Note Guarantees Section 10.01 Guarantee 82 Section 10.02 Limitation on Guarantor Liability 83 Section 10.03 Execution and Delivery of Note Guarantee 84 Section 10.04 Guarantors May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms 84 Section 10.05 Releases 85 ARTICLE 11
Release of Note Guarantees (a) A Note Guarantee by a Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged, and no further action by such Guarantor, the Company or the Trustee shall be required for the release of such Guarantor’s Note Guarantee, upon:
Additional Note Guarantees Section 4.17 of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated in its entirety as follows: “Prior to the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event Election with respect to each series of Notes, if (a) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company that is not an Excluded Subsidiary becomes an obligor with respect to any Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement, (b) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company that is not an Excluded Subsidiary and that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary becomes an obligor with respect to any capital markets debt securities in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $500.0 million or (c) Parent or any Subsidiary of Parent acquires or creates a Subsidiary that directly or indirectly owns Capital Stock of the Company, then the Company or Parent, as applicable, will, within 20 Business Days after the date on which it becomes an obligor with respect to any of the foregoing, or reasonably promptly thereafter, (i) cause that newly acquired or created Subsidiary to become a Guarantor of the Notes of this Series and execute a supplemental indenture and (ii), if requested by the Trustee, deliver an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee. Following the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event Election, with respect to each series of Notes, if the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness for Borrowed Money of non-guarantor Subsidiaries that are not Excluded Subsidiaries (excluding any Specified Indebtedness under any Permitted Receivables Financing and any Specified Indebtedness of an “Unrestricted Subsidiary” (or the equivalent thereof) under the Credit Agreement or Permitted Receivables Financing Subsidiary) that is incurred or issued and outstanding exceeds $2,000.0 million (the “Guarantee Threshold”), then Parent shall cause such of its non-guarantor Subsidiaries that are not Excluded Subsidiaries to, within 60 days, execute and deliver a supplemental indenture providing for a Note Guarantee by such non-guarantor Subsidiaries (each such Note Guarantee, a “Post-Release Event Note Guarantee”) such that the aggregate principal amount of Specified Indebtedness of all other non-guarantor Subsidiaries that are not Excluded Subsidiaries (excluding any Specified Indebtedness under any Permitted Receivables Financing and any Specified Indebtedness of an “Unrestricted Subsidiary” (or the equivalent thereof) under the Credit Agreement or Permitted Receivables Financing Subsidiary) that is incurred or issued and outstanding does not exceed the Guarantee Threshold (after giving effect to the provision of Post-Release Event Note Guarantees pursuant to this Section 4.17); provided that (i) this Section 4.17 shall not be applicable to any Specified Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that existed at the time such Person became a Subsidiary of Parent (including any Specified Indebtedness incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Subsidiary, so long as Parent and its Subsidiaries (other than such Person and its Subsidiaries) are not obligors under such Specified Indebtedness), (ii) if the Guarantee Threshold would be exceeded immediately after giving effect to the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event Election, then such Investment Grade Event Election shall be deemed not to have occurred with respect to the release of such Note Guarantees as the Company may designate such that the Guarantee Threshold would not be then exceeded and (iii) a Post-Release Event Note Guarantee shall be released to the extent the Guarantee Threshold would not be exceeded after giving effect to such release.”
The Guarantees Each (a) Guarantor, jointly and severally with each other Guarantor, hereby guarantees as primary obligor and not as surety to each Secured Party and its successors and assigns the prompt payment and performance in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration, demand or otherwise) of the principal of and interest (including any interest, fees, costs or charges that would accrue but for the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code after any bankruptcy or insolvency petition under the Bankruptcy Code) on the Loans made by the Lenders to, and the Notes held by each Lender of, Borrower, and (b) Credit Party, jointly and severally with each other Credit Party, hereby guarantees as primary obligor and not as surety to each Secured Party and its successors and assigns the prompt payment and performance in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the principal of and interest (including any interest, fees, costs or charges that would accrue but for the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code after any bankruptcy or insolvency petition under the Bankruptcy Code) of all other Obligations from time to time owing to the Secured Parties by any other Credit Party under any Credit Document, any Swap Contract entered into with a Swap Provider or any Cash Management Agreement entered into with a Cash Management Bank, in each case now or hereinafter created, incurred or made, whether absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated and strictly in accordance with the terms thereof; provided, that (i) the obligations guaranteed shall exclude obligations under any Swap Contract or Cash Management Agreements with respect to which the applicable Swap Provider or Cash Management Bank, as applicable, provides notice to Borrower that it does not want such Swap Contract or Cash Management Agreement, as applicable, to be secured, and (ii) as to each Guarantor the obligations guaranteed by such Guarantor hereunder shall not include any Excluded Swap Obligations in respect of such Guarantor (such obligations being guaranteed pursuant to clauses (a) and (b) above being herein collectively called the “Guaranteed Obligations” (it being understood that the Guaranteed Obligations of Borrower shall be limited to those referred to in clause (b) above)). Each Credit Party, jointly and severally with each other Credit Party, hereby agrees that if any other Credit Party shall fail to pay in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) any of the Guaranteed Obligations, such Credit Party will promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.
Subsidiary Guarantees Subject to Section 1301, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby, jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on such Security when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the Stated Maturity, by acceleration, call for redemption, offer to purchase or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Security and of this Indenture, and each Subsidiary Guarantor similarly guarantees to the Trustee the payment of all amounts owing to the Trustee in accordance with the terms of this Indenture. In case of the failure of the Company punctually to make any such payment, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby, jointly and severally, agrees to cause such payment to be made punctually when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the Stated Maturity or by acceleration, call for redemption, offer to purchase or otherwise, and as if such payment were made by the Company. Each of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby jointly and severally agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be absolute, unconditional, irrespective of, and shall be unaffected by, the validity, regularity or enforceability of such Security or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same or any release, amendment, waiver or indulgence granted to the Company or any other guarantor or any consent to departure from any requirement of any other guarantee of all or any of the Securities of such series or any other circumstances which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, no such release, amendment, waiver or indulgence shall, without the consent of such Subsidiary Guarantor, increase the principal amount of such Security, or increase the interest rate thereon, or alter the Stated Maturity thereof. Each of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby waives the benefits of diligence, presentment, demand for payment, any requirement that the Trustee or any of the Holders protect, secure, perfect or insure any security interest in or other lien on any property subject thereto or exhaust any right or take any action against the Company or any other Person or any collateral, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest or notice with respect to such Security or the indebtedness evidenced thereby and all demands whatsoever, and covenants that this Subsidiary Guarantee will not be discharged in respect of such Security except by complete performance of the obligations contained in such Security and in such Subsidiary Guarantee. Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees that if, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee or any of the Holders are prevented by applicable law from exercising their respective rights to accelerate the maturity of the Securities of a series, to collect interest on the Securities of a series, or to enforce or exercise any other right or remedy with respect to the Securities of a series, such Subsidiary Guarantor agrees to pay to the Trustee for the account of the Holders, upon demand therefor, the amount that would otherwise have been due and payable had such rights and remedies been permitted to be exercised by the Trustee or any of the Holders. Each Subsidiary Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holders of the Securities upon which its Subsidiary Guarantee is endorsed against the Company in respect of any amounts paid by such Subsidiary Guarantor on account of such Security pursuant to the provisions of its Subsidiary Guarantee or this Indenture; provided, however, that no Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to enforce or to receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on all Securities of the relevant series issued hereunder shall have been paid in full. Each Subsidiary Guarantor that makes or is required to make any payment in respect of its Subsidiary Guarantee shall be entitled to seek contribution from the other Subsidiary Guarantors to the extent permitted by applicable law; provided, however, that no Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to enforce or receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of contribution until the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on all Securities of the relevant series issued hereunder shall have been paid in full. Each Subsidiary Guarantee shall remain in full force and effect and continue to be effective should any petition be filed by or against the Company for liquidation or reorganization, should the Company become insolvent or make an assignment for the benefit of creditors or should a receiver or trustee be appointed for all or any part of the Company’s assets, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment and performance of the Securities of a series, is, pursuant to applicable law, rescinded or reduced in amount, or must otherwise be restored or returned by any Holder of the Securities, whether as a “voidable preference,” “fraudulent transfer,” or otherwise, all as though such payment or performance had not been made. In the event that any payment, or any part thereof, is rescinded, reduced, restored or returned, the Securities shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reinstated and deemed reduced only by such amount paid and not so rescinded, reduced, restored or returned.
The Notes and the Guarantees The Notes have been duly authorized by the Issuer and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Issuer, enforceable against the Issuer in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture; and the Guarantees have been duly authorized by each Guarantor and, when executed and delivered by each Guarantor and when the Notes have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be valid and legally binding obligations of each Guarantor, enforceable against such Guarantor in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
Subordination of Note Guarantee The Obligations of each Guarantor under its Note Guarantee pursuant to this Article 11 will be junior and subordinated to the Senior Debt of such Guarantor on the same basis as the Notes are junior and subordinated to Senior Debt of the Company. For the purposes of the foregoing sentence, the Trustee and the Holders will have the right to receive and/or retain payments by any of the Guarantors only at such times as they may receive and/or retain payments in respect of the Notes pursuant to this Indenture, including Article 10 hereof.
Pari Passu Guarantees The obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of the holders of preferred or capital securities issued by the Issuer Trust and with any other security, guarantee or other obligation that is expressly stated to rank pari passu with the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement.
Note Guarantee By its execution hereof, each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that it receives substantial benefits from the Issuer and that such Guarantor is providing its Note Guarantee for good and valuable consideration, including, without limitation, such substantial benefits. Accordingly, subject to the provisions of this Article 15, each Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of a Note authenticated by the Registrar as authenticating agent and delivered by the Trustee and its successors and assigns that: (i) the principal of (including the Redemption Price upon redemption pursuant to Article 3), premium, if any, and interest on the Notes shall be duly and punctually paid in full when due, whether at the Maturity Date, upon acceleration, upon redemption or otherwise, and interest on overdue principal, premium, if any, and (to the extent permitted by law) interest on any interest, if any, on the Notes and all other obligations of the Issuer to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or under the Notes (including fees, expenses or other) shall be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms hereof; and (ii) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, the same shall be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at the Maturity Date, by acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, subject, however, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) above, to the limitations set forth in Section 15.03 hereof (collectively, the “Guarantee Obligations”). Subject to the provisions of this Article 15, each Guarantor hereby agrees that its Note Guarantee hereunder shall be unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Notes with respect to any thereof, the entry of any judgment against the Issuer, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of such Guarantor. Each Guarantor hereby waives and relinquishes: (a) any right to require the Trustee, the Holders or the Issuer (each, a “Benefited Party”) to proceed against the Issuer or any other Person or to proceed against or exhaust any security held by a Benefited Party at any time or to pursue any other remedy in any secured party’s power before proceeding against such Guarantor; (b) any defense that may arise by reason of the incapacity, lack of authority, death or disability of any other Person or Persons or the failure of a Benefited Party to file or enforce a claim against the estate (in administration, bankruptcy or any other proceeding) of any other Person or Persons; (c) demand, protest and notice of any kind (except as expressly required by this Indenture), including but not limited to notice of the existence, creation or incurring of any new or additional indebtedness or obligation or of any action or non-action on the part of such Guarantor, the Issuer, any Benefited Party, any creditor of such Guarantor or the Issuer or on the part of any other Person whomsoever in connection with any obligations the performance of which are hereby guaranteed; (d) any defense based upon an election of remedies by a Benefited Party, including but not limited to an election to proceed against such Guarantor for reimbursement; (e) any defense based upon any statute or rule of law which provides that the obligation of a surety must be neither larger in amount nor in other respects more burdensome than that of the principal; (f) any defense arising because of a Benefited Party’s election, in any proceeding instituted under the Bankruptcy Law, of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code; and (g) any defense based on any borrowing or grant of a security interest under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code. Each Guarantor hereby covenants that, except as otherwise provided therein, its Note Guarantee shall not be discharged except by payment in full of all Guarantee Obligations, including the principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and all other costs provided for under this Indenture or as provided in Article 7. If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to either the Issuer or the Guarantors, or any trustee or similar official acting in relation to either the Issuer or the Guarantors, any amount paid by the Issuer or the Guarantors to the Trustee or such Holder, the Note Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and effect. Each Guarantor agrees that it shall not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any Guarantee Obligations hereby until payment in full of all such obligations guaranteed hereby. Each Guarantor agrees that, as between it, on the one hand, and the Holders of Notes and the Trustee, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 6 hereof for the purposes hereof, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Guarantee Obligations, and (y) in the event of any acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article 6 hereof, such Guarantee Obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by such Guarantor for the purpose of the Note Guarantee.
Guarantees of Notes 75 Section 10.01. Subsidiary Guarantees 75 Section 10.02. [Reserved] 76 Section 10.03. Guarantors May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms 76 Section 10.04. Releases of Subsidiary Guarantees 77 Section 10.05. Execution and Delivery of Guaranty 77 Section 10.06. Limitation on Guarantor Liability 77
