in the relevant jurisdiction) under the Requirements of Law of its jurisdiction of organization, (b) has all requisite organizational power and authority to own its assets and to carry on its business as now conducted and (c) is qualified to do business and is in good standing (to the extent such concept exists in the relevant jurisdiction) in every jurisdiction where the ownership, lease or operation of its properties or conduct of its business requires such qualification, except, in each case referred to in this Section 3.01 (other than (i) clause (a)(i) and (ii) clause (b), in each case with respect to the Borrower) where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 3.02      Authorization; Enforceability. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Loan Party is a party are within such Loan Party’s corporate or other organizational power and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action of such Loan Party. Each Loan Document to which any Loan Party is a party has been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party and is a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to the Legal Reservations.

Section 3.03      Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The execution and delivery of each Loan Document by each Loan Party thereto and the performance by such Loan Party thereof (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except (i) such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (ii) in connection with the filings described in Perfection Requirements and (iii) such consents, approvals, registrations, filings, or other actions the failure to obtain or make which could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (b) will not violate any (i) of such Loan Party’s Organizational Documents or (ii) subject to the Legal Reservations, Requirement of Law applicable to such Loan Party which violation, in the case of this clause (b)(ii), could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (c) will not violate or result in a default under any material Contractual Obligation to which such Loan Party is a party which violation, in the case of this clause (c), could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

130

Section 3.04      Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Effect.

(a)            The Annual Financial Statements and the Quarterly Financial Statements heretofore provided to the Administrative Agent present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition, income and cash flows of the Target on a consolidated basis as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject, in the case of the Quarterly Financial Statements, to the absence of footnotes and normal year-end adjustments.

(a)            [Reserved].

(b)            After the Closing Date, theThe financial statements most recently provided pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) of this Agreement or the Existing Credit Agreement, as applicable, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition, income and cash flows of the Borrower (or its applicable Parent Company) on a consolidated basis as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject, in the case of the financial statements provided pursuant to Section 5.01(a), to the absence of footnotes and normal year-end adjustments.

(c)            Since the Closing DateDecember 31, 2022, there have been no events, developments or circumstances that have had, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 3.05      Properties.

(a)            As of the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, no Real Estate Asset is owned in fee simple by any Loan Party.

(b)            The Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries have good and marketable fee simple title (or similar concept in any applicable jurisdiction) to, or valid leasehold interests in, or easements or other limited property interests in, all of their respective Real Estate Assets and have good title to their personal property and assets, in each case, except (i) for defects in title that do not materially interfere with their ability to conduct their business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties and assets for their intended purposes or (ii) where the failure to have such title would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c)            The Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries own or otherwise have a license or right to use all rights in Designs, Patents, Trademarks, Domain Names, Copyrights, Software, Trade Secrets and all other intellectual property rights (“IP Rights”) reasonably necessary to conduct their respective businesses as presently conducted without, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any infringement or misappropriation of the IP Rights of third parties, except to the extent the failure to own or license or have rights to use would not, or where such infringement or misappropriation would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 3.06      Litigation and Environmental Matters.

(a)            There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened in writing against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries which would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

131

(b)            Except for any matters that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither the Borrower nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is subject to or has received written notice of any Environmental Claim or Environmental Liability or knows of any fact or circumstance that would give rise to any Environmental Liability and (ii) neither the Borrower nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any Governmental Authorization required under any Environmental Law for the operation of their respective businesses.

(c)            Neither the Borrower nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has treated, stored, transported or Released any Hazardous Materials on, at, under or from any currently or formerly owned, leased or operated real estate or Facility in a manner that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 3.07      Compliance with Laws. Each of Holdings, the Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Requirements of Law applicable to it or its property, except, in each case where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; it being understood and agreed that this Section 3.07 shall not apply to any Requirement of Law specifically referenced in Section 3.17.

Section 3.08      Investment Company Status. No Loan Party is an “investment company” as defined in, or is required to be registered under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Section 3.09      Taxes. Each of Holdings, the Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it that are due and payable (including in its capacity as a withholding agent), except (a) Taxes (or any requirement to file Tax returns with respect thereto) that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 3.10      ERISA.

(a)            Each Plan is in compliance in form and operation with its terms and with ERISA and the Code and all other applicable Requirements of Law, except where any failure to comply would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b)            No ERISA Event has occurred and is continuing that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c)            There exists no Unfunded Pension Liability with respect to any Plan, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 3.11      Disclosure.

(a)            As of the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, and with respect to information relating to the Target and its subsidiaries, to the knowledge of the Borrower, all written information (other than the Projections, other forward-looking information and information of a general economic or industry-specific nature) concerning Holdings, the Borrower and its subsidiaries that was included in the Information MemorandumLender Presentation or otherwise prepared by or on behalf of Holdings, the Borrower or its subsidiaries or their respective representatives and made available to any Initial LenderArranger or the Administrative Agent in connection with the Transactions on or before the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, when taken as a whole, did not, when furnished, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained therein not materially misleading in light of the circumstances under which such statements are made (after giving effect to all supplements and updates thereto from time to time prior to the Eighth Amendment Closing Date).

132

(b)            The Projections have been prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed by the Borrower to be reasonable at the time furnished (it being recognized that such Projections are as to future events, are not to be viewed as facts and are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies many of which are beyond the Borrower’s control, that no assurance can be given that any particular financial projections will be realized, that actual results may differ from projected results and that such differences may be material).

Section 3.12      Solvency. As of the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and the incurrence of Indebtedness and obligations on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are Solvent.

Section 3.13      Capitalization and Subsidiaries. Schedule 3.13 sets forth, in each case as of the Eighth Amendment Closing Date after giving effect to the Transactions, (a) a correct and complete list of the name of each subsidiary of Holdings and the ownership interest therein held by Holdings or its applicable subsidiary and (b) the type of entity of Holdings and each of its subsidiaries.

Section 3.14      Security Interest in Collateral. Subject to the terms of the last paragraph of Section 4.01, theThe Collateral Documents create legal, valid and, subject to the Legal Reservations, enforceable Liens on all of the Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of itself and the other Secured Parties, and upon the satisfaction of the applicable Perfection Requirements, such Liens constitute perfected First-PriorityFirst Priority Liens on the Collateral (to the extent such Liens are required to be perfected under the terms of the Loan Documents and limited to the actions described in the Perfection Requirements) securing the Secured Obligations, in each case as and to the extent set forth therein.

Section 3.15      Labor Disputes. Except as individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, threatened and (b) the hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Requirements of Law dealing with such matters.

Section 3.16      Federal Reserve Regulations. No part of the proceeds of any Loan or any Letter of Credit have been used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that results in a violation of the provisions of Regulation U or Regulation X.

Section 3.17      Economic Sanctions, Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Corruption Laws.

(a)            None of Holdings, the Borrower nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is subject to any US sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department (“OFAC”).

(b)            Except to the extent that any such sanction could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, to the knowledge of the Borrower, no director, officer, agent or employee of Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is subject to any US sanctions administered by OFAC.

133

 

 

(c)            Except to the extent that the relevant violation could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, to the extent applicable, each Loan Party is in compliance with (i) the USA PATRIOT Act and (ii) each Anti-Terrorism Law.

 

(d)            Except to the extent that the relevant violation could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any director, officer, agent or employee of the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary, has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by any such Person of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the “FCPA”), including making any offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization or approval of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give or authorization of the giving of anything of value, directly or indirectly, to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in each case in contravention of the FCPA.

 

(e)            Neither the Borrower nor any of its Restricted Subsidiary will, directly, or to its knowledge, indirectly, (i) use or make available the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit for the purpose of financing the activities of any Person that is subject to sanctions administered by OFAC or any Anti-Terrorism Law, except to the extent the same is licensed or otherwise approved, as applicable, by OFAC and/or any other applicable agency of the U.S. government having similar authority or (ii) use the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit for the purpose of violating the FCPA or the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

Section 3.18      Senior Indebtedness. The Obligations constitute “Senior Indebtedness” (or any comparable term) under and as defined in the documentation governing any Junior Indebtedness that is subordinated to the Obligations.

 

Section 3.19      Use of Proceeds. The Borrower shall use the proceeds of (a) the Initial Term Loans to finance the Transactions (including to pay Transaction Costs), (b) the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans (i) on the Closing Date to pay a portion of the Transaction Costs, (ii) on and after the Closing Date for working capital purposes and (iii) after the Closing Dateand, to the extent of any remaining proceeds, for general corporate purposes (including any purpose not prohibited by this Agreement), (cb) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans incurred on the First Amendment Closing Date, together with cash on hand of the Borrower, (i) to finance the Recondo Acquisition and (ii) to pay related fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith and with the First Amendment, (d) the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans incurred on the Second Amendment Closing Date, together with the proceeds of certain other incremental term loans incurred under the Second Lien Credit Agreement and cash on hand of the Borrower, (i) to finance the Oz Acquisition, (ii) to pay related fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith and in connection with the Second Amendment and (iii) to the extent any proceeds of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans remain after application of such proceeds as described in clauses (d)(i) and (d)(ii), for general corporate purposes, (e) the 2021 Replacement Term Loans incurred on the Third Amendment Closing Date to replace in full all Existing Term Loans, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the First Amendment, (f) the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans incurred on the Fourth Amendment Closing Date, together with the proceeds of certain other incremental term loans incurred under the Second Lien Credit Agreement and cash on hand of the Borrower, (i) to finance the Prestige Acquisition, (ii) to pay related fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith and in connection with the Fourth Amendment and (iii) to the extent any proceeds of the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans remain after application of such proceeds as described in clauses (f)(i) and (f)(ii), for general corporate purposes and (gRevolving Loans and Swingline Loans for general corporate purposes (including any purpose not prohibited by this Agreement) and (c) any Incremental Facility for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including the financing of Permitted Acquisitions, other Investments and any other use not prohibited by this Agreement.

 

134

 

 

Article IV
CONDITIONS

 

Section 4.01      Closing Date[Reserved].

 

. The obligations of (i) each Lender to make Loans and (ii) each Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):

 

(a)            Credit Agreement and Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each Loan Party party thereto (i) a counterpart signed by such Loan Party (or written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include a copy transmitted by facsimile or other electronic method) that such party has signed a counterpart) of (A) this Agreement, (B) the Security Agreement, (C) any Intellectual Property Security Agreement, (D) the Loan Guaranty and (E) any Promissory Note requested by a Lender at least three Business Days prior to the Closing Date, (ii) a Borrowing Request as required by Section 2.03 and (iii) the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement signed by the Loan Parties and the Collateral Agent and the Second Lien Collateral Agent for the Second Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties referred to therein.

 

(b)            Legal Opinions. The Administrative Agent shall have received, on behalf of itself, the Lenders and each Issuing Bank, a customary written opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, in its capacity as counsel to the Loan Parties, on the Closing Date dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender and Issuing Bank as of the Closing Date.

 

(c)            Financial Statements. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) an audited consolidated balance sheet and audited consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company as of and for the Fiscal Years ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2018 (collectively, the “Annual Financial Statements”) and (ii) an unaudited consolidated balance sheet and unaudited consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Company as of and for the Fiscal Quarter ended March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019 (collectively, the “Quarterly Financial Statements”).

 

135

 

 

(d)            Secretary’s Certificate and Good Standing Certificates. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of each Loan Party, dated the Closing Date and executed by a secretary, assistant secretary or other Responsible Officer thereof, which shall (A) certify that attached thereto are (x) a true and complete copy of the certificate or articles of incorporation, formation or organization of such Loan Party certified by the relevant authority of its jurisdiction of organization, which certificate or articles of incorporation, formation or organization have not been amended (except as attached thereto) since the date reflected thereon, (y) a true and correct copy of the by-laws or operating, management, partnership or similar agreement of such Loan Party, together with all amendments thereto as of the Closing Date, which by-laws or operating, management, partnership or similar agreement are in full force and effect, and (z) a true and complete copy of the resolutions or written consent, as applicable, of its board of directors, board of managers, sole member or other applicable governing body authorizing the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents, which resolutions or consent have not been modified, rescinded or amended (other than as attached thereto) and are in full force and effect, and (B) identify by name and title and bear the signatures of the officers, managers, directors or other authorized signatories of such Loan Party authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party on the Closing Date and (ii) a good standing (or equivalent) certificate for such Loan Party from the relevant authority of its jurisdiction of organization, dated as of a recent date.

 

(e)            Representations and Warranties. The (i) Specified Acquisition Agreement Representations shall be true and correct to the extent required by the definition thereof and (ii) the Specified Representations shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing Date; provided, that (A) in the case of any Specified Representation which expressly relates to a given date or period, such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the respective date or for the respective period, as the case may be and (B) if any Specified Representation is qualified by or subject to a “material adverse effect”, “material adverse change” or similar term or qualification, (x) such Specified Representation shall be true and correct in all respects and (y) “material adverse effect”, “material adverse change” or such similar term or qualification shall be defined as set forth in the Acquisition Agreement as in effect on July 29, 2019.

 

(f)            Fees. Prior to or substantially concurrently with the funding of the Initial Term Loans hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) all fees and closing payments required to be paid by the Borrower on the Closing Date pursuant to the Fee Letter and (ii) all expenses required to be paid by the Borrower (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel that are payable under the “commitment letter” relating to the Credit Facilities) for which invoices have been presented at least three Business Days prior to the Closing Date or such later date to which the Borrower may agree, in each case on or before the Closing Date, which amounts may be offset against the proceeds of the Loans.

 

(g)            Refinancing. Prior to or substantially concurrently with the initial funding of the Loans hereunder, all principal, accrued and unpaid interest, fees, premium, if any, and other amounts outstanding under and with respect to the Target Credit Agreements (other than (i) contingent obligations not then due and payable and that by their terms survive the termination of the Target Credit Agreements and (ii) certain existing letters of credit outstanding under the Target Credit Agreements that on the Closing Date will be grandfathered into, or backstopped by Letters of Credit under, the Initial Revolving Facility or cash collateralized in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the issuing banks with respect thereto) will be repaid in full and all commitments to extend credit under the Target Credit Agreements will be terminated and any security interests and guarantees in connection therewith shall be terminated and/or released (the transactions described in this clause (g), together, collectively, the “Refinancing”).

 

136

 

 

(h)            Equity Contribution. Prior to or substantially concurrently with the funding of the Initial Term Loans hereunder, Holdings shall have received the Equity Contribution (to the extent not otherwise applied to finance the Transactions).

 

(i)            Solvency. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate in substantially the form of Exhibit M from a senior authorized financial executive (or other officer with equivalent duties) of the Borrower dated as of the Closing Date and certifying as to the matters set forth therein.

 

(j)            Perfection Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a completed Perfection Certificate dated as of the Closing Date and signed by a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party, together with all attachments contemplated thereby.

 

(k)            Pledged Stock and Pledged Notes. Subject to the final paragraph of this Section 4.01 and the provisions of the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the certificates representing any Capital Stock listed on Schedule 3 to the Perfection Certificate dated as of the Closing Date, together with an undated stock power or similar instrument of transfer for each such certificate endorsed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the pledgor thereof, and (ii) any Material Debt Instrument required to be pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement endorsed (without recourse) in blank (or accompanied by an transfer form endorsed in blank) by the pledgor thereof.

 

(l)            Filings, Registrations and Recordings. Subject to the last paragraph of this Section 4.01, each document (including any UCC financing statement) required by any Collateral Document or under any applicable Requirement of Law (but limited to actions described in the Perfection Requirements) to be filed, registered or recorded or delivered in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a perfected, First-Priority Lien on the Collateral required to be delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to such Collateral Document, shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation and provided to the Administrative Agent for filing.

 

(m)            Acquisition. Substantially concurrently with the initial funding of the Loans hereunder, the Acquisition shall be consummated in all material respects in accordance with the terms of the Acquisition Agreement, but without giving effect to any amendment, waiver or consent by the Borrower that is materially adverse to the interests of the Arrangers or the Initial Lenders in their respective capacities as such without the consent of the Arrangers, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned.

 

(n)            Closing Date Material Adverse Effect. No Closing Date Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred since July 29, 2019.

 

(o)            USA PATRIOT Act. No later than three (3) Business Days in advance of the Closing Date, the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers shall have received all documentation and other information reasonably requested with respect to any Loan Party in writing by the Administrative Agent (including on behalf of the Initial Lenders) or the Arrangers at least 10 Business Days in advance of the Closing Date, which documentation or other information the Arrangers have reasonably determined is required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

137

 

 

(p)            Beneficial Ownership. If the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity” customer under 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230 and the Administrative Agent has provided the Borrower the name of each requesting Lender and its electronic delivery requirements at least 10 Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Administrative Agent and each such Lender requesting a beneficial ownership certification (which request is made through the Administrative Agent) will have received in relation to the Borrower, at least three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, a completed form of Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers published jointly, in May 2018, by the Loan Syndications and Trading Association and Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

 

(q)            Second Lien Term Loans. Prior to or substantially concurrently with the initial funding of the Loans hereunder, the Second Lien Term Loans in an aggregate principal amount of not less than $255,000,000 shall have been funded in all material respects in accordance with the terms of the Second Lien Credit Agreement and the Borrower shall have received the Net Proceeds thereof.

 

For purposes of determining whether the conditions specified in this Section 4.01 have been satisfied on the Closing Date, by funding the Loans hereunder, the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted, or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required hereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that the Lien on any Collateral is not or cannot be created or perfected on the Closing Date (other than (a) by the execution and delivery of the Security Agreement by each Loan Party, (b) a Lien on Collateral that is of the type that may be perfected by the filing of a financing statement under the UCC and (c) a Lien on the Capital Stock of the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary required to be pledged pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement (other than the Target or any subsidiary thereof the certificate evidencing the Capital Stock of which has not been delivered to the Borrower prior to the Closing Date, to the extent the Borrower has used commercially reasonable efforts to procure delivery thereof) that may be perfected on the Closing Date by the delivery of a stock or equivalent certificate (together with a stock power or similar instrument endorsed in blank for the relevant certificate)), in each case after the Borrower’s use of commercially reasonably efforts to do so without undue burden or expense, then the creation and/or perfection of such Lien shall not constitute a condition precedent to the availability or initial funding of the Credit Facilities on the Closing Date.

 

Section 4.02      Each Credit Extension. After the Closing Date, theThe obligation of each Revolving Lender or Issuing Bank to make any Credit Extension is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

 

(a)            (i) In the case of any Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall have received a Borrowing Request as required by Section 2.03 or (ii) in the case of the issuance of any Letter of Credit, the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent shall have received a Letter of Credit Request as required by Section 2.05(b).

 

(b)            The representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of any such Credit Extension with the same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made on and as of the date of such Credit Extension; provided, that to the extent that any representation and warranty specifically refers to a given date or period, it shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such date or for such period.

 

138

 

 

(c)            At the time of and immediately after giving effect to the applicable Credit Extension, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

Each Credit Extension after the Closing Date shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section 4.02; provided, however, that the conditions set forth in this Section 4.02 shall not apply to (A) any Incremental Loan and/or (B) any Credit Extension under any Refinancing Amendment and/or Extension Amendment unless in each case the lenders in respect thereof have required satisfaction of the same in the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement, Refinancing Amendment or Extension Amendment, as applicable; it being understood and agreed that no Event of Default then exists or would exist after giving effect thereto (except in the case of the incurrence or provision of any Incremental Facility in connection with a Permitted Acquisition, Investment or similar transaction not prohibited by the terms of this Agreement, in which case, no Specified Event of Default then exists or would exist after giving effect thereto at the time of the borrowing of any Incremental Facility).

 

Article V
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

From the Original Closing Date until the date on which all Revolving Credit Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees, expenses and other amounts payable under any Loan Document and all other Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim or demand has been made) have been paid in full in Cash and all Letters of Credit have expired or have been terminated (or have been collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit or are otherwise no longer subject to this Agreement in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the relevant Issuing Bank) and all LC Disbursements have been reimbursed (such date, the “Termination Date”), each of Holdings (solely with respect to Sections 5.02, 5.03, 5.12 and 5.14) and the Borrower hereby covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

Section 5.01      Financial Statements and Other Reports. The Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent for delivery by the Administrative Agent to each Lender:

 

(a)            Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 60 days (or, in the case of the first three Fiscal Quarters ending after the Closing Date, 90 days) after the end of each of the first three Fiscal Quarters of each Fiscal Year, commencing with the Fiscal Quarter ending September 30, 2019, the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as at the end of such Fiscal Quarter and the related unaudited consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower for such Fiscal Quarter and for the period from the beginning of the then current Fiscal Year to the end of such Fiscal Quarter, and setting forth, in reasonable detail, in comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding periods of the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail, together with a Responsible Officer Certification (which may be included in the applicable Compliance Certificate) with respect thereto; provided, however, that such financial statements shall not be required to reflect any purchase accounting adjustments relating to the Acquisition or any otherany acquisition consummated after the Original Closing Date until after the delivery of financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01(b) which include such adjustments;

 

139

 

 

(b)            Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 120 days (or, in the case of the first Fiscal Year ending after the Closing Date, 150 days) after the end of each Fiscal Year ending after the Original Closing Date, (i) the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as at the end of such Fiscal Year and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower for such Fiscal Year and setting forth, in reasonable detail, in comparative form the corresponding figures for the previous Fiscal Year and (ii) with respect to such consolidated financial statements, a report thereon of an independent certified public accountant of recognized national standing (which report shall be unqualified as to “going concern” and scope of audit (except for any such qualification solely with respect to or resulting from the maturity of any Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, the activities, operations, financial results, assets or liabilities of any Unrestricted Subsidiaries or any potential inability to satisfy any financial maintenance covenant on a future date or in a future period (or, other than in the case of any financial maintenance covenant included herein, any actual inability to satisfy any financial maintenance covenant on a future date or in a future period), and shall state that such consolidated financial statements fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Borrower as at the dates indicated and its income and cash flows for the periods indicated in conformity with GAAP);

 

(c)            Compliance Certificate. Together with each delivery of financial statements of the Borrower pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), (i) a duly executed and completed Compliance Certificate and (ii) a summary of the pro forma adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) from such financial statements;

 

(d)            Annual Lender Meeting. At the request of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall conduct an annual meeting (which, at the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent, may be a telephonic meeting) that the Lenders may attend to discuss the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower for the most recently ended Fiscal Year, as applicable, for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(b), at a date and time within 60 days of the Administrative Agent’s request (but in any event, no earlier than the date financial statements of the Borrower are delivered pursuant to pursuant to Section 5.01(b)) to be determined by the Borrower with reasonable advance notice to the Administrative Agent;

 

(e)            Notice of Default. Promptly upon any Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtaining knowledge of any Default or Event of Default, a reasonably-detailed noticewritten notice, which shall contain a heading or a reference line that reads “Notice under Section 5.01(e) of the Waystar Technologies, Inc. First Lien Credit Agreement”, specifying the nature and period of existence of such Default or Event of Default and what action the Borrower has taken, is taking and proposes to take with respect thereto;

 

(f)             Notice of Litigation or ERISA Event. Promptly upon any Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtaining knowledge of (i) the institution of, or written threat of, any Adverse Proceeding not previously disclosed in writing by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, (ii) any material development in any Adverse Proceeding or (iii) the occurrence of an ERISA Event that, in the case of clauses (i) through (iii), could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, written notice thereof from the Borrower, which shall contain a heading or a reference line that reads “Notice under Section 5.01(f) of the Waystar Technologies, Inc. First Lien Credit Agreement”, together with such other non-privileged information as may be reasonably available to the Loan Parties to enable the Lenders to evaluate such matters;

 

(g)            Financial Plan. An annual operating budget (on a quarterly basis) prepared by management of the Borrower for each Fiscal Year, as soon as available and in any event no later than 120 days after the beginning of such Fiscal Year (or, in the case of such information with respect to the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2020, 150 days), commencing with an operating budget for the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 20202023; provided that the requirement described in this clause (g) shall no longer apply following the consummation of a Qualifying IPO;

 

140

 

 

(h)            Information Regarding Collateral. Prompt (and, in any event, within 60 days of the relevant change) written notice of any change (i) in any Loan Party’s legal name, (ii) in any Loan Party’s type of organization or (iii) in any Loan Party’s jurisdiction of organization, in each case to the extent such information is necessary to enable the Administrative Agent to perfect or maintain the perfection and priority of its security interest in the Collateral of the relevant Loan Party, together with a certified copy of the applicable Organizational Document reflecting the relevant change;

 

(i)            Perfection Certificate Supplement. Together with the delivery of each Compliance Certificate provided with the financial statements required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(b), a Perfection Certificate Supplement;

 

(j)            Certain Reports. Promptly upon their becoming available and without duplication of any obligations with respect to any such information that is otherwise required to be delivered under the provisions of any Loan Document, copies of (i) following a Qualifying IPO, all financial statements, reports, notices and proxy statements sent or made available generally by Holdings or its applicable Parent Company to its security holders acting in such capacity and (ii) all regular and periodic reports and all registration statements (other than amendments to any registration statement (to the extent such registration statement, in the form it became effective, is delivered to the Administrative Agent), exhibits to any registration statement and, if applicable, any registration statement on Form S-8) and prospectuses, if any, filed by Holdings or its applicable Parent Company with any securities exchange or with the SEC or any analogous Governmental Authority or private regulatory authority with jurisdiction over matters relating to securities; and

 

(k)            Other Information. Such other certificates, reports and information (financial or otherwise) as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request from time to time regarding the financial condition or business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that none of the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary shall be required to disclose or provide any information (a) that constitutes non-financial Trade Secrets or non-financial proprietary information of the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective customers and/or suppliers, (b) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives) is prohibited by any applicable Requirement of Law, (c) that is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product or (d) in respect of which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owes confidentiality obligations to any third party (provided such confidentiality obligations were not entered into in contemplation of the requirements of this Section 5.01(k)).

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to this Section 5.01 may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower (or a representative thereof) posts such documents (or provides a link thereto) at the website address listed in Section 9.01; provided that the Borrower shall promptly notify (which notice may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents at the website address listed in Section 9.01 and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents, (ii) on which such documents are delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent for posting on behalf of the Borrower on IntraLinks, SyndTrak or another relevant secure website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent), (iii) on which such documents are faxed to the Administrative Agent (or electronically mailed to an address provided by the Administrative Agent) or (iv) with respect to any item required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(j) in respect of information filed by Holdings or its applicable Parent Company with any securities exchange or with the SEC or any analogous Governmental Authority or private regulatory authority with jurisdiction over matters relating to securities (other than Form 10-Q Reports and Form 10-K reports), on which such items have been made available on the SEC website or the website of the relevant analogous governmental or private regulatory authority or securities exchange.

 

141

 

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 5.01 may be satisfied with respect to any financial statements of the Borrower by furnishing (A) the applicable financial statements of Holdings (or any other Parent Company) or (B) Holdings’ (or any other Parent Company’s), as applicable, Form 10-K or 10-Q, as applicable, filed with the SEC, in each case, within the time periods specified in such paragraphs; provided, that with respect to each of clauses (A) and (B), (i) to the extent such financial statements relate to any Parent Company, such financial statements shall be accompanied by unaudited consolidating information that summarizes in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to such Parent Company, on the one hand, and the information relating to the Borrower on a standalone basis, on the other hand, which consolidating information shall be certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as having been fairly presented in all material respects and (ii) to the extent such statements are in lieu of statements required to be provided under Section 5.01(b), such financial statements of Holdings (or the other relevant Parent Company) shall be accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing (which report shall be unqualified as to “going concern” and scope of audit (except for any such qualification pertaining to the maturity of any Indebtedness occurring within twelve (12) months of the relevant audit or any potential inability to satisfy any financial maintenance covenant on a future date or in a future period), and shall state that such consolidated financial statements fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of such Parent Company as at the dates indicated and its income and cash flows for the periods indicated in conformity with GAAP).

 

Section 5.02      Existence. Except as otherwise permitted under Section 6.07 or Section 6.11 hereof, as applicable, Holdings and the Borrower will, and the Borrower will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence and all rights, franchises, licenses and permits material to its business except, other than with respect to the preservation of the existence of the Borrower, to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided that neither Holdings nor the Borrower nor any of the Borrower’s Restricted Subsidiaries shall be required to preserve any such existence (other than with respect to the preservation of existence of the Borrower), right, franchise, license or permit if a Responsible Officer of such Person or such Person’s board of directors (or similar governing body) determines that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of such Person, and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to such Person or to the Lenders.

 

Section 5.03      Payment of Taxes. Holdings and the Borrower will, and the Borrower will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, pay all Taxes imposed upon it or any of its properties or assets or in respect of any of its income or businesses or franchises before any penalty or fine accrues thereon (including in its capacity as a withholding agent); provided, however, that no such Tax need be paid if (a) it is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, so long as (i) adequate reserves or other appropriate provisions, as are required in conformity with GAAP, have been made therefor and (ii) in the case of a Tax which has resulted or may result in the creation of a Lien on any of the Collateral, such contest proceedings conclusively operate to stay the sale of any portion of the Collateral to satisfy such Tax or (b) failure to pay or discharge the same could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

142

 

 

Section 5.04      Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, maintain or cause to be maintained in good repair, working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear and casualty and condemnation excepted, all property reasonably necessary to the normal conduct of business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and from time to time will make or cause to be made all needed and appropriate repairs, renewals and replacements thereof except as expressly permitted by this Agreement or where the failure to maintain such properties or make such repairs, renewals or replacements could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 5.05      Insurance. Except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Borrower will maintain or cause to be maintained, with financially sound and reputable insurers or, other than with respect to flood insurance, with a Captive Insurance Subsidiary, such insurance coverage with respect to liabilities, losses or damage in respect of the assets, properties and businesses of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries as may customarily be carried or maintained under similar circumstances by Persons of established reputation engaged in similar businesses, in each case in such amounts (other than with respect to flood insurance, giving effect to self-insurance), with such deductibles, covering such risks and otherwise on such terms and conditions as shall be customary for such Persons, in each case to the extent required under and in compliance with all applicable Flood Insurance Laws. Each such policy of insurance shall (a) name the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties as an additional insured thereunder as its interests may appear and (b) to the extent available from the relevant insurance carrier, in the case of each casualty insurance policy (excluding any business interruption insurance policy), contain a lender’s loss payable clause or endorsement that names the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties as the lender’s loss payee thereunder; provided that, to the extent that such requirements are not satisfied on the Original Closing Date after the Borrower’s commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the same, the Borrower may satisfy such requirements within ninety (90) days of the Original Closing Date (as extended by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion).

 

Section 5.06      Inspections. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, permit any authorized representative designated by the Administrative Agent to visit and inspect any of the properties of the Borrower and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries at which the principal financial records and executive officers of the applicable Person are located, to inspect, copy and take extracts from its and their respective financial and accounting records, and to discuss its and their respective affairs, finances and accounts with its and their Responsible Officers and independent public accountants (provided that the Borrower (or any of its subsidiaries) may, if it so chooses, be present at or participate in any such discussion), all upon reasonable notice and at reasonable times during normal business hours; provided that (a) only the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders may exercise the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Section 5.06, (b) except as expressly set forth in clause (c) below during the continuance of an Event of Default, (i) the Administrative Agent shall not exercise such rights more often than one time during any calendar year and (ii) only one such time per calendar year shall be at the expense of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, (c) when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent (or any of its representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice and (d) notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary shall be required to disclose, permit the inspection, examination or making of copies of or taking abstracts from, or discuss any document, information or other matter (i) that constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information of the Borrower and its subsidiaries and/or any of its customers and/or suppliers, (ii) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or contractors) is prohibited by applicable Requirements of Law, (iii) that is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product or (iv) in respect of which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owes confidentiality obligations to any third party (provided such confidentiality obligations were not entered into in contemplation of the requirements of this Section 5.06).

 

143

 

 

Section 5.07      Maintenance of Book and Records. The Borrower will, and will cause its Restricted Subsidiaries to, maintain proper books of record and account containing entries of all material financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries that are full, true and correct in all material respects and permit the preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP.

 

Section 5.08     Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will comply, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to comply, with the requirements of all applicable Requirements of Law (including applicable ERISA and all Environmental Laws, sanctions laws and regulations administered by OFAC, the USA PATRIOT Act, the FCPA and/or any Anti-Terrorism Law), except to the extent that the failure of the Borrower or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the covenant in this Section 5.08, insofar as it applies to compliance by any Person (other than any US Person) with OFAC, the USA PATRIOT Act and the FCPA, shall be subject to and limited by any Requirement of Law applicable to the relevant Person in its jurisdiction of organization.

 

Section 5.09      Environmental. The Borrower shall promptly take, and shall cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries promptly to take, any and all actions necessary to (i) cure any violation of any Environmental Law by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, and address with appropriate corrective or remedial action any Release or threatened Release of Hazardous Material, as required of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries by any Environmental Law, in each case, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) make an appropriate response to any Environmental Claim against the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and discharge any obligations it may have to any Person thereunder, in each case, where failure to do so could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 5.10      Designation of Subsidiaries. The Borrower may at any time after the Original Closing Date designate (or redesignate) any subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (a) immediately before and after such designation, no Event of Default exists (including after giving effect to the reclassification of Investments in, Indebtedness of and Liens on the assets of, the applicable Restricted Subsidiary or Unrestricted Subsidiary), (b) no subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if it is a “Restricted Subsidiary” for purposes of the Second Lien Term Loans or any other third party Indebtedness with an aggregate outstanding principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount and (c) as of the date of the designation thereof, no Unrestricted Subsidiary shall own any Capital Stock in any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower or hold any Indebtedness of or any Lien on any property of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary. The designation of any subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall constitute an Investment by the Borrower (or its applicable Restricted Subsidiary) therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the portion of the fair market value of the net assets of such Restricted Subsidiary attributable to the Borrower’s (or its applicable Restricted Subsidiary’s) equity interest therein as reasonably determined by the Borrower in good faith (and such designation shall only be permitted to the extent such Investment is permitted under Section 6.06). The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall constitute (i) the making, incurrence or granting, as applicable, at the time of designation of any then-existing Investment, Indebtedness or Lien of such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable and (ii) a return on any Investment by the Borrower in Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the preceding sentence in an amount equal to the fair market value at the date of such designation of the Borrower’s or its Restricted Subsidiary’s Investment in such Subsidiary.

 

144

 

 

Section 5.11      Use of Proceeds.

 

(a)            The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans (i) on the Closing Date, (x) in an aggregate principal amount of up to $20,000,000 to finance the payment of Transaction Costs and (y) to finance ordinary course working capital needs and (ii) after the Closing Date, to finance the working capital needs and other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its subsidiaries (including for capital expenditures, acquisitions, working capital and/or purchase price adjustments, the payment of transaction fees and expenses (in each case, including in connection with the Acquisition), other Investments, Restricted Payments and any other purpose not prohibited by the terms of the Loan Documents).

 

(b)            The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Initial Term Loans solely to finance a portion of the Transactions (including the payment of Transaction Costs) and, to the extent of any remaining proceeds, for general corporate purposes (including any purpose not prohibited by this Agreement).

 

(c)            It is understood and agreed that Letters of Credit may be issued (i) on the Original Closing Date in the ordinary course of business and to replace or provide credit support for any letter of credit, bank guarantee and/or any surety, customs, performance or similar bond of the Borrower and its subsidiaries or any of their Affiliates and/or to replace cash collateral posted by any of such Person and (ii) after the Original Closing Date, for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its subsidiaries and any other purpose not prohibited by the terms of the Loan Documents.

 

(d)            The proceeds of any Incremental Facility shall be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its subsidiaries, including the financing of Permitted Acquisitions, other Investments and any other use not prohibited by this Agreement.

 

(e)            The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans incurred on the First Amendment Closing Date, together with cash on hand of the Borrower, (i) to finance the Recondo Acquisition and (ii) to pay related fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith and with the First Amendment.

 

(f)            The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans incurred on the Second Amendment Closing Date, together with the proceeds of certain other incremental term loans incurred under the Second Lien Credit Agreement and cash on hand of the Borrower, (i) to finance the Oz Acquisition, (ii) to pay related fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith and in connection with the Second Amendment and (iii) to the extent any proceeds of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans remain after application of such proceeds as described in clauses (i) and (ii), for general corporate purposes.

 

(g)            The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the 2021 Replacement Term Loans incurred on the Third Amendment Closing Date to replace in full all Existing Term Loans, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Third Amendment.

 

(h)            The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans incurred on the Fourth Amendment Closing Date, together with the proceeds of certain other incremental term loans incurred under the Second Lien Credit Agreement and cash on hand of the Borrower, (i) to finance the Prestige Acquisition, (ii) to pay related fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith and in connection with the Fourth Amendment and (iii) to the extent any proceeds of the Fourth Amendment Incremental Term Loans remain after application of such proceeds as described in clauses (i) and (ii), for general corporate purposes.

 

145

 

 

Section 5.12      Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Provide Security.

 

(a)            Upon (i) the formation or acquisition after the Original Closing Date of any Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) the designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or (iii) any Restricted Subsidiary that was an Excluded Subsidiary ceasing to be an Excluded Subsidiary, (x) if the event giving rise to the obligation under this Section 5.12(a) occurs during the first three Fiscal Quarters of any Fiscal Year, on or before the date on which financial statements are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) for the Fiscal Quarter in which the relevant formation, acquisition, designation or cessation occurred or (y) if the event giving rise to the obligation under this Section 5.12(a) occurs during the fourth Fiscal Quarter of any Fiscal Year, on or before the date that is 60 days after the end of such Fiscal Quarter (or, in the cases of clauses (x) and (y), such longer period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree), the Borrower shall (A) cause such Restricted Subsidiary to comply with the relevant requirements set forth in the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” and (B) upon the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, cause the relevant Restricted Subsidiary to deliver to the Administrative Agent a signed copy of a customary opinion of counsel for such Restricted Subsidiary, addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and each Issuing Bank at such time; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, no subsidiary that is an Excluded Subsidiary shall be required to take any action described in this Section 5.12(a).

 

(b)            [Reserved].

 

(c)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, it is understood and agreed that:

 

(i)            the Administrative Agent may grant extensions of time for the creation and perfection of security interests in, or obtaining of title insurance, legal opinions, surveys or other deliverables with respect to, particular assets or the provision of any Guarantee by any Restricted Subsidiary (in connection with assets acquired, or Restricted Subsidiaries formed or acquired, after the Original Closing Date), and each Lender hereby consents to any such extension of time,

 

(ii)            any Lien required to be granted from time to time pursuant to the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” shall be subject to the exceptions and limitations set forth in the applicable Collateral Documents,

 

(iii)          (A) perfection by control shall not be required with respect to assets requiring perfection through control agreements or other control arrangements, including deposit accounts, securities accounts and commodities accounts (other than control or possession of pledged Capital Stock (to the extent certificated) and/or Material Debt Instruments that constitute Collateral) and (B) no blocked account agreement, deposit account control agreement or similar agreement shall be required for any Deposit Account, securities account or commodities account,

 

(iv)           no Loan Party shall be required to seek any landlord lien waiver, bailee letter, estoppel, warehouseman waiver or other collateral access or similar letter or agreement,

 

(v)            no action outside of the US shall be required in order to create or perfect any security interest in any asset of any Loan Party that is located outside of the US, and no non-US security or pledge agreement or foreign intellectual property filing, search or schedule shall be required with respect to any asset of any Loan Party,

 

(vi)           in no event will the Collateral include any Excluded Asset (so long as such asset constitutes an Excluded Asset),

 

146

 

 

(vii)          no action shall be required to perfect any Lien with respect to (A) any vehicle or other asset subject to a certificate of title, (B) letter-of-credit rights not constituting supporting obligations of other Collateral, (C) the Capital Stock of any Immaterial Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary that is a Loan Party), (D) the Capital Stock of any Person that is not a subsidiary, which Person, if a subsidiary, would constitute an Immaterial Subsidiary or (E) Commercial Tort Claims with a value (as reasonably estimated by the Borrower) of less than $10,000,000, in each case except to the extent that a security interest therein can be perfected by filing a UCC-1 financing statement or any analogous filing in any other jurisdiction,

 

(viii)        notifications of receivables security to debtors of security over goods held by third parties or of security over intellectual property (other than the filing of Intellectual Property Security Agreements with the US Patent and Trademark Office and/or the US Copyright Office) will only be provided if an Event of Default is continuing and the Obligations have been accelerated in accordance with Article VII,

 

(ix)           subject to the provisions of the Loan Documents, each Loan Party shall be free to deal with any asset in which it grants a Lien (and the proceeds thereof) in the ordinary course of its business,

 

(x)            no grant by any Loan Party of a Lien in any intellectual property will or will be deemed to constitute a present assignment of such intellectual property,

 

(xi)            the Collateral Documents will only operate to create Liens and will not impose new commercial obligations; it being understood and agreed that no Collateral Document will contain any additional representation, undertaking or other term unless the same are strictly required or related to for the creation, perfection or enforcement of a security interest in the asset or assets subject thereto, and

 

(xii)          no (A) Foreign Subsidiary, (B) FSHCO and/or (C) Domestic Subsidiary that is a direct or indirect subsidiary of any CFC shall be required to provide a Loan Guaranty.

 

Section 5.13      Maintenance of Ratings. The Borrower shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain public corporate credit and public corporate family ratings and public ratings with respect to the Initial Term Loans from each of S&P and Moody’s; provided that in no event shall the Borrower be required to maintain any specific rating with any such agency.

 

Section 5.14      Further Assurances. Promptly upon request of the Administrative Agent and subject to the limitations described in Section 5.12:

 

(a)            the Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, execute any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements, instruments, certificates, notices and acknowledgments and take all such further actions (including the filing and recordation of financing statements, fixture filings and other documents but limited to the Perfection Requirements and related actions), that may be required under any applicable Requirements of Law and which the Administrative Agent may reasonably request to ensure the creation, perfection and priority (or continuance thereof) of the Liens created or intended to be created under the Collateral Documents, all at the expense of the relevant Loan Parties, and

 

147

 

 

(b)            the Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, (i) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation of any Collateral Document or other document or instrument relating to any Collateral and (ii) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts (including notices to third parties), deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request from time to time in order to carry out more effectively the purposes of the Collateral Documents, the “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” and Section 5.12(b).

 

Section 5.15      [Reserved].

 

Section 5.16      [Reserved].

 

Section 5.17      Changes in Fiscal Periods. The Borrower shall maintain a Fiscal Year-end date of December 31; provided, that the Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, change the Fiscal Year-end of the Borrower to another date, in which case the Borrower and the Administrative Agent will, and are hereby authorized to, make any adjustments to this Agreement that are necessary to reflect such change in Fiscal Year.

 

Section 5.18      Conduct of Business. The material lines of business engaged in by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be reasonably similar to the businesses engaged in by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary on the Original Closing Date and similar, incidental, complementary, ancillary or reasonably related businesses or reasonable extensions, developments or expansions of, the businesses conducted or proposed to be conducted by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the Original Closing Date.

 

Article VI
NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

From the Original Closing Date and until the Termination Date, Holdings (solely with respect to Section 6.11) and the Borrower covenant and agree with the Lenders that:

 

Section 6.01      Indebtedness. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or otherwise become or remain liable with respect to any Indebtedness, except:

 

(a)            the Secured Obligations (including any Additional Term Loans and any Additional Revolving Loans);

 

(b)            Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Restricted Subsidiary and/or of any Restricted Subsidiary to the Borrower and/or any other Restricted Subsidiary to the extent permitted as an Investment under Section 6.06; provided that any Indebtedness of any Loan Party owing to any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party must be unsecured and expressly subordinated to the Obligations of such Loan Party (but only to the extent any such Indebtedness is outstanding at any time after the date that is 30 days after the Original Closing Date or such later date as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree and thereafter only to the extent permitted by applicable law and not giving rise to material adverse Tax consequences) on terms (i) at least as favorable to the Lenders as those set forth in the form of intercompany note attached as Exhibit O or (ii) otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

 

(c)            Indebtedness in respect of Permitted Receivables Financings;

 

148

 

 

(d)            Indebtedness (i) arising from any agreement providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations (including contingent earn-out obligations) incurred in connection with the Transactions, any Disposition permitted hereunder, any acquisition or Investment permitted hereunder or consummated prior to the Original Closing Date or any other purchase of assets or Capital Stock, and (ii) arising from guaranties, letters of credit, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds or similar instruments securing the performance of the Borrower or any such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to any such agreement described in the foregoing subclause (i);

 

(e)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary (i) pursuant to tenders, statutory obligations, bids, leases, governmental contracts, trade contracts, surety, stay, customs, appeal, performance and/or return of money bonds or other similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business (including relating to any litigation being contested in good faith and not constituting an Event of Default under Section 7.01(h)) and (ii) in respect of letters of credit, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds or similar instruments to support any of the foregoing items;

 

(f)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of Banking Services (including Indebtedness owed on a short term basis of no longer than 30 days to banks and other financial institutions incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries with such banks or financial institutions that arises in connection with ordinary banking arrangements to manage cash balances of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries) and incentive, supplier finance or similar programs;

 

(g)            (i) guaranties by the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary of the obligations of suppliers, customers and licensees in the ordinary course of business, (ii) Indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business in respect of obligations of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary to pay the deferred purchase price of goods or services or progress payments in connection with such goods and services and (iii) Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties or similar instruments supporting trade payables, warehouse receipts or similar facilities entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(h)            Guarantees by the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness or other obligations of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred pursuant to this Section 6.01 or other obligations not prohibited by this Agreement; provided, that in the case of any Guarantee by any Loan Party of the obligations of any non-Loan Party, the related Investment is permitted under Section 6.06;

 

(i)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary existing, or pursuant to commitments existing, on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date; provided that any Indebtedness or other obligations in excess of $10,000,000 individually shall only be permitted if set forth on Schedule 6.01;

 

(j)            Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties; provided, that the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness shall not exceed the greater of $45,000,000129,000,000 and 30.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(k)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary consisting of obligations owing under incentive, supply, license or similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

149

 

 

(l)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums, (ii) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business, and/or (iii) obligations to reacquire assets or inventory in connection with customer financing arrangements in the ordinary course of business;

 

(m)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to Capital Leases and purchase money Indebtedness (including Indebtedness financing the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of fixed or capital assets (whether through the direct purchase of property or any Person owning such property)); provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness that is outstanding in reliance on this clause (m) shall not exceed the greater of $45,000,000129,000,000 and 30.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(n)            Indebtedness of any Person that is acquired after the Original Closing Date by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary and becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (or of any Person not previously a Restricted Subsidiary that is merged or consolidated with or into the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary) or Indebtedness assumed in connection with an acquisition of assets permitted hereunder after the Original Closing Date (such Indebtedness assumed pursuant to this clause (n), “Assumed Acquisition Debt”); provided that

 

(i)            such Assumed Acquisition Debt (A) existed at the time such Person was acquired or the assets subject to such Assumed Acquisition Debt were acquired, (B) was not created or incurred in anticipation thereof and (C) is only the obligation of such Person and/or such Person’s Subsidiaries,

 

(ii)           no Specified Event of Default exists or would result from the consummation of such acquisition, and

 

(iii)          Assumed Acquisition Debt outstanding in reliance on this clause (n) shall not exceed the sum of (x) the greater of $22,000,00064,500,000 and 15.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period plus (y) an additional amount such that after giving effect to such acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis, (I) in the case of any such Assumed Acquisition Debt secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is pari to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations, the First Lien Leverage Ratio does not exceed either (x) 5.50:1.00 or (y)  the First Lien Leverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to the incurrence of such Assumed Acquisition Debt and consummation of such acquisition, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis, (II) in the case of any such Assumed Acquisition Debt secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is junior to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations, the Secured Leverage Ratio does not exceed either (x) 7.50:1.00 or (y) the Secured Leverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to the incurrence of such Assumed Acquisition Debt and consummation of such acquisition, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis and (III) in the case of any such Assumed Acquisition Debt that is not secured or is secured by assets that do not constitute Collateral, either (A) the Total Leverage Ratio does not exceed either (x) 7.50:1.00 or (y) the Total Leverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to the incurrence of such Assumed Acquisition Debt and consummation of such acquisition, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis or (B) the Interest Coverage Ratio is no less than either (x) 2.00:1.00 or (y) the Interest Coverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to the incurrence of such Assumed Acquisition Debt and consummation of such acquisition, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis;

 

150

 

 

(o)            Indebtedness issued by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any stockholder of any Parent Company or any current or former director, officer, employee, member of management, manager or consultant of any Parent Company, the Borrower or any subsidiary (or their respective Immediate Family Members) to finance the purchase or redemption of Capital Stock of any Parent Company permitted by Section 6.04(a);

 

(p)            the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may become and remain liable for any Indebtedness refinancing, refunding or replacing any Indebtedness incurred under clause (a), (i), (j), (m), (n), (q), (r), (u), (w), (x), (y), (z) or (bb) of this Section 6.01 (in any case, including any refinancing Indebtedness incurred in respect thereof, “Refinancing Indebtedness”) and any subsequent Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof; provided that:

 

(i)            the principal amount of such Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded or replaced, except by (A) an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premiums (including tender premiums) thereon plus underwriting discounts and other reasonable and customary fees, commissions and expenses (including upfront fees, original issue discount or initial yield payments) incurred in connection with the relevant refinancing, refunding or replacement, (B) an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder and (C) additional amounts permitted to be incurred pursuant to this Section 6.01 (provided that (1) any additional Indebtedness referenced in this clause (C) satisfies the other applicable requirements of this Section 6.01(p) (with additional amounts incurred in reliance on this clause (C) constituting a utilization of the relevant basket or exception pursuant to which such additional amount is permitted) and (2) if such additional Indebtedness is secured, the Lien securing such Refinancing Indebtedness is permitted pursuant to Section 6.02),

 

(ii)            other than in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness with respect to Indebtedness incurred under clause (i), (j), (m), (n), (u), (y) or (bb), or with respect to Indebtedness incurred under clause (q) or (w) (to the extent such Indebtedness incurred under clause (q) or (w) has an aggregate outstanding principal amount less than the Threshold Amount), (A) such Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity that is equal to or later than (and, in the case of revolving Indebtedness, does not require mandatory commitment reductions, if any, prior to) the final maturity of the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded or replaced, (B) other than with respect to revolving Indebtedness, such Refinancing Indebtedness has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded or replaced; provided that, at the option of the Borrower, Refinancing Indebtedness constituting Customary Bridge Loans, Term A Loans or otherwise in an aggregate principal amount up to the available Maturity/Weighted Average Life Excluded Amount may be incurred without regard to this clause (B) and (C) any such Refinancing Indebtedness (i) with respect to Indebtedness incurred under clause (a) of this Section 6.01 and (ii) in the form of notes shall not have mandatory redemption features (other than customary asset sale, insurance and condemnation proceeds events, change of control offers or events of default or customary redemption/prepayment terms in connection with escrow arrangements or, in the case of any Refinancing Indebtedness in the form of term loans, excess cash flow sweeps (on a no greater than pro rata basis with any Indebtedness then outstanding)) that could result in redemption of such Refinancing Indebtedness prior to the maturity date of the applicable Indebtedness that is being refinanced (without giving effect to any amortization or prepayments in respect of such Indebtedness that is being refinanced),

 

151

 

 

(iii)          the terms of any Refinancing Indebtedness with respect to Indebtedness incurred under clause (a), (i), (q), (w) or (z) of this Section 6.01 with an original principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount (excluding pricing, fees, discounts, premiums, rate floors, currency types and denominations, optional prepayment or redemption terms (and, if applicable, subordination terms) and, with respect to Refinancing Indebtedness incurred in respect of Indebtedness incurred under clause (a) above, security), at the option of the Borrower, shall either (i) reflect market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence, issuance or effectiveness of such Refinancing Indebtedness (as determined by the Borrower in good faith) or (ii) taken as a whole (as reasonably determined by the Borrower), not be materially more restrictive on the Loan Parties than those applicable to the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded or replaced (taken as a whole) (or, in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness with respect to clause (q) or (w), the then existing Term Loans) (other than any covenants or any other terms that are applicable only to periods after the Latest Maturity Date as of such date or any covenants or terms that are then current market terms for the applicable type of Indebtedness) (it being understood that to the extent that any financial maintenance covenant or other term is added for the benefit of the Lenders providing the Refinancing Indebtedness, the terms and conditions of such Refinancing Indebtedness will be deemed not to be more restrictive than the terms and conditions of the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded or replaced (or the then existing Term Loans) if such financial maintenance covenant or other term is also added for the benefit of all Classes of Loans remaining outstanding),

 

(iv)            in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness with respect to Indebtedness incurred under clause (j), (m), (u), (y), (z) (solely as it relates to the Shared Incremental Amount) or (bb) of this Section 6.01, the incurrence thereof shall be without duplication of any amounts outstanding in reliance on the relevant clause,

 

(v)            except in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness incurred in respect of Indebtedness incurred under clause (a) of this Section 6.01, (A) such Indebtedness, if secured, is secured only by Permitted Liens at the time of such refinancing, refunding or replacement (it being understood that secured Indebtedness may be refinanced with unsecured Indebtedness), (B) such Refinancing Indebtedness is incurred only by the obligor or obligors in respect of the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded or replaced, except to the extent otherwise permitted pursuant to Section 6.01 (provided that Holdings may not be the primary obligor in respect of the applicable Refinancing Indebtedness if Holdings was not the primary obligor in respect of the relevant refinanced Indebtedness) and (C) if the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded or replaced was originally contractually subordinated to the Obligations in right of payment (or the Liens securing such Indebtedness were originally contractually subordinated to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans), such Refinancing Indebtedness is contractually subordinated to the Obligations in right of payment (or the Liens securing such Refinancing Indebtedness are subordinated to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans) on terms not materially less favorable (as reasonably determined by the Borrower), taken as a whole, to the Lenders than those applicable to the Indebtedness (or Liens, as applicable) being refinanced, refunded or replaced, taken as a whole, and

 

152

 

 

(vi)          in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness incurred in respect of Indebtedness incurred under clause (a) of this Section 6.01, (A) such Refinancing Indebtedness is pari passu or junior in right of payment and secured by the Collateral on a pari passu or junior basis with respect to the remaining Obligations hereunder (it being understood that any such Refinancing Indebtedness that is junior relative to security shall be pari passu with, or junior to, the Second Lien Term Loans with respect to security) or is unsecured; provided that any such Refinancing Indebtedness that is pari passu or junior with respect to the Collateral shall be subject to the Closing Datean Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement, (B) if the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded or replaced is secured, it is not secured by any assets other than the Collateral, (C) if the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded or replaced is Guaranteed, it shall not be Guaranteed by any Person other than one or more Loan Parties that Guaranteed the Indebtedness being refinanced, (D) such Refinancing Indebtedness is incurred under (and pursuant to) documentation other than this Agreement and (E) if the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded or replaced was originally contractually subordinated to the Obligations in right of payment (or the Liens securing such Indebtedness were originally contractually subordinated to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans), such Refinancing Indebtedness is contractually subordinated to the Obligations in right of payment (or the Liens securing such Refinancing Indebtedness are subordinated to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans) on terms not materially less favorable (as reasonably determined by the Borrower), taken as a whole, to the Lenders than those applicable to the Indebtedness (or Liens, as applicable) being refinanced, refunded or replaced, taken as a whole; it being understood and agreed that any such Refinancing Indebtedness that is pari passu with the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans hereunder in right of payment and secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with respect to the Secured Obligations hereunder that are secured on a first lien basis may participate on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not greater than a pro rata basis) in any mandatory prepayment in respect of the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans (and any Additional Term Loans then subject to ratable repayment requirements), in each case as the Borrower and the relevant lender may agree;

 

(q)            Indebtedness incurred to finance any acquisition permitted hereunder after the Original Closing Date (such Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (q), “Incurred Acquisition Debt”); provided that:

 

(i)            before and after giving effect to such acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis, no Specified Event of Default exists,

 

153

 

 

(ii)            Incurred Acquisition Debt outstanding in reliance on this clause (q) shall not exceed the sum of (x) the greater of $22,000,00064,500,000 and 15.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period plus (y) an additional amount such that after giving effect to such acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis, (I) in the case of any such Incurred Acquisition Debt secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is pari passu to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations, the First Lien Leverage Ratio does not exceed either (x) 5.50:1.00 or (y) the First Lien Leverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to the incurrence of such Incurred Acquisition Debt and consummation of such acquisition, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis, (II) in the case of any such Incurred Acquisition Debt secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is junior to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations, the Secured Leverage Ratio does not exceed either (x) 7.50:1.00 or (y) the Secured Leverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to the incurrence of such Incurred Acquisition Debt and consummation of such acquisition, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis and (III) in the case of any such Incurred Acquisition Debt that is not secured, either (A) the Total Leverage Ratio does not exceed either (x) 7.50:1.00 or (y) the Total Leverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to the incurrence of such Incurred Acquisition Debt and consummation of such acquisition, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis or (B) the Interest Coverage Ratio is no less than either (x) 2.00:1.00 or (y) the Interest Coverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to the incurrence of such Incurred Acquisition Debt and consummation of such acquisition, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis;

 

(iii)          any such Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral or subordinated to the Obligations in right of payment shall be subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement,

 

(iv)          [Reserved],

 

(v)           [Reserved],

 

(vi)          in the case of any such Indebtedness in an aggregate initial principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount (other than Customary Bridge Loans), no such Indebtedness shall have any mandatory prepayment or redemption features (other than customary asset sale events, insurance and condemnation proceeds events, change of control offers or events of default and in the case of loans, excess cash flow sweeps) that could result in prepayments or redemptions of such Indebtedness prior to the Maturity Date of any then-existing Class of Loans, and

 

(vii)         in the case of any such Indebtedness in an aggregate initial principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount (other than Customary Bridge Loans), the terms and conditions of such Indebtedness (excluding pricing, interest rate margins, rate floors, currency types and denominations, MFN terms, discounts, premiums, fees and (subject to clause (q)(vi) above) prepayment or redemption terms and provisions, which, in each case, shall be determined by the Borrower and the lenders with respect to such Indebtedness), at the option of the Borrower, shall either (i) reflect market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence, issuance or effectiveness of such Indebtedness (as determined by the Borrower in good faith) or (ii) not be materially more restrictive on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (when taken as a whole) than those applicable to the then-existing Term Loans or are (when taken as a whole) otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (except for covenants and other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date or Latest Revolving Credit Maturity Date, as applicable) (it being understood that to the extent that any financial maintenance covenant or other term is added for the benefit of any such Indebtedness, the terms and conditions of such Indebtedness will be deemed not to be materially more restrictive than the terms and conditions of this Agreement if such financial maintenance covenant or other term is also added for the benefit of all Classes of Loans);

 

154

 

 

(r)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed 200% of the amount of Net Proceeds received by the Borrower from (i) the issuance or sale of common Capital Stock or (ii) any cash contribution to its common equity with the Net Proceeds from the issuance and sale by any Parent Company of its Qualified Capital Stock or a contribution to the common equity of any Parent Company, in each case, (A) other than any Net Proceeds received from the sale of Capital Stock to, or contributions from, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, (B) to the extent the relevant Net Proceeds have not otherwise been applied to make Investments, Restricted Payments or Restricted Debt Payments hereunder and (C) other than Cure Amounts;

 

(s)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary under any Derivative Transaction not entered into for speculative purposes;

 

(t)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary representing (i) deferred compensation to current or former directors, officers, employees, members of management, managers and consultants of any Parent Company, the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries and (ii) deferred compensation or other similar arrangements in connection with the Transactions, any Permitted Acquisition or any other Investment permitted hereby;

 

(u)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed (x) the greater of $75,000,000215,000,000 and 50.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period minus (y) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness incurred utilizing clause (c) of the Shared Incremental Amount;

 

(v)            to the extent constituting Indebtedness, obligations arising under the Acquisition Agreement (as in effect on the Closing Date)[reserved];

 

(w)            additional Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary so long as (such Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (w), “Ratio Debt”):

 

(i)            before and after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness on a Pro Forma Basis, no Specified Event of Default exists,

 

(ii)           after giving Pro Forma Effect thereto, including the application of the proceeds thereof, (I) in the case of any such Ratio Debt secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is pari passu to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations, the First Lien Leverage Ratio does not exceed 5.50:1.00, (II) in the case of any such Ratio Debt secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is junior to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations, the Secured Leverage Ratio does not exceed 7.50:1.00 and (III) in the case of any such Ratio Debt that is not secured, either (A) the Total Leverage Ratio does not exceed 7.50:1.00 or (B) the Interest Coverage Ratio is no less than 2.00:1.00,

 

(iii)          any such Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral or subordinated to the Obligations in right of payment shall be subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement,

 

(iv)          [Reserved],

 

(v)          [Reserved],

 

155

 

 

(vi)          in the case of any such Indebtedness in an aggregate initial principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount (other than Customary Bridge Loans), the terms and conditions of such Indebtedness (excluding pricing, interest rate margins, rate floors, MFN terms, discounts, currency types and denominations, premiums, fees and (subject to clause (w)(vii) below) prepayment or redemption terms and provisions, which, in each case, shall be determined by the Borrower and the lenders with respect to such indebtedness) are, when taken as a whole, either (x) consistent with market terms and conditions at the time of the incurrence of such Indebtedness as determined in good faith by the Borrower, (y) not materially more restrictive on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries than those applicable to the then-existing Term Loans (when taken as a whole) as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower or (z) otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (except for covenants and other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date or Latest Revolving Credit Maturity Date, as applicable) (it being understood that to the extent that any financial maintenance covenant or other term is added for the benefit of any such Indebtedness, the terms and conditions of such Indebtedness will be deemed not to be materially more restrictive than the terms and conditions of this Agreement if such financial maintenance covenant or other term is also added for the benefit of all Classes of Loans), and

 

(vii)            in the case of any such Indebtedness in an aggregate initial principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount (other than Customary Bridge Loans), no such Indebtedness shall have any mandatory prepayment or redemption features (other than customary asset sale events, insurance and condemnation proceeds events, change of control offers or events of default and in the case of loans, excess cash flow sweeps) that could result in prepayments or redemptions of such Indebtedness prior to the Maturity Date of any then-existing Class of Loans;

 

(x)            Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Guarantor incurred in respect of the Second Lien Term Loans issued on the Closing Date in an aggregate outstanding principal amount that does not exceed $255,000,000[Reserved];

 

(y)            Indebtedness (including in the form of Capital Leases) of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred in connection with Sale and Lease-Back Transactions permitted pursuant to Section 6.08;

 

(z)            Incremental Equivalent Debt;

 

(aa)    Indebtedness (including obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds or similar instruments with respect to such Indebtedness) incurred by the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business or otherwise consistent with past practice, including in respect of workers compensation claims, unemployment insurance (including premiums related thereto), other types of social security, pension obligations, vacation pay, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance compensation claims;

 

(bb)    Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party pursuant to a working capital or other similar line of credit facility in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed the greater of $15,000,00043,000,000 and 10.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period;

 

156

 

 

(cc)    Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of any letter of credit or bank guarantee issued in favor of any Issuing Bank to support any Defaulting Lender’s participation in Letters of Credit issued hereunder;

 

(dd)    Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary supported by any Letter of Credit or any other letter of credit, bank guaranty or similar instrument otherwise permitted by this Section 6.01;

 

(ee)     unfunded pension fund and other employee benefit plan obligations and liabilities incurred by the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business to the extent that the unfunded amounts would not otherwise cause an Event of Default under Section 7.01(i);

 

(ff)      customer deposits and advance payments received in the ordinary course of business from customers for goods and services purchased in the ordinary course of business;

 

(gg)    without duplication of any other Indebtedness, all premiums (if any), interest (including post-petition interest and payment in kind interest), accretion or amortization of original issue discount, fees, expenses and charges with respect to Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary otherwise permitted hereunder;

 

(hh)    Indebtedness in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed the amount of Restricted Payments permitted under Section 6.04(a)(iii), (a)(vii) and (a)(x) at the time of such incurrence; provided that any such Indebtedness incurred as provided above in lieu of such Restricted Payments shall reduce availability under the applicable Restricted Payment basket under Section 6.04(a);

 

(ii)       Indebtedness incurred for the benefit of joint ventures in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed the greater of $22,000,00064,500,000 and 15.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(jj)      Indebtedness to the seller of any business or assets permitted to be acquired by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary hereunder in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed the greater of $15,000,00043,000,000 and 10.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period; and

 

(kk)     Obligations in respect of Disqualified Capital Stock and preferred equity interests in a liquidation preference in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed the greater of $15,000,00043,000,000 and 10.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period;

 

For the avoidance of doubt and notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the accrual of interest or dividends, the accretion of accreted value, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount and the payment of interest or dividends in the form of additional Indebtedness will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this covenant.

 

157

 

 

Section 6.02      Liens. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or permit or suffer to exist any Lien on or with respect to any property of any kind owned by it securing Indebtedness or other obligations of any Loan Party, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or any income or profits therefrom, except:

 

(a)            Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents securing the Secured Obligations;

 

(b)            Liens for Taxes which are (i) not then due or (ii) being contested in accordance with Section 5.03;

 

(c)            Liens (and rights of set-off) of landlords, banks, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, repairmen, workmen and materialmen, and other Liens imposed by applicable Requirements of Law, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business (i) for amounts not yet overdue by more than 30 days, (ii) for amounts that are overdue by more than 30 days and that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, so long as any reserves or other appropriate provisions required by GAAP have been made for any such contested amounts or (iii) with respect to which the failure to make payment could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(d)            Liens incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business (i) in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security laws and regulations, (ii) to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety, stay, customs and appeal bonds, bids, leases, government contracts, trade contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (including those to secure health, safety and environmental obligations but exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money), (iii) securing or in connection with (x) any liability for reimbursement or indemnification obligations of insurance carriers providing property, casualty, liability or other insurance to Holdings, the Borrower and its subsidiaries or (y) leases or licenses of property otherwise permitted by this Agreement and use and occupancy agreements, utility services and similar transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business and (iv) to secure obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds or similar instruments posted with respect to the items described in clauses (i) through (iii) above;

 

(e)            Liens consisting of easements, rights-of-way, restrictions, encroachments, and other similar encumbrances or minor defects or irregularities in title, in each case which do not, in the aggregate, materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

(f)            Liens consisting of any (i) interest or title of a lessor or sub-lessor under any lease of real estate permitted hereunder, (ii) landlord lien permitted by the terms of any lease, (iii) restriction or encumbrance to which the interest or title of such lessor or sub-lessor may be subject or (iv) subordination of the interest of the lessee or sub-lessee under such lease to any restriction or encumbrance referred to in the preceding clause (iii);

 

(g)            Liens solely on any Cash earnest money or escrow deposits made by the Borrower and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement with respect to any Investment or Disposition permitted hereunder;

 

(h)            Liens or purported Liens evidenced by the filing of UCC financing statements relating solely to (i) operating leases or consignment or bailee arrangements entered into in the ordinary course of business and/or (ii) the sale of accounts receivable in the ordinary course of business (to the extent otherwise permitted herein) for which a UCC financing statement is required;

 

(i)            Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

 

158

 

 

(j)            Liens in connection with any zoning, building or similar Requirement of Law or right reserved to or vested in any Governmental Authority to control or regulate the use of any or dimensions of real property or the structure thereon that does not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, including Liens in connection with any condemnation or eminent domain proceeding or compulsory purchase order;

 

(k)            Liens securing Refinancing Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 6.01(p) (solely with respect to the permitted refinancing of (x) Indebtedness that is secured by Liens permitted pursuant to Section 6.01(a), (i), (j), (m), (n), (q), (u), (w), (x), (y), (z) or (bb) or (y) Indebtedness that is secured in reliance on Section 6.02(u) (without duplication of any amount outstanding thereunder)); provided that (i) no such Lien extends to any asset not covered by the Lien securing the Indebtedness that is being refinanced (it being understood that individual financings of the type permitted under Section 6.01(m) provided by any lender may be cross-collateralized to other financings of such type provided by such lender or its affiliates), (ii) if the Lien securing the Indebtedness being refinanced was subject to intercreditor arrangements, then (A) the Lien securing such Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof shall be subject to intercreditor arrangements that are not materially less favorable to the Secured Parties, taken as a whole, than the intercreditor arrangements governing the Lien securing the Indebtedness that is refinanced or (B) the intercreditor arrangements governing the Lien securing the relevant refinancing Indebtedness shall be set forth in an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement and (iii) if the Indebtedness being refinanced is secured by a Lien on the Collateral, the Lien securing such Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof may be secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is pari passu with or junior to (but not on a more senior basis than) the Lien on the Collateral securing the Indebtedness being refinanced;

 

(l)            Liens existing on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and any modification, replacement, refinancing, renewal or extension thereof; provided that any Lien securing Indebtedness or other obligations in excess of $10,000,000 individually shall only be permitted if set forth on Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) no such Lien extends to any additional property other than (A) after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien or financed by Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01 and (B) proceeds and products thereof, accessions thereto and improvements thereon (it being understood that individual financings of the type permitted under Section 6.01(m) provided by any lender may be cross-collateralized to other financings of such type provided by such lender or its Affiliates) and (ii) any such modification, replacement, refinancing, renewal or extension of the obligations secured or benefited by such Liens, if the same constitute Indebtedness, is permitted by Section 6.01;

 

(m)            Liens arising out of Sale and Lease-Back Transactions permitted under Section 6.08;

 

(n)            Liens securing Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 6.01(m); provided that any such Lien shall encumber only the asset acquired with the proceeds of such Indebtedness and proceeds and products thereof, accessions thereto and improvements thereon (it being understood that individual financings of the type permitted under Section 6.01(m) provided by any lender may be cross-collateralized to other financings of such type provided by such lender or its affiliates);

 

159

 

 

(o)            Liens securing Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 6.01(n) on the relevant acquired assets or on the Capital Stock and assets of the relevant newly acquired Restricted Subsidiary or Liens otherwise existing on property at the time of its acquisition or existing on the property of any Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (including by the designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary); provided that no such Lien (A) extends to or covers any other assets (other than (w) the proceeds or products thereof, accessions or additions thereto and improvements thereon, (x) with respect to such Person, any replacements of such property or assets and additions and accessions thereto, or proceeds and products thereof, (y) after-acquired property to the extent such Indebtedness requires or includes, pursuant to its terms at the time assumed, a pledge of after-acquired property of such Person, and the proceeds and the products thereof and customary security deposits in respect thereof and (z) in the case of multiple financings of equipment provided by any lender or its affiliates, other equipment financed by such lender or its affiliates, it being understood that such requirement shall not be permitted to apply to any property to which such requirement would not have applied but for such acquisition) or (B) was created in contemplation of the applicable acquisition of the Person, assets or Capital Stock;

 

(p)            (i) Liens that are contractual rights of setoff or netting relating to (A) the establishment of depositary relations with banks not granted in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness, (B) pooled deposit or sweep accounts of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (C) purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and (D) commodity trading or other brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii) Liens encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits, (iii) bankers Liens and rights and remedies as to Deposit Accounts, (iv) Liens on the proceeds of any Indebtedness in favor of the holders of such Indebtedness incurred in connection with any transaction permitted hereunder, which proceeds have been deposited into an escrow account on customary terms to secure such Indebtedness pending the application of such proceeds to finance such transaction and (v) Liens consisting of an agreement to dispose of any property in a Disposition permitted under Section 6.07, in each case, solely to the extent such Investment or Disposition, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of the creation of such Lien;

 

(q)            [Reserved];

 

(r)            (i) Liens securing obligations (other than obligations representing Indebtedness for borrowed money) under operating, reciprocal easement or similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) Liens not securing Indebtedness for borrowed money that are granted in the ordinary course of business and customary in the operation of the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(s)            other than any Indebtedness incurred under any Interest Coverage Ratio or any Total Leverage Ratio test, Liens on the Collateral securing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(q) or Section 6.01(w), in each case subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement;

 

(t)             other than any Indebtedness incurred under any Interest Coverage Ratio or any Total Leverage Ratio test, Liens securing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(x) or Section 6.01(z), in each case, subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement; provided that any Lien on the Collateral securing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(x) that is granted in reliance on this clause (t) must be junior to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations;

 

160

 

 

(u)            other Liens on assets securing Indebtedness or other obligations in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $75,000,000215,000,000 and 50.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period; provided that any consensual Lien on the Collateral (but other than in respect of Cash and Cash Equivalents) that is granted in reliance on this clause (u) may, at the election of the Borrower, rank either equal or junior to the Lien on the Collateral securing the Secured Obligations (provided that if secured on an equal priority basis such Liens shall be subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement);

 

(v)            (i) Liens on assets securing judgments, awards, attachments and/or decrees and notices of lis pendens and associated rights relating to litigation being contested in good faith not constituting an Event of Default under Section 7.01(h) and (ii) any pledge and/or deposit securing any settlement of litigation;

 

(w)            (i) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted to others in the ordinary course of business (and other agreements pursuant to which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary has granted rights to end users to access and use the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s products, technologies or services) which do not secure any Indebtedness, and which do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole and (ii) ground leases in respect of real property on which facilities owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries are located;

 

(x)            Liens on Securities that are the subject of repurchase agreements constituting Investments permitted under Section 6.06 arising out of such repurchase transactions and reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts maintained in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

 

(y)            Liens securing obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds or similar instruments permitted under Section 6.01(d), (e), (g), (aa) or (cc);

 

(z)            Liens arising (i) out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of any asset in the ordinary course of business and permitted by this Agreement or (ii) by operation of law under Article 2 of the UCC (or any similar Requirement of Law under any jurisdiction);

 

(aa)    Liens in favor of any Loan securing intercompany Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01;

 

(bb)    Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;

 

(cc)    (i) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and the proceeds thereof securing the relevant Person’s obligations in respect of documentary letters of credit or banker’s acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or goods and (ii) receipt of progress payments and advances from customers in the ordinary course of business to the extent the same creates a Lien on the related inventory and proceeds thereof;

 

161

 

 

(dd)    Liens securing (i) obligations of the type described in Section 6.01(f) and/or (ii) obligations of the type described in Section 6.01(s), subject, if applicable, to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement;

 

(ee)     (i) Liens on Capital Stock of joint ventures or Unrestricted Subsidiaries securing capital contributions to, or obligations of, such Persons and (ii) customary rights of first refusal and tag, drag and similar rights in joint venture agreements and agreements with respect to non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries;

 

(ff)      Liens on Cash or Cash Equivalents arising in connection with the defeasance, discharge or redemption of Indebtedness;

 

(gg)    Liens consisting of the prior rights of consignees and their lenders under consignment arrangements entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(hh)    other Liens on assets securing Indebtedness or other obligations in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding such that after giving effect to the incurrence of such Liens on a Pro Forma Basis, (I) in the case of any Lien on the Collateral that are pari passu to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations, the First Lien Leverage Ratio does not exceed either (x) 5.50:1.00 or (y) in the case of any Permitted Acquisition, Investment or other similar transaction, the First Lien Leverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to such Permitted Acquisition, Investment or other similar transaction and the incurrence of such Liens, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis, (II) in the case of any such Lien on the Collateral that is junior to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations, the Secured Leverage Ratio does not exceed either (x) 7.50:1.00 or (y) in the case of any Permitted Acquisition, Investment or other similar transaction, the Secured Leverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to such Permitted Acquisition, Investment or other similar transaction and the incurrence of such Liens, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis and (III) in the case of any such Liens that are secured by assets that do not constitute Collateral (assuming, for purposes of this clause (III), that such assets constitute Collateral) the Secured Leverage Ratio does not exceed either (x) 7.50:1.00 or (y) in the case of any Permitted Acquisition, Investment or other similar transaction, the Secured Leverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to giving effect to the incurrence of such Permitted Acquisition, Investment or other similar transaction and the incurrence of such Liens, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis;

 

(ii)      Liens on receivables and related assets incurred in connection with Permitted Receivables Financings;

 

(jj)      Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-208 or 4-210 of the UCC on the items in the course of collection;

 

(kk)   security given to a public utility or any municipality or governmental authority when required by such utility or authority in connection with the operations of such Person in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(ll)      Liens on assets securing Indebtedness or other obligations in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed the amount of Restricted Payments permitted under Section 6.04(a)(iii), (a)(vii) and (a)(x) at the time of the creation of such Liens; provided that any such Liens created as provided above in lieu of such Restricted Payments shall reduce availability under the applicable Restricted Payment basket under Section 6.04(a).

 

162

 

 

Section 6.03      [Reserved].

 

Section 6.04      Restricted Payments; Restricted Debt Payments.

 

(a)            The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except that:

 

(i)            the Borrower may make Restricted Payments to the extent necessary to permit any Parent Company:

 

(A)            to pay general administrative costs and expenses (including corporate overhead, legal or similar expenses and customary salary, bonus and other benefits payable to any director, officer, employee, member of management, manager and/or consultant of any Parent Company) and franchise Taxes and similar fees and expenses required to maintain the organizational existence of such Parent Company, in each case, to the extent attributable to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (and Unrestricted Subsidiaries, to the extent (x) of Cash received from the applicable Unrestricted Subsidiary for payment thereof by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or (y) the applicable payment is treated by the Borrower or its applicable Restricted Subsidiary as an Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary and is permitted under Section 6.06) and which are reasonable and customary and incurred in the ordinary course of business, plus any reasonable and customary indemnification claim made by any director, officer, member of management, manager, employee and/or consultant of any Parent Company, in each case, to the extent attributable to the ownership or operations of any Parent Company and/or its subsidiaries (but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the portion of any such amount, if any, that is attributable to the ownership or operations of any subsidiary of any Parent Company other than the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries);

 

(B)            for any taxable period (or portion thereof) in which the Borrower and/or any of its Subsidiaries is a member of a consolidated, combined, unitary or similar U.S. federal, state, local and/or foreign income or similar tax group (a “Tax Group”) whose common parent is a direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, distributions to any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower to pay such U.S. federal, state, local and/or foreign Taxes of such Tax Group that are attributable to the taxable income, revenue, receipts, gross receipts, gross profits, capital or margin of the Borrower and/or its applicable Subsidiaries; provided that the total amount of any distributions or payments made pursuant to this clause (B) for any taxable period (or portion thereof) shall not exceed the amount that the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries would be required to pay in respect of U.S. federal, state, local and/or foreign Taxes for such period as if the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries were members of a separate Tax Group; provided, further that the permitted payment pursuant to this clause (B) with respect to any Taxes of any Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be limited to the amount actually paid with respect to such period by such Unrestricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(C)            to pay audit and other accounting and reporting expenses of such Parent Company to the extent such expenses are attributable to any Parent Company and/or its subsidiaries, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the portion of any such expenses, if any, that is attributable to the ownership or operations of any subsidiary of any Parent Company other than the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries;

 

(D)            to pay any insurance premium that is payable by, or attributable to, any Parent Company and/or its subsidiaries, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the portion of any such premium, if any, that is attributable to the ownership or operations of any subsidiary of any Parent Company other than the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries;

 

163

 

 

 

(E)            to pay (x) fees and expenses related to any debt and/or equity offering, investment and/or acquisition (whether or not consummated) to the extent such fees and expenses are attributable to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (and Unrestricted Subsidiaries, to the extent (I) of Cash received from the applicable Unrestricted Subsidiary for payment thereof by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or (II) the applicable payment is treated by the Borrower or its applicable Restricted Subsidiary as an Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary and is permitted under Section 6.06) and (y) after the consummation of a Qualifying IPO or the issuance of public debt Securities, Public Company Costs;

 

(F)            to finance any Investment permitted under Section 6.06 or Restricted Investment permitted under this Section 6.04 (provided that (x) any Restricted Payment under this clause (a)(i)(F) shall be made substantially concurrently with the closing of such Investment and (y) the relevant Parent Company shall, promptly following the closing thereof, cause (I) all property acquired to be contributed to the Borrower or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or (II) the merger, consolidation or amalgamation of the Person formed or acquired into the Borrower or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in order to consummate such Investment in compliance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.06 as if undertaken as a direct Investment by the Borrower or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary); and

 

(G)            to pay customary salary, bonus, severance and other benefits payable to current or former directors, officers, members of management, managers, employees or consultants of any Parent Company (or any Immediate Family Member of any of the foregoing) to the extent such salary, bonuses and other benefits are attributable and reasonably allocated to the operations of the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries, in each case, so long as such Parent Company applies the amount of any such Restricted Payment for such purpose;

 

(ii)        the Borrower may pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow any Parent Company to pay) to repurchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire or retire for value the Capital Stock of any Parent Company or any subsidiary held by any future, present or former employee, director, member of management, officer, manager or consultant (or any Affiliate or Immediate Family Member thereof) of any Parent Company, the Borrower or any subsidiary of any of the foregoing (or any options, warrants, restricted stock units or stock appreciation rights or other equity-linked interests issued with respect to any of such Capital Stock):

 

(A)           with Cash and Cash Equivalents (and including, to the extent constituting a Restricted Payment, amounts paid in respect of Indebtedness issued to evidence any obligation to repurchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire or retire for value the Capital Stock of any Parent Company or any subsidiary held by any future, present or former employee, director, member of management, officer, manager or consultant (or any Affiliate or Immediate Family Member thereof) of any Parent Company, the Borrower or any subsidiary of any of the foregoing) in an amount not to exceed the greater of $15,000,00043,000,000 and 10.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period (following the consummation of a Qualifying IPO, increasing to the greater of $30,000,00086,000,000 and 20.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period) in any Fiscal Year, which, if not used in such Fiscal Year, may be carried forward to the next two succeeding Fiscal Years;

 

164

 

 

(B)            with the proceeds of any sale or issuance of the Capital Stock of the Borrower or any Parent Company (to the extent such proceeds are contributed in respect of Qualified Capital Stock to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and are not used to build the Available Amount, are not an Available Excluded Contribution Amount and are not a Cure Amount); or

 

(C)            with the net proceeds of any key-man life insurance policy;

 

(iii)       the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments in an amount not to exceed (A) the portion, if any, of the Available Amount on such date that the Borrower elects to apply to this clause (iii)(A); provided that the portions of the Available Amount that are attributable to clause (a)(ii) of the definition of “Available Amount” shall not be available for any Restricted Payment pursuant to this clause (iii)(A) unless no Specified Event of Default then exists and/or (B) the portion, if any, of the Available Excluded Contribution Amount on such date that the Borrower elects to apply to this clause (iii)(B);

 

(iv)       the Borrower may make Restricted Payments (A) to any Parent Company to enable such Parent Company to make Cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares in connection with any dividend, split or combination thereof or any Permitted Acquisition (or other similar transaction) or the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock of such Parent Company and (B) consisting of (1) repurchases of Capital Stock in connection with the exercise of stock options or the vesting or settlement of other equity-based awards and (2) payments made or expected to be made in respect of withholding or similar Taxes payable by any future, present or former officer, director, employee, member of management, manager and/or consultant of the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or any Parent Company or any of their respective Immediate Family Members in connection with repurchases described in clause (1) (for the avoidance of doubt, any such payments to a Parent Company of which the Borrower is not a subsidiary shall only be permitted to the extent the event giving rise to such payment is attributable to the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries);

 

(v)        the Borrower may repurchase (or make Restricted Payments to any Parent Company to enable it to repurchase) Capital Stock upon the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock if such Capital Stock represents all or a portion of the exercise price of such warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock as part of a “cashless” exercise or required withholding or similar Taxes (for the avoidance of doubt, any such payments to a Parent Company of which the Borrower is not a subsidiary shall only be permitted to the extent the event giving rise to such payment is attributable to the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries);

 

(vi)       the Borrower may make Restricted Payments, the proceeds of which are applied (i) on the Closing Date, solely to effect the consummation of the Transactions and (ii) on and after the Closing Date, to satisfy any payment obligations owing under (or otherwise contemplated by) the Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the Closing Date (including in each case, without limitation, (A) cash payments to holders of Capital Stock as provided by the Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the Closing Date, (B) cash payments to holders of Restricted Cash Awards upon vesting, (C) Restricted Payments (x) to direct and indirect parent companies of the Borrower to finance a portion of the consideration for the Acquisition and (y) to holders of Capital Stock of the Target (immediately prior to giving effect to the Acquisition) or of the target company of any Permitted Acquisition (immediately prior to giving effect to such Permitted Acquisition), in each case, in connection with, or as a result of, their exercise of appraisal rights and the settlement of any claims or actions (whether actual, contingent or potential) with respect thereto, in each case, with respect to the Transactions or such Permitted Acquisition, as applicable, and (D) other payments with respect to working capital adjustments or otherwise, to the extent contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the Closing Date);[reserved];

 

165

 

 

(vii)     so long as no Specified Event of Default exists on the date of declaration thereof, following the consummation of the first Qualifying IPO by the Borrower or a Parent Company, the Borrower may (or may make Restricted Payments to such Parent Company to enable it to) make Restricted Payments in an amount in any Fiscal Year not to exceed an amount equal to the sum of (A) 6.00% of the net Cash proceeds received by or contributed to the Borrower from any Qualifying IPO plus (B) 7.00% of the market capitalization of the Person issuing common Capital Stock in such Qualifying IPO at the time of such Qualifying IPO;

 

(viii)     the Borrower may make Restricted Payments to (i) redeem, repurchase, retire or otherwise acquire any (A) Capital Stock (“Treasury Capital Stock”) of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary or (B) Capital Stock of any Parent Company, in the case of each of subclauses (A) and (B), in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary) of, Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower or any Parent Company to the extent any such proceeds are contributed to the capital of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of Qualified Capital Stock (“Refunding Capital Stock”) and (ii) declare and pay dividends on any Treasury Capital Stock out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary) of any Refunding Capital Stock;

 

(ix)       to the extent constituting a Restricted Payment, the Borrower may consummate any transaction permitted by Section 6.06 (other than Sections 6.06(j) and (t)), Section 6.07 (other than Section 6.07(g)) and Section 6.09 (other than Section 6.09(d));

 

(x)        so long as no Event of Default is continuing at the time of the declaration thereof, the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of $45,000,000129,000,000 and 30.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period minus the amount of Restricted Debt Payments made in reliance on Section 6.04(b)(iv)(B);

 

(xi)       the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments so long as (A) the Total Leverage Ratio, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis at the time of the declaration thereof, would not exceed 6.00:1.00 and (B) no Specified Event of Default is continuing at the time of the declaration thereof;

 

(xii)      the distribution, by dividend or otherwise, of shares of Capital Stock of, or Indebtedness owed to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary by, Unrestricted Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries, the primary assets of which are Cash and cash equivalents);

 

(xiii)     payments or distributions to satisfy dissenters’ or appraisal rights, pursuant to or in connection with a consolidation, amalgamation, merger or transfer of assets that complies with Section 6.07;

 

(xiv)     the Borrower may make Restricted Payments constituting fixed dividend payments in respect of Disqualified Capital Stock, and to the extent such Disqualified Capital Stock constitutes Indebtedness, such Disqualified Capital Stock was incurred in compliance with Section 6.01 and such Restricted Payments are included in the calculation of Consolidated Interest Expense; and

 

166

 

 

(xv)      each Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that in the case of any such Restricted Payment by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Wholly OwnedWholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower, such Restricted Payment is made to the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary and to each other owner of Capital Stock of such Person based on their relative ownership interests of the relevant class of Capital Stock (or only to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary and not to such other owner of Capital Stock).

 

(b)            The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, make any payment in Cash on or in respect of principal of or interest on any Restricted Junior Indebtedness, including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Restricted Junior Indebtedness more than one year prior to the scheduled maturity date thereof (collectively, “Restricted Debt Payments”), except:

 

(i)         with respect to any purchase, defeasance, redemption, repurchase, repayment or other acquisition or retirement thereof made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of, Refinancing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01 or any refinancing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(x);

 

(ii)        as part of an applicable high yield discount obligation catch-up payment;

 

(iii)       payments of regularly scheduled interest and payments of fees, expenses and indemnification obligations as and when due;

 

(iv)       so long as, at the time of delivery of an irrevocable notice with respect thereto, no Event of Default exists or would result therefrom, additional Restricted Debt Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed:

 

(A)           the greater of $45,000,000129,000,000 and 30.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period minus the amount of Investments made in reliance on Section 6.06(q)(ii); plus

 

(B)            the greater of $45,000,000129,000,000 and 30.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period minus the amount of Restricted Payments made in reliance on Section 6.04(a)(x);

 

(v)        (A) Restricted Debt Payments in exchange for, or with proceeds of any issuance of, Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower and/or any capital contribution in respect of Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (in each case, other than to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary), (B) Restricted Debt Payments as a result of the conversion of all or any portion of any Restricted Junior Indebtedness into Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower and (C) to the extent constituting a Restricted Debt Payment, payment-in-kind interest with respect to any Restricted Junior Indebtedness that is permitted under Section 6.01;

 

(vi)       Restricted Debt Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed (A) the portion, if any, of the Available Amount on such date that the Borrower elects to apply to this clause (vi)(A); provided that the portions of the Available Amount that are attributable to clause (a)(ii) of the definition of “Available Amount” shall not be available for any Restricted Debt Payment pursuant to this clause (vi)(A) unless no Specified Event of Default then exists and/or (B) the portion, if any, of the Available Excluded Contribution Amount on such date that the Borrower elects to apply to this clause (vi)(B);

 

167

 

 

(vii)     additional Restricted Debt Payments; provided that at the time of delivery of an irrevocable notice with respect thereto, (A) the Total Leverage Ratio, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis would not exceed 6.75:1.00 and (B) no Specified Event of Default then exists or would result therefrom;

 

(viii)     Restricted Debt Payments with respect to Restricted Junior Indebtedness assumed pursuant to Section 6.01(n) (other than such Restricted Junior Indebtedness incurred (x) to provide all or any portion of the funds utilized to consummate the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was otherwise acquired by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or (y) otherwise in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), so long as such Restricted Debt Payment is made or deposited with a trustee or other similar representative of the holders of such Restricted Junior Indebtedness contemporaneously with, or substantially simultaneously with, the closing of the transaction under which such Restricted Junior Indebtedness is assumed;

 

(ix)       Restricted Debt Payments in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the amount of Restricted Payments permitted under Section 6.04(a)(iii) and (a)(vii) at the time such Restricted Debt Payments are made; provided that any such Restricted Debt Payments made as provided above in lieu of such Restricted Payments shall reduce availability under the applicable Restricted Payment basket under Section 6.04(a); and

 

(x)        Any mandatory redemption, repurchase, retirement, termination or cancellation of Disqualified Capital Stock (to the extent treated as Indebtedness outstanding and/or incurred in compliance with Section 6.01).

 

Section 6.05            Burdensome Agreements. Except as provided herein or in any other Loan Document, the Second Lien Credit Agreement, any document with respect to any Second Lien Incremental Debt and/or in any agreement with respect to any refinancing, renewal or replacement of such Indebtedness that is permitted by Section 6.01, the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into or cause to exist any agreement restricting the ability of (x) any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower to pay dividends or other distributions to the Borrower or any Loan Party, (y) any Restricted Subsidiary to make cash loans or advances to the Borrower or any Loan Party or (z) any Loan Party to create, permit or grant a Lien on any of its properties or assets to secure the Secured Obligations, except restrictions:

 

(a)            set forth in any agreement evidencing or governing (i) Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party permitted by Section 6.01, (ii) Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01 that is secured by a Permitted Lien if the relevant restriction applies only to the Person obligated under such Indebtedness and its Restricted Subsidiaries or the assets intended to secure such Indebtedness, (iii) Indebtedness permitted pursuant to clauses (m), (p) (as it relates to Indebtedness in respect of clauses (a), (m), (q), (r), (u), (w), (y) and/or (bb) of Section 6.01), (q), (r), (u), (w), (y) and/or (bb) of Section 6.01 and (iv) any Permitted Receivables Financing solely with respect to the assets subject to such Permitted Receivables Financing;

 

(b)            arising under customary provisions restricting assignments, subletting or other transfers (including the granting of any Lien) contained in leases, subleases, licenses, sublicenses, joint venture agreements and other agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

168

 

 

(c)            that are or were created by virtue of any Lien granted upon, transfer of, agreement to transfer or grant of, any option or right with respect to any assets or Capital Stock not otherwise prohibited under this Agreement;

 

(d)            that are assumed in connection with any acquisition of property or the Capital Stock of any Person, so long as the relevant encumbrance or restriction relates solely to the Person and its subsidiaries (including the Capital Stock of the relevant Person or Persons) and/or property so acquired and was not created in connection with or in anticipation of such acquisition;

 

(e)            set forth in any agreement for any Disposition of any Restricted Subsidiary (or all or substantially all of the assets thereof) that restricts the payment of dividends or other distributions or the making of cash loans or advances by such Restricted Subsidiary pending such Disposition;

 

(f)             set forth in provisions in agreements or instruments which prohibit the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions with respect to any class of Capital Stock of a Person other than on a pro rata basis;

 

(g)            imposed by customary provisions in partnership agreements, limited liability company organizational governance documents, joint venture agreements and other similar agreements;

 

(h)            on Cash, other deposits or net worth or similar restrictions imposed by any Person under any contract entered into in the ordinary course of business or for whose benefit such Cash, other deposits or net worth or similar restrictions exist;

 

(i)             set forth in documents which existed on the Original Closing Date and were not created in contemplation thereof;

 

(j)             arising pursuant to an agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness permitted to be incurred after the Original Closing Date if the relevant restrictions, taken as a whole, are not materially less favorable to the Lenders than the restrictions contained in this Agreement, taken as a whole (as determined in good faith by the Borrower);

 

(k)            arising under or as a result of applicable Requirements of Law or the terms of any license, authorization, concession or permit;

 

(l)             arising in any Hedge Agreement and/or any agreement relating to Banking Services;

 

        (m)            relating to any asset (or all of the assets) of and/or the Capital Stock of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary which is imposed pursuant to an agreement entered into in connection with any Disposition of such asset (or assets) and/or all or a portion of the Capital Stock of the relevant Person that is permitted or not restricted by this Agreement;

 

(n)            set forth in any agreement relating to any Permitted Lien that limits the right of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to Dispose of or encumber the assets subject thereto; and/or

 

(o)            imposed by any amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing of any contract, instrument or obligation referred to in clauses (a) through (n) above; provided that no such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing is, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, more restrictive with respect to such restrictions, taken as a whole, than those in existence prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing.

 

169

 

 

Section 6.06            Investments. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make or own any Investment in any other Person except Restricted Investments permitted under Section 6.04(a) or (each of the following exceptions, the “Permitted Investments”):

 

(a)             Cash or Investments that were Cash Equivalents at the time made;

 

(b)            (i) Investments existing on the Original Closing Date in the Borrower or in any Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) Investments made after the Original Closing Date among the Borrower and/or one or more Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the aggregate amount of such investments by the Loan Parties in Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties shall not at any time outstanding exceed (without duplication, net of the outstanding amount of any Investment made in such Subsidiaries that become Loan Parties at or after the time such Investment was made) the greater of $50,000,000150,500,000 and 35.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(c)             Investments (i) constituting deposits, prepayments, trade credit and/or other credits to suppliers, (ii) made in connection with obtaining, maintaining or renewing client and customer contracts and/or (iii) in the form of advances made to distributors, suppliers, licensors and licensees, in each case, in the ordinary course of business or, in the case of clause (iii), to the extent necessary to maintain the ordinary course of supplies to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(d)             Investments in joint ventures and Unrestricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding amount not to exceed the greater of $50,000,000150,500,000 and 35.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(e)             Permitted Acquisitions;

 

(f)             Investments (i) existing on, or contractually committed to or contemplated as of, the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and described on Schedule 6.06 and (ii) any modification, replacement, renewal or extension of any Investment described in clause (i) above so long as no such modification, renewal or extension increases the amount of such Investment except by the terms thereof in effect on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date or as otherwise permitted by this Section 6.06;

 

(g)             Investments received in lieu of Cash in connection with any Disposition permitted by Section 6.07;

 

(h)             loans or advances to present or former employees, directors, members of management, officers, managers or consultants or independent contractors (or their respective Immediate Family Members) of any Parent Company, the Borrower, its subsidiaries and/or any joint venture (i) to the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, in connection with such Person’s purchase of Capital Stock of any Parent Company, so long as any cash proceeds of such loan or advance are substantially contemporaneously contributed to the Borrower for the purchase of such Capital Stock, (ii) for reasonable and customary business-related travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes and (iii) for purposes not described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii); provided that the aggregate principal amount of loans or advances made in reliance on this clause (iii) at any one time outstanding shall not exceed the greater of $5,000,00012,900,000 and 3.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period;

 

170

 

 

(i)             Investments (i) made in the ordinary course of business in connection with obtaining, maintaining or renewing client contacts and loans or advances made to distributors in the ordinary course of business or (ii) consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business;

 

(j)             Investments consisting of (or resulting from) Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01 (other than Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(b) or (h)), Permitted Liens, Restricted Payments (other than Restricted Investments) permitted under Section 6.04 (other than Section 6.04(a)(ix)), Restricted Debt Payments permitted by Section 6.04 and mergers, consolidations, amalgamations, liquidations, windings up, dissolutions or Dispositions permitted by Section 6.07 (other than Section 6.07(a), Section 6.07(b), Section 6.07(c)(ii) (if made in reliance on clause (B) therein) and Section 6.07(g));

 

(k)            Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of endorsements for collection or deposit and customary trade arrangements with customers;

 

(l)             Investments (including debt obligations and Capital Stock) received (i) in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of any Person, (ii) in settlement of delinquent obligations of, or other disputes with, customers, suppliers and other account debtors arising in the ordinary course of business, (iii) upon foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment and/or (iv) as a result of the settlement, compromise, resolution of litigation, arbitration or other disputes;

 

(m)            loans and advances of payroll payments or other compensation (including deferred compensation) to present or former employees, directors, members of management, officers, managers or consultants of any Parent Company (to the extent such payments or other compensation relate to services provided to such Parent Company (but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the portion of any such amount, if any, attributable to the ownership or operations of any subsidiary of any Parent Company other than the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries)), the Borrower and/or any subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

(n)            Investments to the extent that payment therefor is made solely with Capital Stock of any Parent Company or Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower, in each case, to the extent not resulting in a Change of Control;

 

(o)            (i) Investments of any Restricted Subsidiary that is acquired after the Original Closing Date, or of any Person merged into or consolidated or amalgamated with, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Original Closing Date, in each case as part of an Investment otherwise permitted by this Section 6.06 to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger, amalgamation or consolidation and were in existence on the date of the relevant acquisition, merger, amalgamation or consolidation and (ii) any modification, replacement, renewal or extension of any Investment permitted under clause (i) of this Section 6.06(o) so long as no such modification, replacement, renewal or extension thereof increases the amount of such Investment except as otherwise permitted by this Section 6.06;

 

171

 

 

(p)            Investments made in connection with the Transactions[reserved];

 

(q)            Investments made after the Original Closing Date by the Borrower and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding not to exceed:

 

(i)       the greater of $60,000,000172,000,000 and 40.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period, plus

 

(ii)      the greater of $45,000,000129,000,000 and 30.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period minus the amount of Restricted Debt Payments made in reliance on Section 6.04(b)(iv)(A), plus

 

(iii)     in the event that (A) the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries makes any Investment after the Original Closing Date in any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary and (B) such Person subsequently becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, at the election of the Borrower, an amount equal to 100.0% of the fair market value (as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower) of such Investment as of the date on which such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the Borrower elects to apply the fair market value of any such Investment (other than any Investment made pursuant to clause (q)(i) or (ii)) in the manner described above in order to increase availability under this clause (q), then such fair market value, and such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, shall not increase the Available Amount or reduce the amount of outstanding Investments under the provision pursuant to which such Investment was initially made;

 

(r)             Investments made after the Original Closing Date by the Borrower and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding amount not to exceed (i) the portion, if any, of the Available Amount on such date that the Borrower elects to apply to this clause (r)(i) and/or (ii) the portion, if any, of the Available Excluded Contribution Amount on such date that the Borrower elects to apply to this clause (r)(ii);

 

(s)            to the extent constituting Investments, (i) Guarantees of leases (other than Capital Leases) or of other obligations not constituting Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) Guarantees of the lease obligations of suppliers, customers, franchisees and licensees of the Borrower and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

 

(t)             Investments in any Parent Company in amounts and for purposes for which Restricted Payments to such Parent Company are permitted under Section 6.04(a); provided that any Investment made as provided above in lieu of any such Restricted Payment shall reduce availability under the applicable Restricted Payment basket under Section 6.04(a);

 

(u)            Investments in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the amount of Restricted Debt Payments permitted under Section 6.04(b)(iv), (vi) and (vii) at the time such Investments are made; provided that any such Investments made as provided above in lieu of such Restricted Debt Payments shall reduce availability under the applicable Restricted Debt Payment basket under Section 6.04(b);

 

172

 

 

(v)            Investments in subsidiaries of the Borrower in connection with internal reorganizations and/or restructurings and activities related to tax planning; provided that, after giving effect to any such reorganization, restructuring or activity, neither the Guarantees under the Loan Guaranty, taken as a whole, nor the security interest of the Administrative Agent in (or the value of) the Collateral, taken as a whole, is materially impaired;

 

(w)            Investments arising under or in connection with any Derivative Transaction of the type permitted under Section 6.01(s);

 

(x)             Investments consisting of the licensing of Trademarks or other works of authorship for the purpose of joint marketing arrangements with other Persons;

 

(y)            (i) intercompany Investments by the Borrower and any Loan Party in any non-Loan Party so long as such investments (x) are part of a series of transactions that results in the proceeds of the intercompany Investments ultimately being invested in (or distributed to) the Borrower or any subsidiary that is a Loan Party or (y) consist of intercompany loans, advances, or Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any rollover or extension of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business;

 

(ii)      Investments by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party consisting of the contribution of Eequity Iinterests of any other Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party so long as the Eequity Iinterests of the transferee Restricted Subsidiary is pledged to secure the Obligations; and

 

(iii)     Investments in a non-Loan Party constituting either (i) an exchange of Eequity Iinterests of such Restricted Subsidiary for Indebtedness of such Subsidiary or (ii) constituting Guarantees of Indebtedness or other monetary obligations of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties owing to any Loan Party;

 

(z)            (i) unfunded pension fund and other employee benefit plan obligations and liabilities to the extent that the same are permitted to remain unfunded under applicable Requirements of Law and (ii) Investments made in connection with the funding of contributions under any non-qualified retirement plan or similar employee compensation plan in an amount not to exceed the amount of compensation expense recognized by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such plans;

 

(aa)           Investments in Holdings, the Borrower, any subsidiary and/or any joint venture in connection with intercompany cash management arrangements and related activities and/or customary buy/sell arrangements between the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture agreements and similar binding arrangements, in each case, entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(bb)          additional Investments so long as, after giving effect thereto on a Pro Forma Basis, the Total Leverage Ratio does not exceed 7.50:1.00;

 

(cc)          any Investment made by any Unrestricted Subsidiary prior to the date on which such Unrestricted Subsidiary is designated as a Restricted Subsidiary so long as the relevant Investment was not made in contemplation of the designation of such Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

173

 

 

(dd)         Investments in Similar Businesses in an aggregate outstanding amount not to exceed the greater of $23,000,00064,500,000 and 15.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(ee)          Investments in subsidiaries in the form of receivables and related assets required in connection with a Permitted Receivables Financing;

 

(ff)           contributions to a “rabbi” trust for the benefit of employees, directors, consultants, independent contractors or other service providers or other grantor trusts subject to claims of creditors in the case of a bankruptcy of the Borrower; and

 

(gg)         to the extent that they constitute Investments, purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, materials or equipment or purchases, acquisitions, licenses or leases of other assets, intellectual property or other rights or the contribution of IP Rights pursuant to joint marketing arrangements, in each case in the ordinary course of business.

 

Section 6.07           Fundamental Changes; Disposition of Assets. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any transaction of merger, consolidation or amalgamation, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve themselves (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution), or make any Disposition of any assets having a fair market value (as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower) in excess of $10,000,000 in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, except:

 

(a)            any Restricted Subsidiary may be merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into any other Restricted Subsidiary, and the Borrower may be merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into any other Person (including any Restricted Subsidiary); provided that (i) the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person or (ii) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger, consolidation or amalgamation is not the Borrower (any such Person, the “Successor Borrower”), (w) the Successor Borrower shall be an entity organized or existing under the laws of the US, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (x) the Successor Borrower shall expressly assume the Obligations of the Borrower in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (y) the Administrative Agent shall have a security interest in the Collateral for the benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to the Collateral Documents that is perfected to at least the same extent as in effect immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or amalgamation and all actions reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to maintain such perfected status have been or will promptly be taken (subject to the terms of the applicable Loan Documents), and (z) except as the Administrative Agent may otherwise agree, each Guarantor, unless it is the other party to such merger, consolidation or amalgamation, shall have executed and delivered a reaffirmation agreement with respect to its obligations under the Loan Guaranty and the other Loan Documents; it being understood and agreed that if the foregoing conditions under clauses (w) through (z) are satisfied, the Successor Borrower will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;

 

(b)            Dispositions (including of Capital Stock issued by any Restricted Subsidiary) among the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise);

 

(c)            (i) the liquidation or dissolution of any Restricted Subsidiary if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders, and the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary receives any assets of the relevant dissolved or liquidated Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) any merger, amalgamation, dissolution, liquidation or consolidation, the purpose of which is to effect (A) any Disposition otherwise permitted under this Section 6.07 (other than Section 6.07(a) or (b) or this Section 6.07(c)) or (B) any Investment permitted under Section 6.06; and (iii) the conversion of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary into another form of entity (and solely with respect to the Borrower, organized in the US, any state thereof or the District of Columbia), so long as such conversion does not adversely affect the value of the Guarantees under the Loan Guaranty or the Collateral, taken as a whole;

 

174

 

 

(d)            (i) Dispositions of inventory or other assets in the ordinary course of business (including on an intercompany basis among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries) and (ii) the leasing or subleasing of real property in the ordinary course of business;

 

(e)            Dispositions of surplus, obsolete, used or worn out property or other property that, in the reasonable judgment of the Borrower, is (i) no longer useful in its business (or in the business of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower) or (ii) otherwise economically impracticable to maintain;

 

(f)             Dispositions of Cash and/or Cash Equivalents and/or other assets that were Cash Equivalents when the relevant original Investment was made;

 

(g)            Dispositions, mergers, amalgamations, consolidations or conveyances that constitute (w) Investments permitted pursuant to Section 6.06 (other than Section 6.06(j)), (x) Permitted Liens, (y) Restricted Payments permitted by Section 6.04(a) (other than Section 6.04(a)(ix)) or (z) Sale and Lease-Back Transactions permitted by Section 6.08;

 

(h)            Dispositions for fair market value; provided that with respect to any such Disposition with a purchase price in excess of the greater of $15,000,00043,000,000 and 10.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period, either (A) at least 75% of the consideration for all Dispositions consummated pursuant to this Section 6.07(h) since the Original Closing Date shall consist of Cash or Cash Equivalents or (B) at least 50% of the consideration for all Dispositions consummated pursuant to this Section 6.07(h) since the Original Closing Date shall consist of Cash or Cash Equivalents (provided that for purposes of the 75% or 50% Cash consideration requirement, as applicable, (w) the greater of the principal amount and carrying value of any liabilities (as reflected on the most recent balance sheet of the Borrower (or a Parent Company) provided hereunder or in the footnotes thereto), or if incurred, accrued or increased subsequent to the date of such balance sheet, such liabilities that would have been reflected on the balance sheet of the Borrower (or Parent Company) or in the footnotes thereto if such incurrence, accrual or increase had taken place on or prior to the date of such balance sheet, as determined in good faith by the Borrower) of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Obligations, that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets (or are otherwise extinguished in connection with the transactions relating to such Disposition) pursuant to a written agreement which releases the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from such liabilities, (x) the amount of any trade-in value applied to the purchase price of any replacement assets acquired in connection with such Disposition, (y) any Securities received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from the transferee that are converted by such Person into Cash or Cash Equivalents (to the extent of the Cash or Cash Equivalents received) within 180 days following the closing of the applicable Disposition and (z) any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received in respect of such Disposition having an aggregate fair market value (as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower), taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (z) and Section 6.08(b) that is at that time outstanding, not in excess of the greater of $30,000,00086,000,000 and 20.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period, in each case, shall be deemed to be Cash; provided, further, that (i) the Net Proceeds of such Disposition shall be applied and/or reinvested as (and to the extent) required by Section 2.11(b)(ii) and (ii) for purposes of calculating the amount of prepayments required under Section 2.11(b)(ii) with the Net Proceeds of Dispositions consummated pursuant to clause (B) of this Section 6.07(h), the Borrower shall not be entitled to deduct from the calculation of such Net Proceeds any amounts reinvested in the business of the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries);

 

175

 

 

(i)             to the extent that (i) the relevant property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of the relevant Disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;

 

(j)             Dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to, buy/sell arrangements between joint venture or similar parties set forth in the relevant joint venture arrangements and/or similar binding arrangements;

 

(k)            Dispositions of (i) accounts receivable in the ordinary course of business (including any discount and/or forgiveness thereof and sales to factors or similar third parties) or in connection with the collection or compromise thereof and (ii) receivables and related assets pursuant to any Permitted Receivables Financing;

 

(l)             Dispositions and/or terminations of leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses (including the provision of software under any open source license), (i) the Disposition or termination of which will not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries or (ii) which relate to closed facilities or the discontinuation of any product or business line;

 

(m)            (i) any termination of any lease in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any expiration of any option agreement in respect of real or personal property and (iii) any surrender or waiver of contractual rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contractual rights or litigation claims (including in tort) in the ordinary course of business;

 

(n)            Dispositions of property subject to foreclosure, casualty, eminent domain or condemnation proceedings (including in lieu thereof or any similar proceeding);

 

(o)            Dispositions or consignments of equipment, inventory or other assets (including leasehold interests in real property) with respect to facilities that are temporarily not in use, held for sale or closed (or otherwise in connection with the closing or sale of any facility);

 

(p)            to the extent otherwise restricted by this Section 6.07, the consummation of the Transactions (including the Target Merger)[reserved];

 

(q)            Dispositions of non-core assets and sales of Real Estate Assets acquired in any acquisition permitted hereunder which the Borrower determines in good faith will not be used or useful for the continued operation of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses;

 

(r)            exchanges or swaps, including, without limitation, transactions covered by Section 1031 of the Code (or any comparable provision of any foreign jurisdiction), of assets so long as any such exchange or swap is made for fair value (as reasonably determined by the Borrower) for like assets; provided that upon the consummation of any such exchange or swap by any Loan Party, to the extent the assets received do not constitute Excluded Assets, the Administrative Agent has a perfected Lien with the same priority as the Lien held on the Real Estate Assets so exchanged or swapped;

 

176

 

 

(s)            Dispositions of assets that do not constitute Collateral for fair market value;

 

(t)            (i) licensing and cross-licensing arrangements involving any technology, intellectual property or other IP Rights of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and (ii) Dispositions, abandonments, cancellations or lapses of IP Rights, or issuance or registration, or applications for issuance or registration, of IP Rights, which, in the reasonable good faith determination of the Borrower, are not material to the conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, or are no longer economical to maintain in light of its use;

 

(u)            terminations or unwinds of Derivative Transactions;

 

(v)            Dispositions of Capital Stock of, or sales of Indebtedness or other Securities of, Unrestricted Subsidiaries;

 

(w)            Dispositions of Real Estate Assets and related assets in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries in connection with relocation activities for directors, officers, employees, members of management, managers or consultants of any Parent Company, the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(x)            Dispositions made to comply with any order of any Governmental Authority or any applicable Requirement of Law (including, without limitation, the Dispositions of any assets (including Capital Stock) made to obtain the approval of any applicable antitrust authority in connection with a Permitted Acquisition);

 

(y)            any merger, consolidation, Disposition or conveyance the sole purpose of which is to reincorporate or reorganize (i) any Domestic Subsidiary in the US, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and/or (ii) any Foreign Subsidiary in the US or any other jurisdiction;

 

(z)            any sale of motor vehicles and information technology equipment purchased at the end of an operating lease and resold thereafter;

 

(aa)          other Dispositions involving assets having a fair market value (as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower at the time of the relevant Disposition) of not more than the greater of $23,000,00064,500,000 and 15.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period; and

 

(bb)         Dispositions contemplated on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date and described on Schedule 6.07 hereto.

 

To the extent that any Collateral is Disposed of as expressly permitted by this Section 6.07 to any Person other than a Loan Party, such Collateral shall be sold free and clear of the Liens created by the Loan Documents, which Liens shall be automatically released upon the consummation of such Disposition; it being understood and agreed that the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to take, and shall take, any actions reasonably requested by the Borrower (including, without limitation, any full or partial release or subordination of any Lien granted pursuant to the terms of this Agreement) in order to effect the foregoing in accordance with Article VIII hereof.

 

177

 

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any Disposition of, or any Investment in the form of, any assets (including intellectual property or IP Rights) to any Unrestricted Subsidiary, unless such Disposition or Investment is on an arm’s length basis and for fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors or a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

 

Section 6.08           Sale and Lease-Back Transactions. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, become or remain liable as lessee or as a guarantor or other surety with respect to any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, which the Borrower or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary (a) has sold or transferred or is to sell or to transfer to any other Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) and (b) intends to use for substantially the same purpose as the property which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary to such other Person in connection with such lease (such a transaction, a “Sale and Lease-Back Transaction”); provided that any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction shall be permitted so long as the Net Proceeds of such Disposition are applied and/or reinvested as (and to the extent) required by Section 2.11(b)(ii) and the relevant Sale and Lease-Back Transaction is consummated in exchange for consideration constituting Cash or Cash Equivalents (provided that for purposes of the foregoing Cash consideration requirement, (i) the greater of the principal amount and carrying value of any liabilities (as reflected on the most recent balance sheet of the Borrower (or a Parent Company) provided hereunder or in the footnotes thereto), or if incurred, accrued or increased subsequent to the date of such balance sheet, such liabilities that would have been reflected on the balance sheet of the Borrower (or Parent Company) or in the footnotes thereto if such incurrence, accrual or increase had taken place on or prior to the date of such balance sheet, as determined in good faith by the Borrower) of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Obligations, that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets (or are otherwise extinguished in connection with the transactions relating to such Disposition) pursuant to a written agreement which releases the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from such liabilities, (ii) the amount of any trade-in value applied to the purchase price of any replacement assets acquired in connection with such Disposition, (iii) any Securities received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from the transferee that are converted by such Person into Cash or Cash Equivalents (to the extent of the Cash or Cash Equivalents received) within 180 days following the closing of the applicable Disposition and (iv) any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received in respect of the relevant Sale and Lease-Back Transaction having an aggregate fair market value (as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower), taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (iv) and Section 6.07(h)(B)(z) that is at that time outstanding, not in excess of the greater of $30,000,00086,000,000 and 20.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period, in each case, shall be deemed to be Cash, and (v) the Borrower or its applicable Restricted Subsidiary would otherwise be permitted to enter into, and remain liable under, the applicable underlying lease.

 

Section 6.09           Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any transaction (including the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property or the rendering of any service) in excess of the greater of $30,000,00086,000,000 and 20.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower for the most recently ended Test Period with any of their respective Affiliates on terms (taken as a whole) that are less favorable to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in any material respect, as the case may be (as reasonably determined by the Borrower), than those that might be obtained at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction from a Person who is not an Affiliate; provided that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to:

 

(a)            any transaction between or among Holdings, the Borrower, one or more Restricted Subsidiaries and/or one or more joint ventures with respect to which the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries holds Capital Stock (or any entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or a joint venture, as applicable, as a result of such transaction) to the extent permitted or not restricted by this Agreement;

 

178

 

 

(b)            any issuance, sale or grant of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment arrangements, stock options and stock ownership plans approved by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of any Parent Company of which the Borrower is a Subsidiary or of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (but, excluding for the avoidance of doubt, the portion of any such arrangements, if any, attributable to the ownership of operations of any subsidiary of any Parent Company other than the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries);

 

(c)            (i) any collective bargaining, employment or severance agreement or compensatory (including profit sharing) arrangement entered into by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with their respective current or former officers, directors, members of management, managers, employees, consultants or independent contractors or those of any Parent Company (but, excluding for the avoidance of doubt, the portion of any such arrangements, if any, attributable to the ownership of operations of any subsidiary of any Parent Company other than the Borrower and/or its subsidiaries), (ii) any subscription agreement or similar agreement pertaining to the repurchase of Capital Stock pursuant to put/call rights or similar rights with current or former officers, directors, members of management, managers, employees, consultants or independent contractors and (iii) transactions pursuant to any employee compensation, benefit plan, stock option plan or arrangement, any health, disability or similar insurance plan which covers current or former officers, directors, members of management, managers, employees, consultants or independent contractors or any employment contract or arrangement;

 

(d)            (i) transactions permitted by Section 6.01(d), (o) or (ee), 6.04 or 6.06(h), (m), (o), (t), (v), (y), (z), (aa) or (ff) and (ii) issuances of Capital Stock and issuances and incurrences of Indebtedness not restricted by this Agreement;

 

(e)            transactions in existence on the Original Closing Date and any amendment, modification or extension thereof to the extent such amendment, modification or extension, taken as a whole, is not (i) materially adverse to the Lenders or (ii) more disadvantageous, in any material respect, to the Lenders than the relevant transaction in existence on the Original Closing Date;

 

(f)             (i) so long as no Specified Event of Default then exists or would result therefrom, the payment of management, monitoring, consulting, advisory and similar fees to Investors in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of $3,000,0008,600,000 and 2.00% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA per Fiscal Year (it being understood that such fees may accrue during such Event of Default and may be paid when such Event of Default has been cured or waived) and (ii) the payment of all indemnification obligations and expenses owed to any Investor and any of their respective directors, officers, members of management, managers, employees and consultants in connection with such management, monitoring, consulting, advisory or similar services provided by them, in each case of clauses (i) and (ii) whether currently due or paid in respect of accruals from prior periods;

 

(g)            the Transactions, including the payment of Transaction Costs and payments [requiserved under the Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the Closing Date];

 

179

 

 

(h)            customary compensation to Affiliates in connection with financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities and other transaction fees, which payments are approved by the majority of the members of the board of directors (or similar governing body) or a majority of the disinterested members of the board of directors (or similar governing body) of the Borrower in good faith;

 

(i)             Guarantees permitted by Section 6.01 or Section 6.06;

 

(j)             transactions among Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries that are otherwise permitted (or not restricted) under this Article VI;

 

(k)            the payment of customary fees and reasonable out-of-pocket costs to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, members of the board of directors (or similar governing body), officers, employees, members of management, managers, consultants and independent contractors of the Borrower and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and, in the case of payments to such Person in such capacity on behalf of any Parent Company, to the extent attributable to the operations of the Borrower or its subsidiaries;

 

(l)             transactions with customers, clients, suppliers, joint ventures, purchasers or sellers of goods or services or providers of employees or other labor entered into in the ordinary course of business, which are (i) fair to the Borrower and/or its applicable Restricted Subsidiary in the good faith determination of the board of directors (or similar governing body) of the Borrower or the senior management thereof or (ii) on terms at least as favorable to the Borrower and/or its applicable Restricted Subsidiary as might reasonably be obtained from a Person other than an Affiliate;

 

(m)            the payment of reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses related to registration rights and customary indemnities provided to shareholders under any shareholder agreement;

 

(n)            (i) any purchase by Holdings of the Capital Stock of (or contribution to the equity capital of) the Borrower and (ii) any intercompany loan made by Holdings to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(o)            any transaction in respect of which the Borrower delivers to the Administrative Agent a letter addressed to the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of the Borrower from an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of nationally recognized standing stating that such transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary than might be obtained at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction from a Person who is not an Affiliate;

 

(p)            transactions in connection with any Permitted Receivables Financing;

 

(q)            Affiliate repurchases of the Loans or Commitments to the extent permitted hereunder and the holding of such Loans and the payments and other related transactions in respect thereof; and

 

(r)             transactions undertaken pursuant to membership in a purchasing consortium.

 

180

 

 

Section 6.10           Amendments of or Waivers with Respect to Restricted Junior Indebtedness. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, amend or otherwise modify the terms of any Restricted Junior Indebtedness (or the documentation governing any Restricted Junior Indebtedness) (a) if the effect of such amendment or modification, together with all other amendments or modifications made thereto, is materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders (in their capacities as such), (b) in violation of any intercreditor agreement related to such debt entered into with the Administrative Agent or the subordination terms set forth in the definitive documentation governing any Restricted Junior Indebtedness or (c) to add any financial maintenance covenant unless the Borrower has provided written notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and has offered to make (and, at the request of the Administrative Agent, has made) a corresponding addition for the benefit of all Classes of Loans remaining outstanding (subject to customary “cushions” in favor of the Loans); provided that, for purposes of clarity, it is understood and agreed that the foregoing limitation shall not otherwise prohibit any Refinancing Indebtedness or any other replacement, refinancing, amendment, supplement, modification, extension, renewal, restatement or refunding of any Restricted Junior Indebtedness, in each case, that is permitted under the Loan Documents in respect thereof.

 

Section 6.11           Permitted Activities of Holdings. Holdings shall not:

 

(a)            incur any third party Indebtedness for borrowed money other than Guarantees of Indebtedness or other obligations of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary, which Indebtedness or other obligations are otherwise permitted or not prohibited hereunder;

 

(b)            create or suffer to exist any Lien on any asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it other than (i) the Liens created under the Collateral Documents and, subject to the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement, the collateral documents relating to any Second Lien Term Loans, in each case, to which it is a party, (ii) any other Lien created in connection with the Transactions,[reserved], (iii) Liens on the Collateral that are secured on a pari passu or junior basis with the Secured Obligations, so long as such Liens secure Guarantees permitted under clause (a)(ii) above and the underlying Indebtedness subject to such Guarantee is permitted to be secured on the same basis pursuant to Section 6.02 and (iv) Liens of the type permitted under Section 6.02 (other than in respect of debt for borrowed money); or

 

(c)            consolidate or amalgamate with, or merge with or into, or convey, sell or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of its assets to, any Person; provided that, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists or would result therefrom and subject to Sections 6.11(a) and (b), (A) Holdings may consolidate or amalgamate with, or merge with or into, any other Person (other than the Borrower and any of its subsidiaries) so long as (i) Holdings is the continuing or surviving Person or (ii) if the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation, amalgamation or merger is not Holdings (w) the successor Person (such successor Person, “Successor Holdings”) expressly assumes all obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto and/or thereto in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (x) Successor Holdings shall be an entity organized or existing under the laws of the US, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (y) the Administrative Agent shall have a security interest in the Collateral for the benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to the Collateral Documents that is perfected to at least the same extent as in effect immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or amalgamation and all actions reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to maintain such perfected status have been or will promptly be taken (subject to the terms of the applicable Loan Documents), and (z) the Borrower delivers a certificate of a Responsible Officer with respect to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in clause (w) of this clause (A)(ii) and (B) Holdings may otherwise convey, sell or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of its assets to any other Person organized or existing under the laws of the US, any state thereof or the District of Columbia (other than the Borrower and any of its subsidiaries) so long as (x) no Change of Control results therefrom, (y) the Person acquiring such assets expressly assumes all of the obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto and/or thereto in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (z) the Borrower delivers a certificate of a Responsible Officer with respect to the satisfaction of the conditions under clause (y) set forth in this clause (B); provided, further, that (1) if the conditions set forth in the preceding proviso are satisfied, Successor Holdings will succeed to, and be substituted for, Holdings under this Agreement and (2) it is understood and agreed that Holdings may convert into another form of entity organized or existing under the laws of the US, any state thereof or the District of Columbia so long as such conversion does not adversely affect the value of the Guarantees under the Loan Guaranty or the Collateral.

 

181

 

 

Section 6.12           Financial Covenant.

 

(a)            First Lien Leverage Ratio. If, on the last day of any Test Period, the Revolving Facility Test Condition is then satisfied (it being understood and agreed that this Section 6.12(a) shall not apply until the Test Period that includes the last day of the second full Fiscal Quarter ending after the Closing Date), the Borrower shall not permit the First Lien Leverage Ratio to be greater than 8.50:1.00 as of the last day of such Test Period; provided, however, that upon the consummation of a Qualifying IPO, the maximum First Lien Leverage Ratio shall be automatically increased to 10.40:1.00.

 

(b)            Financial Cure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement (including Article VII), upon (or in anticipation of) the Borrower’s failure to comply with Section 6.12(a) for any Fiscal Quarter, Holdings shall have the right (the “Cure Right”) (at any time during such Fiscal Quarter or thereafter until the date that is 10 Business Days after the date on which financial statements for such Fiscal Quarter are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable) to issue common Capital Stock or other equity (such other equity to be on terms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) for Cash or otherwise receive Cash contributions in respect of common Capital Stock which Cash shall subsequently be contributed to the Borrower (the “Cure Amount”), and thereupon the Borrower’s compliance with Section 6.12(a) shall be recalculated giving effect to a pro forma increase in the amount of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA by an amount equal to the Cure Amount (notwithstanding the absence of a related addback in the definition of “Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA”) solely for the purpose of determining compliance with Section 6.12(a) as of the end of such Fiscal Quarter and for the applicable subsequent periods that include such Fiscal Quarter. If, after giving effect to the foregoing recalculation, the requirements of Section 6.12(a) would be satisfied, then the requirements of Section 6.12(a) shall be deemed satisfied as of the end of the relevant Fiscal Quarter with the same effect as though there had been no failure to comply therewith at such date, and the applicable breach of Section 6.12(a) that had occurred (or would have occurred) shall be deemed cured for all purposes under this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) in each four consecutive Fiscal Quarter period there shall be at least two Fiscal Quarters (which may be, but are not required to be, consecutive) in which the Cure Right is not exercised, (ii) during the term of this Agreement, the Cure Right shall not be exercised more than five times, (iii) the Cure Amount shall be no greater than the amount required for the purpose of causing compliance with Section 6.12(a), (iv) upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt of a written notice from the Borrower that the Borrower intends to exercise the Cure Right (a “Notice of Intent to Cure”), until the 10th Business Day following the date on which financial statements for the Fiscal Quarter to which such Notice of Intent to Cure relates are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable, neither the Administrative Agent (nor any sub-agent therefor) nor any Lender shall exercise any right to accelerate the Loans or terminate the Revolving Credit Commitments, and none of the Administrative Agent (nor any sub-agent therefor) nor any Lender or Secured Party shall exercise any right to foreclose on or take possession of the Collateral or any other right or remedy under the Loan Documents solely on the basis of the relevant failure to comply with Section 6.12(a), (v) there shall be no pro forma or other reduction of the amount of Indebtedness by the amount of any Cure Amount for purposes of determining compliance with Section 6.12(a) for the Fiscal Quarter in respect of which the Cure Right was exercised, (vi) during any Test Period in which any Cure Amount is included in the calculation of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA as a result of any exercise of the Cure Right, the pro forma adjustment to Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA arising therefrom shall be disregarded for purposes of determining (x) whether any financial ratio-based condition to the availability of any carve-out set forth in Article VI of this Agreement has been satisfied or (y) the Required Excess Cash Flow Percentage, Applicable Rate or the Commitment Fee Rate, (vii) no Revolving Lender or Issuing Bank shall be required to make any Revolving Loan or issue or amend to increase the face amount of any Letter of Credit from and after such time as the Administrative Agent has received the Notice of Intent to Cure unless and until the Cure Amount is actually received and (viii) the proceeds of any Cure Amount made during the Fiscal Quarter in respect of which the Cure Right was exercised shall not have previously been applied in reliance on the Available Amount or as an Available Excluded Contribution Amount.

 

182

 

 

Article VII
EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

Section 7.01           Events of Default. If any of the following events (each, an “Event of Default”) occurs:

 

(a)            Failure To Make Payments When Due. Failure by any Loan Party to pay (i) any installment of principal of any Loan when due, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration, by notice of voluntary prepayment, by mandatory prepayment or otherwise; (ii) any interest on any Loan within five (5) Business Days after the date due; or (iii) any fee or any other amount due hereunder within ten (10) Business Days after the date due; or

 

(b)            Default in Other Agreements. (i) Failure by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to pay when due any principal of or interest on or any other amount payable in respect of one or more items of Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness referred to in clause (a) above) with an aggregate outstanding principal amount exceeding the Threshold Amount, in each case beyond the grace period, if any, provided therefor; or (ii) breach or default by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any other term of (A) one or more items of Indebtedness with an aggregate outstanding principal amount exceeding the Threshold Amount or (B) any loan agreement, mortgage, indenture or other agreement relating to such item(s) of Indebtedness (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, with respect to Indebtedness consisting of Hedging Obligations, termination events or equivalent events pursuant to the terms of the relevant Hedge Agreement which are not the result of any default thereunder by any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary), in each case beyond the grace period, if any, provided therefor, if the effect of such breach or default is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, such Indebtedness to become or be declared due and payable (or redeemable) prior to its stated maturity or the stated maturity of any underlying obligation, as the case may be; provided that clause (ii) of this paragraph (b) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property securing such Indebtedness if such sale or transfer is permitted hereunder; provided, further, that any failure described under clauses (i) or (ii) above is unremedied and is not waived by the holders of such Indebtedness prior to any termination of the Commitments or acceleration of the Loans pursuant to this Article VII; or

 

(c)            Breach of Certain Covenants. Failure of any Loan Party, as required by the relevant provision, to perform or comply with any term or condition contained in Section 5.01(e), Section 5.02 (as it applies to the preservation of the existence of the Borrower) or Article VI; provided that, notwithstanding this clause (c), no breach or failure to comply with the terms of Section 6.12(a) will constitute an Event of Default with respect to any Term Loan unless and until the Required Revolving Lenders have accelerated the Revolving Loans, terminated the commitments under the Revolving Facility and demanded repayment of, or otherwise accelerated, the Indebtedness or other obligations under the Revolving Facility (the “Financial Covenant Standstill”); it being understood and agreed that (i) any breach or failure to comply with the terms of Section 6.12(a) is subject to cure as provided therein, and (ii) until the 10th Business Day after the day on which financial statements are required to be delivered under Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable, for any Fiscal Quarter in which the Borrower fails to comply with the terms of Section 6.12(a), if a Cure Right is then available, no Event of Default may arise under Section 6.12(a) until the 10th Business Day after the day on which financial statements are required to be delivered for the relevant Fiscal Quarter under Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable, and then only to the extent the Cure Amount has not been received on or prior to such date; provided that no Revolving Lender, Swingline Lender or Issuing Bank shall be required to make any Revolving Loan, make any Swingline Loan or issue or amend to increase the face amount of any Letter of Credit during such 10-Business Day period unless and until a Cure Amount in respect of the relevant breach is actually received; or

 

(d)            Breach of Representations, Etc. Any representation, warranty or certification made or deemed made by any Loan Party in any Loan Document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Perfection Certificate or any Perfection Certificate Supplement) or in any certificate required to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith being untrue in any material respect as of the date made or deemed made and such incorrect representation or warranty if curable (including by a restatement of any relevant financial statements) shall remain incorrect for a period of 30 days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower; or

 

(e)            Other Defaults Under Loan Documents. Default by any Loan Party in the performance of or compliance with any term contained herein or any of the other Loan Documents, other than any such term referred to in any other Section of this Article VII, which default has not been remedied or waived within 30 days after receipt by the Borrower of written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent; or

 

(f)             Involuntary Bankruptcy; Appointment of Receiver, Etc. (i) The entry by a court of competent jurisdiction of a decree or order for relief in respect of Holdings, the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case under any Debtor Relief Law now or hereafter in effect, which decree or order is not stayed; or any other similar relief shall be granted under any applicable federal, provincial, territorial, state or local Requirement of Law; or (ii) the commencement of an involuntary case against Holdings, the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary under any Debtor Relief Law; the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of a decree or order for the appointment of a receiver, receiver and manager, (preliminary) insolvency receiver, liquidator, sequestrator, trustee, administrator, custodian, monitor or other officer having similar powers over Holdings, the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary, or over all or a substantial part of its property; or the involuntary appointment of an interim receiver, trustee or other custodian of Holdings, the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary for all or a substantial part of its property, which remains undismissed, unvacated, unbounded or unstayed pending appeal for 60 consecutive days; or

 

183

 

 

(g)            Voluntary Bankruptcy; Appointment of Receiver, Etc. (i) The entry against Holdings, the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of an order for relief, the commencement by Holdings, the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of a voluntary case under any Debtor Relief Law, or the consent by Holdings, the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case or to the conversion of an involuntary case to a voluntary case, under any Debtor Relief Law, or the consent by Holdings the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, receiver and manager, (preliminary) insolvency receiver, liquidator, sequestrator, trustee, administrator, custodian, monitor or other like official for or in respect of itself or all or a substantial part of its property; (ii) the making by Holdings, the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (iii) the admission by Holdings, the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary in writing of their inability to pay their respective debts as such debts become due; or

 

(h)            Judgments and Attachments. The entry or filing of one or more final money judgments, writs or warrants of attachment or similar process enforceable against Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets involving in the aggregate at any time an amount in excess of the Threshold Amount (in either case to the extent not (i) adequately covered by self-insurance (if applicable) or by insurance as to which the relevant third party insurance company has been notified and not denied coverage or (ii) otherwise indemnified by a creditworthy indemnitor), which judgment, writ, warrant or similar process remains unpaid, undischarged, unvacated, unbonded or unstayed pending appeal for a period of 60 days; or

 

(i)             Employee Benefit Plans. The occurrence of one or more ERISA Events or if there is or arises an Unfunded Pension Liability (taking into account only Pension Plans with positive Unfunded Pension Liability), which individually or in the aggregate result in liability of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or

 

(j)             Change of Control. The occurrence of a Change of Control; or

 

(k)            Guaranties, Collateral Documents and Other Loan Documents. At any time after the execution and delivery thereof, (i) any material Guarantee under the Loan Guaranty for any reason, other than the occurrence of the Termination Date, shall cease to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with its terms) or is declared to be null and void or any Loan Guarantor shall repudiate in writing its obligations thereunder (other than as a result of the discharge of such Loan Guarantor in accordance with the terms thereof), (ii) this Agreement or any material Collateral Document ceases to be in full force and effect or shall be declared null and void or any Lien on Collateral created under any Collateral Document ceases to be valid and perfected with the priority required by the Collateral Documents with respect to a material portion of the Collateral (other than solely by reason of (x) the failure of the Administrative Agent to maintainno longer having possession of any Collateral actually delivered to it or the failure of the Administrative Agent to file UCC (or equivalent)stock certificates, promissory notes or other instruments delivered to it under the Security Agreement or as a result of a Uniform Commercial Code filing having lapsed because a Uniform Commercial Code continuation statements was not filed in a timely manner, (y) a release of Collateral in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof or (z) the occurrence of the Termination Date or any other termination of such Collateral Document in accordance with the terms thereof) or (iii) any Loan Party contests in writing the validity or enforceability of any material provision of any Loan Document (or any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents or any Loan Guaranty) or denies in writing that it has any further liability (other than by reason of the occurrence of the Termination Date), including with respect to future advances by the Lenders, under any Loan Document to which it is a party; it being understood and agreed that the failure of the Administrative Agent to maintain possession of any Collateral actually delivered to it or file any UCC (or equivalent) continuation statement shall not result in an Event of Default under this clause (k) or any other provision of any Loan Document; or

 

184

 

 

(l)             Subordination. The Obligations ceasing (or the assertion in writing by any Loan Party that the Obligations cease) to constitute senior indebtedness under the subordination provisions of any document or instrument evidencing any applicable Junior Indebtedness in excess of the Threshold Amount or any such subordination provision being invalidated or otherwise ceasing, for any reason, to be valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the parties thereto;

 

then, and in every such event (other than (x) an event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (f) or (g) of this Article VII or (y) any Event of Default arising under Section 6.12(a)), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take any of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon such Commitments shall terminate immediately, (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and (iii) require that the Borrower deposit in the LC Collateral Account an additional amount in Cash as reasonably requested by the Issuing Banks (not to exceed 100% of the relevant LC Obligations) to Cash collateralize the then outstanding LC Exposure with respect to the Borrower (minus the amount then on deposit in the LC Collateral Account); provided that (A) upon the occurrence of an event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (f) or (g) of this Article VII, any such Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash collateralize the outstanding LC Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further action of the Administrative Agent or any Lender and (B) during the continuance of any Event of Default arising under Section 6.12(a), (X) upon the request of the Required Revolving Lenders (but not the Required Lenders or any other Lender or group of Lenders), the Administrative Agent shall, by notice to the Borrower, (1) terminate the Revolving Credit Commitments and the Swingline Commitment, and thereupon such Revolving Credit Commitments and Swingline Commitment shall terminate immediately, (2) declare the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and (3) require that the Borrower deposit in the LC Collateral Account an additional amount in Cash as reasonably requested by the Issuing Banks (not to exceed 100% of the relevant LC Obligations) to Cash collateralize the then outstanding LC Exposure with respect to the Borrower (minus the amount then on deposit in the LC Collateral Account) and (Y) subject to the Financial Covenant Standstill, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, declare the Loans of the Borrower then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, exercise any rights and remedies provided to the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents or at law or equity, including all remedies provided under the UCC or equivalent Requirement of Law, as applicable.

 

185

 

 

Article VIII
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

Section 8.01           General. Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby irrevocably appoints JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (or any successor appointed pursuant hereto) as Administrative Agent and as Collateral Agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent to take such actions on its behalf hereunder and under any other Loan Document, including execution of the other Loan Documents, and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.

 

Any Person serving as Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated, unless the context otherwise requires or unless such Person is in fact not a Lender, include each Person serving as Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with any Loan Party or any subsidiary of any Loan Party or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders. The Lenders acknowledge that, pursuant to such activities, the Administrative Agent or its Affiliates may receive information regarding any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates (including information that may be subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of such Loan Party or such Affiliate) and acknowledge that the Administrative Agent shall not be under any obligation to provide such information to them.

 

186

 

 

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. In performing its functions and duties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent is acting solely on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks (except in limited circumstances expressly provided for herein relating to the maintenance of the Register), and its duties are entirely mechanical and administrative in nature. The motivations of the Administrative Agent are commercial in nature and not to invest in the general performance or operations of the Borrower. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duty, regardless of whether any Default or Event of Default exists, and the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligation arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Requirements of Law; it being understood that such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary power, except discretionary rights and powers (1) that are expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents and (2) that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders or Required Revolving Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the relevant circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), which such writing shall be binding upon each Lender unless and until revoked in writing; provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Requirements of Law, and (c) except as expressly set forth herein or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. Nothing in this Agreement or any Loan Document shall require the Administrative Agent to account to any Lender for any sum or the profit element of any sum received by the Administrative Agent for its own account. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable to the Lenders or any other Secured Party for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders or Required Revolving Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as is necessary, or as the Administrative Agent believes in good faith shall be necessary, under the relevant circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein. The Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of (x) notice of any of the events or circumstances set forth or described in Section 5.01 unless and until written notice thereof stating that it is a “notice under Section 5.01” in respect of this Agreement and identifying the specific clause under said Section is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or (y) any Default or Event of Default unless and until written notice thereof (stating that it is a “notice of Default” or a “notice of an Event of Default”) is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or any Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (iii) the performance or observance of any covenant, agreement or other term or condition set forth in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, (iv) the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Administrative Agent’s reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed .pdf or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page), (v) the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien on the Collateral or the existence, value or sufficiency of the Collateral or to assure that the Liens granted to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document have been or will continue to be properly or sufficiently or lawfully created, perfected or enforced or are entitled to any particular priority, (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items (which on their face purport to be such items) expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or satisfaction of any condition that expressly refers to the matters described therein being acceptable or satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (vii) any property, book or record of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof or (viii) compliance by Affiliated Lenders with any term hereof relating to Affiliated Lenders. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be liable for, or be responsible for any claim, liability, loss,Liabilities, costs or expenses suffered by the Borrower, any Subsidiary, any Lender or any Issuing Bank as a result of, any determination of the Revolving Credit Exposure, any of the component amounts thereof or any portion thereof attributable to each Lender or Issuing Bank; provided that none of the Borrower, any Subsidiary, any Lender or any Issuing Bank shall be liable for any portion of such claim, liability, loss,Liabilities, costs or expenses resulting from the Administrative Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable decision).

 

187

 

 

Each Lender agrees that, except with the written consent of the Administrative Agent, it will not take any enforcement action hereunder or under any other Loan Document, accelerate the Obligations under any Loan Document, or exercise any right that it might otherwise have under applicable Requirements of Law or otherwise to credit bid at any foreclosure sale, UCC sale, any sale under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code or any other similar Disposition of Collateral (an “Insolvency Disposition”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Lender may take action to preserve or enforce its rights against a Loan Party where a deadline or limitation period is applicable that would, absent such action, bar enforcement of the Obligations held by such Lender, including the filing of a proof of claim in a case under the Bankruptcy Code.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any of the other Loan Documents, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Secured Party agree that (i) no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce the Loan Guaranty; it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies hereunder may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms hereof, and all powers, rights and remedies under the other Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent, and (ii) in the event of a foreclosure by the Administrative Agent on any of the Collateral pursuant to a public or private sale or in the event of any other Disposition (including pursuant to an Insolvency Disposition), (A) the Administrative Agent, as agent for and representative of the Secured Parties, shall be entitled, for the purpose of bidding and making settlement or payment of the purchase price for all or any portion of the Collateral sold at any such sale, to use and apply all or any portion of the Obligations as a credit on account of the purchase price for any Collateral payable by the Administrative Agent at such Disposition and (B) the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be the purchaser or licensor of all or any portion of such Collateral at any such Disposition.

 

No holder of any Secured Hedging Obligation or Banking Services Obligation in its respective capacity as such shall have any rights in connection with the management or release of any guarantees or Collateral or of the obligations of any Loan Party under this Agreement. By accepting the benefits of the Collateral, each party to any such arrangement in respect of any Secured Hedging Obligation or Banking Services Obligation, as applicable, shall be deemed to have appointed the Administrative Agent to serve as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Loan Documents and agreed to be bound by the Loan Documents as a Secured Party thereunder, subject to the limitations set forth in this paragraph

 

Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably authorizes (and by entering into a Hedge Agreement with respect to any Secured Hedging Obligation and/or by entering into documentation in connection with respect to any Banking Services Obligation, each of the other Secured Parties hereby authorizes and shall be deemed to authorize) the Administrative Agent, on behalf of all Secured Parties, to take any of the following actions upon the instruction of the Required Lenders:

 

(a)            consent to the Disposition of all or any portion of the Collateral free and clear of the Liens securing the Secured Obligations in connection with any Disposition pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, including Section 363 thereof;

 

(b)            credit bid all or any portion of the Secured Obligations, or purchase all or any portion of the Collateral (in each case, either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles), in connection with any Disposition of all or any portion of the Collateral pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, including Section 363 thereof;

 

(c)            credit bid all or any portion of the Secured Obligations, or purchase all or any portion of the Collateral (in each case, either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles), in connection with any Disposition of all or any portion of the Collateral pursuant to the applicable provisions of the UCC, including pursuant to Sections 9-610 or 9-620 of the UCC;

 

(d)            credit bid all or any portion of the Secured Obligations, or purchase all or any portion of the Collateral (in each case, either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles), in connection with any foreclosure or other Disposition conducted in accordance with applicable Requirements of Law following the occurrence of an Event of Default, including by power of sale, judicial action or otherwise; and/or

 

188

 

 

(e)            estimate the amount of any contingent or unliquidated Secured Obligations of such Lender or other Secured Party;

 

it being understood that no Lender shall be required to fund any amount in connection with any purchase of all or any portion of the Collateral by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the foregoing clause (b), (c) or (d) without its prior written consent.

 

Each Secured Party agrees that the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to credit bid any part of the Secured Obligations or to purchase or retain or acquire any portion of the Collateral; provided that, in connection with any credit bid or purchase described under clause (b), (c) or (d) of the preceding paragraph, the Secured Obligations owed to all of the Secured Parties (other than with respect to contingent or unliquidated liabilities as set forth in the next succeeding paragraph) may be, and shall be, credit bid by the Administrative Agent on a ratable basis.

 

With respect to any contingent or unliquidated claim that is a Secured Obligation, the Administrative Agent is hereby authorized, but is not required, to estimate the amount thereof for purposes of any credit bid or purchase described in the second preceding paragraph so long as the estimation of the amount or liquidation of such claim would not unduly delay the ability of the Administrative Agent to credit bid the Secured Obligations or purchase the Collateral in the relevant Disposition. In the event that the Administrative Agent, in its sole and absolute discretion, elects not to estimate any such contingent or unliquidated claim or any such claim cannot be estimated without unduly delaying the ability of the Administrative Agent to consummate any credit bid or purchase in accordance with the second preceding paragraph, then any contingent or unliquidated claims not so estimated shall be disregarded, shall not be credit bid, and shall not be entitled to any interest in the portion or the entirety of the Collateral purchased by means of such credit bid.

 

Each Secured Party whose Secured Obligations are credit bid under clause (b), (c) or (d) of the third preceding paragraph is entitled to receive interests in the Collateral or any other asset acquired in connection with such credit bid (or in the Capital Stock of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such acquisition) on a ratable basis in accordance with the percentage obtained by dividing (x) the amount of the Secured Obligations of such Secured Party that were credit bid in such credit bid or other Disposition, by (y) the aggregate amount of all Secured Obligations that were credit bid in such credit bid or other Disposition.

 

In connection with any such bid, (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles and to assign any successful credit bid to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, (ii) each of the Secured Parties’ ratable interests in the Obligations which were credit bid shall be deemed without any further action under this Agreement to be assigned to such vehicle or vehicles for the purpose of closing such sale, (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or equity interests thereof, shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by, and the governing documents shall provide for, control by the vote of the Required Lenders or their permitted assignees under the terms of this Agreement or the governing documents of the applicable acquisition vehicle or vehicles, as the case may be, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section 9.02 of this Agreement), (iv) the Administrative Agent on behalf of such acquisition vehicle or vehicles shall be authorized to issue to each of the Secured Parties, ratably on account of the relevant Secured Obligations which were credit bid, interests, whether as equity, partnership interests, limited partnership interests or membership interests, in any such acquisition vehicle and/or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle, all without the need for any Secured Party or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (v) to the extent that Secured Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Secured Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of Secured Obligations credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Secured Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Secured Parties pro rata with their original interest in such Secured Obligations and the equity interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of such Obligations shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action. Notwithstanding that the ratable portion of the Secured Obligations of each Secured Party are deemed assigned to the acquisition vehicle or vehicles as set forth in clause (ii) above, each Secured Party shall execute such documents and provide such information regarding the Secured Party (and/or any designee of the Secured Party which will receive interests in or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle) as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in connection with the formation of any acquisition vehicle, the formulation or submission of any credit bid or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by such credit bid.

 

189

 

 

In addition, in case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, each Secured Party agrees that the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or LC Disbursement is then due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent has made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

 

(i)        to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans or LC Disbursements and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts to the extent due to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.15, 2.17, and 9.03) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

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

 

Any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and each Issuing Bank to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent consents to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amount due to the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.12 and 9.03.

 

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

 

190

 

 

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

 

The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by it. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of their respective duties and exercise their respective rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the Credit Facilities provided for herein as well as activities as the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any subagent except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non-appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agent.

 

191

 

 

Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by giving ten (10) days’ written notice to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower. If the Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender or an Affiliate of a Defaulting Lender, in either case, other than as a result of a good faith dispute over whether a Loan, Letter of Credit or participation in a Letter of Credit is required to be made or funded under clause (a), (b) or (c) of the definition of “Defaulting Lender”, either the Required Lenders or the Borrower may, upon ten (10) days’ written notice, remove the Administrative Agent. Upon receipt of any such written notice of resignation or delivery of any such written notice of removal, the Required Lenders shall have the right, with the consent of the Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank or trust company with an office in New York, New York or an Affiliate of any such bank or trust company; provided that during the occurrence and continued existence of a Specified Event of Default (in the case of Section 7.01(f) or (g), with respect to the Borrower), no consent of the Borrower shall be required. If no successor has been appointed as provided above and has accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation or the Administrative Agent receives notice of removal, then (a) in the case of a retirement, the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to), on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the consent of the Borrower) or (b) in the case of a removal, the Borrower may, after consulting with the Required Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that (x) in the case of a retirement, if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment or (y) in the case of a removal, the Borrower notifies the Required Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then, in each case, such resignation or removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under any other Loan Document (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent in its capacity as collateral agent for the Secured Parties for purposes of maintaining the perfection of the Lien on the Collateral securing the Secured Obligations, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (ii) all payments, communications and determinations required to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and each Issuing Bank directly (and each Lender and each Issuing Bank will cooperate with the Borrower to enable the Borrower to take such actions), until such time as the Required Lenders or the Borrower, as applicable, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, as provided above in this Article VIII. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder as a successor Administrative Agent, the successor Administrative Agent shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring or removed Administrative Agent (other than any rights to indemnity payments owed to the retiring Administrative Agent), and the retiring (or retired) or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder (other than its obligations under Section 9.13 hereof) and under each other Loan Document. The fees payable by the Borrower to any successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor Administrative Agent. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any action taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the relevant Person was acting as Administrative Agent (including for this purpose holding any collateral security following the retirement or removal of the Administrative Agent). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Disqualified Institution may be appointed as a successor Administrative Agent.

 

192

 

 

Each Lender and each Issuing Bank acknowledges thatrepresents and warrants that (i) the Loan Documents set forth the terms of a commercial lending facility, (ii) in participating as a Lender or Issuing Bank, it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and in providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender or Issuing Bank, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and not for the purpose of investing in the general performance or operations of the Borrower, or for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument such as a security (and each Lender and each Issuing Bank agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing, such as a claim under the federal or state securities laws), (iii) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or Issuing Bank or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement and (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to make, acquire and/or hold commercial loans and to provide other facilities set forth herein, as may be applicable to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to make, acquire and/or hold such commercial loans or to provide such other facilities, is experienced in making, acquiring or holding such commercial loans or providing such other facilities. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or Issuing Bank or any of their respective Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks by the Administrative Agent herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender or any Issuing Bank with any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of any of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates which may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties.

 

193

 

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Arrangers shall not have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except in their respective capacities as the Administrative Agent, an Issuing Bank or a Lender hereunder, as applicable.

Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement on the Original Closing Date, or delivering its signature page to an Assignment and Assumption or any other Loan Document pursuant to which it shall become a Lender hereunder, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Loan Document and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on the Original Closing Date.

Each Secured Party irrevocably authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent to, and the Administrative Agent shall upon reasonable request of the Borrower:

(a)            subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Sections 6.02(d), 6.02(e), 6.02(g), 6.02(l) 6.02(m) (with respect to any assets subject to such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction), 6.02(n), Section 6.02(o) (other than any Lien on the Capital Stock of any Subsidiary Guarantor), Section 6.02(r), 6.02(u) (to the extent the relevant Lien is of the type to which the Lien of the Administrative Agent is otherwise required or, if requested by the Borrower, permitted to be subordinated under this clause (a) pursuant to any of the other exceptions to Section 6.02 that are expressly included in this clause (a)), 6.02(x), 6.02(y), 6.02(z)(i), 6.02(bb), 6.02(cc), 6.02(dd) (in the case of clause (ii), to the extent the relevant Lien covers cash collateral posted to secure the relevant obligation), 6.02(ee), 6.02(ff), 6.02(gg), 6.02(hh) (and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of any thereof to the extent such Refinancing Indebtedness is permitted to be secured under Section 6.02(k), 6.02(ii), 6.02(jj) and 6.02(kk); provided that the subordination of any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent shall only be required to the extent that the Lien of the Administrative Agent with respect to such property is required to be subordinated to the relevant Permitted Lien in accordance with the documentation governing the Indebtedness that is secured by such Permitted Lien;

(b)            enter into subordination, intercreditor and/or similar agreements contemplated hereunder with respect to Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under this Agreement (including the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement, any otherany Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement and/or any amendment thereof) that is (i) required or, if requested by the Borrower, permitted to be subordinated hereunder, (ii) secured by Permitted Liens, and with respect to which Indebtedness and/or Liens, this Agreement contemplates an intercreditor, subordination, collateral trust agreement or similar agreement and/or (iii) contemplates the entry into collateral allocation and/or loss sharing arrangements; and

(c)            release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document if approved, authorized or ratified by the Required Lenders in accordance with Section 9.02.

194

Upon the request of the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release, share or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release (or provide evidence of release of) any Loan Party from its obligations under the Loan Guaranty or its Lien on any Collateral pursuant to this Article VIII and Section 9.13. In each case specified in this Article VIII and Section 9.13, the Administrative Agent will (and each Lender, and each Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to), at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the release of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Collateral Documents, to subordinate and/or share its interest therein, or to release such Loan Party from its obligations under the Loan Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Article VIII and Section 9.13; provided, that upon the request of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that the relevant transaction has been consummated in compliance with the terms of this Agreement.

The Administrative Agent is authorized to enter into any of the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement, any other Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement and any other intercreditor, subordination, collateral trust, collateral allocation, loss sharing or similar agreement contemplated hereby with respect to any Indebtedness (i) that is required or permitted to be subordinated hereunder and (ii) with respect to which Indebtedness and/or Liens, this Agreement contemplates an intercreditor, subordination or collateral trust or similar agreement (any such other intercreditor, subordination or collateral trust or similar agreement, an “Additional Agreement”), and the Secured Parties party hereto acknowledge that the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement and each othereach Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement and each other Additional Agreement is binding upon them. Each Secured Party party hereto hereby (a) agrees that they will be bound by, and will not take any action contrary to, the provisions of the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement and any otherany Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement or any Additional Agreement and (b) authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent to enter into the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement and any otherany Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement and/or any Additional Agreement and to subject the Liens on the Collateral securing the Secured Obligations to the provisions thereof. The foregoing provisions are intended as an inducement to the Secured Parties to extend credit to the Borrower, and the Secured Parties are intended third party beneficiaries of such provisions and the provisions of the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement and any otherany Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement and/or any Additional Agreement.

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

To the extent that the Administrative Agent (or any Affiliate thereof) is not reimbursed and indemnified by the Borrower in accordance with and to the extent required by Section 9.03(b), the Lenders will reimburse and indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any Affiliate thereof) in proportion to their respective Applicable Percentages (determined as if there were no Defaulting Lenders) for and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, actions, judgments, costs, expenses or disbursements of whatsoever kind or nature which may be imposed on, asserted against or incurred by the Administrative Agent (or any Affiliate thereof) in performing its duties hereunder or under any other Loan Document or in any way relating to or arising out of this Agreement or any other Loan Document; provided that no Lender shall be liable for any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulting from the Administrative Agent’s (or such affiliate’s) gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable decision).

195

To the extent required by any applicable Requirements of Law, the Administrative Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender an amount equal to any applicable withholding Tax. If the Internal Revenue Service or any other governmental authority asserts a claim that the Administrative Agent did not properly withhold Tax from any amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender for any reason (including because the appropriate form was not delivered or was not properly executed or because such Lender failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstance which rendered the exemption from, or reduction of, withholding Tax ineffective), such Lender shall indemnify the Administrative Agent fully, within 10 days after demand therefor, for all amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by the Administrative Agent as Tax or otherwise, including any penalties, additions to Tax or interest and together with all expenses (including legal expenses, allocated internal costs and out-of-pocket expenses) incurred, whether or not such Tax was correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due the Administrative Agent under this paragraph. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Lender” shall, for purposes of this paragraph, include any Issuing Bank and any Swingline Lender.

The provisions of this Article VIII are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and, except solely to the extent of the Borrower’s rights to consent pursuant to and subject to the conditions set forth in this Article VIII, none of the Borrower or any Loan Party, or any of their respective Affiliates, shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary under any such provisions. Each Secured Party, whether or not a party hereto, will be deemed, by its acceptance of the benefits of the Collateral and of the Guarantees of the Secured Obligations provided under the Loan Documents, to have agreed to the provisions of this Article VIII.

Section 8.02      Certain ERISA Matters.

(a)            Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i)            such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments or this Agreement,

(ii)            the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,

196

(iii)            (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

(iv)            such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

(b)            In addition, unless either (1) subclause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with subclause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that the Administrative Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).

Section 8.03      Erroneous Payments.

(a)            Each Revolving Lender hereby agrees that (i) if the Administrative Agent notifies such Revolving Lender that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Revolving Lender from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (whether as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees or otherwise; individually and collectively, a “Payment”) were erroneously transmitted to such Revolving Lender (whether or not known to such Revolving Lender), and demands the return of such Payment (or a portion thereof), such Revolving Lender shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter (or such later date as the Administrative Agent, may, in its sole discretion, specify in writing), return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon (except to the extent waived in writing by the Administrative Agent) in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Revolving Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect, and (ii) to the extent permitted by applicable law, such Revolving Lender shall not assert, and hereby waives, as to the Administrative Agent, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Payments received, including without limitation any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Revolving Lender under this Section 8.03 shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

197

(b)            Each Revolving Lender hereby further agrees that if it receives a Payment from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (i) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such Payment (a “Payment Notice”) or (ii) that was not preceded or accompanied by a Payment Notice, it shall be on notice, in each such case, that an error has been made with respect to such Payment. Each Revolving Lender agrees that, in each such case, or if it otherwise becomes aware a Payment (or portion thereof) may have been sent in error, such Revolving Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such occurrence and, upon demand from the Administrative Agent, it shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter (or such later date as the Administrative Agent, may, in its sole discretion, specify in writing), return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon (except to the extent waived in writing by the Administrative Agent) in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Revolving Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.

(c)            Each Revolving Lender hereby further agrees that (i) in the event an erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) are not recovered from any Revolving Lender that has received such Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Administrative Agent shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Revolving Lender with respect to such amount and (ii) an erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any Obligations owed by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, except, in each case, to the extent such erroneous Payment is, and solely with respect to the amount of such erroneous Payment that is, comprised of funds received by the Administrative Agent from the Borrower or any other Loan Party for the purpose of making a payment on the Obligations.

(d)            Each party’s obligations under this ‎Section 8.03 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Revolving Lender, the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations under any Loan Document.

Article IX
MISCELLANEOUS

Section 9.01      Notices.

(a)            Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile or email, as follows:

(i)     if to any Loan Party, to such Loan Party in the care of the Borrower at:

Waystar Technologies, Inc.
888 W. Market Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
Attention: Steve Oreskovich, Chief Financial Officer
Email: steve.oreskovich@waystar.com

198

With a copy to:

Waystar Technologies, Inc.
888 W. Market Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
Attention: William BarrettMatthew Heiman, General Counsel and Secretary
Email: Bill.Barrettmatthew.heiman@waystar.com

(ii)     if to the Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent or the Swingline Lender:, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., at the address separately provided to the Borrower.

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
500 Stanton Christiana Road, NCC5, Floor 1
Newark, Delaware 19713
Attention: Loan & Agency Services Group

Tel: (302) 634-2114
Email: tristan.rozea@chase.com

Agency Withholding Tax Inquiries:

Email: agency.tax.reporting@jpmorgan.com

Agency Compliance/Financials/Virtual Data rooms:

Email: covenant.compliance@jpmchase.com

(iii)   (A)      if to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., asany Issuing Bank:, to it at the address separately provided to the Borrower.

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
10420 Highland Manor Dr. 4th Floor

Tampa, FL 33610
Attention: Standby LC Unit
Tel: 800-364-1969

Fax: 856-294-5267

Email: GTS.Client.Services@jpmchase.com

With a copy to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
500 Stanton Christiana Road, NCC5, Floor 1
Newark, Delaware 19713
Attention: Loan & Agency Services Group

Tel: (302) 634-2114
Email: tristan.rozea@chase.com

199

(B)            if to Barclays Bank PLC, as Issuing Bank:

Barclays Bank PLC
745 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10019
Attn: Nnamdi Otudoh and Letter of Credit Department
Email: nnamdi.otudoh@barclays.com and XraLetterofCredit@barclays.com

(C)            if to Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Issuing Bank:

Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch
5022 Gate Parkway

Jacksonville, FL 32256

Attn: Iris Figueroa

Email: iris.figueroa@db.com

With a copy to:

Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch

5022 Gate Parkway,

Jacksonville, FL 32256

Attn: Anna DelaRosa

Email: anna.delarosa@db.com

(D)            if to any other Issuing Bank, such address as may be specified in the documentation pursuant to which such Issuing Bank is appointed in its capacity as such.

(iv)   if to any Lender, to it at its address or facsimile number or email address set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

All such notices and other communications (A) sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by courier service and signed for against receipt thereof or three Business Days after dispatch if sent by certified or registered mail, in each case, delivered, sent or mailed (properly addressed) to the relevant party as provided in this Section 9.01 or in accordance with the latest unrevoked direction from such party given in accordance with this Section 9.01 or (B) sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent and when receipt has been confirmed by telephone; provided that notices and other communications sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, such notices or other communications shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications or Approved Borrower Portals, to the extent provided in clause (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such clause (b).

200

(b)            Notices and other communications to the Borrower, any Loan Party, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications (including e-mail, Internet or Intranet websites and the Platform (as defined below)) or Approved Borrower Portals (as applicable), in each case, pursuant to procedures set forth herein or otherwise approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the use of the Platform shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower (on behalf of any Loan Party) may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures set forth herein or otherwise approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, all such notices and other communications (i) sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement); provided that any such notice or communication not given during the normal business hours of the recipient shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient and (ii) posted to an Internet or Intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (b)(i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

(c)            Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number or other notice information hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto; it being understood and agreed that the Borrower may provide any such notice to the Administrative Agent as recipient on behalf of itself, each Issuing Bank and each Lender.

The Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks agree that the Borrower may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Borrower Communications to the Administrative Agent through an electronic platform chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system (the “Approved Borrower Portal”). “Borrower Communications” means, collectively, any Borrowing Request, Interest Election Request, notice of prepayment, notice requesting the issuance, amendment or extension of a Letter of Credit or other notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent through an Approved Borrower Portal.

Each of Holdings and the Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent will make available to the Lenders and each Issuing Bank materials and/or information provided by, or on behalf of, Holdings or the Borrower hereunder (collectively, the “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on Intralinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that only wish to receive information and documentation that (x) is of a type that would be publicly available if Holdings and its Subsidiaries were public reporting companies, (y) is not material with respect to Holdings and its securities or (z) is publicly available (collectively, “Public Lender Information”) (each, a “Public Lender”)). Each of Holdings and the Borrower hereby agrees that (i) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof, (ii) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” Holdings and the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any Private Lender Information (as defined below) (provided that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Confidential Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 9.13), (iii) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated as “Public Investor” and (iv) the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not marked as “Public Investor.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following Borrower Materials shall be deemed to be marked “PUBLIC,” unless the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent promptly that any such document contains Private Lender Information (provided that the Borrower has been notified of the proposed distribution within a reasonable time period prior thereto): (1) the Loan Documents, (2) any notification of changes in the terms of the Credit Facilities and (3) all information delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 (other than information delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(g) or (k)). “Private Lender Information” means any information that is not Public Lender Information.

201

Each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable law, including United States Federal and state securities laws, to make reference to information, documents and other materials that Holdings or the Borrower is obligated to furnish to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Loan Documents or to the Lenders under Article V, including all notices, requests, financial statements, financial and other reports, certificates and other information materials (all such communications being referred to herein collectively as “Communications”) that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain Private Lender Information.

Although the Platform and its primary web portal are secured with generally-applicable security procedures and policies implemented or modified by the Administrative Agent from time to time (including, as of the EffectiveEighth Amendment Closing Date, a user ID/password authorization system) and the Platform is secured through a per-deal authorization method whereby each user may access the Platform only on a deal-by-deal basis, each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure, that the Administrative Agent is not responsible for approving or vetting the representatives or contacts of any Lender that are added to the Platform, and that there may be confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution. Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and the Borrower hereby approves distribution of the Communications through the Platform and understands and assumes the risks of such distribution.

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” NEITHER THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT NOR ANY OF ITS RELATED PARTIES WARRANTS THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM AND EACH EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NONINFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS IS MADE BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY OF ITS RELATED PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE PLATFORM. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY OF ITS RELATED PARTIES HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO ANY LOAN PARTY, ANY LENDER OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER OR NOT BASED ON STRICT LIABILITY AND INCLUDING DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF ANY LOAN PARTY’S OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THE PLATFORM, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THE LIABILITY OF ANY SUCH PERSON IS FOUND IN A FINAL RULING BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO HAVE RESULTED FROM SUCH PERSON’S GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT.

The Administrative Agent agrees that the receipt of the Communications by the Administrative Agent at its electronic mail address set forth above shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to the Administrative Agent for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender agrees that receipt of notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that the Communications have been posted to the Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (including by electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender’s electronic mail address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and that the foregoing notice may be sent to such e-mail address. Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document.

202

Section 9.02      Waivers; Amendments.

(a)            No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders hereunder and under any other Loan Document are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by any party hereto therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same is permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section 9.02, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, neither the making of any Loan nor the issuance of any Letter of Credit shall be construed as a waiver of any Default or Event of Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default or Event of Default at the time.

(b)            Subject to clauses (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) of this Section 9.02(b) and Sections 9.02(c) and (d) below, neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified, except (i) in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders (or the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders) or (ii) in the case of any other Loan Document (other than any waiver, amendment or modification to effectuate any modification thereto expressly contemplated by the terms of such other Loan Document), pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and each Loan Party that is party thereto, with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing:

(A)                           the consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby (but not the consent of the Required Lenders) shall be required for any waiver, amendment or modification that:

(1)            increases the Commitment of such Lender; it being understood that no amendment, modification or waiver of, or consent to departure from, any condition precedent, representation, warranty, covenant, Default, Event of Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of the Commitments shall constitute an increase of any Commitment of such Lender;

(2)            reduces the principal amount of any Loan owed to such Lender or reduces any amount due to such Lender on any Loan Installment Date; it being understood that no amendment, modification or waiver of, or consent to departure from, any condition precedent, representation, warranty, covenant, Default, Event of Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of the Loans or other amounts shall constitute a reduction in the principal amount or any other amount due to any Lender;

(3)            (x) extends the scheduled final maturity of any Loan or (y) postpones any Loan Installment Date or any Interest Payment Date with respect to any Loan held by such Lender or the date of any scheduled payment of any fee or premium payable to such Lender hereunder (in each case, other than any extension for administrative reasons agreed by the Administrative Agent); it being understood that no amendment, modification or waiver of, or consent to departure from, any condition precedent, representation, warranty, covenant, Default, Event of Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of the Loans shall constitute such an extension or postponement;

203

(4)            reduces the rate of interest (other than to waive any Default or Event of Default or obligation of the Borrower to pay interest to such Lender at the default rate of interest under Section 2.13(c), which shall only require the consent of the Required Lenders) or the amount of any fee or premium owed to such Lender; it being understood that no change in the definition of “First Lien Leverage Ratio” or any other ratio used in the calculation of the Applicable Rate or the Commitment Fee Rate, or in the calculation of any other interest, fee or premium due hereunder (including any component definition thereof) shall constitute a reduction in any rate of interest or fee hereunder;

(5)            extends the expiry date of such Lender’s Commitment; it being understood that no amendment, modification or waiver of, or consent to departure from, any condition precedent, representation, warranty, covenant, Default, Event of Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of any Commitment shall constitute an extension of any Commitment of any Lender; and

(6)            waives, amends or modifies the provisions of (x) Sections 2.18(b) or 2.18(c) in a manner that would by its terms alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby or (y) Section 2.18(b) in a manner that alters the order in which payments are applied to repay the Secured Obligations, in each case except in connection with any transaction permitted under Sections 2.21, 2.22, 2.23, 9.02(c) and/or 9.05(g) or as otherwise provided in this Section 9.02;

(B)                           no such agreement shall:

(1)            change (x) any of the provisions of Section 9.02(a) or Section 9.02(b) or the definition of “Required Lenders” to reduce any voting percentage required to waive, amend or modify any right thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, without the prior written consent of each Lender, or (y) the definition of “Required Revolving Lenders” without the prior written consent of each Revolving Lender (it being understood that neither the consent of the Required Lenders nor the consent of any other Lender shall be required in connection with any change to the definition of “Required Revolving Lenders”);

(2)            release all or substantially all of the Collateral from the Lien granted pursuant to the Loan Documents (except as otherwise permitted herein or in the other Loan Documents, including pursuant to Article VIII), without the prior written consent of each Lender; or

(3)            release all or substantially all of the value of the Guarantees under the Loan Guaranty (except as otherwise permitted herein or in the other Loan Documents, including pursuant to Article VIII), without the prior written consent of each Lender;

(C)                           solely with the consent of the Required Revolving Lenders (but without the consent of the Required Lenders or any other Lender), any such agreement may (x) waive, amend or modify Section 6.12 (or the definition of “First Lien Leverage Ratio” or any component definition thereof, in each case, as any such definition is used solely for purposes of Section 6.12) (other than, in the case of Section 6.12(a), for purposes of determining compliance with such Section as a condition to taking any action under this Agreement), (y) waive, amend or modify any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.02 as it pertains to any Revolving Loan or Letter of Credit and/or (z) waive any Default or Event of Default resulting from any failure to satisfy any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.02 as it pertains to any Revolving Loan or Letter of Credit; and

204

(D)                           solely with the consent of each Issuing Bank and, in the case of clause (x), the Administrative Agent, any such agreement may (x) increase or decrease the Letter of Credit Sublimit or (y) waive, amend or modify any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.02 hereof as it pertains to the issuance of any Letter of Credit; and

(E)                            no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, Swingline Lender or any Issuing Bank hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, Swingline Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be.

(c)            Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended:

(i)            with the written consent of the Borrower and the Lenders providing the relevant Replacement Term Loans to permit the refinancing or replacement of all or any portion of the outstanding Term Loans under any Class (any such loans being refinanced or replaced, the “Replaced Term Loans”) with one or more replacement term loans hereunder (“Replacement Term Loans”) pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment; provided that

(A)            the aggregate principal amount of any Class of Replacement Term Loans shall not exceed the aggregate principal amount of the relevant Replaced Term Loans (plus (1) any additional amount permitted to be incurred under Section 6.01 and, to the extent any such additional amount is secured, the related Lien is permitted under Section 6.02 and plus (2) the amount of accrued interest and premium (including tender premium) thereon and underwriting discounts, fees (including upfront fees and original issue discount), commissions and expenses associated therewith),

(B)            any Class of Replacement Term Loans must have a final maturity date that is equal to or later than the final maturity date of, and have a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the applicable Replaced Term Loans at the time of the relevant refinancing; provided that, at the option of the Borrower, Replacement Term Loans (x) constituting Customary Bridge Loans or Term A Loans, (y) being incurred in connection with a Permitted Acquisition, Investment or other similar transaction or (z) in an aggregate principal amount up to the available Maturity/Weighted Average Life Excluded Amount, in each case, may be incurred without regard to this clause (B),

(C)            any Class of Replacement Term Loans may be pari passu with or junior to any then-existing Class of Term Loans in right of payment and pari passu with or junior to such Class of Term Loans with respect to the Collateral or may be unsecured; provided that (x) any Class of Replacement Term Loans that is pari passu with any then-existing Class of Term Loan shall be subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement and may be, at the option of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, documented in a separate agreement or agreements and (y) any Class of Replacement Term Loans that is junior to the Initial Term Loans with respect to security shall be pari passu with, or junior to, the Second Lien Term Loans and shall be subject to the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement,,

205

(D)            any Class of Replacement Term Loans that is secured may not be secured by any asset other than the Collateral,

(E)            any Class of Replacement Term Loans that is guaranteed may not be guaranteed by any Person that is not a Loan Party,

(F)            any Class of Replacement Term Loans that is pari passu with the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans in right of payment and security may participate on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not greater than a pro rata basis) in any mandatory prepayment in respect of the Initial Term Loans and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans (and any Additional Term Loans then subject to ratable repayment requirements), in each case as agreed by the Borrower and the Lenders providing the relevant Class of Replacement Term Loans,

(G)            any Class of Replacement Term Loans may have pricing (including interest, fees, MFN terms, discounts, rate floors and premiums) and, subject to preceding clause (F), optional prepayment and redemption terms as the Borrower and the lenders providing such Class of Replacement Term Loans may agree, and

(H)            the terms and conditions of any Class of Replacement Term Loans (excluding pricing, interest, currency types and denominations, fees, MFN terms, discounts, rate floors, premiums, optional prepayment or redemption terms, security and maturity, subject to preceding clauses (B) through (G)) must be, as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower, either (x) consistent with market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of the incurrence of such Replacement Term Loans or (y) not materially more restrictive on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) than those applicable to the relevant Replaced Term Loans (taken as a whole) (other than covenants or other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date (in each case, as of the date of incurrence of such Class of Replacement Term Loans)) (it being understood that to the extent that any financial maintenance covenant or other term is added for the benefit of the Lenders providing the relevant Class of Replacement Term Loans, the terms and conditions of such Replacement Term Loans will be deemed not to be more restrictive than the terms and conditions of the relevant Replaced Term Loans if such financial maintenance covenant or other term is also added for the benefit of all Classes of Loans remaining outstanding);

(ii)            with the written consent of the Borrower and the Lenders providing the relevant Replacement Revolving Facility to permit the refinancing or replacement of all or any portion of any Revolving Credit Commitment of any Class (any such Revolving Credit Commitment being refinanced or replaced, a “Replaced Revolving Facility”) with a replacement revolving facility hereunder (a “Replacement Revolving Facility”) pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment; provided that:

(A)            the aggregate maximum amount of any Replacement Revolving Facility shall not exceed the aggregate maximum amount of the relevant Replaced Revolving Facility (plus (x) any additional amount permitted to be incurred under Section 6.01 and, to the extent any such additional amount is secured, the related Lien is permitted under Section 6.02 and plus (y) the amount of accrued interest and premium thereon, any committed but undrawn amounts and underwriting discounts, fees (including upfront fees and original issue discount), commissions and expenses associated therewith),

206

(B)            no Replacement Revolving Facility may have a final maturity date (or require commitment reductions) prior to the final maturity date of the relevant Replaced Revolving Facility at the time of such refinancing or require scheduled amortization or mandatory commitment reduction prior to the final maturity date of the Initial Revolving Facility; provided that, at the option of the Borrower, Replacement Revolving Facilities in an aggregate principal amount up to the available Maturity/Weighted Average Life Excluded Amount may be incurred without regard to this clause (B),

(C)            any Replacement Revolving Facility may be pari passu with or junior to any then-existing Revolving Credit Commitment in right of payment and pari passu with or junior to any then-existing Revolving Credit Commitment with respect to the Collateral or may be unsecured; provided that (x) any Replacement Revolving Facility that is pari passu with or junior to the Revolving Credit Commitment shall be subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement and may be, at the option of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, documented in a separate agreement or agreements and (y) any Replacement Revolving Facility that is junior to any then-existing Revolving Credit Commitment with respect to security shall be pari passu with, or junior to, the Second Lien Term Loans and shall be subject to the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement,,

(D)            any Replacement Revolving Facility that is secured may not be secured by any assets other than the Collateral,

(E)            any Replacement Revolving Facility that is guaranteed may not be guaranteed by any Person that is not a Loan Party,

(F)            any Replacement Revolving Facility shall be subject to the “ratability” provisions applicable to Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and Extended Revolving Loans set forth in the proviso to clause (i) of Section 2.23(a), mutatis mutandis, to the same extent as if fully set forth in this Section 9.02(c)(ii),

(G)            any Replacement Revolving Facility may have pricing (including interest, fees and premiums) and, subject to preceding clause (F), optional prepayment and redemption terms as the Borrower and the lenders providing such Replacement Revolving Facility may agree,

(H)            the terms and conditions of any Replacement Revolving Facility (excluding pricing, interest, currency types and denominations, fees, rate floors, premiums, optional prepayment or redemption terms, security and maturity, subject to preceding clauses (B) through (G)) must be, as reasonably determined in good faith by the Borrower, either (x) consistent with market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of the incurrence of such Replacement Revolving Facility or (y) not materially more restrictive on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) than those applicable to the Replaced Revolving Facility (taken as a whole) (other than covenants or other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Revolving Credit Maturity Date (in each case, as of the date of incurrence of the relevant Replacement Revolving Facility)) (it being understood that to the extent that any financial maintenance covenant or other term is added for the benefit of the Lenders providing the Replacement Revolving Facility, the terms and conditions of such Replacement Revolving Facility will be deemed not to be more restrictive than the terms and conditions of the Replaced Revolving Facility if such financial maintenance covenant or other term is also added for the benefit of any remaining Revolving Facility), and

207

(I)            the commitments in respect of the relevant Replaced Revolving Facility shall be terminated, and all loans outstanding thereunder and all fees then due and payable in connection therewith shall be paid in full, in each case on the date any Replacement Revolving Facility is implemented;

provided, further, that, in respect of each of subclauses (i) and (ii) of this clause (c), any Non-Debt Fund Affiliate and Debt Fund Affiliate shall (x) be permitted without the consent of the Administrative Agent to provide any Class of Replacement Term Loans, it being understood that in connection therewith, the relevant Non-Debt Fund Affiliate or Debt Fund Affiliate, as applicable, shall be subject to the restrictions applicable to such Person under Section 9.05 and (y) any Debt Fund Affiliate (but not any Non-Debt Fund Affiliate) may provide any Replacement Revolving Facility.

Each party hereto hereby agrees that this Agreement may be amended by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the lenders providing the relevant Class of Replacement Term Loans or the Replacement Revolving Facility, as applicable, to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to reflect the existence and terms of such Class of Replacement Term Loans or Replacement Revolving Facility, as applicable, incurred or implemented pursuant thereto (including any amendment necessary to treat the loans and commitments subject thereto as a separate “tranche” and “Class” of Loans and/or commitments hereunder). It is understood that any Lender approached to provide all or a portion of any Class of Replacement Term Loans or any Replacement Revolving Facility may elect or decline, in its sole discretion, to provide such Class of Replacement Term Loans or Replacement Revolving Facility.

(d)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 9.02 or any other provision of this Agreement or any provision of any other Loan Document:

(i)            the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may, without the input or consent of any Lender, amend, supplement and/or waive any guaranty, collateral security agreement, pledge agreement and/or related document (if any) executed in connection with this Agreement to (A) comply with any Requirement of Law or the advice of counsel or (B) cause any such guaranty, collateral security agreement, pledge agreement or other document to be consistent with this Agreement and/or the relevant other Loan Documents,

(ii)            the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may, without the input or consent of any other Lender (other than the relevant Lenders providing Loans under such Sections), effect amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary in the reasonable opinion of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to (1) effect the provisions of Sections 2.22, 2.23, 5.12, 5.17 and/or 9.02(c), or any other provision specifying that any waiver, amendment or modification may be made with the consent or approval of the Administrative Agent and/or (2) to add terms (including, without limitation, representations and warranties, conditions, prepayments, covenants or events of default), in connection with the addition of any Loan or Commitment hereunder, that are favorable to the then-existing Lenders, as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent,

(iii)            if the Administrative Agent and the Borrower have jointly identified any ambiguity, mistake, defect, inconsistency, obvious error or any error or omission of a technical nature or any necessary or desirable technical change, in each case, in any provision of any Loan Document, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall be permitted to amend such provision solely to address such matter as reasonably determined by them acting jointly,

(iv)            the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend, restate, amend and restate or otherwise modify any Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement as provided therein,

208

(v)            the Administrative Agent may amend the Commitment Schedule to reflect assignments entered into pursuant to Section 9.05, Commitment reductions or terminations pursuant to Section 2.09, implementations of Additional Commitments or incurrences of Additional Loans pursuant to Sections 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c) and reductions or terminations of any such Additional Commitments or Additional Loans,

(vi)            no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except as permitted pursuant to Section 2.21(b) and except that the Commitment and any Additional Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased without the consent of such Defaulting Lender (it being understood that any Commitment or Loan held or deemed held by any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded from any vote hereunder that requires the consent of any Lender, except as expressly provided in Section 2.21(b)),

(vii)            this Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (i) to add one or more additional Credit Facilities to this Agreement and to permit any extension of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the relevant benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (ii) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders on substantially the same basis as the Lenders prior to such inclusion, and

(viii)            any waiver, amendment or modification of this Agreement that by its terms affects the rights or duties under this Agreement of Lenders holding Loans or Commitments of a particular Class (but not the Lenders holding Loans or Commitments of any other Class) may be effected by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into solely by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the requisite percentage in interest of the affected Class of Lenders that would be required to consent thereto under this Section if such Class of Lenders were the only Class of Lenders hereunder at the time.

209

(e)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in connection with any determination as to whether the requisite Lenders have (A) consented (or not consented) to any amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, (B) otherwise acted on any matter related to any Loan Document or (C) directed or required the Administrative Agent or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) with respect to or under any Loan Document, any Lender (alone or together with its Affiliates (but subject to clause (vi) below)) (other than (x) any Lender that is a Regulated Bank and (y) any Revolving Lender) that, as a result of its (or its Affiliates’ (but subject to clause (vi) below)) interest in any total return swap, total rate of return swap, credit default swap or other derivative contract (other than any such total return swap, total rate of return swap, credit default swap or other derivative contract entered into pursuant to bona fide market making activities), has a net short position with respect to the Loans and/or Commitments (each, a “Net Short Lender”) shall have no right to vote any of its Loans and Commitments and shall be deemed to have voted its interest as a Lender without discretion in the same proportion as the allocation of voting with respect to such matter by Lenders who are not Net Short Lenders (in each case unless otherwise agreed to by the Borrower). For purposes of determining whether a Lender (alone or together with its Affiliates (but subject to clause (vi) below)) has a “net short position” on any date of determination: (i) derivative contracts with respect to the Loans and Commitments and such contracts that are the functional equivalent thereof shall be counted at the notional amount thereof in Dollars, (ii) notional amounts in other currencies shall be converted to the dollar equivalent thereof by such Lender in a commercially reasonable manner consistent with generally accepted financial practices and based on the prevailing conversion rate (determined on a mid-market basis) on the date of determination, (iii) derivative contracts in respect of an index that includes any Loan Party or any instrument issued or guaranteed by any Loan Party shall not be deemed to create a short position with respect to the Loans and/or Commitments, so long as (x) such index is not created, designed, administered or requested by such Lender or its Affiliates and (y) the Loan Parties and any instrument issued or guaranteed by any of the Loan Parties, collectively, shall represent less than 5% of the components of such index, (iv) derivative transactions that are documented using either the 2014 ISDA Credit Derivatives Definitions or the 2003 ISDA Credit Derivatives Definitions (collectively, the “ISDA CDS Definitions”) shall be deemed to create a short position with respect to the Loans and/or Commitments if such Lender or its Affiliates is a protection buyer or the equivalent thereof for such derivative transaction and (x) the Loans or the Commitments are a “Reference Obligation” under the terms of such derivative transaction (whether specified by name in the related documentation, included as a “Standard Reference Obligation” on the most recent list published by Markit, if “Standard Reference Obligation” is specified as applicable in the relevant documentation or in any other manner), (y) the Loans or the Commitments would be a “Deliverable Obligation” under the terms of such derivative transaction or (z) any Loan Party (or its successor) is designated as a “Reference Entity” under the terms of such derivative transactions, (v) credit derivative transactions or other derivatives transactions not documented using the ISDA CDS Definitions shall be deemed to create a short position with respect to the Loans and/or Commitments if such transactions are functionally equivalent to a transaction that offers the Lender or its Affiliates protection in respect of the Loans or the Commitments, or as to the credit quality of any Loan Party (or its successor) other than, in each case, as part of an index so long as (x) such index is not created, designed, administered or requested by such Lender or its Affiliates and (y) the Loan Parties and any instrument issued or guaranteed by any of the Loan Parties, collectively, shall represent less than 5% of the components of such index and (vi) in connection with any such amendment, waiver, action or direction each Lender shall provide a certification or deemed certification to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that such Lender is not knowingly and intentionally acting in concert with any of its Affiliates (other than any Affiliates designated in writing by such Lender whose interests in the Loans and/or Commitments and/or any applicable total return swap, total rate of return swap, credit default swap or other derivative contract shall be included in determining whether such Lender is a Net Short Lender (each, a “Designated Affiliate”)) for the express purpose of creating (and in fact creating) the same economic effect with respect to the Loan Parties as though such Lender were a Net Short Lender at such time, in which case the interests of the Affiliates (other than any Designated Affiliates) of such Lender in the Loans and/or Commitments and/or any applicable total return swap, total rate of return swap, credit default swap or other derivative contract shall not be included in determining whether such Lender is a Net Short Lender. In connection with any such determination, each Lender (other than (x) any Lender that is a Regulated Bank and (y) any Revolving Lender) shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent in writing that it is a Net Short Lender, or shall otherwise be deemed to have represented and warranted to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent that it is not a Net Short Lender (it being understood and agreed that the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to conclusively rely on each such representation and deemed representation and shall have no duty to (x) inquire as to or investigate the accuracy of any such representation or deemed representation, (y) verify any statements in any officer’s certificates delivered to it or (z) otherwise ascertain or monitor whether any Lender, Eligible Assignee or Participant or prospective Lender, Eligible Assignee or Participant is a Net Short Lender or make any calculations, investigations or determinations with respect to any derivative contracts and/or net short positions). Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible or have any liability for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions hereof relating to the Net Short Lenders or (B) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Loans to any Net Short Lender.

210

Section 9.03      Expenses; Indemnity.

(a)            The Borrower shall pay (i) if the Closing Date occurs, all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by each Arranger, the Administrative Agent and their respective Affiliates (but limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the actual reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and, if necessary, of one local counsel in any relevant jurisdiction to all such Persons, taken as a whole, and, solely in the case of an actual or potential conflict of interest, one additional counsel to each similarly situated group of affected Persons, taken as a whole, and, if reasonably necessary, one additional local counsel to each similarly situated group of affected Persons, taken as a whole, in each relevant jurisdiction) in connection with the syndication and distribution (including via the Internet or through a service such as Intralinks) of the Credit Facilities, the preparation, execution, delivery and administration of the Loan Documents and any related documentation, including in connection with any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of any Loan Document (whether or not the transactions contemplated thereby are consummated, but only to the extent the preparation of any such amendment, modification or waiver was requested by the Borrower and except as otherwise provided in a separate writing between the Borrower, the relevant Arranger and/or the Administrative Agent) and (ii) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the Issuing Banks or the Lenders or any of their respective Affiliates (but limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the actual reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of one firm of counsel and, if necessary, of one local counsel in any relevant jurisdiction to all such Persons, taken as a whole) in connection with the enforcement, collection or protection of their respective rights in connection with the Loan Documents, including their respective rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made and/or Letters of Credit issued hereunder. Except to the extent required to be paid on the Eighth Amendment Closing Date, all amounts due under this paragraph (a) shall be payable by the Borrower within 30 days of receipt by the Borrower of an invoice setting forth such expenses in reasonable detail, together with backup documentation supporting the relevant reimbursement request.

(b)            The Borrower shall indemnify each Arranger, the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilitiesLiabilities and related expenses (but limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the actual reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of one firm of counsel and, if necessary, of one local counsel in any relevant jurisdiction to all Indemnitees, taken as a whole, and, solely in the case of an actual or potential conflict of interest, one additional counsel to each similarly situated group of affected Persons, taken as a whole, and, if reasonably necessary, one additional local counsel to each similarly situated group of affected Persons, taken as a whole, in each relevant jurisdiction) incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of any claim, litigation, investigation or pProceeding, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto (and regardless of whether such matter is initiated by a third party or by the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates) relating to (i) the execution or delivery of the Loan Documents or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby or thereby and/or the enforcement of the Loan Documents, (ii) the use or the proposed use of the proceeds of the Loans or any Letter of Credit or (iii) any actual or alleged Release, threatened Release or presence of Hazardous Materials on, at, under or from any property currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Borrower, any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any other Loan Party or any other Environmental Liability to the extent related to the Borrower, any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any other Loan Party; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, or liability (i) isLiabilities or related expenses (i) are determined by a final and non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee, or to the extent such judgment finds that any such loss, claim, damage, or liability hasLiabilities or related expenses have resulted from such Person’s material breach of the Loan Documents or (ii) arises out of any claim, litigation, investigation or pProceeding brought by such Indemnitee against another Indemnitee (other than any claim, litigation, investigation or pProceeding that is brought by or against the Administrative Agent or any Arranger, acting in its capacity as the Administrative Agent or as an Arranger) that does not arise out of any act or omission of the Sponsors, Holdings, the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Indemnitee shall be obligated to refund and return any and all amounts paid by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 9.03(b) to such Indemnitee for any fees, expenses, or damages to the extent such Indemnitee is not entitled to payment thereof in accordance with the terms hereof. All amounts due under this paragraph (b) shall be payable by the Borrower within 30 days (x) after receipt by the Borrower of a written demand therefor, in the case of any indemnification obligations and (y) in the case of reimbursement of costs and expenses, after receipt by the Borrower of an invoice setting forth such costs and expenses in reasonable detail, together with backup documentation supporting the relevant reimbursement request. This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages or liabilities in respect of a non-Tax claim.

211

(c)            The Borrower shall not be liable for any settlement of any pProceeding effected without the written consent of the Borrower (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned (it being understood that the withholding of consent due to non-satisfaction of either of the conditions described in clauses (i) and (ii) of the following sentence (with “Borrower” being substituted for “Indemnitee” in each such clause) shall be deemed reasonable)), but if any pProceeding is settled with the written consent of the Borrower, or if there is a final judgment against any Indemnitee in any such pProceeding, the Borrower agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee to the extent and in the manner set forth above. The Borrower shall not, without the prior written consent of the affected Indemnitee (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), effect any settlement of any pending or threatened pProceeding in respect of which indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnitee unless (i) such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnitee from all liability or claims that are the subject matter of such pProceeding and (ii) such settlement does not include any statement as to any admission of fault or culpability of the relevant Indemnitee.

(d)            No indemnitee referred to above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby except to the extent the liability of any such person is found in a final ruling by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.

(e)            Each Lender severally agrees to pay any amount required to be paid by the Borrower under paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 9.03 or under Section 9.04 to the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each, an “Agent-Related Person”) (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), ratably according to their respective Applicable Percentage in effect on the date on which such payment is sought under this Section (or, if such payment is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with such Applicable Percentage immediately prior to such date), and agrees to indemnify and hold each Agent-Related Person harmless from and against any and all Liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent-Related Person in any way relating to or arising out of the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by such Agent-Related Person under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that the unreimbursed expense or Liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against such Agent-Related Person in its capacity as such; provided further that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such Liabilities, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted primarily from such Agent-Related Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

212

Section 9.04      WaiverLimitation of ClaimLiability. To the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, (i) without limiting Section 9.13, the Borrower and any Loan Party shall not assert, and the Borrower and each Loan Party hereby waives, any claim against the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, Issuing Bank and any Lender, and any Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called a “Lender-Related Person”) for any Liabilities arising from the use by others of information or other materials (including, without limitation, any personal data) obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet, any Approved Electronic Platform and any Approved Borrower Portal) and (ii) no party to this Agreement shall assert, and each hereby waives, any claimLiabilities against any other party hereto, any Loan Party and/or any Related Party of any thereof, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (including, without limitation, any loss of profits, business or anticipated savings) (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or any Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof, except, in the case of any claim by any Indemnitee against the Borrower, to the extent such damages are included in any claim by a third party unaffiliated with any of parties hereto that would otherwise be subject to indemnification pursuant to the terms of Section 9.03.

Section 9.05      Successors and Assigns.

(a)            The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided that (i) except in a transaction permitted under Section 6.07(a), the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with the terms of this Section 9.05 (any attempted assignment or transfer not complying with the terms of this Section 9.05 shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and permitted assigns, to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section 9.05, Participants and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b)            (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of any Additional Loan or Additional Commitment added pursuant to Sections 2.22, 2.23 and/or 9.02(c) at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent of:

213

(A)                           the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that (x) the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any assignment of Term Loans unless it has objected thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within 15 Business Days after receipt of written notice thereof and (y) the consent of the Borrower shall not be required for any assignment (1) of Term Loans or Term Commitments to any Term Lender, any Affiliate of any Term Lender or an Approved Fund, (2) of Term Loans or Term Commitments to the Sponsors, any Affiliate of the Sponsors or Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries or (3) at any time when a Specified Event of Default (with respect to the Borrower) exists;

(B)                           the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for any assignment (1) to another Lender, any Affiliate of a Lender or any Approved Fund or (2) to the Sponsors, any Affiliate of the Sponsors or Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; and

(C)                           in the case of any Revolving Credit Commitment, each Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed.; provided that no consent of an Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender shall be required if (x) an Event of Default occurs with respect to the Borrower under Sections 7.01(f) or 7.01(g) and (y) such Issuing Bank or such Swingline Lender, as applicable, has no outstanding Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans, as applicable, at such time.

(ii)    Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A)                           except in the case of any assignment to another Lender, any Affiliate of any Lender or any Approved Fund or any assignment of the entire remaining amount of the relevant assigning Lender’s Loans or Commitments of any Class, the principal amount of Loans or Commitments of the assigning Lender subject to the relevant assignment (determined as of the date on which the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent and determined on an aggregate basis in the event of concurrent assignments to Related Funds or by Related Funds) shall not be less than (x) $1,000,000, in the case of Term Loans and Term Commitments and (y) $5,000,000, in the case of Revolving Loans and Revolving Credit Commitments, unless the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent;

(B)                           any partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the relevant assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement;

(C)                           the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption via an electronic settlement system acceptable to the Administrative Agent (or, if previously agreed with the Administrative Agent, manually), and shall pay to the Administrative Agent a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 (which fee may be waived or reduced in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent);

(D)                           the relevant Eligible Assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver on or prior to the effective date of such assignment, to the Administrative Agent (1) an Administrative Questionnaire and (2) any IRS form required under Section 2.17; and

(E)                           assignments of all or any portion of the Revolving Credit Commitment of a Lender that is also a Swingline Lender or an Issuing Bank may be made; provided that, unless the Borrower otherwise agrees, (1) the assignee (or any Lender with a Revolving Credit Commitment who agrees to act in such capacity) shall be or become a Swingline Lender and/or an Issuing Bank, as applicable, and assume a ratable portion of such assignor’s Swingline Commitment and/or LC Commitment and its rights and obligations in its capacity as Swingline Lender and/or Issuing Bank or (2) the assignor agrees, in its discretion, to retain all of its rights with respect to, and obligations to make or issue, Swingline Loans and Letters of Credit hereunder in which case the Swingline Exposure and/or LC Exposure, as applicable, of such assignor may exceed such assignor’s Revolving Credit Commitment for purposes of Section 2.04(a) and Section 2.05(b) by an amount not to exceed the difference between the assignor’s Revolving Credit Commitment prior to such assignment and the assignor’s Revolving Credit Commitment following such assignment.

214

(iii)   Subject to the acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section 9.05, from and after the effective date specified in any Assignment and Assumption, the Eligible Assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned pursuant to such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be (A) entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring on or prior to the effective date of such assignment and (B) subject to its obligations thereunder and under Section 9.13). If any assignment by any Lender holding any Promissory Note is made after the issuance of such Promissory Note, the assigning Lender shall, upon the effectiveness of such assignment or as promptly thereafter as practicable, surrender such Promissory Note to the Administrative Agent for cancellation, and, following such cancellation, if requested by either the assignee or the assigning Lender, the Borrower shall issue and deliver a new Promissory Note to such assignee and/or to such assigning Lender, with appropriate insertions, to reflect the new commitments and/or outstanding Loans of the assignee and/or the assigning Lender.

(iv)   The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders and their respective successors and assigns, and the commitment of, and principal amount and interest on the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender or Issuing Bank pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). Failure to make any such recordation, or any error in such recordation, shall not affect the Borrower’s obligations in respect of such Loans and LC Disbursements. The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, each Issuing Bank and each Lender (but only as to its own holdings), at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. The parties intend that all Loans will be at all times maintained in “registered form” within the meaning of Sections 163(f), 871(h)(2) and 881(c)(2) of the Code and any related Treasury Regulation (or any other relevant or successor provisions of the Code or of such Treasury Regulation).

(v)   Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an Eligible Assignee, the Eligible Assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire and any tax certification required by Section 9.05(b)(ii)(D)(2) (unless the assignee is already a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section 9.05, if applicable, and any written consent to the relevant assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section 9.05, the Administrative Agent shall promptly accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in paragraph (b) of this Section 9.05.

215

(vi)   By executing and delivering an Assignment and Assumption, the assigning Lender and the Eligible Assignee thereunder shall be deemed to confirm and agree with each other and the other parties hereto as follows: (A) the assigning Lender warrants that it is the legal and beneficial owner of the interest being assigned thereby free and clear of any adverse claim and that the amount of its commitments, and the outstanding balances of its Loans, in each case without giving effect to any assignment thereof which has not become effective, are as set forth in such Assignment and Assumption, (B) except as set forth in clause (A) above, the assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement, or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto, or the financial condition of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or the performance or observance by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of any of its obligations under this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto, (C) the assignee represents and warrants that it is an Eligible Assignee, legally authorized to enter into such Assignment and Assumption and that it is not a Disqualified Institution or an Affiliate of a Disqualified Institution, (D) the assignee confirms that it has received a copy of this Agreement and any Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01(c) or the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and Assumption, (E) the assignee will independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the assigning Lender or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it deems appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement, (F) if the assignee is a Foreign Lender, attached to such Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, duly completed and executed by the assignee, (G) if the assignee is not already a Lender under this Agreement, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is a customary administrative questionnaire in the form provided by the Administrative Agent, (H) the assignee has attached to such Assignment and Assumption any tax documentation (including without limitation the IRS forms, any FATCA documentation, and, if applicable, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate) required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, duly completed and executed by it, (I) the assignee appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement as are delegated to or conferred upon the Administrative Agent, by the terms hereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto, and (J) the assignee agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all the obligations which by the terms of this Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

(vii)   Any assignment by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.05(b) shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance Section 9.05(c).

216

(c)            (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any other Lender, sell participations to any bank or other entity (other than to any Disqualified Institution (provided that the list of Disqualified Institutions (other than any “reasonably identifiable affiliate” (on the basis of such Affiliate’s name) included in the definition of “Disqualified Institution”) is made available to any Lender who specifically requests a copy thereof), any natural Person or, other than with respect to any participation to any Debt Fund Affiliate (any such participations to a Debt Fund Affiliate being subject to the limitation set forth in the first proviso of the last paragraph set forth in Section 9.05(g), as if the limitation applied to such participations), the Borrower or any of its Affiliates) (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its commitments and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which any Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the relevant Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in (x) clause (A) of the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that directly and adversely affects the Loans or commitments in which such Participant has an interest or (y) any of clauses (B)(1), (2) or (3) of the first proviso to Section 9.02(b). Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the limitations and requirements of such Sections and Section 2.19) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(e) is delivered solely to the participating Lender, and if additional amounts are required to be paid pursuant to Section 2.17(a) or Section 2.17(b), to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent). To the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.09 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant shall be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender.

(ii)   No Participant shall be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17 than the participating Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent expressly acknowledging that such Participant’s entitlement to benefits under Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 is not limited to what the participating Lender would have been entitled to receive absent the participation.

Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and its respective successors and registered assigns, and the principal and interest amounts of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (a “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of any Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to any Participant’s interest in any Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or any other obligation under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the US Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and each Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

217

(d)            (i) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (other than to any Disqualified Institution (provided that the list of Disqualified Institutions (other than any “reasonably identifiable affiliate” (on the basis of such Affiliate’s name) included in the definition of “Disqualified Institution”) is made available to any Lender who specifically requests a copy thereof) or any natural person) to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to any Federal Reserve Bank or other central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender, and this Section 9.05 shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release any Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(e)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle (an “SPC”), identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the option to provide to the Borrower all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to make any Loan, (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to provide all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof and (iii) in no event may any Lender grant any option to provide to the Borrower all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would have otherwise been obligated to make to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement to any Disqualified Institution. The making of any Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. Each party hereto hereby agrees that (A) neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17) and no SPC shall be entitled to any greater amount under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17 or any other provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document than the Granting Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent an entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the grant to the SPC, unless the grant to such SPC is made with the prior written consent of the Borrower expressly acknowledging that such SPC’s entitlement to benefits under Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 is not limited to what the Granting Lender would have been entitled to receive absent the grant to the SPC, (B) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement (all liability for which shall remain with the Granting Lender) and (C) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes including approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of the Loan Documents, remain the Lender of record hereunder. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior indebtedness of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings under the Requirements of Law of the US or any State thereof; provided that (x) such SPC’s Granting Lender is in compliance in all material respects with its obligations to the Borrower hereunder and (y) each Lender designating any SPC hereby agrees to indemnify, save and hold harmless each other party hereto for any loss, cost, damage or expense arising out of its inability to institute such a proceeding against such SPC during such period of forbearance. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 9.05, any SPC may (1) with notice to, but without the prior written consent of, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent and without paying any processing fee therefor, assign all or a portion of its interests in any Loan to the Granting Lender and (2) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety, guaranty or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

218

(f)            If any assignment or participation under this Section 9.05 is made to any Disqualified Institution (other than any Bona Fide Debt Fund) without the Borrower’s prior written consent (any such person, a “Disqualified Person”), then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to the applicable Disqualified Person and the Administrative Agent, (A) terminate any Commitment of such Disqualified Person and cause the Borrower to repay all obligations of the Borrower owing to such Disqualified Person, (B) in the case of any outstanding Term Loans held by such Disqualified Person, purchase such Term Loans by paying the lesser of (x) par and (y) the amount that such Disqualified Person paid to acquire such Term Loans, plus accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and/or (C) require such Disqualified Person to assign, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in this Section 9.05), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to one or more Eligible Assignees; provided that (I) in the case of clause (B), the applicable Disqualified Person has received payment of an amount equal to the lesser of (1) par and (2) the amount that such Disqualified Person paid for the applicable Loans and participations in Letters of Credit, plus accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder from the Borrower, (II) in the case of clauses (A) and (B), the Borrower shall be liable to the relevant Disqualified Person under Section 2.16 if any Adjusted Term SOFR Loan owing to such Disqualified Person is repaid or purchased other than on the last day of the Interest Period relating thereto and (III) in the case of clause (C), the relevant assignment shall otherwise comply with this Section 9.05 (except that (x) no registration and processing fee required under this Section 9.05 shall be required with any assignment pursuant to this paragraph and (y) any Term Loan acquired by any Affiliated Lender pursuant to this paragraph will not be included in calculating compliance with the Affiliated Lender Cap for a period of 90 days following such transfer; provided that, to the extent the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans held by Affiliated Lenders exceeds the Affiliated Lender Cap on the 91st day following such transfer, then such excess amount shall either be (x) contributed to Holdings, the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries and retired and cancelled immediately upon such contribution or (y) automatically cancelled). Nothing in this Section 9.05(f) shall be deemed to prejudice any right or remedy that Holdings or the Borrower may otherwise have at law or equity. The Administrative Agent shall have no responsibility or liability for monitoring or enforcing the list of Disqualified Institutions or for any assignment or participation to a Disqualified Person. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible or have any liability for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions hereof relating to Disqualified Lenders. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not (A) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender, Eligible Assignee or Participant or prospective Lender, Assignee or Participant is a Disqualified Institution or (B) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Loans, or disclosure of confidential information (including Information), to any Disqualified Person.

(g)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender may, at any time, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement in respect of its Term Loans to any Affiliated Lender on a non-pro rata basis (A) through Dutch Auction open to all Lenders holding the relevant Term Loans on a pro rata basis or (B) through open market purchases, in each case with respect to clauses (A) and (B), without the consent of the Administrative Agent; provided that:

(i)     any Term Loans acquired by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall, to the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, be retired and cancelled immediately upon the acquisition thereof; provided that upon any such retirement and cancellation, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans shall be deemed reduced by the full par value of the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans so retired and cancelled, and each principal repayment installment with respect to the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.10(a) shall be reduced on a pro rata basis by the full par value of the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans so cancelled;

219

(ii)      any Term Loans acquired by any Non-Debt Fund Affiliate may (but shall not be required to) be contributed to Holdings, the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries (it being understood that any Term Loans so contributed shall, to the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, be retired and cancelled promptly upon such contribution); provided that upon any such cancellation, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans shall be deemed reduced, as of the date of such contribution, by the full par value of the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans so contributed and cancelled, and each principal repayment installment with respect to the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.10(a) shall be reduced pro rata by the full par value of the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans so contributed and cancelled;

(iii)      the relevant Affiliated Lender and assigning Lender shall have executed an Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption;

(iv)      after giving effect to the relevant assignment and to all other assignments to all Affiliated Lenders, the aggregate principal amount of all Term Loans then held by all Affiliated Lenders shall not exceed 30% of the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans then outstanding (after giving effect to any substantially simultaneous cancellations thereof) (the “Affiliated Lender Cap”); provided that each party hereto acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses and disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever incurred or suffered by any Person in connection with any compliance or non-compliance with this clause (g)(iv) or any purported assignment exceeding the Affiliated Lender Cap (it being understood and agreed that the Affiliated Lender Cap is intended to apply to any Loan made available to Affiliated Lenders by means other than formal assignment (e.g., as a result of an acquisition of another Lender (other than any Debt Fund Affiliate) by any Affiliated Lender or the provision of Additional Term Loans by any Affiliated Lender)); provided, further, that to the extent that any assignment to any Affiliated Lender would result in the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans held by Affiliated Lenders exceeding the Affiliated Lender Cap (after giving effect to any substantially simultaneous cancellation thereof), the assignment of the relevant excess amount shall be null and void;

(v)      in connection with any assignment effected pursuant to a Dutch Auction and/or open market purchase conducted by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, (A) the relevant Person may not use the proceeds of any Revolving Loans to fund such assignment, (B) no Default or Event of Default exists at the time of acceptance of bids for the Dutch Auction or the entry into a binding agreement with respect to the relevant open market purchase, as applicable, and (C) such offer shall have been made to all Term Lenders with respect to the Class of Term Loans subject to such Dutch Auction; and

(vi)     by its acquisition of Term Loans, each relevant Affiliated Lender shall be deemed to have acknowledged and agreed that:

(A)            the Term Loans held by such Affiliated Lender shall be disregarded in both the numerator and denominator in the calculation of any Required Lender or other Lender vote (and the Term Loans held by such Affiliated Lender shall be deemed to be voted pro rata along with the other Lenders that are not Affiliated Lenders); provided that (x) such Affiliated Lender shall have the right to vote (and the Term Loans held by such Affiliated Lender shall not be so disregarded) with respect to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action that requires the vote of all Lenders or all Lenders directly and adversely affected thereby, as the case may be, and (y) no amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action shall (1) disproportionately affect such Affiliated Lender in its capacity as a Lender as compared to other Lenders of the same Class that are not Affiliated Lenders or (2) deprive any Affiliated Lender of its share of any payments which the Lenders are entitled to share on a pro rata basis hereunder, in each case without the consent of such Affiliated Lender; and

220

(B)            such Affiliated Lender, solely in its capacity as an Affiliated Lender, will not be entitled to (i) attend (including by telephone) or participate in any meeting or discussion (or portion thereof) solely among the Administrative Agent and any Lender or solely among Lenders and, in each case, to which the Loan Parties and their representatives are not invited, or (ii) receive any information or material prepared by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any communication by or among the Administrative Agent and one or more Lenders, except to the extent such information or materials have been made available by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to any Loan Party or its representatives (and in any case, other than the right to receive notices of Borrowings, prepayments and other administrative notices in respect of its Term Loans required to be delivered to Lenders pursuant to Article II);

(vii)     no Affiliated Lender shall be required to represent or warrant that, as of the date of any such purchase or assignment, it is not in possession of material non-public information with respect to Holdings, the Borrower and/or any subsidiary thereof and/or their respective securities in connection with any assignment permitted by this Section 9.05(g); and

(viii)     in any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, the interest of any Affiliated Lender in any Term Loan will be deemed to be voted in the same proportion as the vote of Lenders that are not Affiliated Lenders on the relevant matter and each Affiliated Lender hereby acknowledges, agrees and consents that if, for any reason, its vote to accept or reject any plan pursuant to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code is not deemed to have been so voted, then such vote will be (i) deemed not to be in good faith and (ii) “designated” pursuant to Section 1126(e) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code such that the vote is not counted in determining whether the applicable class has accepted or rejected such plan in accordance with Section 1126(c) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; provided that each Affiliated Lender will be entitled to vote its interest in any Term Loan for any plan of reorganization or other arrangement with respect to which the relevant vote being sought proposes to treat the interest of such Affiliated Lender in such Term Loan in a manner that is less favorable to such Affiliated Lender than the proposed treatment of Term Loans held by other Term Lenders.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender may, at any time, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement in respect of its Term Loans and/or Term Commitments to any Debt Fund Affiliate, and any Debt Fund Affiliate may, from time to time, purchase Loans and/or Commitments (x) on a non-pro rata basis through Dutch Auctions open to all applicable Lenders or (y) on a non-pro rata basis through open market purchases without the consent of the Administrative Agent, in each case, notwithstanding the requirements set forth in subclauses (i) through (viii) of this clause (g); provided that the Loans and Commitments held by all Debt Fund Affiliates shall not account for more than 49.9% of the amounts included in determining whether the Required Lenders have (A) consented to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action with respect to any of the terms of any Loan Document or any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, (B) otherwise acted on any matter related to any Loan Document or (C) directed or required the Administrative Agent or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) with respect to or under any Loan Document; it being understood and agreed that the portion of the Loan and/or Commitments that accounts for more than 49.9% of the relevant Required Lender action shall be deemed to be voted pro rata along with other Lenders that are not Debt Fund Affiliates. Any Loans acquired by any Debt Fund Affiliate may (but shall not be required to) be contributed to Holdings, the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries for purposes of cancelling such Indebtedness (it being understood that any Loans so contributed shall be retired and cancelled immediately upon thereof); provided that upon any such cancellation, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the relevant Class of Loans shall be deemed reduced, as of the date of such contribution, by the full par value of the aggregate principal amount of the Loans so contributed and cancelled, and each principal repayment installment with respect to the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.10(a) shall be reduced pro rata by the full par value of the aggregate principal amount of any applicable Term Loans so contributed and cancelled.

221

Section 9.06      Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loan and issuance of any Letter of Credit regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or Event of Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect until the Termination Date. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17, 9.03 and 9.13 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Revolving Credit Commitment, the occurrence of the Termination Date or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof but in each case, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement.

Section 9.07      Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.

. (a)            This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the Fee Letter and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire agreement among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement shall become effective when it has been executed by Holdings, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent has received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or by email as a “.pdf” or “.tif” attachment shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

(b)            Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of (x) this Agreement, (y) any other Loan Document and/or (z) any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any notice delivered pursuant to Section 9.01), certificate, request, statement, disclosure or authorization related to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or the transactions contemplated hereby and/or thereby (each an “Ancillary Document”) that is an Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed .pdf or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement, such other Loan Document or such Ancillary Document, as applicable. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in any electronic form (including deliveries by telecopy, emailed .pdf or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page), each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be; provided that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept Electronic Signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent and pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (1) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept any Electronic Signature, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party without further verification thereof and without any obligation to review the appearance or form of any such Electronic signature and (2) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed counterpart. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower and each Loan Party hereby (a) agrees that, for all purposes, including without limitation, in connection with any workout, restructuring, enforcement of remedies, bankruptcy proceedings or litigation among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Borrower and the Loan Parties, Electronic Signatures transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page and/or any electronic images of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as any paper original, (b) the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders may, at its option, create one or more copies of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document in the form of an imaged electronic record in any format, which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of such Person’s business, and destroy the original paper document (and all such electronic records shall be considered an original for all purposes and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record), (c) waives any argument, defense or right to contest the legal effect, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document based solely on the lack of paper original copies of this Agreement, such other Loan Document and/or such Ancillary Document, respectively, including with respect to any signature pages thereto and (d) waives any claim against any Lender-Related Person for any Liabilities arising solely from the Administrative Agent’s and/or any Lender’s reliance on or use of Electronic Signatures and/or transmissions by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page, including any Liabilities arising as a result of the failure of the Borrower and/or any Loan Party to use any available security measures in connection with the execution, delivery or transmission of any Electronic Signature.

222

Section 9.08      Severability. To the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, any provision of any Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 9.09      Right of Setoff. At any time when an Event of Default exists, upon the written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank, each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations (in any currency) at any time owing by the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or such Lender to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any and all of the Secured Obligations then due and owing held by the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank, such Lender or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or such Lender shall have made any demand under the Loan Documents and although such obligations are owed to a branch or office of such Lender or Issuing Bank different than the branch or office holding such deposit or obligation on such Indebtedness. Any applicable Lender or Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of such set-off or application; provided that any failure to give or any delay in giving such notice shall not affect the validity of any such set-off or application under this Section. The rights of each Lender, each Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent and each of their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender, such Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent or their respective Affiliates may have.

223

Section 9.10      Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.

(a)            THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (OTHER THAN AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT) AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (OTHER THAN AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT), WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT (AT LAW OR IN EQUITY) OR OTHERWISE, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; PROVIDED THAT (I) THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DEFINITION OF “CLOSING DATE MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT” AND THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER A CLOSING DATE MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT HAS OCCURRED, (II) THE DETERMINATION OF THE ACCURACY OF ANY SPECIFIED ACQUISITION AGREEMENT REPRESENTATION AND WHETHER AS A RESULT OF ANY INACCURACY THEREOF THE BORROWER OR ITS APPLICABLE AFFILIATE HAS A RIGHT TO TERMINATE ITS OR THEIR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE ACQUISITION AGREEMENT OR DECLINE TO CONSUMMATE THE ACQUISITION AND (III) THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THE ACQUISITION HAS BEEN CONSUMMATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE ACQUISITION AGREEMENT AND, IN ANY CASE, ANY CLAIM OR DISPUTE ARISING OUT OF ANY SUCH INTERPRETATION OR DETERMINATION OR ANY ASPECT THEREOF, SHALL IN EACH CASE BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE REGARDLESS OF THE LAWS THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GOVERN UNDER APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS..

(b)            EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF ANY US FEDERAL OR NEW YORK STATE COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK (OR ANY APPELLATE COURT THEREFROM) OVER ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT (AT LAW OR IN EQUITY) OR OTHERWISE, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL (EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BELOW) BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE OR, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF LAW, FEDERAL COURT; PROVIDED THAT WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE ACQUISITION AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED THEREBY WHICH DOES NOT INVOLVE ANY CLAIMS AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE ARRANGERS, THE ISSUING BANKS, THE LENDERS OR ANY INDEMNIFIED PERSON, THIS SENTENCE SHALL NOT OVERRIDE ANY JURISDICTION PROVISION IN THE ACQUISITION AGREEMENT. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES THAT SERVICE OF ANY PROCESS, SUMMONS, NOTICE OR DOCUMENT BY REGISTERED MAIL ADDRESSED TO SUCH PERSON SHALL BE EFFECTIVE SERVICE OF PROCESS AGAINST SUCH PERSON FOR ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF LAW. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT RETAINS THE RIGHT TO BRING PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY IN THE COURTS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION SOLELY IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXERCISE OF ITS RIGHTS UNDER ANY COLLATERAL DOCUMENT.

224

(c)            EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT IT MAY LEGALLY AND EFFECTIVELY DO SO, ANY OBJECTION WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (b) OF THIS SECTION. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF LAW, ANY CLAIM OR DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d)            TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF LAW, EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF ANY AND ALL PROCESS UPON IT AND AGREES THAT ALL SUCH SERVICE OF PROCESS MAY BE MADE BY REGISTERED MAIL (OR ANY SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR FORM OF MAIL) DIRECTED TO IT AT ITS ADDRESS FOR NOTICES AS PROVIDED FOR IN SECTION 9.01. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION TO SUCH SERVICE OF PROCESS AND FURTHER IRREVOCABLY WAIVES AND AGREES NOT TO PLEAD OR CLAIM IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING COMMENCED HEREUNDER OR UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT THAT SERVICE OF PROCESS WAS INVALID AND INEFFECTIVE. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF LAW.

Section 9.11      Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY SUIT, ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY) DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HERETO HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

Section 9.12      Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

225

Section 9.13      Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, each Lender, each Issuing Bank and each Arranger agrees (and each Lender agrees to cause its SPC, if any) to maintain the confidentiality of the Confidential Information (as defined below), except that Confidential Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and its and their respective limited partners, lenders, investors, managed accounts and rating agencies and to the respective directors, officers, managers, members, accountants, agents, employees, independent auditors, or other experts and advisors of it or any of the foregoing, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (collectively, the “Representatives”) on a “need to know” basis solely in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or in connection with the administration, evaluation or monitoring of the Commitments and/or Loans of the relevant Person hereunder and who are informed of the confidential nature of the Confidential Information and are or have been advised of their obligation to keep the Confidential Information of this type confidential; provided that such Person shall be responsible for its Affiliates’ and its and their respective Representatives’ compliance with this paragraph with respect to any information provided to the applicable Representative by the relevant disclosing Person; provided, further, that unless the Borrower otherwise consents, no such disclosure shall be made by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Arranger, any Lender or any Affiliate or Representative thereof to any Affiliate or Representative of the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Arranger, or any Lender that is a Disqualified Institution (other than, if applicable, any senior employee who is required, in accordance with industry regulations or the relevant Disqualified Institution’s internal policies and procedures, to act in a supervisory capacity and the internal legal, compliance, risk management, credit or investment committee members of the relevant Disqualified Institution), (b) to the extent compelled by legal process in, or reasonably necessary to, the defense of such legal, judicial or administrative proceeding, in any legal, judicial or administrative proceeding or otherwise as required by applicable Requirements of Law (in which case such Person shall, (i) to the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, inform the Borrower promptly in advance thereof and (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that any such information so disclosed is accorded confidential treatment), (c) upon the demand or request of any regulatory or governmental authority (including any self-regulatory body and including the National Insurance Commissioners Association) purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Affiliates (in which case such Person shall, except with respect to any audit or examination conducted by bank accountants or any Governmental Authority or regulatory or self-regulatory authority exercising examination or regulatory authority, to the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, (i) inform the Borrower promptly in advance thereof and (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that any information so disclosed is accorded confidential treatment, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) subject to an acknowledgment and agreement by the relevant recipient that the Confidential Information is being disseminated on a confidential basis (on substantially the terms set forth in this paragraph or as otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, including as set forth in the Information Memorandum) in accordance with the standard syndication process of the Arrangers or market standards for dissemination of the relevant type of information, which shall in any event require “click through” or other affirmative action on the part of the recipient to access the Confidential Information and acknowledge its confidentiality obligations in respect thereof (with the disclosing party, to the extent such recipient’s compliance is within its control, being responsible for such compliance), to (i) any Eligible Assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective Eligible Assignee of or prospective Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, including any SPC (in each case other than a Disqualified Institution; provided that the list of Disqualified Institutions may, upon their reasonable request, be made available to any prospective Eligible Assignee or prospective Participant on a confidential basis so that any such prospective Eligible Assignee or prospective Participant may represent and warrant that it is not a Disqualified Institution or an Affiliate of a Disqualified Institution), (ii) any pledgee referred to in Section 9.05, (iii) any actual or prospective, direct or indirect contractual counterparty (or its advisors) to any Derivative Transaction (including any credit default swap, total return swap or total rate of return swap) or similar derivative product to which any Loan Party is a party and (iv) subject to the Borrower’s prior approval of the information to be disclosed (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to Moody’s or S&P on a confidential basis in connection with obtaining or maintaining ratings as required under Section 5.13, (f) with the prior written consent of the Borrower, (g) to the extent the Confidential Information becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section by such Person, its Affiliates or their respective Representatives, (h) to any rating agency when required by it or the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance or monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the Credit Facilities provided hereunder and (i) to market data collectors, similar services providers to the lending industry, and service providers to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with the administration and management of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. For purposes of this Section, “Confidential Information” means all information relating to Holdings, the Borrower and/or any of its subsidiaries and their respective businesses or the Transactions (including any information obtained by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Lender or any Arranger, or any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives, based on a review of any books and records relating to Holdings, the Borrower and/or any of its subsidiaries and their respective Affiliates from time to time, including prior to the date hereof) other than any such information that is publicly available to the Administrative Agent or any Arranger, Issuing Bank, or Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event shall any disclosure of any Confidential Information be made to Person that is a Disqualified Institution at the time of disclosure.

226

For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 9.13 shall prohibit any Person from voluntarily disclosing or providing any Confidential Information within the scope of this confidentiality provision to any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization (any such entity, a “Regulatory Authority”) to the extent that any such prohibition on disclosure set forth in this Section 9.13 shall be prohibited by the laws or regulations applicable to such Regulatory Authority.

Section 9.14      No Fiduciary Duty. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, each Lender, each Issuing Bank and their respective Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of this paragraph, the “Lenders”), may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Loan Parties, their stockholders and/or their respective Affiliates. Each Loan Party agrees that nothing in the Loan Documents or otherwise will be deemed to create an advisory, fiduciary or agency relationship or fiduciary or other implied duty between any Lender, on the one hand, and such Loan Party, its respective stockholders or its respective affiliates, on the other. Each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents (including the exercise of rights and remedies hereunder and thereunder) are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Lenders, on the one hand, and the Loan Parties, on the other, and (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading thereto, (x) no Lender, in its capacity as such, has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of any Loan Party, its respective stockholders or its respective affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby (or the exercise of rights or remedies with respect thereto) or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Lender has advised, is currently advising or will advise any Loan Party, its respective stockholders or its respective Affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to any Loan Party except the obligations expressly set forth in the Loan Documents and (y) each Lender, in its capacity as such, is acting solely as principal and not as the agent or fiduciary of such Loan Party, its respective management, stockholders, creditors or any other Person. Each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees that such Loan Party has consulted its own legal, tax and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate and that it is responsible for making its own independent judgment with respect to such transactions and the process leading thereto. Each Loan Party further acknowledges and agrees that each Credit Party, together with its Affiliates, in addition to providing or participating in commercial lending facilities such as that provided hereunder, is a full service securities or banking firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities as well as providing investment banking and other financial services. In the ordinary course of business, any Credit Party may provide investment banking and other financial services to, and/or acquire, hold or sell, for its own accounts and the accounts of customers, equity, debt and other securities and financial instruments (including bank loans and other obligations) of, the Borrower and other companies with which the Borrower may have commercial or other relationships. With respect to any securities and/or financial instruments so held by any Credit Party or any of its customers, all rights in respect of such securities and financial instruments, including any voting rights, will be exercised by the holder of the rights, in its sole discretion.

227

Section 9.15      Several Obligations. The respective obligations of the Lenders hereunder are several and not joint and the failure of any Lender to make any Loan, issue any Letter of Credit or perform any of its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender from any of its obligations hereunder.

Section 9.16      Anti-Money Laundering Legislation.

(a)            Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act or any other applicable anti-money laundering, anti-terrorist financing, government sanction and “know your client” Requirement of Law (collectively, “AML Legislation”) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Loan Parties that pursuant to the requirements of the AML Legislation, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the such AML Legislation. The Borrower shall promptly provide and cause its subsidiaries that are Loan Parties to provide such information as may be reasonably requested by any Lender or the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender), or any prospective assignee of any Lender or the Administrative Agent, in order to comply with such AML Legislation, whether now or hereafter in existence. This notice is given in accordance with the requirements of the AML Legislation and is effective as to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent.

(b)            If, upon the written request of any Lender, the Administrative Agent has ascertained the identity of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or any authorized signatory of such Person for the purposes of applicable AML Legislation on such Lender’s behalf, then the Administrative Agent:

(i)            shall be deemed to have done so as an agent for such Lender, and this Agreement shall constitute a “written agreement” in such regard between such Lender and the Administrative Agent within the meaning of applicable AML Legislation; and

(ii)            shall provide to such Lender copies of all information obtained in such regard without any representation or warranty as to its accuracy or completeness.

(c)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9.16, each of the Lenders agrees that the Administrative Agent has no obligation to ascertain the identity of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or any authorized signatory of such Person, on behalf of any Lender, or to confirm the completeness or accuracy of any information it obtains from any such person or any such authorized signatory in doing so.

Section 9.17      Disclosure of Agent Conflicts. Each Loan Party, each Issuing Bank and each Lender hereby acknowledge and agree that the Administrative Agent and/or its Affiliates from time to time may hold investments in, make other loans to or have other relationships with any of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates.

Section 9.18      Appointment for Perfection; Release of Liens and Guarantees.

(a)            Each Lender hereby appoints each other Lender and each Issuing Bank as its agent for the purpose of perfecting Liens for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders, in assets which, in accordance with Article 9 of the UCC or any other applicable Requirement of Law can be perfected only by possession. If any Lender or Issuing Bank (other than the Administrative Agent) obtains possession of any Collateral, such Lender, Issuing Bank shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof and, promptly upon the Administrative Agent’s request therefor shall deliver such Collateral to the Administrative Agent or otherwise deal with such Collateral in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s instructions.

228

(b)            The Liens on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (x) shall be automatically released (i) upon the occurrence of the Termination Date, (ii) upon the sale or transfer of such property in connection with any Disposition permitted under the Loan Documents to a Person that is not a Loan Party, (iii) upon such property becoming an Excluded Asset, (iv) if the property subject to such Lien is owned by a Subsidiary Guarantor, upon the release of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its Guarantee under the Loan Guaranty otherwise in accordance with the Loan Documents and (y) shall be released by the Administrative Agent as expressly set forth in Article VIII in connection with the approval, authorization or ratification in writing by the Required Lenders approving such release (or the release of a Subsidiary Guarantor owning such property) in accordance with Section 9.02.

(c)            Any Subsidiary Guarantor shall be automatically released from all its obligations under the Loan Documents (including its Guarantee under the Loan Guaranty) (i) in the case of any Subsidiary Guarantor, upon the consummation of any permitted transaction or series of related transactions if as a result thereof such Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary or, upon written request by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, becomes an Excluded Subsidiary (including upon the effectiveness of any approval, authorization or ratification in writing by the Required Lenders approving such release in accordance with Section 9.02) and/or (ii) upon the occurrence of the Termination Date.

Section 9.19      Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan or Letter of Credit, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan or Letter of Credit under applicable Requirements of Law (collectively the “Charged Amounts”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender or Issuing Bank holding such Loan or Letter of Credit in accordance with applicable Requirements of Law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan or Letter of Credit hereunder, together with all Charged Amounts payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charged Amounts that would have been payable in respect of such Loan or Letter of Credit but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charged Amounts payable to such Lender or Issuing Bank in respect of other Loans or Letters of Credit shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, have been received by such Lender or Issuing Bank.

Section 9.20      Intercreditor Agreements. REFERENCE IS MADE TO THE CLOSING DATE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT AND EACH OTHEREACH ACCEPTABLE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT (IF ANY). EACH LENDER AND ISSUING BANK HEREUNDER AGREES THAT IT WILL BE BOUND BY AND WILL TAKE NO ACTIONS CONTRARY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE CLOSING DATE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT AND ANY OTHER ACCEPTABLE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT AND AUTHORIZES AND INSTRUCTS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT TO ENTER INTO THE CLOSING DATE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT AND ANY OTHER ACCEPTABLE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT IN THE CAPACITY OTHERWISE PERMITTED HEREUNDER AND ON BEHALF OF SUCH LENDER OR ISSUING BANK. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION 9.20 ARE NOT INTENDED TO SUMMARIZE ALL RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE CLOSING DATE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT AND ANY OTHER ACCEPTABLE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT. REFERENCE MUST BE MADE TO THE CLOSING DATE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT AND ANY OTHERAPPLICABLE ACCEPTABLE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT TO UNDERSTAND ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS THEREOF. EACH LENDER AND ISSUING BANK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING ITS OWN ANALYSIS AND REVIEW OF THE CLOSING DATE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT AND ANY OTHER ACCEPTABLE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT AND THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS THEREOF, AND NEITHER THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT NOR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION TO ANY LENDER OR ISSUING BANK AS TO THE SUFFICIENCY OR ADVISABILITY OF THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN THE CLOSING DATE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT AND ANY OTHER ACCEPTABLE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT.

229

Section 9.21      Conflicts. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between this Agreement and any other Loan Document, the terms of this Agreement shall govern and control; provided that in the case of any conflict or inconsistency between the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement or any otherany Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement and any Loan Document, the terms of the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement or such othersuch Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement (as applicable) shall govern and control.

Section 9.22      Effectiveness of the Target Merger[Reserved]. The Target shall have no rights or obligations hereunder until the consummation of the Acquisition and its merger with Merger Sub pursuant to the Target Merger and any representations and warranties of the Target hereunder shall not become effective until such time. Upon consummation of the Acquisition, the Target shall succeed to all the rights and obligations of Merger Sub under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party and all representations and warranties of the Target shall become effective as of the date hereof, without any further action by any Person.

.

Section 9.23      Effectiveness of the Closing Date Borrower Assumption[Reserved].

(a)            Effective upon the consummation of the Acquisition and the Target Merger, the Target hereby assign all rights and obligations (including the Obligations) of Merger Sub and the Target under this Agreement and the Fee Letter to the Company, effective upon the consummation of the Acquisition, and the Company hereby assumes all the rights and obligations (including the Obligations) of the Target under this Agreement and the Fee Letter and agrees that thereafter it shall be the “Borrower” under, and for all purposes of, this Agreement, the Fee Letter and the other Loan Documents and neither Merger Sub nor the Target shall continue to be the “Borrower” under this Agreement, the Fee Letter or the other Loan Documents (collectively, the “Closing Date Borrower Assumption”). From and after the Closing Date Borrower Assumption, the Target is hereby released from all the Obligations of the “Borrower” under this Agreement, the Fee Letter and the other Loan Documents.

(b)            Neither the Target nor the Company shall have any rights or obligations hereunder until the consummation of the Acquisition, the Target Merger and the Closing Date Borrower Assumption and any representations and warranties of the Borrower (other than Merger Sub) hereunder shall not become effective until such time. Upon consummation of the Acquisition, the Target Merger and the Closing Date Borrower Assumption, the Company shall succeed to all the rights and obligations of Merger Sub and the Target under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party and all representations and warranties of the Company in its capacity as the Borrower shall become effective as of the date hereof, without any further action by any Person.

230

Section 9.24      Effectiveness of the Closing Date Holdings Assumption[Reserved].

(a)            Effective upon the consummation of the Acquisition, Initial Holdings hereby assigns all rights and obligations (including the Obligations) of Initial Holdings under this Agreement and the Fee Letter to BNVC Holdings, Inc., effective upon the consummation of the Acquisition, and BNVC Holdings, Inc. hereby assumes all the rights and obligations (including the Obligations) of Initial Holdings under this Agreement and the Fee Letter and agrees that thereafter it shall be “Holdings” under, and for all purposes of, this Agreement, the Fee Letter and the other Loan Documents and Initial Holdings shall no longer continue to be “Holdings” under this Agreement, the Fee Letter or the other Loan Documents (collectively, the “Closing Date Holdings Assumption”). From and after the Closing Date Holdings Assumption, Initial Holdings is hereby released from all the Obligations of “Holdings” under this Agreement, the Fee Letter and the other Loan Documents.

(b)            Holdings shall have no rights or obligations hereunder until the consummation of the Acquisition and the Closing Date Holdings Assumption and any representations and warranties of Holdings (other than Initial Holdings) hereunder shall not become effective until such time. Upon consummation of the Acquisition and the Closing Date Holdings Assumption, BNVC Holdings, Inc. shall succeed to all the rights and obligations of Initial Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party and all representations and warranties of BNVC Holdings, Inc. in its capacity as Holdings shall become effective as of the date hereof, without any further action by any Person.

Section 9.25      Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEAAffected Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEAAffected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEAthe applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a)            the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEAthe applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEAAffected Financial Institution; and

(b)            the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

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

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

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

231

Section 9.26      Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for hedging agreements or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support”, and each such QFC, a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States):

In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.

[Signature Pages Follow]

232

 

Annex B

 

Schedules to Credit Agreement

 

[Attached]

 

 

 

 

Schedule 1.01(a)
Commitment Schedule

 

Initial Term Loan Commitments

 

Term Lender  Initial Term Loan Commitment 
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.  $1,156,585,104.58 
Converting Term Lenders1  $1,043,414,895.42 
Total  $2,200,000,000.00 

 

Initial Revolving Credit Commitments

 

Revolving Lender  Initial Revolving Credit Commitment 
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.  $125,000,000.00 
Barclays Bank PLC  $75,000,000.00 
Goldman Sachs Bank USA  $75,000,000.00 
Royal Bank of Canada  $30,000,000.00 
Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch  $20,000,000.00 
Bank of America, N.A.  $17,500,000.00 
Total  $342,500,000.00 

 

 

1 List of Converting Term Lenders on file with the Administrative Agent.

 

 

 

 

Schedule 1.01(b)
Dutch Auction Procedures

 

Dutch Auction” means an auction (an “Auction”) conducted by any Person (any such Person, the “Auction Party”) in order to purchase Term Loans, in accordance with the following procedures and subject to the Credit Agreement; provided that no Auction Party shall initiate any Auction unless (I) at least five Business Days have passed since the consummation of the most recent purchase of Term Loans pursuant to an Auction conducted hereunder; or (II) at least three Business Days have passed since the date of the last Failed Auction (as defined below) which was withdrawn pursuant to clause (c)(i) below:

 

(a) Notice Procedures. In connection with any Auction, the Auction Party will provide notification to the Auction Agent (as defined below) (for distribution to the relevant Lenders) of the Term Loans that will be the subject of the Auction (an “Auction Notice”). Each Auction Notice shall be in a form reasonably acceptable to the Auction Agent and shall (i) specify the maximum aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans subject to the Auction, in a minimum amount of $10,000,000 and whole increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, in any case, such lesser amount of such Term Loans then outstanding or which is otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Auction Agent and the Administrative Agent (if different from the Auction Agent)) (the “Auction Amount”), (ii) specify the discount to par (which may be a range (the “Discount Range”) of percentages of the par principal amount of the Term Loans subject to such Auction), that represents the range of purchase prices that the Auction Party would be willing to accept in the Auction, (iii) be extended, at the sole discretion of the Auction Party, to (x) each Lender and/or (y) each Lender with respect to any Term Loan on an individual Class basis and (iv) remain outstanding through the Auction Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each appropriate Lender with a copy of the Auction Notice and a form of the Return Bid to be submitted by a responding Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m. on the date specified in the Auction Notice (or such later date as the Auction Party may agree with the reasonable consent of the Auction Agent) (the “Auction Response Date”).

 

(b) Reply Procedures. In connection with any Auction, each Lender holding the relevant Term Loans subject to such Auction may, in its sole discretion, participate in such Auction and may provide the Auction Agent with a notice of participation (the “Return Bid”) which shall be in a form reasonably acceptable to the Auction Agent, and shall specify (i) a discount to par (that must be expressed as a price at which it is willing to sell all or any portion of such Term Loans) (the “Reply Price”), which (when expressed as a percentage of the par principal amount of such Term Loans) must be within the Discount Range, and (ii) a principal amount of such Term Loans, which must be in whole increments of $1,000,000 (or, in any case, such lesser amount of such Term Loans of such Lender then outstanding or which is otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Auction Agent) (the “Reply Amount”). Lenders may only submit one Return Bid per Auction, but each Return Bid may contain up to three bids only one of which may result in a Qualifying Bid. In addition to the Return Bid, the participating Lender must execute and deliver, to be held in escrow by the Auction Agent, an Assignment and Assumption with the dollar amount of the Term Loans to be assigned to be left in blank, which amount shall be completed by the Auction Agent (but in no such event shall the amount be in excess of the principal amount of Term Loans such Lender has indicated it is willing to sell) in accordance     with the final determination of such Lender’s Qualifying Bid pursuant to clause (c) below. Any Lender whose Return Bid is not received by the Auction Agent by the Auction Response Date shall be deemed to have declined to participate in the relevant Auction with respect to all of its Term Loans.

 

 

 

 

(c) Acceptance Procedures. Based on the Reply Prices and Reply Amounts received by the Auction Agent prior to the applicable Auction Response Date, the Auction Agent, in consultation with the Auction Party, will determine the applicable price (the “Applicable Price”) for the Auction, which will be the lowest Reply Price for which the Auction Party can complete the Auction at the Auction Amount; provided that, in the event that the Reply Amounts are insufficient to allow the Auction Party to complete a purchase of the entire Auction Amount (any such Auction, a “Failed Auction”), the Auction Party shall either, at its election, (i) withdraw the Auction or (ii) complete the Auction at an Applicable Price equal to the highest Reply Price. The Auction Party shall purchase the relevant Term Loans (or the respective portions thereof) from each Lender with a Reply Price that is equal to or lower than the Applicable Price (“Qualifying Bids”) at the Applicable Price; provided that if the aggregate proceeds required to purchase all Term Loans subject to Qualifying Bids would exceed the Auction Amount for such Auction, the Auction Party shall purchase such Term Loans at the Applicable Price ratably based on the principal amounts of such Qualifying Bids (subject to rounding requirements specified by the Auction Agent in its discretion). If a Lender has submitted a Return Bid containing multiple bids at different Reply Prices, only the bid with the lowest Reply Price that is equal to or less than the Applicable Price will be deemed to be the Qualifying Bid of such Lender (e.g., a Reply Price of $100 with a discount to par of 2.00%, when compared to an Applicable Price of $100 with a 1.00% discount to par, will not be deemed to be a Qualifying Bid, while, however, a Reply Price of $100 with a discount to par of 2.50% would be deemed to be a Qualifying Bid). The Auction Agent shall promptly, and in any case within five Business Days following the Auction Response Date with respect to an Auction, notify (I) the Borrower of the respective Lenders’ responses to such solicitation, the effective date of the purchase of Term Loans pursuant to such Auction, the Applicable Price, and the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans and the tranches thereof to be purchased pursuant to such Auction, (II) each participating Lender of the effective date of the purchase of Term Loans pursuant to such Auction, the Applicable Price, and the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of Term Loans to be purchased at the Applicable Price on such date, (III) each participating Lender of the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of the Term Loans of such Lender to be purchased at the Applicable Price on such date and (IV) if applicable, each participating Lender of any rounding and/or proration pursuant to the second preceding sentence. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to the Borrower and Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error.

 

(d) Additional Procedures.

 

(i) Once initiated by an Auction Notice, the Auction Party may not withdraw an Auction other than a Failed Auction (other than with the reasonable consent of the Auction Agent). Furthermore, in connection with any Auction, upon submission by a Lender of a Qualifying Bid, such Lender (each, a “Qualifying Lender”) will be obligated to sell the entirety or its allocable portion of the Reply Amount, as the case may be, at the Applicable Price.

 

(ii) To the extent not expressly provided for herein, each purchase of Term Loans pursuant to an Auction shall be consummated pursuant to procedures consistent with the provisions in this definition, established by the Auction Agent acting in its reasonable discretion and as reasonably agreed by the Borrower.

 

(iii) In connection with any Auction, the Borrower and the Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Auction Agent may require as a condition to any Auction, the payment of customary fees and expenses by the Auction Party in connection therewith as agreed between the Auction Party and the Auction Agent.

 

(iv) Notwithstanding anything in any Loan Document to the contrary, for purposes of this definition, each notice or other communication required to be delivered or otherwise provided to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) shall be deemed to have been given upon the Auction Agent’s (or its delegate’s) actual receipt during normal business hours of such notice or communication; provided that any notice or communication actually received outside of normal business hours shall be deemed to have been given as of the opening of business on the next Business Day.

 

 

 

 

(v) The Borrower and the Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Auction Agent may perform any and all of its duties under this definition by itself or through any Affiliate of the Auction Agent and expressly consent to any such delegation of duties by the Auction Agent to such Affiliate and the performance of such delegated duties by such Affiliate. The exculpatory provisions pursuant to this Agreement shall apply to each Affiliate of the Auction Agent and its respective activities in connection with any purchase of Term Loans provided for in this definition as well as activities of the Auction Agent.

 

Auction Agent” means (a) the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates or (b) any other financial institution or advisor engaged by the Borrower (whether or not an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent) to act as an arranger in connection with any Dutch Auction; provided, that the Borrower shall not designate the Administrative Agent as the Auction Agent without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (it being understood that the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to agree to act as the Auction Agent); provided, further, that neither Holdings nor any of its subsidiaries may act as the Auction Agent.

 

 

 

 

Schedule 1.01(d)
Schedule of Subsidiary Guarantors

 

Waystar, Inc.
Waystar Financial Solutions, Inc.
Connance, Inc.
Med-Payment.Com, Inc.
ImageVision.Net, LLC

 

 

 

 

Schedule 2.01
LC Commitments

 

Issuing Bank  LC Commitment 
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.  $18,248,176.00 
BARCLAYS BANK PLC  $10,948,905.00 
GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA  $10,948,905.00 
ROYAL BANK OF CANADA  $4,379,562.00 
DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH  $2,919,708.00 
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.  $2,554,744.00 
Total  $50,000,000.00 

 

 

 

 

Schedule 3.13
Subsidiaries

 

Holdings:

 

Holdings Type of Organization Jurisdiction
Waystar Intermediate, Inc. Corporation Delaware

 

Subsidiaries of Holdings:

 

Parent Subsidiary Type of
Organization
Jurisdiction %
Owned
Total Equity
Outstanding
Waystar Intermediate, Inc. Waystar Technologies, Inc. Corporation Delaware 100% 100%
Waystar Technologies, Inc. Waystar, Inc. Corporation Delaware 100% 100%
Waystar Technologies, Inc. Waystar Financial Solutions, Inc. Corporation Delaware 100% 100%
Waystar Technologies, Inc. Waystar RC, LLC Limited liability company Delaware 100% 100%
Waystar, Inc. ImageVision.Net, LLC Limited liability company Delaware 100% 100%
Waystar, Inc. Med-payment.com, Inc. Corporation Kentucky 100% 100%
Waystar, Inc. Connance Inc. Corporation Delaware 100% 100%

 

 

 

 

Schedule 5.10
Unrestricted Subsidiaries

 

None.

 

 

 

 

Schedule 6.01
Existing Indebtedness

 

None.

 

 

 

 

Schedule 6.02
Existing Liens

 

None.

 

 

 

 

Schedule 6.06
Existing Investments

 

None.

 

 

 

 

Schedule 6.07
Certain Dispositions

 

None.

 

 

 

 

Schedule 9.01
Borrower’s Website for Electronic Delivery

 

www.waystar.com

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

 

 

  KPMG LLP
Suite 2400
400 West Market Street
Louisville, KY 40202      

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the use of our report dated March 1, 2024, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Waystar Holding Corp., included herein, and to the reference to our firm under the heading "Experts" in the prospectus.

 

/s/ KPMG LLP

 

Louisville, Kentucky
March 22, 2024

  

  KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of
the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with
KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee.

 

 

 

Exhibit 24.2

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

KNOW ALL PEOPLE BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Matthew J. Hawkins, Steven M. Oreskovich, and Matthew R. A. Heiman and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents of the undersigned, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for and in the name, place and stead of the undersigned, to sign in any and all capacities (including, without limitation, the capacities listed below), the registration statement, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to the registration statement and any and all successor registration statements of Waystar Holding Corp., including any filings pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and hereby grants to such attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and anything necessary to be done to enable Waystar Holding Corp. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act and all the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute, or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

NAME   TITLE   DATE
         

/s/ Priscilla Hung

Priscilla Hung

  Director   March 21, 2024