Document:

Exhibit 10.4

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

NEFF HOLDINGS LLC

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
 LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of November 26, 2014

 

 

THE COMPANY INTERESTS REPRESENTED BY THIS SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR UNDER ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS. SUCH COMPANY INTERESTS MAY NOT BE SOLD, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF AT ANY TIME WITHOUT EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION UNDER SUCH ACT AND LAWS OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM, AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE OTHER SUBSTANTIAL RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY SET FORTH HEREIN.

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
Page
    
	
Article I. DEFINITIONS
    	
2
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article II. ORGANIZATIONAL   MATTERS
    	
13
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 2.01
    	
Formation of Company
    	
13
    
	
Section 2.02
    	
Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company   Agreement
    	
13
    
	
Section 2.03
    	
Name
    	
13
    
	
Section 2.04
    	
Purpose
    	
14
    
	
Section 2.05
    	
Principal Office; Registered Office
    	
14
    
	
Section 2.06
    	
Term
    	
14
    
	
Section 2.07
    	
No State-Law Partnership
    	
14
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article III. MEMBERS; UNITS;   CAPITALIZATION
    	
14
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 3.01
    	
Members
    	
14
    
	
Section 3.02
    	
Units
    	
15
    
	
Section 3.03
    	
Recapitalization and Split; the Corporation’s Capital   Contribution; the Corporation’s Purchase of Common Units; Redemptions
    	
15
    
	
Section 3.04
    	
Authorization and Issuance of Additional Units
    	
16
    
	
Section 3.05
    	
Repurchase or Redemption of shares of Class A Common   Stock
    	
17
    
	
Section 3.06
    	
Certificates Representing Units; Lost, Stolen or Destroyed   Certificates; Registration and Transfer of Units
    	
17
    
	
Section 3.07
    	
Negative Capital Accounts
    	
18
    
	
Section 3.08
    	
No Withdrawal
    	
18
    
	
Section 3.09
    	
Loans From Members
    	
18
    
	
Section 3.10
    	
LLC Option Exercises
    	
18
    
	
Section 3.11
    	
Corporate Stock Option Plans
    	
19
    
	
Section 3.12
    	
Dividend Reinvestment Plan, Cash Option Purchase Plan,   Stock Incentive Plan or Other Plan
    	
21
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article IV. DISTRIBUTIONS
    	
21
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 4.01
    	
Distributions
    	
21
    
	
Section 4.02
    	
Restricted Distributions
    	
23
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article V. CAPITAL ACCOUNTS;   ALLOCATIONS; TAX MATTERS
    	
23
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 5.01
    	
Capital Accounts
    	
23
    
	
Section 5.02
    	
Allocations
    	
24
    
	
Section 5.03
    	
Regulatory Allocations
    	
24
    
	
Section 5.04
    	
Final Allocations
    	
25
    
	
Section 5.05
    	
Tax Allocations
    	
26
    

 

 

	
Section 5.06
    	
Indemnification and Reimbursement for Payments on Behalf of   a Member
    	
26
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article VI. MANAGEMENT
    	
27
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 6.01
    	
Authority of Manager
    	
27
    
	
Section 6.02
    	
Actions of the Manager
    	
28
    
	
Section 6.03
    	
Resignation
    	
28
    
	
Section 6.04
    	
Removal
    	
28
    
	
Section 6.05
    	
Vacancies
    	
28
    
	
Section 6.06
    	
Transactions Between Company and Manager
    	
28
    
	
Section 6.07
    	
Reimbursement for Expenses
    	
28
    
	
Section 6.08
    	
Delegation of Authority
    	
29
    
	
Section 6.09
    	
Limitation of Liability of Manager
    	
29
    
	
Section 6.10
    	
Investment Company Act
    	
30
    
	
Section 6.11
    	
Outside Activities of the Manager
    	
30
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article VII. RIGHTS AND   OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS
    	
30
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 7.01
    	
Limitation of Liability and Duties of Members
    	
30
    
	
Section 7.02
    	
Lack of Authority
    	
31
    
	
Section 7.03
    	
No Right of Partition
    	
31
    
	
Section 7.04
    	
Indemnification
    	
32
    
	
Section 7.05
    	
Members Right to Act
    	
33
    
	
Section 7.06
    	
Inspection Rights
    	
34
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article VIII. BOOKS,   RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS, AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
    	
34
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 8.01
    	
Records and Accounting
    	
34
    
	
Section 8.02
    	
Fiscal Year
    	
34
    
	
Section 8.03
    	
Reports
    	
34
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article IX. TAX MATTERS
    	
34
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 9.01
    	
Preparation of Tax Returns
    	
34
    
	
Section 9.02
    	
Tax Elections
    	
35
    
	
Section 9.03
    	
Tax Controversies
    	
35
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article X. RESTRICTIONS ON   TRANSFER OF UNITS; PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS
    	
35
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 10.01
    	
Transfers by Members
    	
35
    
	
Section 10.02
    	
Permitted Transfers
    	
36
    
	
Section 10.03
    	
Restricted Units Legend
    	
36
    
	
Section 10.04
    	
Transfer
    	
37
    
	
Section 10.05
    	
Assignee’s Rights
    	
37
    
	
Section 10.06
    	
Assignor’s Rights and Obligations
    	
37
    
	
Section 10.07
    	
Overriding Provisions
    	
38
    
				

 

 

	
Article XI. REDEMPTION AND   EXCHANGE RIGHTS
    	
39
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 11.01
    	
Redemption Right of a Member and LLC Optionee
    	
39
    
	
Section 11.02
    	
Election and Contribution of the Corporation
    	
41
    
	
Section 11.03
    	
Exchange Right of the Corporation
    	
42
    
	
Section 11.04
    	
Reservation of shares of Class A Common Stock;   Listing; Certificate of the Corporation
    	
42
    
	
Section 11.05
    	
Effect of Exercise of Redemption or Exchange Right
    	
43
    
	
Section 11.06
    	
Tax Treatment
    	
43
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article XII. ADMISSION OF   MEMBERS
    	
43
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 12.01
    	
Substituted Members
    	
43
    
	
Section 12.02
    	
Additional Members
    	
43
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article XIII. WITHDRAWAL AND   RESIGNATION; TERMINATION OF RIGHTS
    	
43
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 13.01
    	
Withdrawal and Resignation of Members
    	
43
    
	
Section 13.02
    	
Termination of Rights of LLC Optionees
    	
44
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article XIV. DISSOLUTION AND   LIQUIDATION
    	
44
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 14.01
    	
Dissolution
    	
44
    
	
Section 14.02
    	
Liquidation and Termination
    	
44
    
	
Section 14.03
    	
Deferment; Distribution in Kind
    	
45
    
	
Section 14.04
    	
Cancellation of Certificate
    	
45
    
	
Section 14.05
    	
Reasonable Time for Winding Up
    	
46
    
	
Section 14.06
    	
Return of Capital
    	
46
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article XV. VALUATION
    	
46
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 15.01
    	
Determination
    	
46
    
	
Section 15.02
    	
Dispute Resolution
    	
46
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article XVI. GENERAL   PROVISIONS
    	
46
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 16.01
    	
Power of Attorney
    	
46
    
	
Section 16.02
    	
Confidentiality
    	
47
    
	
Section 16.03
    	
Amendments
    	
48
    
	
Section 16.04
    	
Title to Company Assets
    	
48
    
	
Section 16.05
    	
Addresses and Notices
    	
48
    
	
Section 16.06
    	
Binding Effect; Intended Beneficiaries
    	
49
    
	
Section 16.07
    	
Creditors
    	
49
    
	
Section 16.08
    	
Waiver
    	
49
    
	
Section 16.09
    	
Counterparts
    	
49
    
	
Section 16.10
    	
Applicable Law
    	
49
    
	
Section 16.11
    	
Severability
    	
49
    
	
Section 16.12
    	
Further Action
    	
50
    

 

 

	
Section 16.13
    	
Delivery by Electronic Transmission
    	
50
    
	
Section 16.14
    	
Right of Offset
    	
50
    
	
Section 16.15
    	
Effectiveness
    	
50
    
	
Section 16.16
    	
Entire Agreement
    	
50
    
	
Section 16.17
    	
Remedies
    	
50
    
	
Section 16.18
    	
Descriptive Headings; Interpretation
    	
51
    

 

Schedules

 

Schedule 1                                     —                                   Schedule of Members

Schedule 2                                     —                                   Schedule of LLC Optionees

 

Exhibits

 

Exhibit A                                             —                                   Form of Joinder Agreement

 

 

NEFF HOLDINGS LLC

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
 LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

 

This SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of November 26, 2014, is entered into by and among Neff Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), and its Members (as defined herein).

 

WHEREAS, the Company initially was formed as a limited liability company with the name “Reorganized Neff, L.L.C.”, pursuant to and in accordance with the Delaware Act (as defined herein) by the filing of the Certificate (as defined herein) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware pursuant to Section 18-201 of the Delaware Act on May 12, 2010;

 

WHEREAS, the Company entered into a Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Company, dated as of September 22, 2010 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time to but excluding October 1, 2010, together with all schedules, exhibits and annexes thereto, the “Initial LLC Agreement”), with the members of the Company party thereto;

 

WHEREAS, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2010 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time to but excluding the date hereof, together with all schedules, exhibits and annexes thereto, the “First A&R LLC Agreement”), with Wayzata Opportunities Fund II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“Wayzata”), and Wayzata Opportunities Fund Offshore II, L.P., a Cayman Islands limited partnership (“Wayzata Offshore”), as members (collectively, the “Original Members”) holding Class A Units (as defined Section 5.1 of the First A&R LLC Agreement, the “Original Class A Units”) of the Company;

 

WHEREAS, prior to the date hereof the Company has granted certain options (the “Original LLC Options”) under the Original Management Equity Plan (as defined herein) to those members of the Company’s management and independent, non-executive members of the board of directors of the Company identified on Schedule 2 hereto (collectively, the “Original LLC Optionees”), pursuant to which each Original LLC Optionee is entitled to purchase that number of Class B Units (as defined in Section 5.1 of the First A&R LLC Agreement, the “Original Class B Units”) of the Company set forth opposite such Person’s name on Schedule 2 hereto under the column labeled “Original LLC Options” at an exercise price of $10.82 per Original Class B Unit;

 

WHEREAS, the Company, the Original Members and the Original LLC Optionees desire to have Neff Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), effect an initial public offering (the “IPO”) of shares of its Class A common stock, par value $0.01 (the “Class A Common Stock”), and in connection therewith, to amend and restate the First A&R LLC

 

 

Agreement to reflect (a) a recapitalization of the Company and the associated split in the number of Units (as defined herein) then outstanding (the “Recapitalization”), (b) the addition of the Corporation as a Member in the Company and its designation as sole Manager (as defined herein) of the Company, and (c) the rights and obligations of the Members (as defined herein) of the Company which are enumerated and agreed upon in the terms of this Agreement effective as of the Effective Time (as defined herein), pursuant to which the First A&R LLC Agreement shall be superseded entirely by this Agreement;

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the Recapitalization, (a) the Original Class A Units of each Original Member will be converted into Common Units (as defined herein) and (b) the Original Class B Units underlying the Original LLC Options will be converted into Common Units underlying the LLC Options (as defined herein);

 

WHEREAS, exclusive of the Over-Allotment Option (as defined below), the Corporation will sell shares of its Class A Common Stock to public investors in the IPO and will use a portion of the net proceeds received from the IPO (the “IPO Net Proceeds”) to purchase newly issued Common Units from the Company pursuant to the IPO Common Unit Purchase Agreement (as defined herein); and

 

WHEREAS, the Corporation may issue additional shares of Class A Common Stock in connection with the IPO as a result of the exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option (the “Over-Allotment Option”) and, if the Over-Allotment Option is in fact exercised in whole or in part, any additional net proceeds (the “Over-Allotment Option Net Proceeds”) shall be used by the Corporation to purchase additional newly issued Common Units from the Company pursuant to the IPO Common Unit Purchase Agreement;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Members, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I.
 DEFINITIONS

 

The following definitions shall be applied to the terms used in this Agreement for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary.

 

“ABL Credit Agreement” means that certain Amended and Restated Senior Secured Credit Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2010 (as amended and restated as of November 20, 2013), by and among the Company, as holdings, Neff LLC, as parent borrower, the subsidiaries of Neff LLC from time to time signatory thereto, as additional credit parties, the several lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent for the lenders, as swing line lender and as the issuing bank for letters of credit, including all exhibits, schedules and attachments thereto, as such ABL Credit Agreement is in effect as of the date hereof and as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and including any one or more

 

 

refinancings or replacements thereof, in whole or in part, with any other debt facility or debt obligation.

 

“Additional Member” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.02.

 

“Adjusted Capital Account Deficit” means with respect to the Capital Account of any Member as of the end of any Taxable Year, the amount by which the balance in such Capital Account is less than zero.  For this purpose, such Member’s Capital Account balance shall be:

 

(a)                                 reduced for any items described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704- 1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), (5), and (6); and

 

(b)                                 increased for any amount such Member is obligated to contribute or is treated as being obligated to contribute to the Company pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (relating to partner liabilities to a partnership) or 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i) (relating to minimum gain).

 

“Admission Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.06.

 

“Affiliate” (and, with a correlative meaning, “Affiliated”) means, with respect to a specified Person, each other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Person specified.  As used in this definition and the definition of Majority Member, “control” (including with correlative meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means possession, directly or indirectly, of power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of voting securities or by contract or other agreement).

 

“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

“Appraisers” has the meaning set forth in Section 15.02.

 

“Assignee” means a Person to whom a Company Interest has been transferred but who has not become a Member pursuant to Article XII.

 

“Assumed Tax Liability” means, with respect to a Member, an amount equal to the Distribution Tax Rate multiplied by the estimated or actual taxable income of the Company, as determined for federal income tax purposes, allocated to such Member pursuant to Section 5.05 for the period to which the Assumed Tax Liability relates, less prior losses of the Company, as determined for federal income tax purposes, allocated to such Member pursuant to Section 5.05 to the extent not previously taken into account in determining the Assumed Tax Liability of such Member, as determined by the Manager; provided that, in the case of the Corporation, such Assumed Tax Liability (i) shall be computed without regard to any increases to the tax basis of the Company’s property pursuant to Section 743(b) of the Code and (ii) shall in no event be less than an amount that will enable the Corporation to meet its tax obligations, including its obligations pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement.

 

 

“Base Rate” means, on any date, a variable rate per annum equal to the rate of interest most recently published by The Wall Street Journal as the “prime rate” at large U.S. money center banks.

 

“Black-Out Period” means any “black-out” or similar period under the Corporation’s policies covering trading in the Corporation’s securities to which the applicable Redeeming Member is subject, which period restricts the ability of such Redeeming Member to immediately resell shares of Class A Common Stock to be delivered to such Redeeming Member in connection with a Share Settlement.

 

“Book Value” means, with respect to any Company property, the Company’s adjusted basis for U.S. federal income tax purposes, adjusted from time to time to reflect the adjustments required or permitted by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(d)-(g).

 

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday or a Sunday or a day on which banks located in New York City, New York generally are authorized or required by Law to close.

 

“Capital Account” means the capital account maintained for a Member in accordance with Section 5.01.

 

“Capital Contribution” means, with respect to any Member, the amount of any cash, cash equivalents, promissory obligations or the Fair Market Value of other property that such Member contributes (or is deemed to contribute) to the Company pursuant to Article III hereof.

 

“Cash Settlement” means immediately available funds in U.S. dollars in an amount equal to the Redeemed Units Equivalent.

 

“Certificate” means the Company’s Certificate of Formation as filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware.

 

“Change of Control Transaction” means (a) a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets determined on a consolidated basis, (b) a sale of a majority of the Company’s outstanding Units (other than (i) to the Corporation or (ii) in connection with a Redemption or Exchange in accordance with Article XI) or (c) a sale of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of any Material Subsidiary of the Company; in any such case, whether by merger, recapitalization, consolidation, reorganization, combination or otherwise; provided, however, that none of (x) a transaction solely for the purpose of changing the jurisdiction of domicile of the Company, (y) a transaction solely for the purpose of changing the form of entity of the Company or (z) a sale of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock (whether by merger, recapitalization, consolidation, reorganization, combination or otherwise), shall constitute a Change of Control Transaction.

 

“Class A Common Stock” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Class B Common Stock” means the Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation.

 

 

“Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

“Common Unit” means a Unit representing a fractional part of the Company Interests of the Members and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to the Common Units in this Agreement.

 

“Common Unit Redemption Price” means the arithmetic average of the volume weighted average prices for a share of Class A Common Stock on the principal U.S. securities exchange or automated or electronic quotation system on which the Class A Common Stock trades, as reported by Bloomberg, L.P., or its successor, for each of the five (5) consecutive full Trading Days ending on and including the last full Trading Day immediately prior to the Redemption Date, subject to appropriate and equitable adjustment for any stock splits, reverse splits, stock dividends or similar events affecting the Class A Common Stock.  If the Class A Common Stock no longer trades on a securities exchange or automated or electronic quotation system, then a majority of the Independent Directors shall determine the Common Unit Redemption Price in good faith.

 

“Common Unitholder” means a Member who is the registered holder of Common Units.

 

“Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

“Company Interest” means the interest of a Member in Profits, Losses and Distributions.

 

“Contribution Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(b).

 

“Corporate Board” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

“Corporate Omnibus Incentive Plan” means the Neff Corporation 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

“Corporation” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement, together with its successors and assigns.

 

“Credit Agreements” means, collectively, the ABL Credit Agreement and the Second Lien Credit Agreement.

 

“Delaware Act” means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, 6 Del.L. § 18-101, et seq., as it may be amended from time to time, and any successor thereto.

 

“Distributable Cash” shall mean, as of any relevant date on which a determination is being made by the Manager regarding a potential distribution pursuant to Section 4.01(a), the amount of cash that could be distributed by the Company for such purposes in accordance with the Credit Agreements (and without otherwise violating any applicable provisions of the Credit Agreements).

 

“Distribution” (and, with a correlative meaning, “Distribute”) means each distribution made by the Company to a Member with respect to such Member’s Units, whether in cash,

 

 

property or securities of the Company and whether by liquidating distribution or otherwise; provided, however, that none of the following shall be a Distribution: (a) any recapitalization that does not result in the distribution of cash or property to Members or any exchange of securities of the Company, and any subdivision (by Unit split or otherwise) or any combination (by reverse Unit split or otherwise) of any outstanding Units or (b) any other payment made by the Company to a Member that is not properly treated as a “distribution” for purposes of Sections 731, 732, or 733 or other applicable provisions of the Code.

 

“Distribution Tax Rate” shall mean a rate equal to the highest effective marginal combined federal, state and local income tax rate for a Fiscal Year applicable to corporate or individual taxpayers resident in New York City, New York, taking in to account the character of the relevant tax items (e.g., ordinary or capital) and the deductibility of state and local income taxes for federal income tax purposes, as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Manager.

 

“Effective Time” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.15.

 

“Equity Plan” means any stock or equity purchase plan, restricted stock or equity plan or other similar equity compensation plan now or hereafter adopted by the Company or the Corporation.

 

“Equity Securities” means (a) Units or other equity interests in the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company (including other classes or groups thereof having such relative rights, powers and duties as may from time to time be established by the Manager pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including rights, powers and/or duties senior to existing classes and groups of Units and other equity interests in the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company), (b) obligations, evidences of indebtedness or other securities or interests convertible or exchangeable into Units or other equity interests in the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, and (c) warrants, options or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire Units or other equity interests in the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.

 

“Event of Withdrawal” means the expulsion, bankruptcy or dissolution of a Member or the occurrence of any other event that terminates the continued membership of a Member in the Company.  “Event of Withdrawal” shall not include an event that (a) terminates the existence of a Member for income tax purposes (including, without limitation, (i) a change in entity classification of a Member under Treasury Regulations Section 301.7701-3, (ii) termination of a partnership pursuant to Code Section 708(b)(1)(B), (iii) a sale of assets by, or liquidation of, a Member pursuant to an election under Code Section 338, or (iv) merger, severance, or allocation within a trust or among sub-trusts of a trust that is a Member) but that (b) does not terminate the existence of such Member under applicable state law (or, in the case of a trust that is a Member, does not terminate the trusteeship of the fiduciaries under such trust with respect to all the Company Interests of such trust that is a Member).

 

“Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset, its fair market value determined according to Article XV.

 

“First A&R LLC Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

 

“Fiscal Period” means any interim accounting period within a Taxable Year established by the Manager and which is permitted or required by Section 706 of the Code.

 

“Fiscal Year” means the Company’s annual accounting period established pursuant to Section 8.02.

 

“Governmental Entity” means (a) the United States of America, (b) any other sovereign nation, (c) any state, province, district, territory or other political subdivision of (a) or (b) of this definition, including any county, municipal or other local subdivision of the foregoing, or (d) any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of government on behalf of (a), (b) or (c) of this definition.

 

“Indemnified Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.04(a).

 

“Independent Directors” means the members of the Corporate Board who are “independent” under the standards set forth in Rule 10A-3 promulgated under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, and the corresponding rules of the applicable exchange on which the Class A Common Stock is traded or quoted.

 

“Initial LLC Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Investment Company Act” means the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time.

 

“IPO” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“IPO Closing Date” means the closing date of the IPO, which for the avoidance of doubt means the date on which all IPO net proceeds required to be delivered pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement have been delivered to the Corporation in respect of its sale of Class A Common Stock excluding any proceeds from the Over-Allotment Option which may be delivered at a subsequent date following exercise of such option.

 

“IPO Common Unit Purchase” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(b).

 

“IPO Common Unit Purchase Agreement” means that certain Common Unit Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Corporation and the Company.

 

“IPO Net Proceeds” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Joinder” means a joinder to this Agreement, in form and substance substantially similar to Exhibit A to this Agreement.

 

“Law” means all laws, statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations of the United States, any foreign country and each state, commonwealth, city, county, municipality, regulatory body, agency or other political subdivision thereof.

 

“LLC Employee” means an employee of, or other service provider to, the Company or any Subsidiary, in each case acting in such capacity.

 

 

“LLC Option Exercise” means the exercise, whether in whole or in part, of an LLC Option by the applicable LLC Optionee in accordance with the provisions of the applicable LLC Option and the Original Management Equity Plan, including the payment by such LLC Optionee to the Company of the exercise price in respect thereof (whether in cash or in kind through a cashless exercise).

 

“LLC Optionees” means each of the Persons named on Schedule 2 attached hereto with respect to the number of shares of Common Units underlying the LLC Options set forth opposite the name of such Person under the column labeled “LLC Options” therein, as long as the LLC Option of such Person remains effective in accordance with its terms and only to the extent of the remaining number of Common Units with respect to which such Person has not then exercised its purchase right under such LLC Option.

 

“LLC Options” means the Original LLC Options granted under the Original Management Equity Plan, in each case as amended in connection with the Recapitalization, and which after giving effect to the Recapitalization give each LLC Optionee the right to purchase, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, the number of Common Units set forth opposite such LLC Optionee’s name on Schedule 2 hereto at an exercise price of $6.66 per Common Unit.  For the avoidance of doubt, no additional LLC Options will be issued on and after the date of this Agreement.

 

“Losses” means items of Company loss or deduction determined according to Section 5.01(b).

 

“Majority Members” means the Members holding a majority of the Voting Units then outstanding; provided that, if as of any date of determination, a majority of the Voting Units are then held by the Manager or any Affiliates controlled by the Manager, then “Majority Members” shall mean the Manager together with Members (other than the Manager and its controlled Affiliates) holding a majority of the Voting Units (excluding Voting Units held by the Manager) then outstanding.

 

“Manager” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01.

 

“Market Price” means, with respect to a share of Class A Common Stock as of a specified date, the last sale price per share of Class A Common Stock, regular way, or if no such sale took place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices per share of Class A Common Stock, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the Stock Exchange or, if the Class A Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on the Stock Exchange, as reported on the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Class A Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Class A Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price, or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System or, if such system is no longer in use, the principal other automated quotation system that may then be in use or, if the Class A Common Stock is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked

 

 

prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Class A Common Stock selected by the Corporate Board or, in the event that no trading price is available for the shares of Class A Common Stock, the fair market value of a share of Class A Common Stock, as determined in good faith by the Corporate Board.

 

“Material Subsidiary” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company that, as of any date of determination, represents more than (a) 50% of the consolidated net tangible assets of the Company or (b) 50% of the consolidated net income of the Company before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (calculated in a manner substantially consistent with the definition of “Consolidated Net Income” and/or “EBITDA” or similar definition(s) appearing therein in the Credit Agreements, including such additional adjustments that are permitted to be made to such measure as described in “Adjusted EBITDA” or similar definition appearing in the Credit Agreements).

 

“Member” means, as of any date of determination, (a) each of the members named on the Schedule of Members and (b) any Person admitted to the Company as a Substituted Member or Additional Member in accordance with Article XII, but in each case only so long as such Person is shown on the Company’s books and records as the owner of one or more Units.  For the avoidance of doubt, an LLC Optionee shall not constitute a Member hereunder except to the extent that, as of such date of determination, such Person is shown on the Company’s books and records as an owner of one or more Units.

 

“Minimum Gain” means “partnership minimum gain” determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(d).

 

“Net Loss” means, with respect to a Fiscal Year, the excess if any, of Losses for such Fiscal Year over Profits for such Fiscal Year (excluding Profits and Losses specially allocated pursuant to Section 5.03 and Section 5.04).

 

“Net Profit” means, with respect to a Fiscal Year, the excess if any, of Profits for such Fiscal Year over Losses for such Fiscal Year (excluding Profits and Losses specially allocated pursuant to Section 5.03 and Section 5.04).

 

“Officer” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(b).

 

“Optionee” means a Person to whom a stock option is granted under any Stock Option Plan.

 

“Original Award Agreement” means an Award Agreement as defined in the First A&R LLC Agreement, as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, including in connection with the Recapitalization.

 

“Original Class A Units” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Original Class B Units” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Original LLC Optionees” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

 

“Original LLC Options” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Original Management Equity Plan” means the Management Equity Plan as defined in the First A&R LLC Agreement, as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, including in connection with the Recapitalization.

 

“Original Members” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Other Agreements” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.04.

 

“Over-Allotment Option” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Over-Allotment Option Net Proceeds” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Percentage Interest” means, as among an individual class of Units and with respect to a Member at a particular time, such Member’s percentage interest in the Company determined by dividing such Member’s Units of such class by the total Units of all Members of such class at such time.  The Percentage Interest of each member shall be calculated to the 9th decimal place.

 

“Permitted Transfer” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.02.

 

“Person” means an individual or any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, association, joint venture or any other organization or entity, whether or not a legal entity.

 

“Pro rata,” “pro rata portion,” “according to their interests,” “ratably,” “proportionately,” “proportional,” “in proportion to,” “based on the number of Units held,” “based upon the percentage of Units held,” “based upon the number of Units outstanding,” and other terms with similar meanings, when used in the context of a number of Units of the Company relative to other Units, means as amongst an individual class of Units, pro rata based upon the number of such Units within such class of Units.

 

“Profits” means items of Company income and gain determined according to Section 5.01(b).

 

“Recapitalization” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Redeemed Units” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

 

“Redeemed Units Equivalent” means the product of (a) the Share Settlement, times (b) the Common Unit Redemption Price.

 

“Redeeming Member” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

 

“Redemption” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

 

“Redemption Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

 

 

“Redemption Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

 

“Redemption Right” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

 

“Registration Rights Agreement” means that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Corporation, the Original Members and the Original LLC Optionees.

 

“Retraction Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(b).

 

“Schedule of Members” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(b).

 

“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including any governmental body or agency succeeding to the functions thereof.

 

“Second Lien Credit Agreement” means that certain Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of June 9, 2014, by and among the Company, as holdings, Neff LLC, as parent, Neff Rental LLC, as borrower, the several lenders from time to time party thereto, and Credit Suisse AG, as administrative agent and collateral agent for the lenders, including all exhibits, schedules and attachments thereto, as such Second Lien Credit Agreement is in effect as of the date hereof and as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and including any one or more refinancings or replacements thereof, in whole or in part, with any other debt facility or debt obligation.

 

“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable rules and regulations thereunder, and any successor to such statute, rules or regulations.  Any reference herein to a specific section, rule or regulation of the Securities Act shall be deemed to include any corresponding provisions of future Law.

 

“Share Settlement” means a number of shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the number of Redeemed Units.

 

“Stock Exchange” means the New York Stock Exchange.

 

“Stock Option Plan” means any stock option plan now or hereafter adopted by the Company or by the Corporation, including without limitation the Corporate Omnibus Incentive Plan.

 

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or business entity of which (a) if a corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, or (b) if a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity (other than a corporation), a majority of the voting interests thereof are at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by any Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof.  For purposes hereof, references to a “Subsidiary” of the Company shall be given effect only at such times that the

 

 

Company has one or more Subsidiaries, and, unless otherwise indicated, the term “Subsidiary” refers to a Subsidiary of the Company.

 

“Substituted Member” means a Person that is admitted as a Member to the Company pursuant to Section 12.01.

 

“Tax Distribution Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.01(b)(i).

 

“Tax Distributions” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.01(b)(i).

 

“Tax Matters Partner” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.03.

 

“Tax Receivable Agreement” means that certain Tax Receivable Agreement, dated as the date hereof, by and among the Corporation, on the one hand, and the Original Members, on the other hand (together with any joinder thereto from time to time executed by any LLC Optionee and/or by any successor or assign to any party to such agreement).

 

“Taxable Year” means the Company’s accounting period for U.S. federal income tax purposes determined pursuant to Section 9.02.

 

“Trading Day” means a day on which the Stock Exchange or such other principal United States securities exchange on which the Class A Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business (unless such trading shall have been suspended for the entire day).

 

“Transfer” (and, with a correlative meaning, “Transferring”) means any sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance or other disposition of (whether directly or indirectly, whether with or without consideration and whether voluntarily or involuntarily or by operation of Law) (a) any interest (legal or beneficial) in any Equity Securities or (b) any equity or other interest (legal or beneficial) in any Member if substantially all of the assets of such Member consist solely of Units.

 

“Treasury Regulations” means the income tax regulations promulgated under the Code and any corresponding provisions of succeeding regulations.

 

“Underwriting Agreement” means the Underwriting Agreement, dated as of November 20, 2014, by and among the Corporation, the Company, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Jefferies LLC.

 

“Unit” means a Company Interest of a Member or a permitted Assignee in the Company representing a fractional part of the Company Interests of all Members and Assignees as may be established by the Manager from time to time in accordance with Section 3.02; provided, however, that any class or group of Units issued shall have the relative rights, powers and duties set forth in this Agreement, and the Company Interest represented by such class or group of Units shall be determined in accordance with such relative rights, powers and duties.

 

“Unitholder” means a Common Unitholder and any Member who is the registered holder of any other class of Units, if any.

 

 

“Unvested Corporate Shares” means shares of Class A Common Stock issued pursuant to the Corporate Omnibus Incentive Plan that are not Vested Corporate Shares.

 

“Value” means (a) for any Stock Option Plan, the Market Price for the trading day immediately preceding the date of exercise of a stock option under such Stock Option Plan and (b) for any Equity Plan other than a Stock Option Plan, the Market Price for the trading day immediately preceding the Vesting Date.

 

“Vested Corporate Shares” means the shares of Class A Common Stock issued pursuant to a Stock Option Plan adopted by the Corporation that are vested pursuant to the terms thereof or pursuant to any award or similar agreement relating thereto.

 

“Vesting Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.11(c)(ii).

 

“Voting Units” means (a) the Common Units and (b) any other Units other than Units that by their express terms do not entitle the record holder thereof to vote on any matter presented to the Members generally under this Agreement for approval.

 

“Wayzata” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Wayzata Offshore” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE II.
 ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS

 

Section 2.01                             Formation of Company.  The Company was formed on May 12, 2010 pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act.

 

Section 2.02                             Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement.  The Members hereby execute this Agreement for the purpose of establishing the affairs of the Company and the conduct of its business in accordance with the provisions of the Delaware Act.  The Members hereby agree that during the term of the Company set forth in Section 2.06 the rights and obligations of the Members with respect to the Company will be determined in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Delaware Act.  On any matter upon which this Agreement is silent, the Delaware Act shall control.  No provision of this Agreement shall be in violation of the Delaware Act and to the extent any provision of this Agreement is in violation of the Delaware Act, such provision shall be void and of no effect to the extent of such violation without affecting the validity of the other provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that where the Delaware Act provides that a provision of the Delaware Act shall apply “unless otherwise provided in a limited liability company agreement” or words of similar effect, the provisions of this Agreement shall in each instance control; provided further, that notwithstanding the foregoing, Section 18-210 of the Delaware Act shall not apply or be incorporated into this Agreement.

 

Section 2.03                             Name.  The name of the Company shall be “Neff Holdings LLC.” The Manager in its sole discretion may change the name of the Company at any time and from time to time.  Notification of any such change shall be given to all of the Members and, to the extent practicable, to all of the holders of any Equity Securities then outstanding.  The Company’s

 

 

business may be conducted under its name and/or any other name or names deemed advisable by the Manager.

 

Section 2.04                             Purpose.  The primary business and purpose of the Company shall be to engage in such activities as are permitted under the Delaware Act and determined from time to time by the Manager in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

Section 2.05                             Principal Office; Registered Office.  The principal office of the Company shall be at 3750 N.W. 87th Avenue, Suite 400, Miami, Florida 33178, or such other place as the Manager may from time to time designate.  The address of the registered office of the Company in the State of Delaware shall be c/o The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, 19801, and the registered agent for service of process on the Company in the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be The Corporation Trust Company.  The Manager may from time to time change the Company’s registered agent and registered office in the State of Delaware.

 

Section 2.06                             Term.  The term of the Company commenced upon the filing of the Certificate in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in existence until termination and dissolution of the Company in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV.

 

Section 2.07                             No State-Law Partnership.  The Members intend that the Company not be a partnership (including, without limitation, a limited partnership) or joint venture, and that no Member be a partner or joint venturer of any other Member by virtue of this Agreement, for any purposes other than as set forth in the last sentence of this Section 2.07, and neither this Agreement nor any other document entered into by the Company or any Member relating to the subject matter hereof shall be construed to suggest otherwise.  The Members intend that the Company shall be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal and, if applicable, state or local income tax purposes, and that each Member and the Company shall file all tax returns and shall otherwise take all tax and financial reporting positions in a manner consistent with such treatment.

 

ARTICLE III.
 MEMBERS; UNITS; CAPITALIZATION

 

Section 3.01                             Members.

 

(a)                                 Each of the Original Members previously was admitted as a Member to the Company pursuant to the First A&R LLC Agreement and shall remain a Member of the Company upon the Effective Time.  At the Effective Time and concurrently with the IPO Common Unit Purchase, the Corporation shall be admitted to the Company as a Member.  In accordance with Sections 3.10(a) and 12.02, from time to time on or after the date of this Agreement, upon each LLC Option Exercise the applicable LLC Optionee shall be admitted to the Company as an Additional Member.

 

(b)                                 The Company shall maintain a schedule setting forth: (i) the name and address of each Member; (ii) the aggregate number of outstanding Units and the number and class of Units held by each Member; (iii) the aggregate amount of cash Capital Contributions that has been made by the Members with respect to their Units; and (iv) the Fair Market Value of any property

 

 

other than cash contributed by the Members with respect to their Units (including, if applicable, a description and the amount of any liability assumed by the Company or to which contributed property is subject) (such schedule, the “Schedule of Members”).  The applicable Schedule of Members in effect as of the Effective Time is set forth as Schedule 1 to this Agreement.  The Schedule of Members shall be the definitive record of ownership of each Unit of the Company and all relevant information with respect to each Member.  The Company shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a Person registered on its records as the owner of Units for all purposes and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in Units on the part of any other Person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the Delaware Act.

 

(c)                                  No Member shall be required by this Agreement or, except as approved by the Manager pursuant to Section 6.01 and in accordance with the other provisions of this Agreement, permitted to loan any money or property to the Company or borrow any money or property from the Company.  No member shall be required by this Agreement to (x) make a Capital Contribution in respect of Units (other than upon the acquisition thereof) to the Company after the date hereof, except to the extent as may from time to time be required by the Delaware Act or (y) personally guarantee the obligations of the Company or of any other Member.

 

Section 3.02                             Units.  Interests in the Company shall be represented by Units, or such other securities of the Company, in each case as the Manager may establish in its discretion in accordance with the terms and subject to the restrictions hereof.  Immediately after the Effective Time, the Units will be comprised of a single class of Common Units (with an aggregate of One Hundred Ten million (110,000,000) Common Units being initially authorized for issuance by the Company, subject to such modifications as may be required pursuant to Section 3.04).  To the extent required pursuant to Section 3.04(a), the Manager may create one or more classes or series of Common Units or preferred Units solely to the extent they are in the aggregate substantially equivalent to a class of common stock of the Corporation or class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation; provided that as long as there are any Members of the Company (other than the Corporation) or any LLC Optionees with respect to outstanding LLC Options, then no such new class or series of Units may deprive such Members or LLC Optionees of, or dilute or reduce, the pro rata share of all Company Interests they would have received or to which they would have been entitled (including on a pro forma basis for the exercise of LLC Options) if such new class or series of Units had not been created except to the extent (and solely to the extent) the Company actually receives cash in an aggregate amount, or other property with a Fair Market Value in an aggregate amount, equal to the pro rata share allocated to such new class or series of Units and the number thereof issued by the Company.

 

Section 3.03                             Recapitalization and Split; the Corporation’s Capital Contribution; the Corporation’s Purchase of Common Units; Redemptions.

 

(a)                                 Recapitalization and Split.  In connection with the Recapitalization, immediately upon the Effective Time, the aggregate number of 9,200,000 Original Class A Units that were issued and outstanding and held by the Original Members prior to the execution and effectiveness of this Agreement are hereby converted into an aggregate of 14,951,625 Common Units.  The number of Common Units received by each Original Member reflect a 1.6251776625:1 split of each Unit evidencing a common Company Interest previously held by

 

 

each Original Member as reflected on Schedule A to, and in other applicable provisions of, the First A&R LLC Agreement.  In connection with the Recapitalization, immediately upon the Effective Time, the aggregate number of 778,374 Original Class B Units that were underlying option grants to the Original LLC Optionees prior to the execution and effectiveness of this Agreement are hereby converted into an aggregate of 1,264,995 Common Units.  The number of Common Units underlying each grant to an Original LLC Optionee will reflect a 1.6251776625:1 split of each Unit evidencing a common Company Interest previously underlying the grant to such Original LLC Optionee and reflected in the applicable grant documentation under the Original Management Equity Plan and the applicable Original Award Agreement.  No fractional Common Units will be issued as a result of the Unit splits contemplated by this Section 3.03.

 

(b)                                 The Corporation’s Common Unit Purchase.  Following the Recapitalization, immediately upon the Effective Time, the Corporation will contribute the IPO Net Proceeds to the Company in exchange for 10,476,190 newly issued Common Units pursuant to the IPO Common Unit Purchase Agreement (the “IPO Common Unit Purchase”).  The IPO Common Unit Purchase shall be reflected on the Schedule of Members.  In addition, to the extent the underwriters in the IPO exercise the Over-Allotment Option in whole or in part, (i) pursuant to the IPO Common Unit Purchase Agreement, the Corporation will contribute the Over-Allotment Option Net Proceeds to the Company in exchange for a number of newly issued Common Units equal to the number of shares of Class A Common Stock issued by the Corporation in such exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, and (ii) such issuance of additional Common Units shall be reflected on the Schedule of Members.

 

Section 3.04                             Authorization and Issuance of Additional Units.

 

(a)                                 The Company shall undertake all actions, including, without limitation, a reclassification, distribution, division or recapitalization, with respect to the Common Units, to maintain at all times a one-to-one ratio between the number of Common Units owned by the Corporation and the number of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, disregarding, for purposes of maintaining the one-to-one ratio, (i) Unvested Corporate Shares, (ii) treasury stock or (iii) preferred stock or other debt or equity securities (including without limitation warrants, options or rights) issued by the Corporation that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Class A Common Stock (except to the extent the net proceeds from such other securities, including any exercise or purchase price payable upon conversion, exercise or exchange thereof, has been contributed by the Corporation to the equity capital of the Company).  In the event the Corporation issues, transfers or delivers from treasury stock or repurchases Class A Common Stock in a transaction not contemplated in this Agreement, the Manager shall take all actions such that, after giving effect to all such issuances, transfers, deliveries or repurchases, the number of outstanding Common Units owned by the Corporation will equal on a one-for-one basis the number of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock.  In the event the Corporation issues, transfers or delivers from treasury stock or repurchases or redeems the Corporation’s preferred stock in a transaction not contemplated in this Agreement, the Manager shall take all actions such that, after giving effect to all such issuances, transfers, deliveries repurchases or redemptions, the Corporation holds (in the case of any issuance, transfer or delivery) or ceases to hold (in the case of any repurchase or redemption) equity interests in the Company which (in the good faith determination by the Manager) are in the aggregate substantially equivalent to the

 

 

outstanding preferred stock of the Corporation so issued, transferred, delivered, repurchased or redeemed.  The Company shall not undertake any subdivision (by any Common Unit split, Common Unit distribution, reclassification, recapitalization or similar event) or combination (by reverse Common Unit split, reclassification, recapitalization or similar event) of the Common Units that is not accompanied by an identical subdivision or combination of Class A Common Stock to maintain at all times a one-to-one ratio between the number of Common Units owned by the Corporation and the number of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, unless such action is necessary to maintain at all times a one-to-one ratio between the number of Common Units owned by the Corporation and the number of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock as contemplated by the first sentence of this Section 3.04(a) without the requirement of any consent or acknowledgement of any other Member.

 

(b)                                 The Company shall only be permitted to issue additional Units or other Equity Securities in the Company to the Persons and on the terms and conditions provided for in Section 3.02, this Section 3.04, Section 3.10, Section 3.11 and Section 3.12.  Subject to the foregoing, the Manager may cause the Company to issue additional Common Units authorized under this Agreement at such times and upon such terms as the Manager shall determine and the Manager shall amend this Agreement as necessary in connection with the issuance of additional Common Units and admission of additional Members under this Section 3.04.

 

Section 3.05                             Repurchase or Redemption of shares of Class A Common Stock.  If, at any time, any shares of Class A Common Stock are repurchased or redeemed (whether by exercise of a put or call, automatically or by means of another arrangement) by the Corporation for cash, then the Manager shall cause the Company, immediately prior to such repurchase or redemption of Class A Common Stock, to redeem a corresponding number of Common Units held by the Corporation, at an aggregate redemption price equal to the aggregate purchase or redemption price of the shares of Class A Common Stock being repurchased or redeemed by the Corporation (plus any expenses related thereto) and upon such other terms as are the same for the shares of Class A Common Stock being repurchased or redeemed by the Corporation.

 

Section 3.06                             Certificates Representing Units; Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates; Registration and Transfer of Units.

 

(a)                                 Units shall not be certificated unless otherwise determined by the Manager.  If the Manager determines that one or more Units shall be certificated, each such certificate shall be signed by or in the name of the Company, by the Chief Executive Officer and any other officer designated by the Manager, representing the number of Units held by such holder.  Such certificate shall be in such form (and shall contain such legends) as the Manager may determine.  Any or all of such signatures on any certificate representing one or more Units may be a facsimile, engraved or printed, to the extent permitted by applicable Law.  The Manager agrees that it shall not elect to treat any Unit as a “security” within the meaning of Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code unless thereafter all Units then outstanding are represented by one or more certificates.

 

(b)                                 If Units are certificated, the Manager may direct that a new certificate representing one or more Units be issued in place of any certificate theretofore issued by the Company alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon delivery to the Manager of an

 

 

affidavit of the owner or owners of such certificate, setting forth such allegation.  The Manager may require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Company a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of any such new certificate.

 

(c)                                  Upon surrender to the Company or the transfer agent of the Company, if any, of a certificate for one or more Units, duly endorsed or accompanied by appropriate evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, in compliance with the provisions hereof, the Company shall issue a new certificate representing one or more Units to the Person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books.  Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Manager may prescribe such additional rules and regulations as it may deem appropriate relating to the issue, Transfer and registration of Units.

 

Section 3.07                             Negative Capital Accounts.  No Member shall be required to pay to any other Member or the Company any deficit or negative balance which may exist from time to time in such Member’s Capital Account (including upon and after dissolution of the Company).

 

Section 3.08                             No Withdrawal.  No Person shall be entitled to withdraw any part of such Person’s Capital Contribution or Capital Account or to receive any Distribution from the Company, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.

 

Section 3.09                             Loans From Members.  Loans by Members to the Company shall not be considered Capital Contributions.  Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01(c), the amount of any such advances shall be a debt of the Company to such Member and shall be payable or collectible in accordance with the terms and conditions upon which such advances are made.

 

Section 3.10                             LLC Option Exercises.  If at any time or from time to time, in connection with any LLC Option, the LLC Optionee exercises its LLC Option in whole or in part:

 

(a)                                 If such LLC Optionee is not a Member as of the date of such exercise, such LLC Optionee shall execute and deliver to the Manager a Joinder to this Agreement whereby such LLC Optionee shall agree to become a Member under this Agreement, entitled to all of the rights and privileges and subject to all of the agreements and responsibilities of a Member hereunder from and after the date of such Joinder.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the LLC Optionee, in its capacity as a prospective Member hereunder as a result of such LLC Option exercise, intends to simultaneously exercise its Redemption Rights with respect to all (but not less than all) of the Common Units to be received as by such LLC Optionee as a result of such exercise, then:

 

(i)                                     the actions described in subsection (a) of this Section 3.10 shall be deemed to have occurred (including that such LLC Optionee shall be deemed to have become a Member for the period of time between such exercise and such Redemption) without requiring the actual execution of a Joinder or the actual issuance and delivery to the LLC Optionee of the applicable number of Common Units; and

 

 

(ii)                                  such LLC Optionee may proceed to exercise all of the rights of a Member with respect to a Redemption under Article XI hereof of up to the number of Common Units that such LLC Optionee is entitled to receive (and deemed to have received) as a result of such exercise.

 

(c)                                  Anti-dilution adjustments.  For all purposes of this Section 3.10, the number of Common Units (or in connection with simultaneous Redemption, the number of shares of Class A Common Stock in lieu of Common Units) shall be determined after giving effect to all anti-dilution or similar adjustments that are applicable, as of the date of exercise, to the LLC Option being exercised the Original Management Equity Plan or applicable Original Award Agreement.

 

Section 3.11                             Corporate Stock Option Plans.

 

(a)                                 Options Granted to Persons other than LLC Employees.  If at any time or from time to time, in connection with any Stock Option Plan, a stock option granted over shares of Class A Common Stock to a Person other than an LLC Employee is duly exercised:

 

(i)                                     The Corporation shall, as soon as practicable after such exercise, make a Capital Contribution to the Company in an amount equal to the exercise price paid to the Corporation by such exercising Person in connection with the exercise of such stock option.

 

(ii)                                  Notwithstanding the amount of the Capital Contribution actually made pursuant to Section 3.11(a)(i), the Corporation shall be deemed to have contributed to the Company as a Capital Contribution, in lieu of the Capital Contribution actually made and in consideration of additional Common Units, an amount equal to the Value of a share of Class A Common Stock as of the date of such exercise multiplied by the number of shares of Class A Common Stock then being issued by the Corporation in connection with the exercise of such stock option.

 

(iii)                               The Corporation shall receive in exchange for such Capital Contributions (as deemed made under 3.11(a)(ii)), a corresponding number of Units of a class correlative to the class of Equity Securities for which such stock options were granted.

 

(b)                                 Options Granted to LLC Employees.  If at any time or from time to time, in connection with any Stock Option Plan, a stock option granted over shares of Class A Common Stock to an LLC Employee is duly exercised:

 

(i)                                     The Corporation shall sell to the Optionee, and the Optionee shall purchase from the Corporation, for a cash price per share equal to the Value of a share of Class A Common Stock at the time of the exercise, the number of shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the quotient of (x) the exercise price payable by the Optionee in connection with the exercise of such stock option divided by (y) the Value of a share of Class A Common Stock at the time of such exercise.

 

(ii)                                  The Corporation shall sell to the Company (or if the Optionee is an employee of, or other service provider to, a Subsidiary, the Corporation shall sell to such Subsidiary), and the Company (or such Subsidiary, as applicable) shall purchase from the

 

 

Corporation, a number of shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the excess of (x) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock as to which such stock option is being exercised over (y) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock sold pursuant to Section 3.11(b)(i) hereof.  The purchase price per share of Class A Common Stock for such sale of shares of Class A Common Stock to the Company (or such Subsidiary) shall be the Value of a share of Class A Common Stock as of the date of exercise of such stock option.

 

(iii)                               The Company shall transfer to the Optionee (or if the Optionee is an employee of, or other service provider to, a Subsidiary, the Subsidiary shall transfer to the Optionee) at no additional cost to such LLC Employee and as additional compensation to such LLC Employee, the number of shares of Class A Common Stock described in Section 3.11(b)(ii).

 

(iv)                              The Corporation shall, as soon as practicable after such exercise, make a Capital Contribution to the Company in an amount equal to all proceeds received (from whatever source, but excluding any payment in respect of payroll taxes or other withholdings) by the Corporation in connection with the exercise of such stock option.  The Corporation shall receive for such Capital Contribution, a number Units equal to the number of shares of Class A Common Stock for which such option was exercised.

 

(c)                                  Restricted Stock Granted to LLC Employees.  If at any time or from time to time, in connection with any Equity Plan (other than a Stock Option Plan), any shares of Class A Common Stock are issued to an LLC Employee (including any shares of Class A Common Stock that are subject to forfeiture in the event such LLC Employee terminates his employment by the Company or any Subsidiary) in consideration for services performed for the Company or any Subsidiary:

 

(i)                                     The Corporation shall issue such number of shares of Class A Common Stock as are to be issued to the LLC Employee in accordance with the Equity Plan;

 

(ii)                                  On the date (such date, the “Vesting Date”) that the Value of such shares is includible in taxable income of the LLC Employee, the following events will be deemed to have occurred: (a) the Corporation shall be deemed to have sold such shares of Class A Common Stock to the Company (or if the LLC Employee is an employee of, or other service provider to, a Subsidiary, to such Subsidiary) for a purchase price equal to the Value of such shares of Class A Common Stock, (b) the Company (or such Subsidiary) shall be deemed to have delivered such shares of Class A Common Stock to the LLC Employee, (c) the Corporation shall be deemed to have contributed the purchase price for such shares of Class A Common Stock to the Company as a Capital Contribution, and (d) in the case where the LLC Employee is an employee of a Subsidiary, the Company shall be deemed to have contributed such amount to the capital of the Subsidiary; and

 

(iii)                               The Company shall issue to the Corporation on the Vesting Date a number of Units equal to the number of shares of Class A Common Stock issued under Section 3.11(c)(i) in consideration for a Capital Contribution in cash in an amount equal to the

 

 

product of (x) the number of such newly issued Units multiplied by (y) the Value of a share of Class A Common Stock.

 

(d)                                 Future Stock Incentive Plans.  Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed or applied to preclude or restrain the Corporation from adopting, modifying or terminating stock incentive plans for the benefit of employees, directors or other business associates of the Corporation, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates.  The Members acknowledge and agree that, in the event that any such plan is adopted, modified or terminated by the Corporation, amendments to this Section 3.11 may become necessary or advisable and that any approval or consent to any such amendments requested by the Corporation shall be deemed granted by the Manager without the requirement of any further consent or acknowledgement of any other Member.

 

(e)                                  Anti-dilution adjustments.  For all purposes of this Section 3.11, the number of shares of Class A Common Stock and the corresponding number of Common Units shall be determined after giving effect to all anti-dilution or similar adjustments that are applicable, as of the date of exercise or vesting, to the option, warrant, restricted stock or other equity interest that is being exercised or becomes vested under the applicable Stock Option Plan or other Equity Plan and applicable award or grant documentation.

 

Section 3.12                             Dividend Reinvestment Plan, Cash Option Purchase Plan, Stock Incentive Plan or Other Plan.  Except as may otherwise be provided in this Article III, all amounts received or deemed received by the Corporation in respect of any dividend reinvestment plan, cash option purchase plan, stock incentive or other stock or subscription plan or agreement, either (a) shall be utilized by the Corporation to effect open market purchases of shares of Class A Common Stock, or (b) if the Corporation elects instead to issue new shares of Class A Common Stock with respect to such amounts, shall be contributed by the Corporation to the Company in exchange for additional Units.  Upon such contribution, the Company will issue to the Corporation a number of Units equal to the number of new shares of Class A Common Stock so issued.

 

ARTICLE IV.
 DISTRIBUTIONS

 

Section 4.01                             Distributions.

 

(a)                                 Distributable Cash; Other Distributions.  To the extent permitted by applicable Law and hereunder, Distributions to Members may be declared by the Manager out of Distributable Cash or other funds or property legally available therefor in such amounts and on such terms (including the payment dates of such Distributions) as the Manager shall determine using such record date as the Manager may designate; such Distributions shall be made to the Members as of the close of business on such record date on a pro rata basis in accordance with each Member’s Percentage Interest as of the close of business on such record date; provided, however, that the Manager shall have the obligation to make Distributions as set forth in Sections 4.01(b) and 14.02; and provided further that, notwithstanding any other provision herein to the contrary, no Distributions shall be made to any Member to the extent such Distribution would render the Company insolvent.  For purposes of the foregoing sentence, insolvency means the inability of the Company to meet its payment obligations when due.  Promptly following the

 

 

designation of a record date and the declaration of a Distribution pursuant to this Section 4.01(a), the Manager shall give notice to each Member of the record date, the amount and the terms of the Distribution and the payment date thereof.  In furtherance of the foregoing, it is intended that the Manager shall, to the extent permitted by applicable Law and hereunder, have the right in its sole discretion to make Distributions to the Members pursuant to this Section 4.01(a) in such amounts as shall enable the Corporation to pay dividends or to meet its obligations, including its obligations pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement (to the extent such obligations are not otherwise able to be satisfied as a result of Tax Distributions required to be made pursuant to Section 4.01(b)).

 

(b)                                 Tax Distributions.

 

(i)                                     Subject to Section 4.02, on or about each date (a “Tax Distribution Date”) that is ten (10) Business Days prior to (i) each date on which estimated U.S. federal income tax payments are required to be made by calendar year individual taxpayers (or, if earlier, the date on which estimated U.S. federal income tax payments are required for the Corporation) and (ii) each due date for the U.S. federal income tax return of an individual calendar year taxpayer (without regard to extensions) (or, if earlier, the due date for the U.S. federal income tax return of the Corporation, as determined without regard to extensions), the Company shall be required to make a Distribution to each Member of cash in an amount equal to the excess of such Member’s Assumed Tax Liability, if any, for such taxable period over the Distributions previously made to such Member pursuant to this Section 4.01(b) with respect to such taxable period (the “Tax Distributions”).

 

(ii)                                  To the extent a Member otherwise would be entitled to receive less than its Percentage Interest of the aggregate Tax Distributions to be paid pursuant to this Section 4.01(b) on any given date, the Tax Distributions to such Member shall be increased to ensure that all Distributions made pursuant to this Section 4.01(b) are made pro rata in accordance with Percentage Interests.  If, on a Tax Distribution Date, there are insufficient funds on hand to distribute to the Members the full amount of the Tax Distributions to which such Members are otherwise entitled, Distributions pursuant to this Section 4.01(b) shall be made to the Members to the extent of available funds in accordance with their Percentage Interests and the Company shall make future Tax Distributions as soon as funds become available sufficient to pay the remaining portion of the Tax Distributions to which such Members are otherwise entitled.

 

(iii)                               In the event of any audit by, or similar event with, a taxing authority that affects the calculation of any Member’s Assumed Tax Liability for any taxable year, or in the event the Company files an amended tax return, each Member’s Assumed Tax Liability with respect to such year shall be recalculated by giving effect to such event (for the avoidance of doubt, taking into account interest or penalties).  Any shortfall in the amount of Tax Distributions the Members and former Members received for the relevant taxable years based on such recalculated Assumed Tax Liability promptly shall be distributed to such Members and the successors of such former Members, except, for the avoidance of doubt, to the extent Distributions were made to such Members and former Members pursuant to Section 4.01(a) and this Section 4.01(b) in the relevant taxable years sufficient to cover such shortfall.

 

 

(iv)                              Notwithstanding the foregoing, Distributions pursuant to this Section 4.01(b), if any, shall be made to a Member only to the extent all previous Distributions to such Member pursuant to Section 4.01(a) during the Fiscal Year are less than the Distributions such Member otherwise would have been entitled to receive during such Fiscal Year pursuant to this Section 4.01(b).

 

Section 4.02                             Restricted Distributions.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall not make any Distribution to any Member on account of any Company Interest if such Distribution would violate any applicable Law or the terms of the Credit Agreements.

 

ARTICLE V.
 CAPITAL ACCOUNTS; ALLOCATIONS; TAX MATTERS

 

Section 5.01                             Capital Accounts.

 

(a)                                 The Company shall maintain a separate Capital Account for each Member according to the rules of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv).  For this purpose, the Company may (in the discretion of the Manager), upon the occurrence of the events specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), increase or decrease the Capital Accounts in accordance with the rules of such Treasury Regulation and Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g) to reflect a revaluation of Company property.  Upon the exercise by any LLC Optionee of its LLC Option, such LLC Optionee’s initial Capital Account shall be equal to the sum of (i) the exercise price paid by such LLC Optionee to the Company in connection with such exercise and (ii) the amount included in such LLC Optionee’s compensation income under Code Section 83 as a result of such exercise.

 

(b)                                 For purposes of computing the amount of any item of Company income, gain, loss or deduction to be allocated pursuant to this Article V and to be reflected in the Capital Accounts of the Members, the determination, recognition and classification of any such item shall be the same as its determination, recognition and classification for U.S. federal income tax purposes (including any method of depreciation, cost recovery or amortization used for this purpose); provided, however, that:

 

(i)                                     The computation of all items of income, gain, loss and deduction shall include those items described in Code Section 705(a)(l)(B) or Code Section 705(a)(2)(B) and Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i), without regard to the fact that such items are not includable in gross income or are not deductible for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

(ii)                                  If the Book Value of any Company property is adjusted pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), the amount of such adjustment shall be taken into account as gain or loss from the disposition of such property.

 

(iii)                               Items of income, gain, loss or deduction attributable to the disposition of Company property having a Book Value that differs from its adjusted basis for tax purposes shall be computed by reference to the Book Value of such property.

 

 

(iv)                              Items of depreciation, amortization and other cost recovery deductions with respect to Company property having a Book Value that differs from its adjusted basis for tax purposes shall be computed by reference to the property’s Book Value in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g).

 

(v)                                 To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Company asset pursuant to Code Sections 732(d), 734(b) or 743(b) is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis).

 

Section 5.02                             Allocations.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 5.03 and Section 5.04, Net Profits and Net Losses for any Fiscal Year or Fiscal Period shall be allocated among the Capital Accounts of the Members pro rata in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.  For the avoidance of doubt, in accordance with Code Section 706(d)(1), any deductions resulting from the exercise by any LLC Optionee of its LLC Option shall be allocated under a closing of the books method to the Members who were Members of the Company in the Fiscal Period ending on the day immediately prior the day of such exercise.

 

Section 5.03                             Regulatory Allocations.

 

(a)                                 Losses attributable to partner nonrecourse debt (as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4)) shall be allocated in the manner required by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i).  If there is a net decrease during a Taxable Year in partner nonrecourse debt minimum gain (as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(3)), Profits for such Taxable Year (and, if necessary, for subsequent Taxable Years) shall be allocated to the Members in the amounts and of such character as determined according to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4).

 

(b)                                 Nonrecourse deductions (as determined according to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(1)) for any Taxable Year shall be allocated pro rata among the Members in accordance with their Percentage Interests.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 4.03(a), if there is a net decrease in the Minimum Gain during any Taxable Year, each Member shall be allocated Profits for such Taxable Year (and, if necessary, for subsequent Taxable Years) in the amounts and of such character as determined according to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f).  This Section 5.03(b) is intended to be a minimum gain chargeback provision that complies with the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f), and shall be interpreted in a manner consistent therewith.

 

(c)                                  If any Member that unexpectedly receives an adjustment, allocation or Distribution described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), (5) and (6) has an Adjusted Capital Account Deficit as of the end of any Taxable Year, computed after the application of Sections 5.03(a) and 5.03(b) but before the application of any other provision of this Article V, then Profits for such Taxable Year shall be allocated to such Member in proportion to, and to the extent of, such Adjusted Capital Account Deficit.  This Section 5.03(c)

 

 

is intended to be a qualified income offset provision as described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted in a manner consistent therewith.

 

(d)                                 If the allocation of Net Losses to a Member as provided in Section 5.02 would create or increase an Adjusted Capital Account Deficit, there shall be allocated to such Member only that amount of Losses as will not create or increase an Adjusted Capital Account Deficit.  The Net Losses that would, absent the application of the preceding sentence, otherwise be allocated to such Member shall be allocated to the other Members in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, subject to this Section 5.03(d).

 

(e)                                  Profits and Losses described in Section 5.01(b)(v) shall be allocated in a manner consistent with the manner that the adjustments to the Capital Accounts are required to be made pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(j), (k) and (m).

 

(f)                                   The allocations set forth in Section 5.03(a) through and including Section 5.03(e) (the “Regulatory Allocations”) are intended to comply with certain requirements of Sections 1.704-1(b) and 1.704-2 of the Treasury Regulations.  The Regulatory Allocations may not be consistent with the manner in which the Members intend to allocate Profit and Loss of the Company or make Distributions.  Accordingly, notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article V, but subject to the Regulatory Allocations, income, gain, deduction and loss shall be reallocated among the Members so as to eliminate the effect of the Regulatory Allocations and thereby cause the respective Capital Accounts of the Members to be in the amounts (or as close thereto as possible) they would have been if Profit and Loss (and such other items of income, gain, deduction and loss) had been allocated without reference to the Regulatory Allocations.  In general, the Members anticipate that this will be accomplished by specially allocating other Profit and Loss (and such other items of income, gain, deduction and loss) among the Members so that the net amount of the Regulatory Allocations and such special allocations to each such Member is zero.  In addition, if in any Fiscal Year or Fiscal Period there is a decrease in partnership minimum gain, or in partner nonrecourse debt minimum gain, and application of the minimum gain chargeback requirements set forth in Section 5.03(a) or Section 5.03(b) would cause a distortion in the economic arrangement among the Members, the Members may, if they do not expect that the Company will have sufficient other income to correct such distortion, request the Internal Revenue Service to waive either or both of such minimum gain chargeback requirements.  If such request is granted, this Agreement shall be applied in such instance as if it did not contain such minimum gain chargeback requirement.

 

Section 5.04                             Final Allocations.  Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this Agreement except Section 5.03, the Manager shall make appropriate adjustments to allocations of Profits and Losses to (or, if necessary, allocate items of gross income, gain, loss or deduction of the Company among) the Members upon the liquidation of the Company (within the meaning of Section 1.704 1(b)(2)(ii)(g) of the Treasury Regulations), the transfer of substantially all the Units (whether by sale or exchange or merger) or sale of all or substantially all the assets of the Company, such that, to the maximum extent possible, the Capital Accounts of the Members are proportionate to their Percentage Interests.  In each case, such adjustments or allocations shall occur, to the maximum extent possible, in the Fiscal Year of the event requiring such adjustments or allocations.

 

 

Section 5.05                             Tax Allocations.

 

(a)                                 The income, gains, losses, deductions and credits of the Company will be allocated, for federal, state and local income tax purposes, among the Members in accordance with the allocation of such income, gains, losses, deductions and credits among the Members for computing their Capital Accounts; provided that if any such allocation is not permitted by the Code or other applicable Law, the Company’s subsequent income, gains, losses, deductions and credits will be allocated among the Members so as to reflect as nearly as possible the allocation set forth herein in computing their Capital Accounts.

 

(b)                                 Items of Company taxable income, gain, loss and deduction with respect to any property contributed to the capital of the Company shall be allocated among the Members in accordance with Code Section 704(c) so as to take account of any variation between the adjusted basis of such property to the Company for federal income tax purposes and its Book Value using the traditional method, as described in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-3(b).

 

(c)                                  If the Book Value of any Company asset is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.01(b), subsequent allocations of items of taxable income, gain, loss and deduction with respect to such asset shall take account of any variation between the adjusted basis of such asset for federal income tax purposes and its Book Value in the same manner as under Code Section 704(c) using the traditional method, as described in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-3(b).

 

(d)                                 Allocations of tax credits, tax credit recapture, and any items related thereto shall be allocated to the Members pro rata as determined by the Manager taking into account the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(ii).

 

(e)                                  For purposes of determining a Member’s pro rata share of the Company’s “excess nonrecourse liabilities” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3), each Member’s interest in income and gain shall be in proportion to the Units held by such Member.

 

(f)                                   Allocations pursuant to this Section 5.05 are solely for purposes of federal, state and local taxes and shall not affect, or in any way be taken into account in computing, any Member’s Capital Account or share of Profits, Losses, Distributions or other Company items pursuant to any provision of this Agreement.

 

Section 5.06                             Indemnification and Reimbursement for Payments on Behalf of a Member.  If the Company is obligated to pay any amount to a Governmental Entity (or otherwise makes a payment to a Governmental Entity) that is specifically attributable to a Member or a Member’s status as such (including federal withholding taxes, state personal property taxes and state unincorporated business taxes, but excluding payments such as professional association fees and the like made voluntarily by the Company on behalf of any Member based upon such Member’s status as an employee of the Company), then such Person shall indemnify the Company in full for the entire amount paid (including interest, penalties and related expenses).  The Manager may offset Distributions to which a Person is otherwise entitled under this Agreement against such Person’s obligation to indemnify the Company under this Section 5.06.  A Member’s obligation to make contributions to the Company under this Section 5.06 shall survive the termination, dissolution, liquidation and winding up of the Company, and for

 

 

purposes of this Section 5.06, the Company shall be treated as continuing in existence.  The Company may pursue and enforce all rights and remedies it may have against each Member under this Section 5.06, including instituting a lawsuit to collect such contribution with interest calculated at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Base Rate plus 300 basis points (but not in excess of the highest rate per annum permitted by Law).

 

ARTICLE VI.
 MANAGEMENT

 

Section 6.01                             Authority of Manager.

 

(a)                                 Except for situations in which the approval of any Member(s) is specifically required by this Agreement, (i) all management powers over the business and affairs of the Company shall be exclusively vested in the Corporation, as the sole managing member of the Company (the Corporation, in such capacity, the “Manager”) and (ii) the Manager shall conduct, direct and exercise full control over all activities of the Company.  The Manager shall be the “manager” of the Company for the purposes of the Delaware Act.  Except as otherwise expressly provided for herein and subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Members hereby consent to the exercise by the Manager of all such powers and rights conferred on the Members by the Delaware Act with respect to the management and control of the Company.  The Corporation may not be removed as a Manager except as provided in Section 6.04.  Any Manager that is properly removed pursuant to Section 6.04 shall be replaced in the manner provided in Section 6.05.  The Original Members terminate as of the Effective Time the “Board” previously established in order to conduct the business of the Company pursuant to the First A&R LLC Agreement (as such term was previously defined in the First A&R LLC Agreement).

 

(b)                                 The day-to-day business and operations of the Company shall be overseen and implemented by officers of the Company (each, an “Officer” and collectively, the “Officers”), subject to the limitations imposed by the Manager.  An Officer may, but need not, be a Member.  Each Officer shall be appointed by the Manager and shall hold office until his or her successor shall be duly designated and shall qualify or until his or her death or until he shall resign or shall have been removed in the manner hereinafter provided.  Any one Person may hold more than one office.  Subject to the other provisions in this Agreement (including in Section 6.08 below), the salaries or other compensation, if any, of the Officers of the Company shall be fixed from time to time by the Manager.  The authority and responsibility of the Officers shall include, but not be limited to, such duties as the Manager may, from time to time, delegate to them and the carrying out of the Company’s business and affairs on a day-to-day basis.  The existing Officers of the Company as of the Effective Time shall remain in their respective positions and shall be deemed to have been appointed by the Manager.  All Officers shall be, and shall be deemed to be, officers and employees of the Company.  An Officer may also perform one or more roles as an officer of the Manager.

 

(c)                                  The Manager shall have the power and authority to effectuate the sale, lease, transfer, exchange or other disposition of any, all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (including the exercise or grant of any conversion, option, privilege or subscription right or any other right available in connection with any assets at any time held by the Company)

 

 

or the merger, consolidation, reorganization or other combination of the Company with or into another entity.

 

Section 6.02                             Actions of the Manager.  The Manager may act through any Officer or through any other Person or Persons to whom authority and duties have been delegated pursuant to Section 6.08.

 

Section 6.03                             Resignation.  The Manager may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Members.  Unless otherwise specified in the notice, the resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof by the Members, and the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

 

Section 6.04                             Removal.  The Manager may only be removed by the Corporation.

 

Section 6.05                             Vacancies.  Vacancies in the position of Manager occurring for any reason shall be filled by the Corporation (or, if the Corporation has ceased to exist without any successor or assign, then by the holders of a majority in interest of the voting capital stock of the Corporation immediately prior to such cessation).

 

Section 6.06                             Transactions Between Company and Manager.  The Manager may cause the Company to contract and deal with the Manager, or any Affiliate of the Manager, provided such contracts and dealings are on terms comparable to and competitive with those available to the Company from others dealing at arm’s length or are approved by the Members and otherwise are permitted by the Credit Agreements.  The Members hereby approve the IPO Common Unit Purchase Agreement.

 

Section 6.07                             Reimbursement for Expenses.  The Manager shall not be compensated for its services as Manager of the Company except as expressly provided in this Agreement or as otherwise approved by the Members (other than the Manager) holding a majority of the Voting Units (excluding Voting Units held by the Manager) then outstanding.  The Members acknowledge and agree that, upon consummation of the IPO, the Manager’s Class A Common Stock will be publicly traded and therefore the Manager will have access to the public capital markets and that such status and the services performed by the Manager will inure to the benefit of the Company and all Members; therefore, the Manager shall be reimbursed by the Company for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred on behalf of the Company, including without limitation all fees, expenses and costs associated with the IPO and all fees, expenses and costs of being a public company (including without limitation public reporting obligations, proxy statements, stockholder meetings, stock exchange fees, transfer agent fees, SEC and FINRA filing fees and offering expenses) and maintaining its corporate existence.  In the event that shares of Class A Common Stock are sold to underwriters in the IPO (or in any subsequent public offering) at a price per share that is lower than the price per share for which such shares of Class A Common Stock are sold to the public in the IPO (or in such subsequent public offering, as applicable) after taking into account underwriters’ discounts or commissions and brokers’ fees or commissions (such difference, the “Discount”), the Company shall reimburse the Manager for such Discount by treating such Discount as an additional Capital Contribution made by the Manager to the Company and increasing the Manager’s Capital Account by the amount of such Discount.  To the extent practicable, expenses incurred by the Manager on behalf of or for the

 

 

benefit of the Company shall be billed directly to and paid by the Company and, if and to the extent any reimbursements to the Manager or any of its Affiliates by the Company pursuant to this Section 6.07 constitute gross income to such Person (as opposed to the repayment of advances made by such Person on behalf of the Company), such amounts shall be treated as “guaranteed payments” within the meaning of Code Section 707(c) and shall not be treated as distributions for purposes of computing the Members’ Capital Accounts.

 

Section 6.08                             Delegation of Authority.  The Manager (a) may, from time to time, delegate to one or more Persons such authority and duties as the Manager may deem advisable, and (b) may assign titles (including, without limitation, chief executive officer, president, chief executive officer, chief financial officers, chief operating officer, vice president, secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer or assistant treasurer) and delegate certain authority and duties to such Persons as the same may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.  Any number of titles may be held by the same individual.  The salaries or other compensation, if any, of such agents of the Company shall be fixed from time to time by the Manager, subject to the other provisions in this Agreement.

 

Section 6.09                             Limitation of Liability of Manager.

 

(a)                                 Except as otherwise provided herein or in an agreement entered into by such Person and the Company, neither the Manager nor any of the Manager’s Affiliates shall be liable to the Company or to any Member that is not the Manager for any act or omission performed or omitted by the Manager in its capacity as the sole managing member of the Company pursuant to authority granted to the Manager by this Agreement; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided herein, such limitation of liability shall not apply to the extent the act or omission was attributable to the Manager’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or knowing violation of Law or for any present or future breaches of any representations, warranties or covenants by the Manager or its Affiliates contained herein or in the other agreements with the Company.  The Manager may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, and shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent (so long as such agent was selected in good faith and with reasonable care).  The Manager shall be entitled to rely upon the advice of legal counsel, independent public accountants and other experts, including financial advisors, and any act of or failure to act by the Manager in good faith reliance on such advice shall in no event subject the Manager to liability to the Company or any Member that is not the Manager.

 

(b)                                 Whenever this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein provides that the Manager shall act in a manner which is, or provide terms which are, “fair and reasonable” to the Company or any Member that is not the Manager, the Manager shall determine such appropriate action or provide such terms considering, in each case, the relative interests of each party to such agreement, transaction or situation and the benefits and burdens relating to such interests, any customary or accepted industry practices, and any applicable United States generally accepted accounting practices or principles.

 

(c)                                  Whenever in this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein, the Manager is permitted or required to take any action or to make a decision in its “sole discretion”

 

 

or “discretion,” with “complete discretion” or under a grant of similar authority or latitude, the Manager shall be entitled to consider such interests and factors as it desires, including its own interests, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, have no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of or factors affecting the Company or other Members.

 

(d)                                 Whenever in this Agreement the Manager is permitted or required to take any action or to make a decision in its “good faith” or under another express standard, the Manager shall act under such express standard and, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, shall not be subject to any other or different standards imposed by this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein, and, notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, so long as the Manager acts in good faith, the resolution, action or terms so made, taken or provided by the Manager shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein or impose liability upon the Manager or any of the Manager’s Affiliates.

 

Section 6.10                             Investment Company Act.  The Manager shall use its best efforts to ensure that the Company shall not be subject to registration as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act.

 

Section 6.11                             Outside Activities of the Manager.  The Manager shall not, directly or indirectly, enter into or conduct any business or operations, other than in connection with (a) the ownership, acquisition and disposition of Common Units, (b) the management of the business and affairs of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (c) the operation of the Manager as a reporting company with a class (or classes) of securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act and listed on a securities exchange, (d) the offering, sale, syndication, private placement or public offering of stock, bonds, securities or other interests, (e) financing or refinancing of any type related to the Company, its Subsidiaries or their assets or activities, and (f) such activities as are incidental to the foregoing; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided herein, the net proceeds of any financing raised by the Manager pursuant to the preceding clauses (d) and (e) shall be made available to the Company, whether as Capital Contributions, loans or otherwise, as appropriate, and, provided further, that the Manager may, in its sole and absolute discretion, from time to time hold or acquire assets in its own name or otherwise other than through the Company and its Subsidiaries so long as the Manager takes commercially reasonable measures to ensure that the economic benefits and burdens of such assets are otherwise vested in the Company or its Subsidiaries, through assignment, mortgage loan or otherwise or, if it is not commercially reasonable to vest such economic interests in the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Members shall negotiate in good faith to amend this Agreement to reflect such activities and the direct ownership of assets by the Manager.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to prohibit the Manager from executing any guarantee of indebtedness of the Company or its Subsidiaries.

 

ARTICLE VII.
 RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS

 

Section 7.01                             Limitation of Liability and Duties of Members.

 

(a)                                 Except as provided in this Agreement or in the Delaware Act, the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, shall be

 

 

solely the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company and no Member (including without limitation, the Manager) shall be obligated personally for any such debts, obligation or liability solely by reason of being a Member or acting as the Manager of the Company.  Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, a Member’s liability (in its capacity as such) for Company liabilities and Losses shall be limited to the Company’s assets.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the failure of the Company to observe any formalities or requirements relating to the exercise of its powers or management of its business and affairs under this Agreement or the Delaware Act shall not be grounds for imposing personal liability on the Members for liabilities of the Company.

 

(b)                                 In accordance with the Delaware Act and the laws of the State of Delaware, a Member may, under certain circumstances, be required to return amounts previously distributed to such Member.  It is the intent of the Members that no Distribution to any Member pursuant to Article IV shall be deemed a return of money or other property paid or distributed in violation of the Delaware Act.  The payment of any such money or Distribution of any such property to a Member shall be deemed to be a compromise within the meaning of Section 18-502(b) of the Delaware Act, and, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, any Member receiving any such money or property shall not be required to return any such money or property to the Company or any other Person.  However, if any court of competent jurisdiction holds that, notwithstanding the provisions of this Agreement, any Member is obligated to make any such payment, such obligation shall be the obligation of such Member and not of any other Member.

 

(c)                                  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that, at law or in equity, any Member (or any Member’s Affiliate or any manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of any Member or of any Affiliate of a Member) has duties (including fiduciary duties) to the Company, to the Manager, to another Member, to any Person who acquires an interest in a Company Interest or to any other Person bound by this Agreement, all such duties (including fiduciary duties) are hereby eliminated, to the fullest extent permitted by law, and replaced with the duties or standards expressly set forth herein, if any.  The elimination of duties (including fiduciary duties) to the Company, the Manager, each of the Members, each other Person who acquires an interest in a Company Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement and replacement thereof with the duties or standards expressly set forth herein, if any, are approved by the Company, the Manager, each of the Members, each other Person who acquires an interest in a Company Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement.

 

Section 7.02                             Lack of Authority.  No Member, other than the Manager or a duly appointed Officer, in each case in its capacity as such, has the authority or power to act for or on behalf of the Company, to do any act that would be binding on the Company or to make any expenditure on behalf of the Company.  The Members hereby consent to the exercise by the Manager of the powers conferred on them by Law and this Agreement.

 

Section 7.03                             No Right of Partition.  No Member, other than the Manager, shall have the right to seek or obtain partition by court decree or operation of Law of any Company property, or the right to own or use particular or individual assets of the Company.

 

 

Section 7.04                             Indemnification.

 

(a)                                 Subject to Section 5.06, the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any Person (each an “Indemnified Person”) to the fullest extent permitted under the Delaware Act, as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended, substituted or replaced (but, in the case of any such amendment, substitution or replacement only to the extent that such amendment, substitution or replacement permits the Company to provide broader indemnification rights than the Company is providing immediately prior to such amendment), against all expenses, liabilities and losses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, excise taxes or penalties) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Person (or one or more of such Person’s Affiliates) by reason of the fact that such Person is or was a Member or is or was serving as the Manager, Officer, employee or other agent of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a manager, officer, director, principal, member, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or other enterprise; provided, however, that no Indemnified Person shall be indemnified for any expenses, liabilities and losses suffered that are attributable to such Indemnified Person’s or its Affiliates’ gross negligence, willful misconduct or knowing violation of Law or for any present or future breaches of any representations, warranties or covenants by such Indemnified Person or its Affiliates contained herein or in the other agreements with the Company.  Expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by any such Indemnified Person in defending a proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding, including any appeal therefrom, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such Indemnified Person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.

 

(b)                                 The right to indemnification and the advancement of expenses conferred in this Section 7.04 shall not be exclusive of any other right which any Person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, agreement, bylaw, action by the Manager or otherwise.

 

(c)                                  The Company shall maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, or substantially equivalent insurance, at its expense, to protect any Indemnified Person (and the investment funds, if any, they represent) against any expense, liability or loss described in Section 7.04(a) whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify such Indemnified Person against such expense, liability or loss under the provisions of this Section 7.04.  The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to purchase and maintain property, casualty and liability insurance in types and at levels customary for companies of similar size engaged in similar lines of business, as determined in good faith by the Manager, and the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to purchase directors’ and officers’ liability insurance (including employment practices coverage) with a carrier and in an amount determined necessary or desirable as determined in good faith by the Manager.

 

(d)                                 Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary (including in this Section 7.04), any indemnity by the Company relating to the matters covered in this Section 7.04 shall be provided out of and to the extent of Company assets only and no Member (unless such Member otherwise agrees in writing or is found in a final decision by a court of competent jurisdiction to have personal liability on account thereof) shall have personal liability on account

 

 

thereof or shall be required to make additional Capital Contributions to help satisfy such indemnity of the Company.

 

(e)                                  If this Section 7.04 or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Person pursuant to this Section 7.04 to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Section 7.04 that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law.

 

Section 7.05                             Members Right to Act.  For matters that require the approval of the Members, the Members shall act through meetings and written consents as described in paragraphs (a) and (b) below:

 

(a)                                 Except as otherwise expressly provided by this Agreement, acts by the Members holding a majority of the Units, voting together as a single class, shall be the acts of the Members.  Any Member entitled to vote at a meeting of Members or to express consent or dissent to Company action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for it by proxy.  An electronic mail, telegram, telex, cablegram or similar transmission by the Member, or a photographic, photostatic, facsimile or similar reproduction of a writing executed by the Member shall (if stated thereon) be treated as a proxy executed in writing for purposes of this Section 7.05(a).  No proxy shall be voted or acted upon after eleven months from the date thereof, unless the proxy provides for a longer period.  A proxy shall be revocable unless the proxy form conspicuously states that the proxy is irrevocable and that the proxy is coupled with an interest.  Should a proxy designate two or more Persons to act as proxies, unless that instrument shall provide to the contrary, a majority of such Persons present at any meeting at which their powers thereunder are to be exercised shall have and may exercise all the powers of voting or giving consents thereby conferred, or, if only one be present, then such powers may be exercised by that one; or, if an even number attend and a majority do not agree on any particular issue, the Company shall not be required to recognize such proxy with respect to such issue if such proxy does not specify how the votes that are the subject of such proxy are to be voted with respect to such issue.

 

(b)                                 The actions by the Members permitted hereunder may be taken at a meeting called by the Manager or by the Members holding a majority of the Units entitled to vote on such matter on at least 48 hours’ prior written notice to the other Members entitled to vote, which notice shall state the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is being called.  The actions taken by the Members entitled to vote or consent at any meeting (as opposed to by written consent), however called and noticed, shall be as valid as though taken at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice if (but not until), either before, at or after the meeting, the Members entitled to vote or consent as to whom it was improperly held signs a written waiver of notice or a consent to the holding of such meeting or an approval of the minutes thereof.  The actions by the Members entitled to vote or consent may be taken by vote of the Members entitled to vote or consent at a meeting or by written consent, so long as such consent is signed by Members having not less than the minimum number of Units that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all Members entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.  Prompt notice of the action so taken, which shall state the purpose or purposes for which such consent is required and may be delivered via email, without a meeting shall be given to those

 

 

Members entitled to vote or consent who have not consented in writing; provided, however, that the failure to give any such notice shall not affect the validity of the action taken by such written consent.  Any action taken pursuant to such written consent of the Members shall have the same force and effect as if taken by the Members at a meeting thereof.

 

Section 7.06                             Inspection Rights.  The Company shall permit each Member and each of its designated representatives to (i) visit and inspect any of the properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries, all at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice, (ii) examine the corporate and financial records of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and make copies thereof or extracts therefrom, (iii) consult with the managers, officers, employees and independent accountants of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries concerning the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.  The presentation of an executed copy of this Agreement by any Member to the Company’s independent accountants shall constitute the Company’s permission to its independent accountants to participate in discussions with such Persons and their respective designated representatives.

 

ARTICLE VIII.
 BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS, AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

Section 8.01                             Records and Accounting.  The Company shall keep, or cause to be kept, appropriate books and records with respect to the Company’s business, including all books and records necessary to provide any information, lists and copies of documents required to be provided pursuant to Section 8.03 or pursuant to applicable Laws.  All matters concerning (a) the determination of the relative amount of allocations and Distributions among the Members pursuant to Articles III and IV and (b) accounting procedures and determinations, and other determinations not specifically and expressly provided for by the terms of this Agreement, shall be determined by the Manager, whose determination shall be final and conclusive as to all of the Members absent manifest clerical error.

 

Section 8.02                             Fiscal Year.  The Fiscal Year of the Company shall end on December 31 of each year or such other date as may be established by the Manager.

 

Section 8.03                             Reports.  The Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered, within ninety (90) days after the end of each Fiscal Year, to each Person who was a Member at any time during such Fiscal Year, all information reasonably necessary for the preparation of such Person’s United States federal and applicable state income tax returns.

 

ARTICLE IX.
 TAX MATTERS

 

Section 9.01                             Preparation of Tax Returns.  The Company shall arrange for the preparation and timely filing of all tax returns required to be filed by the Company.  On or before March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15 of each Fiscal Year, the Company shall send to each Person who was a Member at any time during the prior quarter, an estimate of such Member’s state tax apportionment information and allocations to the Members of taxable income, gains, losses, deductions and credits for the prior quarter, which estimate shall have been reviewed by the Company’s outside tax accountants.  In addition, no later than the later of (i)

 

 

March 15 following the end of the prior Fiscal Year, and (ii) five (5) Business Days after the issuance of the final audit report for a Fiscal Year by the Company’s auditors, the Company shall send to each Person who was a Member at any time during such Fiscal Year, a statement showing such Member’s final state tax apportionment information and allocations to the Members of taxable income, gains, losses, deductions and credits for such Fiscal Year and a completed IRS Schedule K-1.  Each Member shall notify the other Members upon receipt of any notice of tax examination of the Company by federal, state or local authorities.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in its capacity as Tax Matters Partner, the Corporation shall have the authority to prepare the tax returns of the Company using such permissible methods and elections as it determines in its reasonable discretion, including without limitation the use of any permissible method under Section 706 of the Code for purposes of determining the varying Company Interests of its Members.

 

Section 9.02                             Tax Elections.  The Taxable Year shall be the Fiscal Year set forth in Section 8.02.  The Company shall make an election pursuant to Section 754 of the Code, shall not thereafter revoke such election and shall make a new election pursuant to Section 754 to the extent necessary following any “termination” of the Company under Section 708 of the Code.  Each Member will upon request supply any information reasonably necessary to give proper effect to any such elections.

 

Section 9.03                             Tax Controversies.  The Corporation is hereby designated the Tax Matters Partner within the meaning given to such term in Section 6231 of the Code (the Corporation, in such capacity, the “Tax Matters Partner”) and is authorized and required to represent the Company (at the Company’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Company’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Company funds for professional services reasonably incurred in connection therewith.  Each Member agrees to cooperate with the Company and to do or refrain from doing any or all things reasonably requested by the Company with respect to the conduct of such proceedings.  The Tax Matters Partners shall keep all Members fully informed of the progress of any examinations, audits or other proceedings, and all Members shall have the right to participate at their expense in any such examinations, audits or other proceedings.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Tax Matters Partners shall not settle or otherwise compromise any issue in any such examination, audit or other proceeding without first obtaining approval of the Manager.  Nothing herein shall diminish, limit or restrict the rights of any Member under Subchapter C, Chapter 63, Subtitle F of the Code (Code Sections 6221 et seq.).

 

ARTICLE X.
 RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF UNITS; PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS

 

Section 10.01                      Transfers by Members.  No holder of Units may Transfer any interest in any Units, except Transfers (a) pursuant to and in accordance with Section 10.02 or (b) approved in writing by the Manager.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Transfer” shall not include an event that terminates the existence of a Member for income tax purposes (including, without limitation, a change in entity classification of a Member under Treasury Regulations Section 301.7701-3, termination of a partnership pursuant to Code Section 708(b)(1)(B), a sale of assets by, or liquidation of, a Member pursuant to an election under Code Section 338, or merger, severance, or allocation within a trust or among sub-trusts of a trust that is a Member), but that does not

 

 

terminate the existence of such Member under applicable state law (or, in the case of a trust that is a Member, does not terminate the trusteeship of the fiduciaries under such trust with respect to all the Company Interests of such trust that is a Member).

 

Section 10.02                      Permitted Transfers.  The restrictions contained in Section 10.01 shall not apply to any Transfer (each, a “Permitted Transfer”) (i) pursuant to (A) a Change of Control Transaction, (B) a Redemption or Exchange in accordance with Article XI hereof or (C) a Transfer by a member to the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries (including without limitation pursuant to Article XI hereof), (ii) by any Member to such Member’s spouse, any lineal ascendants or descendants or trusts or other entities in which such Member or Member’s spouse, lineal ascendants or descendants hold (and continue to hold while such trusts or other entities hold Units) 50% or more of such entity’s beneficial interests, (iii) pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution and (iv) if such Transfer is made by an Original Member, to a partner, shareholder or member of such Original Member; provided, however, that (A) the restrictions contained in this Agreement will continue to apply to Units after any Permitted Transfer of such Units, and (B) in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), the transferees of the Units so Transferred shall agree in writing to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and, the transferor will deliver a written notice to the Company and the Members, which notice will disclose in reasonable detail the identity of the proposed transferee.  In the case of a Permitted Transfer by any Original Member of Common Units to a transferee in accordance with this Section 10.02, such Original Member (or any subsequent transferee of such Original Member) shall be required to also transfer the fraction of its remaining Class B Common Stock ownership corresponding to the proportion of such Original Member’s (or subsequent transferee’s) Common Units that were transferred in the transaction to such transferee.  All Permitted Transfers are subject to the additional limitations set forth in Section 10.07(b).

 

Section 10.03                      Restricted Units Legend.  The Units have not been registered under the Securities Act and, therefore, in addition to the other restrictions on Transfer contained in this Agreement, cannot be sold unless subsequently registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from such registration is then available.  To the extent such Units have been certificated, each certificate evidencing Units and each certificate issued in exchange for or upon the Transfer of any Units (if such securities remain Units as defined herein after such Transfer) shall be stamped or otherwise imprinted with a legend in substantially the following form:

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE WERE ORIGINALLY ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 26, 2014, AND HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”), AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION THEREUNDER.  THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER SPECIFIED IN THE SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT OF NEFF HOLDINGS LLC, AS MAY BE AMENDED AND MODIFIED FROM TIME TO TIME, AND NEFF HOLDINGS LLC RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE THE TRANSFER OF SUCH SECURITIES UNTIL SUCH CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN FULFILLED WITH RESPECT TO ANY TRANSFER.  A COPY OF SUCH CONDITIONS SHALL BE FURNISHED BY NEFF

 

 

HOLDINGS LLC TO THE HOLDER HEREOF UPON WRITTEN REQUEST AND WITHOUT CHARGE.”

 

The Company shall imprint such legend on certificates (if any) evidencing Units.  The legend set forth above shall be removed from the certificates (if any) evidencing any units which cease to be Units in accordance with the definition thereof.

 

Section 10.04                      Transfer.  Prior to Transferring any Units (other than pursuant to a Change of Control Transaction), the Transferring Holder of Units shall cause the prospective Transferee to be bound by this Agreement and any other agreements executed by the holders of Units and relating to such Units in the aggregate (collectively, the “Other Agreements”), and shall cause the prospective Transferee to execute and deliver to the Company and the other holders of Units counterparts of this Agreement and any applicable Other Agreements.  Any Transfer or attempted Transfer of any Units in violation of any provision of this Agreement (including any prohibited indirect Transfers) (a) shall be void, and (b) the Company shall not record such Transfer on its books or treat any purported Transferee of such Units as the owner of such securities for any purpose.

 

Section 10.05                      Assignee’s Rights.

 

(a)                                 The Transfer of a Company Interest in accordance with this Agreement shall be effective as of the date of its assignment (assuming compliance with all of the conditions to such Transfer set forth herein), and such Transfer shall be shown on the books and records of the Company.  Profits, Losses and other Company items shall be allocated between the transferor and the Assignee according to Code Section 706, using any permissible method as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Manager.  Distributions made before the effective date of such Transfer shall be paid to the transferor, and Distributions made after such date shall be paid to the Assignee.

 

(b)                                 Unless and until an Assignee becomes a Member pursuant to Article XII, the Assignee shall not be entitled to any of the rights granted to a Member hereunder or under applicable Law, other than the rights granted specifically to Assignees pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that, without relieving the transferring Member from any such limitations or obligations as more fully described in Section 10.06, such Assignee shall be bound by any limitations and obligations of a Member contained herein that a Member would be bound on account of the Assignee’s Company Interest (including the obligation to make Capital Contributions on account of such Company Interest).

 

Section 10.06                      Assignor’s Rights and Obligations.  Any Member who shall Transfer any Company Interest in a manner in accordance with this Agreement shall cease to be a Member with respect to such Units or other interest and shall no longer have any rights or privileges, or, except as set forth in this Section 10.06, duties, liabilities or obligations, of a Member with respect to such Units or other interest (it being understood, however, that the applicable provisions of Sections 6.09 and 7.04 shall continue to inure to such Person’s benefit), except that unless and until the Assignee (if not already a Member) is admitted as a Substituted Member in accordance with the provisions of Article XII (the “Admission Date”), (i) such assigning Member shall retain all of the duties, liabilities and obligations of a Member with respect to such

 

 

Units or other interest, and (ii) the Manager may, in its sole discretion, reinstate all or any portion of the rights and privileges of such Member with respect to such Units or other interest for any period of time prior to the Admission Date.  Nothing contained herein shall relieve any Member who Transfers any Units or other interest in the Company from any liability of such Member to the Company with respect to such Company Interest that may exist on the Admission Date or that is otherwise specified in the Delaware Act and incorporated into this Agreement or for any liability to the Company or any other Person for any materially false statement made by such Member (in its capacity as such) or for any present or future breaches of any representations, warranties or covenants by such Member (in its capacity as such) contained herein or in the other agreements with the Company.

 

Section 10.07                      Overriding Provisions.

 

(a)                                 Any Transfer in violation of this Article X shall be null and void ab initio, and the provisions of Sections 10.05 and 10.06 shall not apply to any such Transfers.  For the avoidance of doubt, any Person to whom a Transfer is made or attempted in violation of this Article X shall not become a Member, shall not be entitled to vote on any matters coming before the Members and shall not have any other rights in or with respect to any rights of a Member of the Company.  The approval of any Transfer in any one or more instances shall not limit or waive the requirement for such approval in any other or future instance.  The Manager shall promptly amend the Schedule of Members to reflect any Permitted Transfer pursuant to this Article X.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of Section 10.01 and Article XI and Article XII), in no event shall any Member Transfer any Units to the extent such Transfer would:

 

(i)                                     result in the violation of the Securities Act, or any other applicable federal, state or foreign Laws;

 

(ii)                                  cause an assignment under the Investment Company Act;

 

(iii)                               in the reasonable determination of the Manager, be a violation of or a default (or an event that, with notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute a default) under, or result in an acceleration of any indebtedness under, any promissory note, mortgage, loan agreement, indenture or similar instrument or agreement to which the Company or the Manager is a party; provided that (x) the payee or creditor to whom the Company or the Manager owes such obligation is not an affiliate of the Company or the Manager and (y) such indebtedness, individually or in the aggregate, has an aggregate principal amount then outstanding that is greater than $25,000,000;

 

(iv)                              cause the Company to lose its status as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such Transfer was effected on or through an “established securities market” or a “secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof,” as such terms are used in Section 1.7704-1 of the Treasury Regulations;

 

 

(v)                                 be a Transfer to a Person who is not legally competent or who has not achieved his or her majority under applicable Law (excluding trusts for the benefit of minors);

 

(vi)                              cause the Company to be treated as a “publicly traded partnership” or to be taxed as a corporation pursuant to Section 7704 of the Code or successor provision of the Code; or

 

(vii)                           result in the Company having more than one hundred (100) partners, within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.7704-1(h)(1) (determined pursuant to the rules of Treasury Regulations Section 1.7704-1(h)(3)).

 

ARTICLE XI.
 REDEMPTION AND EXCHANGE RIGHTS

 

Section 11.01                      Redemption Right of a Member and LLC Optionee.

 

(a)                                 Each Member (other than the Corporation) and each LLC Optionee (in connection with its exercise of an LLC Option) shall be entitled to cause the Company to redeem (a “Redemption”) its Common Units (the “Redemption Right”) at any time following the expiration of the lock-up period under the lock-up agreements, dated as of November 20, 2014, executed by each Original Member and each Original LLC Optionee.  A Member or LLC Optionee desiring to exercise its Redemption Right (the “Redeeming Member”) shall exercise such right by giving written notice (the “Redemption Notice”) to the Company with a copy to the Corporation.  The Redemption Notice shall specify the number of Common Units (the “Redeemed Units”) that the Redeeming Member intends to have the Company redeem and a date, not less than seven (7) Business Days nor more than ten (10) Business Days after delivery of such Redemption Notice (unless and to the extent that the Manager in its sole discretion agrees in writing to waive such time periods), on which exercise of the Redemption Right shall be completed (the “Redemption Date”); provided that the Company, the Corporation and the Redeeming Member may change the number of Redeemed Units and/or the Redemption Date specified in such Redemption Notice to another number and/or date by mutual agreement signed in writing by each of them; provided further that a Redemption Notice may be conditioned on the closing of an underwritten distribution of the shares of Class A Common Stock that may be issued in connection with such proposed Redemption.  Unless the Redeeming Member timely has delivered a Retraction Notice as provided in Section 11.01(b) or has revoked or delayed a Redemption as provided in Section 11.01(c), on the Redemption Date (to be effective immediately prior to the close of business on the Redemption Date) (i) only in the case of an LLC Optionee, the Redeeming Member shall have completed its exercised of an LLC Option for a corresponding number of Units subject to the Redemption Notice, (ii) the Redeeming Member shall transfer and surrender the Redeemed Units to the Company, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances (which in the case of an LLC Optionee will be deemed to be delivered by the Company in lieu of delivery of the Units underlying the LLC Option to the LLC Optionee), and (ii) the Company shall (x) cancel the Redeemed Units, (y) transfer to the Redeeming Member the consideration to which the Redeeming Member is entitled under Section 11.01(b), and (z), if the Units are certificated, issue to the Redeeming Member a certificate for a number of Common Units equal to the difference (if any) between the number of Common Units evidenced by the

 

 

certificate surrendered by the Redeeming Member pursuant to clause (i) of this Section 11.01(a) and the Redeemed Units.

 

(b)                                 In exercising its Redemption Right, a Redeeming Member shall be entitled to receive the Share Settlement or the Cash Settlement; provided that the Corporation shall have the option as provided in Section 11.02 and subject to Section 11.01(d) to select whether the redemption payment is made by means of a Share Settlement or a Cash Settlement.  Within three (3) Business Days of delivery of the Redemption Notice, the Corporation shall give written notice (the “Contribution Notice”) to the Company (with a copy to the Redeeming Member) of its intended settlement method; provided that if the Corporation does not timely deliver a Contribution Notice, the Corporation shall be deemed to have elected the Share Settlement method.  If the Corporation elects the Cash Settlement method, the Redeeming Member may retract its Redemption Notice by giving written notice (the “Retraction Notice”) to the Company (with a copy to the Corporation) within two (2) Business Days of delivery of the Contribution Notice.  The timely delivery of a Retraction Notice shall terminate all of the Redeeming Member’s, Company’s and the Corporation’ rights and obligations under this Section 11.01 arising from the Redemption Notice.

 

(c)                                  In the event the Corporation elects a Share Settlement in connection with a Redemption, a Redeeming Member shall be entitled to revoke its Redemption Notice or delay the consummation of a Redemption if any of the following conditions exists: (i) any registration statement pursuant to which the resale of the Class A Common Stock to be registered for such Redeeming Member at or immediately following the consummation of the Redemption shall have ceased to be effective pursuant to any action or inaction by the SEC or no such resale registration statement has yet become effective; (ii) the Corporation shall have failed to cause any related prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement necessary to effect such Redemption; (iii) the Corporation shall have exercised its right to defer, delay or suspend the filing or effectiveness of a registration statement and such deferral, delay or suspension shall affect the ability of such Redeeming Member to have its Class A Common Stock registered at or immediately following the consummation of the Redemption; (iv) the Corporation shall have disclosed to such Redeeming Member any material non-public information concerning the Corporation, the receipt of which results in such Redeeming Member being prohibited or restricted from selling Class A Common Stock at or immediately following the Redemption without disclosure of such information (and the Corporation does not permit disclosure); (v) any stop order relating to the registration statement pursuant to which the Class A Common Stock was to be registered by such Redeeming Member at or immediately following the Redemption shall have been issued by the SEC; (vi) there shall have occurred a material disruption in the securities markets generally or in the market or markets in which the Class A Common Stock is then traded; (vii) there shall be in effect an injunction, a restraining order or a decree of any nature of any Governmental Entity that restrains or prohibits the Redemption; (viii) the Corporation shall have failed to comply in all material respects with its obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, and such failure shall have affected the ability of such Redeeming Member to consummate the resale of Class A Common Stock to be received upon such redemption pursuant to an effective registration statement; (ix) the Redemption Date would occur three (3) Business Days or less prior to, or during, a Black-Out Period; provided further, that in no event shall the Redeeming Member seeking to revoke its Redemption Notice or delay the consummation of such Redemption and relying on any of the matters contemplated in clauses

 

 

(i) through (ix) above have controlled or intentionally influenced any facts, circumstances, or Persons in connection therewith (except in the good faith performance of his or her duties as an officer or director of the Corporation) in order to provide such Redeeming Member with a basis for such delay or revocation.  If a Redeeming Member delays the consummation of a Redemption pursuant to this Section 11.01(c), the Redemption Date shall occur on the fifth Business Day following the date on which the conditions giving rise to such delay cease to exist (or such earlier day as the Corporation, the Company and such Redeeming Member may agree in writing).

 

(d)                                 The number of shares of Class A Common Stock or the Redeemed Units Equivalent that a Redeeming Member is entitled to receive under Section 11.01(b) (whether through a Share Settlement or Cash Settlement) shall not be adjusted on account of any Distributions previously made with respect to the Redeemed Units or dividends previously paid with respect to Class A Common Stock; provided, however, that if a Redeeming Member (other than an LLC Optionee) causes the Company to redeem Redeemed Units and the Redemption Date occurs subsequent to the record date for any Distribution with respect to the Redeemed Units but prior to payment of such Distribution, the Redeeming Member shall be entitled to receive such Distribution with respect to the Redeemed Units on the date that it is made notwithstanding that the Redeeming Member transferred and surrendered the Redeemed Units to the Company prior to such date.

 

(e)                                  In the event of a reclassification or other similar transaction as a result of which the shares of Class A Common Stock are converted into another security, then in exercising it Redemption Right a Redeeming Member shall be entitled to receive the amount of such security that the Redeeming Member would have received if such Redemption Right had been exercised and the Redemption Date had occurred immediately prior to the record date of such reclassification or other similar transaction.

 

Section 11.02                      Election and Contribution of the Corporation.  In connection with the exercise of a Redeeming Member’s Redemption Rights under Section 11.01(a), the Corporation shall contribute to the Company the consideration the Redeeming Member is entitled to receive under Section 11.01(b).  The Corporation, at its option, shall determine whether to contribute, pursuant to Section 11.01(b), the Share Settlement or the Cash Settlement.  Unless the Redeeming Member has timely delivered a Retraction Notice as provided in Section 11.01(b), or has revoked or delayed a Redemption as provided in Section 11.01(c), on the Redemption Date (to be effective immediately prior to the close of business on the Redemption Date) (i) the Corporation shall make its Capital Contribution to the Company (in the form of the Share Settlement or the Cash Settlement) required under this Section 11.02, and (ii) the Company shall issue to the Corporation a number of Common Units equal to the number of Redeemed Units surrendered by the Redeeming Member.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Corporation elects a Cash Settlement, the Corporation shall only be obligated to contribute to the Company an amount in respect of such Cash Settlement equal to the net proceeds (after deduction of any underwriters’ discounts or commissions and brokers’ fees or commissions) from the sale by the Corporation of a number of shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the number of Redeemed Units to be redeemed with such Cash Settlement provided that the Corporation’s Capital Account shall be increased by an amount equal to any Discount relating to such sale of shares of Class A Common Stock in

 

 

accordance with Section 6.07.  The timely delivery of a Retraction Notice shall terminate all of the Company’s and the Corporation’ rights and obligations under this Section 11.02 arising from the Redemption Notice.

 

Section 11.03                      Exchange Right of the Corporation.

 

(a)                                 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article XI, the Corporation may, in its sole and absolute discretion, elect to effect on the Redemption Date the exchange of Redeemed Units for the Share Settlement or Cash Settlement, as the case may be, through a direct exchange of such Redeemed Units and such consideration between the Redeeming Member and the Corporation (a “Direct Exchange”).  Upon such Direct Exchange pursuant to this Section 11.03, the Corporation shall acquire the Redeemed Units and shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as the owner of such Units.

 

(b)                                 The Corporation may, at any time prior to a Redemption Date, deliver written notice (an “Exchange Election Notice”) to the Company and the Redeeming Member setting forth its election to exercise its right to consummate a Direct Exchange; provided that such election does not prejudice the ability of the parties to consummate a Redemption or Direct Exchange on the Redemption Date.  An Exchange Election Notice may be revoked by the Corporation at any time; provided that any such revocation does not prejudice the ability of the parties to consummate a Redemption or Direct Exchange on the Redemption Date.  The right to consummate a Direct Exchange in all events shall be exercisable for all the Redeemed Units that would have otherwise been subject to a Redemption.  Except as otherwise provided by this Section 11.03, a Direct Exchange shall be consummated pursuant to the same timeframe and in the same manner as the relevant Redemption would have been consummated if the Corporation had not delivered an Exchange Election Notice.

 

Section 11.04                      Reservation of shares of Class A Common Stock; Listing; Certificate of the Corporation.  At all times the Corporation shall reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued Class A Common Stock, solely for the purpose of issuance upon a Redemption or Direct Exchange, such number of shares of Class A Common Stock as shall be issuable upon any such Redemption or Direct Exchange pursuant to Share Settlements; provided that nothing contained herein shall be construed to preclude the Corporation from satisfying its obligations in respect of any such Redemption or Direct Exchange by delivery of purchased Class A Common Stock (which may or may not be held in the treasury of the Corporation) or the delivery of cash pursuant to a Cash Settlement.  The Corporation shall deliver Class A Common Stock that has been registered under the Securities Act with respect to any Redemption or Direct Exchange to the extent a registration statement is effective and available for such shares.  The Corporation shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to list the Class A Common Stock required to be delivered upon any such Redemption or Direct Exchange prior to such delivery upon each national securities exchange upon which the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock are listed at the time of such Redemption or Direct Exchange (it being understood that any such shares may be subject to transfer restrictions under applicable securities Laws).  The Corporation covenants that all Class A Common Stock issued upon a Redemption or Direct Exchange will, upon issuance, be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.  The provisions of this Article XI shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with the corresponding provisions of the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation.

 

 

Section 11.05                      Effect of Exercise of Redemption or Exchange Right.  This Agreement shall continue notwithstanding the consummation of a Redemption or Direct Exchange and all governance or other rights set forth herein shall be exercised by the remaining Members, LLC Optionees (to the extent of such LLC Optionee’s rights to exercise LLC Options and the related Redemption Right) and the Redeeming Member (to the extent of such Redeeming Member’s remaining interest in the Company).  No Redemption or Direct Exchange shall relieve such Redeeming Member of any prior breach of this Agreement.

 

Section 11.06                      Tax Treatment.  Unless otherwise required by applicable Law, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree a Redemption or a Direct Exchange, as the case may be, shall be treated as a direct exchange between the Corporation and the Redeeming Member for U.S. federal and applicable state and local income tax purposes.

 

ARTICLE XII.
 ADMISSION OF MEMBERS

 

Section 12.01                      Substituted Members.  Subject to the provisions of Article X hereof, in connection with the Permitted Transfer of a Company Interest hereunder, the transferee shall become a substituted Member (“Substituted Member”) on the effective date of such Transfer, which effective date shall not be earlier than the date of compliance with the conditions to such Transfer, and such admission shall be shown on the books and records of the Company.

 

Section 12.02                      Additional Members.  Each LLC Optionee upon exercise of an LLC Option (to the extent such LLC Optionee does not simultaneously exercise its Redemption Right with respect thereto under Article XI) and, subject to the provisions of Article X hereof, any other Person may be admitted to the Company as an additional Member (any such LLC Optionee or other Person, an “Additional Member”) only upon furnishing to the Manager (a) counterparts of this Agreement and any applicable Other Agreements and (b) such other documents or instruments as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to effect such Person’s admission as a Member (including entering into such documents as the Manager may deem appropriate in its sole discretion).  Such admission shall become effective on the date on which the Manager determines in its sole discretion that such conditions have been satisfied and when any such admission is shown on the books and records of the Company.

 

ARTICLE XIII.
 WITHDRAWAL AND RESIGNATION; TERMINATION OF RIGHTS

 

Section 13.01                      Withdrawal and Resignation of Members.  No Member shall have the power or right to withdraw or otherwise resign as a Member from the Company prior to the dissolution and winding up of the Company pursuant to this Article XIII.  Any Member, however, that attempts to withdraw or otherwise resign as a Member from the Company without the prior written consent of the Manager upon or following the dissolution and winding up of the Company pursuant to this Article XIII, but prior to such Member receiving the full amount of Distributions from the Company to which such Member is entitled pursuant to this Article XIII, shall be liable to the Company for all damages (including all lost profits and special, indirect and consequential damages) directly or indirectly caused by the withdrawal or resignation of such

 

 

Member.  Upon a Transfer of all of a Member’s Units in a Transfer permitted by this Agreement, subject to the provisions of Section 10.06, such Member shall cease to be a Member.

 

Section 13.02                      Termination of Rights of LLC Optionees.  With respect to each LLC Optionee, all rights of such Person to exercise a Redemption Right hereunder pursuant to Article XI or to become a Member hereunder pursuant to Article XII, and all other rights afforded such Person hereunder in his or her capacity as an LLC Optionee, shall automatically terminate upon the expiration or other termination (whether as a result of exercise in full, forfeiture, death, disability, termination of employment or otherwise) of all LLC Options awarded by the Company to such Person (except to the extent the Company substantially simultaneously novates or reissues an LLC Option to such Person or his or her heirs), in each case in accordance with such LLC Option’s terms, and upon such expiration or termination of all LLC Options of such Person, such Person shall cease to be an LLC Optionee hereunder.

 

ARTICLE XIV.
 DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

 

Section 14.01                      Dissolution.  The Company shall not be dissolved by the admission of Additional Members or Substituted Members or the attempted withdrawal or resignation of a Member.  The Company shall dissolve, and its affairs shall be wound up, upon:

 

(a)                                 the unanimous decision of the Members that then hold Voting Units to dissolve the Company;

 

(b)                                 a Change of Control Transaction that is not approved by the Majority Members;

 

(c)                                  a dissolution of the Company under Section 18-801(4) of the Delaware Act; or

 

(d)                                 the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Company under Section 18-802 of the Delaware Act.

 

Except as otherwise set forth in this Article XIV, the Company is intended to have perpetual existence.  An Event of Withdrawal shall not cause a dissolution of the Company and the Company shall continue in existence subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

Section 14.02                      Liquidation and Termination.  On dissolution of the Company, the Manager shall act as liquidator or may appoint one or more Persons as liquidator.  The liquidators shall proceed diligently to wind up the affairs of the Company and make final distributions as provided herein and in the Delaware Act.  The costs of liquidation shall be borne as a Company expense.  Until final distribution, the liquidators shall continue to operate the Company properties with all of the power and authority of the Manager.  The steps to be accomplished by the liquidators are as follows:

 

(a)                                 as promptly as possible after dissolution and again after final liquidation, the liquidators shall cause a proper accounting to be made by a recognized firm of certified public accountants of the Company’s assets, liabilities and operations through the last day of the calendar month in which the dissolution occurs or the final liquidation is completed, as applicable;

 

 

(b)                                 the liquidators shall cause the notice described in the Delaware Act to be mailed to each known creditor of and claimant against the Company in the manner described thereunder;

 

(c)                                  the liquidators shall pay, satisfy or discharge from Company funds, or otherwise make adequate provision for payment and discharge thereof (including, without limitation, the establishment of a cash fund for contingent liabilities in such amount and for such term as the liquidators may reasonably determine): first, all expenses incurred in liquidation; and second, all of the debts, liabilities and obligations of the Company; and

 

(d)                                 all remaining assets of the Company shall be distributed to the Members in accordance with Article IV by the end of the Taxable Year during which the liquidation of the Company occurs (or, if later, by ninety (90) days after the date of the liquidation).  The distribution of cash and/or property to the Members in accordance with the provisions of this Section 14.02 and Section 14.03 below constitutes a complete return to the Members of their Capital Contributions, a complete distribution to the Members of their interest in the Company and all the Company’s property and constitutes a compromise to which all Members have consented within the meaning of the Delaware Act.  To the extent that a Member returns funds to the Company, it has no claim against any other Member for those funds.

 

Section 14.03                      Deferment; Distribution in Kind.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 14.02, but subject to the order of priorities set forth therein, if upon dissolution of the Company the liquidators determine that an immediate sale of part or all of the Company’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss (or would otherwise not be beneficial) to the Members, the liquidators may, in their sole discretion, defer for a reasonable time the liquidation of any assets except those necessary to satisfy Company liabilities (other than loans to the Company by Members) and reserves.  Subject to the order of priorities set forth in Section 14.02, the liquidators may, in their sole discretion, distribute to the Members, in lieu of cash, either (a) all or any portion of such remaining Company assets in-kind in accordance with the provisions of Section 14.02(d), (b) as tenants in common and in accordance with the provisions of Section 14.02(d), undivided interests in all or any portion of such Company assets or (c) a combination of the foregoing.  Any such Distributions in kind shall be subject to (x) such conditions relating to the disposition and management of such assets as the liquidators deem reasonable and equitable and (y) the terms and conditions of any agreements governing such assets (or the operation thereof or the holders thereof) at such time.  Any Company assets distributed in kind will first be written up or down to their Fair Market Value, thus creating Profit or Loss (if any), which shall be allocated in accordance with Article V.  The liquidators shall determine the Fair Market Value of any property distributed in accordance with the valuation procedures set forth in Article XV.

 

Section 14.04                      Cancellation of Certificate.  On completion of the distribution of Company assets as provided herein, the Company is terminated (and the Company shall not be terminated prior to such time), and the Manager (or such other Person or Persons as the Delaware Act may require or permit) shall file a certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of Delaware, cancel any other filings made pursuant to this Agreement that are or should be canceled and take such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Company.  The Company shall be deemed to continue in existence for all purposes of this Agreement until it is terminated pursuant to this Section 14.04.

 

 

Section 14.05                      Reasonable Time for Winding Up.  A reasonable time shall be allowed for the orderly winding up of the business and affairs of the Company and the liquidation of its assets pursuant to Sections 14.02 and 14.03 in order to minimize any losses otherwise attendant upon such winding up.

 

Section 14.06                      Return of Capital.  The liquidators shall not be personally liable for the return of Capital Contributions or any portion thereof to the Members (it being understood that any such return shall be made solely from Company assets).

 

ARTICLE XV.
 VALUATION

 

Section 15.01                      Determination.  “Fair Market Value” of a specific Company asset will mean the amount which the Company would receive in an all-cash sale of such asset in an arms-length transaction with a willing unaffiliated third party, with neither party having any compulsion to buy or sell, consummated on the day immediately preceding the date on which the event occurred which necessitated the determination of the Fair Market Value (and after giving effect to any transfer taxes payable in connection with such sale), as such amount is determined by the Manager (or, if pursuant to Section 14.02, the liquidators) in its good faith judgment using all factors, information and data it deems to be pertinent.

 

Section 15.02                      Dispute Resolution.  If any Member or Members dispute the accuracy of any determination of Fair Market Value in accordance with Section 15.01, and the Manager and such Member(s) are unable to agree on the determination of the Fair Market Value of any asset of the Company, the Manager and such Member(s) shall each select a nationally recognized investment banking firm experienced in valuing securities of closely-held companies such as the Company in the Company’s industry (the “Appraisers”), who shall each determine the Fair Market Value of the asset or the Company (as applicable) in accordance with the provisions of Section 15.01.  The Appraisers shall be instructed to give written notice of their determination of the Fair Market Value of the asset or the Company (as applicable) within thirty (30) days of their appointment as Appraisers.  If Fair Market Value as determined by an Appraiser is higher than Fair Market Value as determined by the other Appraiser by 10% or more, and the Manager and such Member(s) do not otherwise agree on a Fair Market Value, the original Appraisers shall designate a third Appraiser meeting the same criteria used to select the original two.  If Fair Market Value as determined by an Appraiser is within 10% of the Fair Market Value as determined by the other Appraiser (but not identical), and the Manager and such Member(s) do not otherwise agree on a Fair Market Value, the Manager shall select the Fair Market Value of one of the Appraisers.  The fees and expenses of the Appraisers shall be borne by the Company.

 

ARTICLE XVI.
 GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 16.01                      Power of Attorney.

 

(a)                                 Each Member who is an individual hereby constitutes and appoints the Manager (or the liquidator, if applicable) with full power of substitution, as his or her true and lawful

 

 

agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority in his, her or its name, place and stead, to:

 

(i)                                     execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate public offices (A) this Agreement, all certificates and other instruments and all amendments thereof which the Manager deems appropriate or necessary to form, qualify, or continue the qualification of, the Company as a limited liability company in the State of Delaware and in all other jurisdictions in which the Company may conduct business or own property; (B) all instruments which the Manager deems appropriate or necessary to reflect any amendment, change, modification or restatement of this Agreement in accordance with its terms; (C) all conveyances and other instruments or documents which the Manager deems appropriate or necessary to reflect the dissolution and liquidation of the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including a certificate of cancellation; and (D) all instruments relating to the admission, withdrawal or substitution of any Member pursuant to Article XII or XIII; and

 

(ii)                                  sign, execute, swear to and acknowledge all ballots, consents, approvals, waivers, certificates and other instruments appropriate or necessary, in the reasonable judgment of the Manager, to evidence, confirm or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement or other action which is made or given by the Members hereunder.

 

(b)                                 The foregoing power of attorney is irrevocable and coupled with an interest, and shall survive the death, disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy, insolvency or termination of any Member who is an individual and the transfer of all or any portion of his, her or its Company Interest and shall extend to such Member’s heirs, successors, assigns and personal representatives.

 

Section 16.02                      Confidentiality.  The Manager and each of the Members agree to hold the Company’s Confidential Information in confidence and may not use such information except in furtherance of the business of the Company or as otherwise authorized separately in writing by the Manager.  “Confidential Information” as used herein includes, but is not limited to, ideas, financial product structuring, business strategies, innovations and materials, all aspects of the Company’s business plan, proposed operation and products, corporate structure, financial and organizational information, analyses, proposed partners, software code and system and product designs, employees and their identities, equity ownership, the methods and means by which the Company plans to conduct its business, all trade secrets, trademarks, tradenames and all intellectual property associated with the Company’s business.  With respect to the Manager and each Member, Confidential Information does not include information or material that: (a) is rightfully in the possession of the Manager or each Member at the time of disclosure by the Company; (b) before or after it has been disclosed to the Manager or each Member by the Company, becomes part of public knowledge, not as a result of any action or inaction of the Manager or such Member, respectively, in violation of this Agreement; (c) is approved for release by written authorization of the CEO of the Company or of the Corporation; (d) is disclosed to the Manager or such Member or their representatives by a third party not, to the knowledge of the Manager or such Member, respectively, in violation of any obligation of confidentiality owed to the Company with respect to such information; or (e) is or becomes

 

 

independently developed by the Manager or such Member or their respective representatives without use or reference to the Confidential Information.

 

Section 16.03                      Amendments.  This Agreement and the Certificate may be amended or modified upon the consent of the Majority Members.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no amendment or modification to any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement or the Certificate which terms and conditions expressly require the approval or action of certain Persons may be made without obtaining the consent of the requisite number or specified percentage of such Persons who are entitled to approve or take action on such matter, (ii) no amendment or modification to or waiver of any of the terms of the terms and conditions of this Agreement or the Certificate which would materially and adversely affect a holder of Units in a manner materially different than any other holder of Units of the same class or series (other than amendments, modifications and waivers (y) necessary to implement the provisions of Article XII or (y) relate to the rights and responsibilities of the Manager in its capacity as such under this Agreement) shall be effective against such disparately affected holder of Units without the prior written consent of such holder of Units (for all purposes of this clause (ii), a holder of Units shall be deemed to include any LLC Optionee) and (iii) no amendment or modification to or waiver of any of Section 3.01(a), Section 3.01(c), Section 3.02, Section 3.03(a), Section 3.10, Article XI, Section 12.02, Section 13.02 , this Section 16.03 or Section 16.06 that would be materially adverse to any LLC Optionee shall be effective against such adversely affected LLC Optionee without the prior written consent of such LLC Optionee.

 

Section 16.04                      Title to Company Assets.  Company assets shall be deemed to be owned by the Company as an entity, and no Member, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Company assets or any portion thereof.  The Company shall hold title to all of its property in the name of the Company and not in the name of any Member.  All Company assets shall be recorded as the property of the Company on its books and records, irrespective of the name in which legal title to such Company assets is held.  The Company’s credit and assets shall be used solely for the benefit of the Company, and no asset of the Company shall be transferred or encumbered for, or in payment of, any individual obligation of any Member.

 

Section 16.05                      Addresses and Notices.  Any notice provided for in this Agreement will be in writing and will be either personally delivered, or received by certified mail, return receipt requested, or sent by reputable overnight courier service (charges prepaid) to the Company at the address set forth below and to any other recipient and to any Member at such address as indicated by the Company’s records, or at such address or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by prior written notice to the sending party.  Notices will be deemed to have been given hereunder when delivered personally or sent by telecopier (provided confirmation of transmission is received), three (3) days after deposit in the U.S. mail and one (1) day after deposit with a reputable overnight courier service.  The Company’s address is:

 

to the Company:

 

Neff Holdings LLC
 3750 N.W. 87th Avenue, Suite 400
 Miami, Florida 33178

 

Attn: Mark Irion, Chief Financial Officer
 Facsimile: (305) 773-2291
 E-mail: mirion@neffcorp.com

 

with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Latham & Watkins LLP
 885 Third Avenue
 New York, New York 10022
 Attn: Dennis D. Lamont 
 Facsimile: (212) 751-4864
 E-mail: dennis.lamont@lw.com

 

Section 16.06                      Binding Effect; Intended Beneficiaries.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.  Section 3.01(a), Section 3.02, Section 3.03(a), Section 3.10, Article XI, Section 12.02 and Section 13.02 hereof shall inure to the benefit of the LLC Optionees who are intended to be third-party beneficiaries thereof and which Articles and Sections shall be enforceable by each LLC Optionee and its successors and assigns.

 

Section 16.07                      Creditors.  None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of or enforceable by any creditors of the Company or any of its Affiliates, and no creditor who makes a loan to the Company or any of its Affiliates may have or acquire (except pursuant to the terms of a separate agreement executed by the Company in favor of such creditor) at any time as a result of making the loan any direct or indirect interest in Company Profits, Losses, Distributions, capital or property other than as a secured creditor.

 

Section 16.08                      Waiver.  No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute a waiver of any such breach or any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.

 

Section 16.09                      Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, each of which will be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement binding on all the parties hereto.

 

Section 16.10                      Applicable Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.  Any dispute relating hereto shall be heard in the state or federal courts of the State of Delaware, and the parties agree to jurisdiction and venue therein.

 

Section 16.11                      Severability.  Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable Law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable Law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or the effectiveness or validity of any provision in any other

 

 

jurisdiction, and this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

 

Section 16.12                      Further Action.  The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or refrain from taking such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Section 16.13                      Delivery by Electronic Transmission.  This Agreement and any signed agreement or instrument entered into in connection with this Agreement or contemplated hereby, and any amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent signed and delivered by means of an electronic transmission, including by a facsimile machine or via email, shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person.  At the request of any party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto shall re-execute original forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties.  No party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument shall raise the use of electronic transmission by a facsimile machine or via email to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through such electronic transmission as a defense to the formation of a contract and each such party forever waives any such defense.

 

Section 16.14                      Right of Offset.  Whenever the Company is to pay any sum (other than pursuant to Article IV) to any Member, any amounts that such Member owes to the Company which are not the subject of a good faith dispute may be deducted from that sum before payment.  For the avoidance of doubt, the distribution of Units to the Corporation shall not be subject to this Section 16.14.

 

Section 16.15                      Effectiveness.  This Agreement shall be effective immediately prior to the time at which the IPO closes on the IPO Closing Date (the “Effective Time”).  The First A&R LLC Agreement shall govern the rights and obligations of the Company and the other parties to this Agreement in their capacity as Unitholders prior to the Effective Time.

 

Section 16.16                      Entire Agreement.  This Agreement, those documents expressly referred to herein (including the Registration Rights Agreement and the Tax Receivable Agreement), any indemnity agreements entered into in connection with the First A&R LLC Agreement with any member of the board of managers at that time and other documents of even date herewith embody the complete agreement and understanding among the parties and supersede and preempt any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.  For the avoidance of doubt, the First A&R LLC Agreement is superseded by this Agreement as of the Effective Time and shall be of no further force and effect thereafter.

 

Section 16.17                      Remedies.  Each Member shall have all rights and remedies set forth in this Agreement and all rights and remedies which such Person has been granted at any time under any other agreement or contract and all of the rights which such Person has under any Law.  Any Person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement or any other agreements contemplated hereby shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically (without

 

 

posting a bond or other security), to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights granted by Law.

 

Section 16.18                      Descriptive Headings; Interpretation.  The descriptive headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute a substantive part of this Agreement.  Whenever required by the context, any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa.  The use of the word “including” in this Agreement shall be by way of example rather than by limitation.  Reference to any agreement, document or instrument means such agreement, document or instrument as amended or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, and if applicable hereof.  Without limiting the generality of the immediately preceding sentence, no amendment or other modification to any agreement, document or instrument that requires the consent of any Person pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other agreement will be given effect hereunder unless such Person has consented in writing to such amendment or modification.  Wherever required by the context, references to a Fiscal Year shall refer to a portion thereof.  The use of the words “or,” “either” and “any” shall not be exclusive.  The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement.  In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement.  Wherever a conflict exists between this Agreement and any other agreement, this Agreement shall control but solely to the extent of such conflict.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed or caused to be executed on their behalf this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

	
 
    	
COMPANY:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
NEFF HOLDINGS LLC
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By: NEFF CORPORATION, its Managing Member
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   MARK IRION
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Mark   Irion
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Chief   Financial Officer
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
MEMBERS:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
WAYZATA OPPORTUNITIES FUND II,   L.P.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
WOF   II GP, LP, its General Partner
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
WOF   II GP, LLC, its General Partner
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   JOSEPH M. DEIGNAN
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Joseph   M. Deignan
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Authorized   Signatory
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
WAYZATA OPPORTUNITIES FUND OFFSHORE II, L.P.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
Wayzata   Offshore II, LLC, its General Partner
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   JOSEPH M. DEIGNAN
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Joseph   M. Deignan
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Authorized   Signatory
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
NEFF CORPORATION
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   MARK IRION
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Mark   Irion
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Chief   Financial Officer
    
						

 

 

SCHEDULE 1*

 

SCHEDULE OF MEMBERS

 

	
Member
    	
 
    	
Common Units
    	
 
    	
Percentage
   Interest
    	
 
    
	
Wayzata Opportunities   Fund II, L.P. 
    	
 
    	
14,585,304
    	
**
    	
57.359642293
    	
%
    
	
Wayzata Opportunities   Fund Offshore II, L.P. 
    	
 
    	
366,321
    	
**
    	
1.440631030
    	
 
    
	
Neff Corporation 
    	
 
    	
10,476,190
    	
***
    	
41.199726677
    	
 
    
	
Total 
    	
 
    	
25,427,815
    	
 
    	
100.000000000
    	
%
    

 

*                             This Schedule of Members reflects the Recapitalization and shall be updated from time to time to reflect any adjustment with respect to any subdivision (by Unit split or otherwise) or any combination (by reverse Unit split or otherwise) of any outstanding Common Units, or to reflect any additional issuances of Common Units pursuant to this Agreement.

**                      Reflects the Recapitalization and the IPO.

***               Reflects the purchase of 10,476,190 Common Units from the Company with the IPO Net Proceeds.  If, when and to the extent the Over-Allotment Option is exercised, this amount will be adjusted to also reflect the purchase of additional Common Units from the Company with the Over-Allotment Option Net Proceeds.

 

 

SCHEDULE 2*

 

SCHEDULE OF LLC OPTIONEES

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
Original LLC Options
   Number of Common Units Underlying
    	
 
    	
LLC Options**
   Number of Common Units Underlying
    	
 
    
	
LLC Optionees
    	
 
    	
Performance
   Options
    	
 
    	
Service
   Options
    	
 
    	
Total
   Options
    	
 
    	
Performance
   Options
    	
 
    	
Service
   Options
    	
 
    	
Total
   Options
    	
 
    
	
James Continenza 
    	
 
    	
—
    	
 
    	
12,573
    	
 
    	
12,573
    	
 
    	
—
    	
 
    	
20,433
    	
 
    	
20,433
    	
 
    
	
Robert Singer 
    	
 
    	
—
    	
 
    	
8,801
    	
 
    	
8,801
    	
 
    	
—
    	
 
    	
14,303
    	
 
    	
14,303
    	
 
    
	
Graham Hood 
    	
 
    	
81,750
    	
 
    	
136,250
    	
 
    	
218,000
    	
 
    	
132,858
    	
 
    	
221,430
    	
 
    	
354,288
    	
 
    
	
Mark Irion 
    	
 
    	
48,750
    	
 
    	
81,250
    	
 
    	
130,000
    	
 
    	
79,227
    	
 
    	
132,045
    	
 
    	
211,272
    	
 
    
	
Wes Parks 
    	
 
    	
22,500
    	
 
    	
37,500
    	
 
    	
60,000
    	
 
    	
36,566
    	
 
    	
60,944
    	
 
    	
97,510
    	
 
    
	
Henry Lawson 
    	
 
    	
22,500
    	
 
    	
37,500
    	
 
    	
60,000
    	
 
    	
36,566
    	
 
    	
60,944
    	
 
    	
97,510
    	
 
    
	
John Anderson 
    	
 
    	
22,500
    	
 
    	
37,500
    	
 
    	
60,000
    	
 
    	
36,566
    	
 
    	
60,944
    	
 
    	
97,510
    	
 
    
	
Brad Nowell 
    	
 
    	
13,875
    	
 
    	
23,125
    	
 
    	
37,000
    	
 
    	
22,549
    	
 
    	
37,582
    	
 
    	
60,131
    	
 
    
	
Steven Settelmayer 
    	
 
    	
13,875
    	
 
    	
23,125
    	
 
    	
37,000
    	
 
    	
22,549
    	
 
    	
37,582
    	
 
    	
60,131
    	
 
    
	
Paula Papamarcos 
    	
 
    	
11,625
    	
 
    	
19,375
    	
 
    	
31,000
    	
 
    	
18,892
    	
 
    	
31,487
    	
 
    	
50,380
    	
 
    
	
Steve Michaels 
    	
 
    	
13,875
    	
 
    	
23,125
    	
 
    	
37,000
    	
 
    	
22,549
    	
 
    	
37,582
    	
 
    	
60,131
    	
 
    
	
Tom Sutherland 
    	
 
    	
11,625
    	
 
    	
19,375
    	
 
    	
31,000
    	
 
    	
18,892
    	
 
    	
31,487
    	
 
    	
50,380
    	
 
    
	
Tammy Parham 
    	
 
    	
5,250
    	
 
    	
8,750
    	
 
    	
14,000
    	
 
    	
8,532
    	
 
    	
14,220
    	
 
    	
22,752
    	
 
    
	
Jim Horn 
    	
 
    	
5,250
    	
 
    	
8,750
    	
 
    	
14,000
    	
 
    	
8,532
    	
 
    	
14,220
    	
 
    	
22,752
    	
 
    
	
Bryant Becton 
    	
 
    	
5,250
    	
 
    	
8,750
    	
 
    	
14,000
    	
 
    	
8,532
    	
 
    	
14,220
    	
 
    	
22,752
    	
 
    
	
Bobby Corner 
    	
 
    	
5,250
    	
 
    	
8,750
    	
 
    	
14,000
    	
 
    	
8,532
    	
 
    	
14,220
    	
 
    	
22,752
    	
 
    
	
Total 
    	
 
    	
283,875
    	
 
    	
494,499
    	
 
    	
778,374
    	
 
    	
461,342
    	
 
    	
803,643
    	
 
    	
1,264,987
    	
 
    

 

*                 This Schedule of LLC Optionees shall be updated from time to time to reflect any adjustment with respect to any subdivision (by Unit split or otherwise) or any combination (by reverse Unit split or otherwise) of any outstanding Common Units, or to reflect any additional issuances of Common Units pursuant to this Agreement.

**          This column reflects the Recapitalization.

 

 

Exhibit A

 

FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

 

This JOINDER AGREEMENT, dated as of                                   , 20       (this “Joinder”), is delivered pursuant to that certain Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated as of November 26, 2014 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “LLC Agreement”) by and among Neff Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), Neff Corporation, a Delaware corporation and the managing member of the Company (the “Manager”), and each of the Members from time to time party thereto.  Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the respective meanings set forth in the LLC Agreement.

 

1.              Joinder to the LLC Agreement.  Upon the execution of this Joinder by the undersigned and delivery hereof to the Company, and acceptance hereof by the Company (subject to Articles X and XII of the LLC Agreement) upon the execution of a counterpart hereof by the Manager on behalf of the Company, the undersigned hereby is and hereafter will be a Member under the LLC Agreement and a party thereto, with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities of a Member thereunder.  The undersigned hereby agrees that it shall comply with and be fully bound by the terms of the LLC Agreement as if it had been a signatory thereto as of the date thereof.

 

2.              Incorporation by Reference.  All terms and conditions of the LLC Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference in this Joinder as if set forth herein in full.

 

3.              Address.  All notices under the LLC Agreement to the undersigned shall be direct to:

 

[Name] 
 [Address] 
 [City, State, Zip Code] 
 Attn: 
 Facsimile: 
 E-mail:

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed and delivered this Joinder as of the day and year first above written.

 

	
 
    	
[NAME   OF NEW MEMBER]
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
 
    

 

 

	
Acknowledged   and agreed
    	
 
    
	
as   of the date first set forth above:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
NEFF   HOLDINGS LLC
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:   NEFF CORPORATION, its Managing Member
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Name:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Title:Exhibit 10.25

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Amended and Restated Employment Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into on November 20, 2014, by and between Graham Hood, an individual (the “Executive”), and Neff Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and any of its subsidiaries, parents (including upon the consummation of the Transactions (as hereinafter defined), Neff Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Neff Corporation”)) and affiliates as may employ the Executive from time to time (collectively, and together with any successor thereto, the “Company”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive are currently parties to that certain Employment Agreement, originally effective as of March 2007, as amended September 30, 2010 and May 10, 2013 (the “Prior Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS, it is contemplated that Neff Corporation will effect an initial public offering (the “Offering”) of shares of its Class A common stock (the “Common Stock”) and, pursuant to certain reorganization transactions, will become the parent of the Company (the Offering and such reorganization transactions, collectively, the “Transactions”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive desire to amend and restate the Prior Agreement as of the date of the consummation of the Transactions (the “Effective Date”) in order to consolidate all amendments of the Prior Agreement and to make certain additional changes as agreed to by the parties hereto (the “Parties”) in connection with the Transactions.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the mutual promises contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1.             Term.  The Company hereby agrees to employ the Executive, and the Executive hereby agrees to accept employment with the Company, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, effective as of the Effective Date.  In the event that the Transactions are not consummated, this Agreement shall be void ab initio and the Prior Agreement shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

 

Subject to the provisions for earlier termination set forth in Section 10, the initial term of employment under this Agreement shall be for a period of thirty-six (36) months commencing on the Effective Date and shall be automatically extended for additional one (1) year periods, unless one of the Parties shall give written notice to the other on or before the date which is six (6) months prior to the expiration of the then-current term of the Agreement of such Party’s election not to so extend this Agreement (the original 36-month term, the “Initial Term”, and the Initial Term as it may be extended, the “Term”).  For the avoidance of doubt, non-extension of the Initial Term or any extended Term by either Party shall not constitute termination by the Company without Cause or constitute Good Reason.

 

2.             Employment.

 

(a)           The Executive shall be employed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and its Subsidiaries (the “CEO”).  The Executive shall perform the duties and exercise the authority customarily performed, undertaken and exercised by persons situated in a similar executive capacity.  The Executive shall serve on, and report directly to the Board of Directors of Neff Corporation (the “Board”).  Upon the Effective Date, the Executive shall be appointed to the Board.  The Company shall nominate the Executive for appointment to the Board each year during the Term for so long as he serves as the CEO.

 

 

(b)           During the Term, the Executive shall faithfully and diligently endeavor to promote the business and best interests of the Company.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Executive may also devote time to other business, personal and other pursuits so long as such pursuits do not materially interfere with his performance of his duties under this Agreement and do not conflict with his obligations under Sections 12 and 15.  The Executive may, at his discretion, provide the services hereunder either at the Company’s offices or from a location other than the Company’s offices.

 

3.             Base Salary.  The Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid to the Executive during the Term of this Agreement a base salary (the “Base Salary”) at the rate of $500,000 per annum.  The Board may, in its discretion, increase the rate of Base Salary payable hereunder; provided, however, that any increased rate shall thereafter be the rate of “Base Salary” hereunder.  Such Base Salary shall be payable in accordance with the Company’s customary practices applicable to its senior executives.

 

4.             Annual Bonus.  In addition to the Base Salary, Executive shall be eligible to earn an annual cash bonus award in respect of each calendar year during the Term (the “Annual Bonus”).  The target Annual Bonus for 2015 shall be 80% of the Base Salary.  The target Annual Bonus for each calendar year during the Term after 2015 shall be not less than 50% of the Base Salary.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Annual Bonus shall not include any special or non-recurring bonuses payable to the Executive, including any such bonuses payable under the Company’s 2014 Management Special Bonus Plan, Amended and Restated Sale Transaction Bonus Plan or 2014 Incentive Bonus Plan.  The Annual Bonus may be payable pursuant to one or more incentive plans established by the Company.  Such Annual Bonus shall be paid to the Executive at such time as annual bonuses are paid to other executive employees of the Company, but in no event later than March 15 of the calendar year following the calendar year to which the Annual Bonus relates.

 

5.             [RESERVED]

 

6.             Employee Benefits.  During the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in all employee benefit plans, practices and programs maintained by the Company and made available to employees generally including, without limitation all pension, retirement, 401(k), profit sharing, savings, medical, hospitalization, disability, dental, life or travel accident insurance benefit plans.  The Executive’s participation in such plans, practices and programs shall be on the same basis and terms as are applicable to other key executives of the Company generally.

 

7.             Executive Benefits.  During the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in all executive benefit or incentive compensation plans now maintained or hereafter established by the Company for the purpose of providing compensation and/or benefits to executives of the Company, including, but not limited to, the Company’s equity incentive plan(s), and any supplemental retirement, salary continuation, stock option, deferred compensation, supplemental medical or life insurance or other bonus or incentive compensation plans.  Unless otherwise provided herein, or in the terms of such executive benefit or incentive compensation plans, the Executive’s participation in such plans shall be on substantially the same basis and terms as other key executives of the Company, but (except with respect to any equity incentive or stock option plans) in no event on a basis less favorable in terms of benefit levels or reward opportunities applicable to the Executive as of the Effective Date.  No additional compensation provided under any of such plans shall be deemed to modify or otherwise affect the terms of this Agreement or any of the Executive’s entitlements hereunder.

 

 

8.             Other Benefits.

 

(a)           Fringe Benefits and Perquisites.  The Executive shall be entitled to receive all fringe benefits and perquisites generally made available by the Company to key executives.

 

(b)           Expenses.  The Executive shall be entitled to receive prompt reimbursement of all expenses reasonably incurred by him in connection with the performance of his duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s applicable expense reimbursement policies and procedures.

 

9.             Vacation and Sick Leave.  The Executive shall be entitled, without loss of pay, to absent himself voluntarily from the performance of his employment under this Agreement, in accordance with the following:

 

(a)           During the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to annual vacation in any calendar year of four weeks, to be taken in accordance with the policies as periodically established by the Company.

 

(b)           The Executive shall be entitled to sick leave (without loss of pay) in accordance with the Company’s policies as in effect from time to time.

 

10.          Termination.  The Executive’s employment hereunder may be terminated under the following circumstances:

 

(a)           Disability.  The Company may terminate the Executive’s employment after having established the Executive’s Disability.  For purposes of this Agreement, “Disability” means a physical or mental infirmity which impairs the Executive’s ability to perform substantially his duties for a period of one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days.  A determination of Disability shall be made by a physician satisfactory to both the Executive and the Company, which physician’s determination as to Disability shall be made within 10 days of the request therefor and shall be binding on all parties; provided, however, that if the Executive and the Company do not agree on a physician, the Executive and the Company shall each select a physician and these two together shall select a third physician, which third physician’s determination as to Disability shall be binding on all parties.  The Executive shall be entitled to the compensation and benefits provided for under this Agreement for any period during the Term and prior to the establishment of the Executive’s Disability during which the Executive is unable to work due to a physical or mental infirmity.  Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, until the Termination Date specified in a Notice of Termination (as each term is hereinafter defined) relating to the Executive’s Disability, the Executive shall be entitled to return to his position with the Company as set forth in this Agreement in which event no Disability of the Executive will be deemed to have occurred.

 

(b)           Cause.  The Company may terminate the Executive’s employment for “Cause.” For purposes of this Agreement, the Company shall be deemed to have terminated the Executive’s employment for “Cause” in the event that the Executive’s employment is terminated for any of the following reasons: (i) the Executive’s commission of an act of fraud, intentional misrepresentation against the Company or willful misconduct or an act of embezzlement, misappropriation, or conversion of assets of the Company; (ii) the Executive’s dishonesty or willful misconduct in the performance of duties hereunder or breach of fiduciary duty against the Company; (iii) the Executive’s failure to carry out, or comply with, in any material respect, any lawful and reasonable directive of the Board consistent with the terms of this Agreement; (iv) the Executive’s conviction, plea of nolo contendere, or imposition of unadjudicated probation for any felony or crime involving moral turpitude, or other willful violation of any law, rule or regulation in connection with the performance of duties hereunder (other than traffic 

 

 

violations or similar offenses); or the Executive’s unlawful use (including being under the influence) or possession of illegal drugs on the Company’s premises or while performing the Executive’s duties and responsibilities; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall provide the Executive with written notice and a ten (10) business day period to cure the event or failure constituting Cause, to the extent that such event or failure is able to be cured.

 

(c)           Good Reason.  The Executive may terminate his employment for “Good Reason.”  For purposes of this Agreement, Good Reason shall mean the occurrence of any of the events or conditions described in this Section 10(c) (provided that the Executive notifies the Company in writing of such event within ten (10) business days following the occurrence thereof):

 

(i)            the nature of Executive’s duties or the scope of Executive’s responsibilities as provided in Section 2(a) above is materially modified by the Company without Executive’s written consent where such material modification constitutes a demotion of Executive or a substantial reduction in Executive’s responsibilities;

 

(ii)           a reduction in the Executive’s Base Salary as provided in Section 3 or a reduction of the Executive’s target Annual Bonus opportunity as provided in Section 4;

 

(iii)          any material breach by the Company of any provision of this Agreement that has not been cured within thirty (30) days following receipt by the Company of written notice thereof from the Executive specifically identifying such material breach;

 

(iv)          in connection with any Change in Control, (A) the purchaser does not assume the severance provisions set forth in Section 11 (including corresponding definitions) (or substitute substantially identical severance provisions) with respect to the Executive and (B) the Executive does not accept employment with such purchaser in connection with the Change in Control;

 

(v)           the Company requires the Executive’s principal business office to be at any office located more than twenty five (25) miles from the office where the Executive is currently based without the Executive’s consent; or

 

(vi)          failure of the Executive to be nominated for election to the Board or to report directly to the Board as provided in Section 2(b) or a reduction in the Executive’s title as provided in Section 2(a) without the Executive’s consent.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Good Reason shall not include an event or condition unless (A) the Executive provides the Company with at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice of his intent to resign for Good Reason, (B) the Company has not remedied the alleged event or condition within such thirty (30)-day period and (C) the Termination Date occurs no later than two (2) years following the occurrence of such event or condition.

 

The Executive’s right to terminate his employment pursuant to this Section 10(c) shall not be affected by his incapacity due to the Executive’s Disability if such Disability occurs after the event or condition giving rise to Executive’s right to terminate his employment pursuant to this Section 10(c).

 

(d)           Resignation.  The Executive may terminate his employment with the Company for any reason or no reason.

 

 

(e)           Change in Control Definition.  For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall mean a change in ownership or control of Neff Corporation or Neff Holdings, LLC effected through a transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of common stock or units to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) (other than Neff Corporation, Neff Holdings, LLC, any of their respective subsidiaries, Wayzata Investment Partners LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Wayzata”) or any funds managed by Wayzata, any employee benefit plan maintained by Neff Corporation or Neff Holdings, LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries, or a “person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, Neff Corporation, Neff Holdings, LLC or Wayzata), directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of Neff Corporation or Neff Holdings, LLC possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of Neff Corporation’s or Neff Holdings, LLC’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition.  Neither the consummation of any of the Transactions nor any action taken by (or omission of) Neff Corporation or Neff Holdings, LLC on or prior to the Effective Date in connection with the Transactions shall (x) constitute a Change in Control, (y) provide grounds for finding that a Change in Control occurred or otherwise exists or (z) establish any element of a Change in Control.

 

(f)            Notice of Termination.  Any purported termination of employment by the Company or by the Executive shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the other.  For purposes of this Agreement, a “Notice of Termination” shall mean a notice which indicates the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Executive’s employment under the provision so indicated.  For purposes of this Agreement, no such purported termination of employment shall be effective without such Notice of Termination.

 

(g)           Termination Date, Etc.  “Termination Date” shall mean in the case of the Executive’s death, his date of death, or in all other cases, the date specified in the Notice of Termination subject to the following:

 

(i)            If the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company due to Disability, the date specified in the Notice of Termination shall be at least thirty (30) days after the date the Notice of Termination is given to the Executive, provided that the Executive shall not have returned to the full-time performance of his duties during such period of at least thirty (30) days; and

 

(ii)           If the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Executive (whether or not for Good Reason), the date specified in the Notice of Termination shall not be less than sixty (60) days from the date the Notice of Termination is given to the Company.

 

11.          Compensation Upon Termination.  Upon termination of the Executive’s employment during the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to the following benefits:

 

(a)           If the Executive’s employment is terminated during the Term, by the Company for Cause or by the Executive (other than for Good Reason), or as a result of non-extension of the Term pursuant to Section 1, the Company shall pay the Executive all amounts earned or accrued hereunder through the Termination Date but not paid as of the Termination Date, including (i) Base Salary, (ii) reimbursement for any and all monies advanced or expenses incurred in connection with the Executive’s employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company for the period ending on the Termination Date, (iii) accrued vacation pay, (iv) any earned but unpaid 

 

 

Annual Bonuses for any year completed prior to the date of such termination, and (v) any previous compensation which the Executive has previously deferred (including any interest earned or credited thereon) (collectively, “Accrued Compensation”).

 

(b)           If the Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated during the Term by reason of his death or Disability, then, in addition to Accrued Compensation, the Company shall provide Executive with benefits or payments under any applicable disability or life insurance benefit plans, programs or arrangements maintained by the Company, which benefits shall be provided and amounts shall be payable in accordance with the terms and conditions of such employee benefit plans, programs or arrangements.

 

(c)           If the Executive’s employment by the Company shall be terminated during the Term (regardless of whether notice of non-renewal has been given) (1) by the Company other than for Cause, death or Disability or (2) by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive shall be entitled to the benefits provided below:

 

(i)            the Company shall pay the Executive (A) all Accrued Compensation and (B) if the Executive would have earned the Annual Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Executive’s employment terminates had his employment not been so terminated, a pro rata portion of such Annual Bonus based on the number of days the Company employed the Executive during such fiscal year;

 

(ii)           the Company shall pay the Executive as severance pay and in lieu of any further compensation for periods subsequent to the Termination Date, in twenty-four (24) monthly installments beginning on the payroll coincident with or immediately following the Termination Date, but delayed as required pursuant to Sections 11(h) and 11(j), payable in accordance with the Company’s payroll procedures and subject to applicable withholding, an aggregate amount in cash equal to two (2) times the sum of (A) Executive’s Base Salary as in effect on the Termination Date, and (B) the highest Annual Bonus paid to Executive with respect to any of the three (3) calendar years preceding the year in which the Termination Date occurred; and

 

(iii)          for a period beginning on the Termination Date and ending on the earlier of (A) the second anniversary of the Termination Date and (B) the date on which the Executive violates any restrictive covenant set forth in Section 12 or Section 15 hereof, the Company shall at its expense continue on behalf of the Executive and his dependents and beneficiaries the life insurance, disability, medical, dental and hospitalization benefits which were being provided to the Executive at the time Notice of Termination is given (or, if the Executive is terminated following a Change in Control, the benefits provided to the Executive at the time of the Change in Control, if greater).  The benefits provided in this Section 11(c)(iii) shall be no less favorable to the Executive, in terms of amounts and deductibles and costs to him, than the coverage provided the Executive under the plans providing such benefits at the time Notice of Termination is given (or, if the Executive is terminated following a Change in Control, at the time of the Change in Control if more favorable to the Executive).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not have any obligation to continue such benefits if as a consequence of such continuation the Company would be subject to any excise tax under Section 4980D of the Code or other penalty or liability pursuant to the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (as amended from time to time), and in such case, in lieu of such continued provision of benefits, the Company may in its sole discretion provide that (1) the Executive shall pay to the Company, on an after-tax basis, 

 

 

a monthly amount equal to the full premium cost of the continued benefits that would otherwise have been provided (determined in accordance with the methodology under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended) for such month and (2) within thirty (30) days of such premium payment, the Company shall reimburse the Executive in cash (less required withholding) an amount equal to the excess of (x) such full premium cost over (y) any premium amount that would have been payable by the Executive if the Executive had been actively employed by the Company for such month.  The Company’s obligation hereunder with respect to the foregoing benefits shall be limited to the extent that the Executive obtains any such benefits pursuant to a subsequent employer’s benefit plans, in which case the Company may reduce the coverage of any benefits it is required to provide the Executive hereunder as long as the aggregate coverage of the combined benefit plans is no less favorable to the Executive, in terms of amounts and deductibles and costs to him, than the coverage required to be provided hereunder.  This Section 11(c)(iii) shall not be interpreted so as to limit any benefits to which the Executive or his dependents may be entitled under any of the Company’s employee benefit plans, programs or practices following the Executive’s termination of employment, including, without limitation, retiree medical and life insurance benefits.

 

(d)           The amounts provided for in Sections 11(a) and 11(c)(i)(A) shall be paid as soon as reasonably practicable after the Executive’s Termination Date (and in no event later than 30 days after the Termination Date occurs). The amount provided for in Section 11(c)(i)(B) shall be paid at the same time as annual bonuses are paid to active executive employees of the Company for such calendar year.

 

(e)           [RESERVED]

 

(f)            Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that the Company reasonably determines that any compensation or benefits payable under this Agreement are subject to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), this Agreement shall incorporate the terms and conditions required so as to avoid taxation under Code Section 409A(a)(l).  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent applicable, this Agreement shall be interpreted so as not to subject any payment to tax under Code Section 409A(a)(1) in accordance with Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretative guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other such guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date (“Guidance”), provided that no such interpretation shall result in the payment of amounts less than the aggregate amounts the Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under this Agreement.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Company reasonably determines that any compensation or benefits payable under this Agreement may be subject to tax under Code Section 409A(a)(l) pursuant to the Guidance or otherwise, the Company may (but shall not be required to) adopt such amendments to this Agreement or adopt other policies or procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions necessary or appropriate to exempt the compensation and benefits payable under this Agreement from tax under Section 409A(a)(l) of the Code and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the compensation and benefits provided with respect to this Agreement, provided that no such interpretation shall result in the payment of amounts less than the aggregate amounts the Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under this Agreement.

 

(g)           In the event that the Executive breaches any of the covenants, terms or provisions of Section 12 or Section 15 hereof, without limiting any other rights that the Company may have, the Company’s obligation to provide payments and benefits as set forth in Sections 11(c)(i)(B) and 11(c)(ii)-

 

 

(iii) shall immediately terminate (without any further action on the part of, or notice to, either of the parties hereto or any other person or entity).

 

(h)           Any and all amounts payable and benefits or additional rights provided pursuant to Section 11 beyond the Accrued Compensation shall be expressly conditioned upon Executive executing and delivering to the Company a written general release of claims in favor of the Company, substantially in the form attached hereto as Appendix A (the “General Release”), and shall only be payable or provided if Executive executes, delivers to the Company and does not revoke the General Release within sixty (60) days following the Termination Date.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, such payments or benefits shall not be paid or provided until the payroll immediately following the date the General Release is executed, delivered to the Company and no longer subject to revocation, with the first such payment being in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the amounts to which Executive would otherwise have been entitled pursuant to Sections 11(c)(i)(B) and 11(c)(ii) during such deferral period if such deferral had not been required and (ii) the amounts paid by the Executive for benefits during such deferral period that otherwise would have been provided or reimbursed by the Company pursuant to Section 11(c)(iii) if such deferral had not been required; provided, however, that any such amounts that constitute nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code shall only be paid or provided, or begin to be paid or provided, on the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date (or on any later date required pursuant to Section 11(j)) (and then only if the General Release is executed, delivered to the Company and no longer subject to revocation by such date), and if such payments are required to be so deferred, the first payment shall be in an amount equal to the sum of (A) the amounts to which Executive would otherwise have been entitled pursuant to Section 11(c)(i)(B) and 11(c)(ii) during such deferral period if such deferral had not been required and (B) the amount paid by Executive for benefits during such deferral period that otherwise would have been provided or reimbursed by the Company pursuant to Section 11(c)(iii) if such deferral had not been required.

 

(i)            A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(j)            Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if the Executive is deemed by the Company at the time of the Executive’s termination of employment to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of any termination or other similar payments and benefits to which the Executive may be entitled hereunder is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A of the Code, such portion of the Executive’s payments and benefits shall not be provided to the Executive prior to the earlier of (x) the expiration of the six-month period measured from the date of the Executive’s “separation from service” with the Company or (y) the date of the Executive’s death; provided that upon the earlier of such dates, all payments and benefits deferred pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid in a lump sum to the Executive (or Executive’s estate or beneficiaries), and any remaining payments and benefits due hereunder shall be paid as otherwise provided herein.

 

(k)           To the extent any reimbursements or in-kind benefits under this Agreement constitute “non-qualified deferred compensation” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, (i) all such expenses, benefits or other reimbursements under this Agreement shall be made on or prior to the last day of the taxable year following the taxable year in which such expenses were incurred by the Executive, (ii) any right to such reimbursement or in kind benefits is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another 

 

 

benefit, and (iii) no such reimbursement, expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits provided in any taxable year shall in any way affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits to be provided, in any other taxable year.

 

(l)            For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, the Executive’s right to receive any installment payment pursuant to this Agreement shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments.  Whenever a payment under this Agreement specifies a payment period with reference to a number of days, the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company.

 

(m)          Unless this Agreement provides a specified and objectively determinable payment schedule to the contrary, to the extent that any payment of Base Salary or other compensation is to be paid for a specified continuing period of time beyond the date of the Executive’s termination of employment, the payments of such Base Salary or other compensation shall be made in monthly installments.

 

(n)           The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement comply with or be exempt from Section 409A of the Code and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, this Agreement shall be interpreted to be in compliance therewith or exempt therefrom.  Executive acknowledges that the Company has made no representations as to the treatment of the compensation and benefits provided hereunder.

 

12.          Non-Disparagement.  In addition, the Executive agrees not to disparage the Company, any of its products or practices, or any of its directors, officers, agents, representatives, stockholders or affiliates, either orally or in writing, at any time, except in connection with any proceeding, action, or investigation (a) relating to this Agreement or any other agreement to which the Executive is a party, (b) relating to his employment with the Company, (c) in defense of any claim made against the Executive or (d) if compelled to testify by any court or other governmental entity having jurisdiction over the Executive or the Company.

 

13.          Indemnification.

 

(a)           General.  The Company agrees that if the Executive is made a party or threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”), by reason of the fact that the Executive is or was a director or officer of the Company or any subsidiary thereof or is or was serving at the request of the Company or any subsidiary thereof as a director, officer, member, employee or agent of another corporation or a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including, without limitation, service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether or not the basis of such Proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, member, employee or agent while serving as a director, officer, member, employee or agent, the Executive shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company to the fullest extent authorized by Delaware law (assuming, for purposes of this Section 13, that the Company is a Delaware corporation), as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, against all Expenses (as hereinafter defined) incurred or suffered by the Executive in connection therewith, and such indemnification shall continue as to the Executive even if the Executive has ceased to be an officer, director, or agent, or is no longer employed by the Company and shall inure to the benefit of his heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that the Executive shall not be so indemnified for any Proceeding which shall have been finally adjudicated to have arisen out of or been based upon his willful misconduct, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty or his failure to act in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interests of the Company.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Executive and the Company hereby acknowledge and agree that, notwithstanding any other provision

 

 

hereof, this Section 13 shall not apply with respect to any dispute, claim or controversy arising under or relating to this Agreement.

 

(b)           Expenses.  As used in this Agreement, the term “Expenses” shall include, without limitation, damages, losses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, excise taxes, settlements, and costs, attorneys’ fees, accountants’ investigations, and any expenses of establishing a right to indemnification under this Agreement.

 

(c)           Enforcement.  If a claim or request for indemnification under this Section 13 is not paid by the Company or on its behalf, within thirty (30) days after a written claim or request has been received by the Company, the Executive may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Company to recover the unpaid amount of the claim or request and if successful in whole or in part, the Executive shall be entitled to be paid also the expenses of prosecuting such suit.  All obligations for indemnification hereunder shall be subject to, and paid in accordance with, applicable Delaware law (assuming, for purposes of this Section 13, that the Company is a Delaware corporation).

 

(d)           Partial Indemnification.  If the Executive is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of any Expenses, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify the Executive for the portion of such Expenses to which Executive is entitled.

 

(e)           Advances of Expenses.  Expenses incurred by the Executive in connection with any Proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance upon request of the Executive that the Company pay such Expenses and upon the Executive’s delivery of an undertaking to reimburse the Company for Expenses with respect to which the Executive is not entitled to indemnification.

 

(f)            Notice of Claim.  The Executive shall give to the Company notice of any claim made against him for which indemnification will or could be sought under this Agreement, but the failure of the Executive to give such notice shall not relieve the Company of any liability the Company may have to the Executive except to the extent that the Company is materially prejudiced thereby.  In addition, the Executive shall give the Company such information and cooperation as it may reasonably require and as shall be within the Executive’s power and at such time and places as are convenient for the Executive.

 

(g)           Defense of Claim.  With respect to any Proceeding as to which the Executive notifies the Company of the commencement thereof:

 

(i)            The Company will be entitled to participate therein at its own expense;

 

(ii)           Except as otherwise provided below, to the extent that it may wish, the Company will be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Executive.  The Executive also shall have the right to employ his own counsel in such action, suit or proceeding if he reasonably concludes that failure to do so would involve a conflict of interest between the Company and the Executive, and under such circumstances the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company; and

 

(iii)          The Company shall not be liable to indemnify the Executive under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent.  The Company shall not settle any action or claim in any manner which would not include a full and unconditional release of the Executive without the 

 

 

Executive’s prior written consent.  Neither the Company nor the Executive will unreasonably withhold or delay their consent to any proposed settlement.

 

(h)           Non-exclusivity.  The right to indemnification and the payment of Expenses incurred in defending a Proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Agreement shall not be exclusive of any other right which the Executive may have or hereafter may acquire under any statute, provision of the declaration of trust or certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

(i)            D&O Insurance.  No later than the Effective Date, the Company shall obtain and at all times during the Term maintain, and shall cause Neff Corporation to maintain, a directors’ and officers’ insurance policy covering the Executive.

 

14.          Successors and Assigns.

 

(a)           This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Company, its successors and assigns and the Company shall require any successor or assign to expressly assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession or assignment had taken place.  In connection with any Change in Control, the Company shall further require any successor or assign to expressly agree to pay all legal fees and related expenses incurred by the Executive following such Change is Control as they become due as result of (i) the Executive’s termination of employment (including all such fees and expenses, if any, incurred in contesting or disputing any such termination of employment) or (ii) the Executive’s seeking to obtain or enforce any right or benefit provided by this Agreement.  The term “the Company” as used herein shall include such successors and assigns.  The term “successors and assigns” as used herein shall mean a corporation or other entity acquiring all or substantially all the assets and business of the Company (including this Agreement) whether by operation of law or otherwise.

 

(b)           Neither this Agreement nor any right or interest hereunder shall be assignable or transferable by the Executive, his beneficiaries or legal representatives, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive’s legal personal representative.

 

(c)           Within ten (10) days after the Effective Date, the Company shall cause Neff Corporation to become a party to this Employment Agreement and to co-employ the Executive.

 

15.          Covenant Not to Compete.

 

(a)           The Executive acknowledges and agrees that: (i) it is essential to the success of the Company that the Company be protected by non-competition agreements of the type set forth below; (ii) the Company would suffer significant and irreparable harm from the Executive competing with the business of the Company for a period of time during or after the termination of Executive’s employment with the Company; and (iii) in the course of Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will be provided with access to sensitive and proprietary information about the clients, prospective clients, knowledge capital and business practices of the Company, and has been and will be provided with the opportunity to develop relationships with clients, prospective clients, employees and other agents of the Company, and Executive further acknowledges that such proprietary information and relationships are extremely valuable assets in which the Company has invested and will continue to invest substantial time, effort and expense and which represent a significant component of the value of the Company.  In recognition of all of the foregoing and in consideration for the compensation and benefits provided hereunder, the Executive agrees that during the period beginning on the Effective Date and ending on the 

 

 

second anniversary following the termination of Executive’s employment with the Company for any reason (the “Non-Compete Term”) the Executive shall not:

 

(i)            Either directly or indirectly, for himself or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other person, persons, company, firm, partnership, corporation, business, group or other entity (each, a “Person”), engage in any Competing Business, whether as an employee, consultant, partner, principal, agent, representative, stockholder or other individual, corporate, or representative capacity, or render any services or provide any advice or substantial assistance to any Person that engages in a Competing Business.  “Competing Business” shall mean any business which rents construction or industrial equipment and any other business in which the Company is engaging, or in which the Company has taken concrete and significant steps towards engaging, at the time of the Executive’s termination of employment, in each case in the geographic areas in which the Company operates or has taken significant steps towards operating; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive may make passive investments in up to 5% of the outstanding publicly traded equity of an entity which operates a Competing Business.  In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive shall not be deemed to violate this covenant if he has a role with a Person that engages in a Competing Business if his role is limited to the departments, divisions, affiliates, subsidiaries or other units of such Person that do not engage in the Competing Business.

 

(ii)           Either directly or indirectly, for himself or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other Person, solicit, hire or divert any Person who is, or who is, at the time of termination of the Executive’s employment, or has been within six (6) months prior to the time of termination of Executive’s employment, an employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries for the purpose or with the intent of enticing such employee away from the employ of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a general advertisement (whether in print or other medium) not specifically targeted at the Company’s employees shall not violate this Section 15(a), provided that the Executive does not, directly or indirectly, encourage a response to such general advertisement.

 

(iii)          Either directly or indirectly, for himself or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other Person, solicit, hire or divert any Person who is, or who is, at the time of termination of the Executive’s employment, or has been within six (6) months prior to the time of termination of Executive’s employment, a customer or supplier of the Company or any of its subsidiaries for the purpose or with the intent of (A) inducing or attempting to induce such Person to cease doing business with the Company or (B) in any way interfering with the relationship between such Person and the Company.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Company fails to make any payment to the Executive required under Section 11(c) within ten (10) days after the Executive delivers written notice to the Company of such failure, the Non-Compete Term shall terminate automatically for all purposes hereunder upon the expiration of such ten (10) day period.

 

(b)           In addition to the foregoing, the Executive shall not make any Unauthorized Disclosure.  For purposes of this Agreement, “Unauthorized Disclosure” shall mean disclosure by the Executive without the prior written consent of the Board to any person, other than an employee of the Company or a person to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with the performance by the Executive of his duties as an executive of the Company or as may be legally required, of any confidential information obtained by the Executive while in the employ of the Company (including, but not limited to, any confidential information with respect to any of the Company’s 

 

 

customers or methods of distribution); provided, however, that such term shall not include the use or disclosure by the Executive, without consent, of any information known generally to the public (other than as a result of disclosure by him in violation of this provision).

 

(c)           Because of the difficulty of measuring economic losses to the Company as a result of a breach of the foregoing covenants, and because of the immediate and irreparable damage that could be caused to the Company for which it would have no other adequate remedy, the Executive agrees: (i) that the foregoing covenants, in addition to and not in limitation of any other rights, remedies or damages available to the Company at law, in equity or under this Agreement, may be enforced by the Company in the event of the breach or threatened breach by the Executive, by injunctions and/or restraining orders; and (ii) that in the event any material breach by the Executive of any of the covenants of Section 15(a) or any intentional material breach by the Executive of any of the covenants of Section 15(b) occurs while the Executive is receiving payments or benefits under any of Sections 11(c)(i)(B) or 11(c)(ii)-(iii), the Company’s obligation to provide payments and benefits thereunder shall immediately terminate (without any further action on the part of, or notice to, either of the Parties or any other person or entity), and the Executive must repay all amounts previously received from the Company under Sections 11(c)(i)(B) and 11(c)(ii) and all amounts received, if any, from the Company, Neff Corporation or any of their respective Subsidiaries with respect to the purchase of shares of stock or limited liability company interests of the Company or any of its direct or indirect parent or subsidiary entities from the Executive in connection with the termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company.  For the avoidance of doubt, no amounts received by the Executive prior to the Effective Date are subject to foregoing clawback provision.

 

(d)           The covenants in this Section 15 are severable and separate, and the unenforceability of any specific covenant shall not affect the provisions of any other covenant.  Moreover, in the event any court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that the scope, time or territorial restrictions set forth herein are unreasonable, then it is the intention of the parties that such restrictions be enforced to the fullest extent that such court deems reasonable, and the Agreement shall thereby be reformed to reflect the same.

 

(e)           All of the covenants in this Section 15 shall be construed as an agreement independent of any other provision in this Agreement, and the existence of any claim or cause of action of the Executive against the Company whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by the Company of such covenants.  It is specifically agreed that the period following the termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company during which the agreements and covenants of the Executive made in this Section 15 shall be effective shall be computed by excluding from such computation any time during which the Executive is in violation of any provision of this Section 15.

 

(f)            Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, if any applicable law, judicial ruling or order shall reduce the time period during which the Executive shall be prohibited from engaging in any competitive activity described in Section 15 hereof, the period of time for which the Executive shall be prohibited pursuant to Section 15 hereof shall be the maximum time permitted by law.

 

16.          Notice.  For the purposes of this Agreement, notices and all other communications provided for in the Agreement (including the Notice of Termination) shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when personally delivered or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the respective addresses last given by each party to the other, provided that all notices to the Company shall be directed to the attention of an executive officer of the Company other than the Chief Executive Officer and the President.  All notices and communications shall 

 

 

be deemed to have been received on the date of delivery thereof or on the third business day after the mailing thereof, except that notice of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

 

17.          Non-exclusivity of Rights.  Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit the Executive’s continuing or future participation in any benefit, bonus, incentive or other plan or program provided by the Company or any of its subsidiaries and for which the Executive may qualify, nor shall anything herein limit or reduce such rights as the Executive may have under any other agreements with the Company or any of its subsidiaries.  Amounts which are vested benefits or which the Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under any plan or program of the Company or any of its subsidiaries shall be payable in accordance with such plan or program, except as explicitly modified by this Agreement.

 

18.          Settlement of Claims.  The Company’s obligation to make the payments provided for in this Agreement and otherwise to perform its obligations hereunder shall not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which the Company may have against the Executive or others.

 

19.          Survival.  The agreements and obligations of the Company and the Executive made in Sections 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18 and 19 of this Agreement shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement; provided, that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Parties acknowledge and agree that any Company obligations pursuant to Section 11 shall only so survive to the extent that a termination of the Executive’s employment giving rise to an obligation of the Company under Section 11 occurs prior to the expiration of the Term.

 

20.          Federal Income Tax Withholding.  The Company may withhold from any benefits payable under this Agreement all federal, state, city or other taxes as shall be required pursuant to any law or governmental regulation or ruling.

 

21.          Miscellaneous.  No provision of this Agreement may be modified, waived or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to in writing and signed by the Executive and the Company.  No waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party hereto of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior or subsequent time.  No agreement or representations, oral or otherwise, express or implied, with respect to the subject matter hereof have been made by either party which are not expressly set forth in this Agreement.

 

22.          Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof.  If the Company and the Executive are involved in a court or other legal proceeding, including any proceeding to enforce the covenants contained in Section 15, the losing party in such proceeding shall be liable for the payment of reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and ancillary expenses incurred by the prevailing party in such proceeding in enforcing, defending, settling or prosecuting such proceeding, whether incurred before or after demand or commencement of such proceeding, provided such fees, costs and ancillary expenses are determined by, and set forth in, a final order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

23.          Jurisdiction and Venue.  Each of the parties to this Agreement hereby (a) consents to personal jurisdiction in any suit, claim, action or proceeding relating to or arising under this Agreement which is brought in any local or federal court in the State of Florida, (b) consents to service of process upon such party in the manner set forth in Section 16 hereof, and (c) waives any objection such party may 

 

 

have to venue in any such Florida court or to any claim that any such Florida court is an inconvenient forum.

 

24.          Severability.  The provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed severable and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereof.

 

25.          Entire Agreement.  This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements, if any, understandings and arrangements, oral or written, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, including the Prior Agreement if the Effective Date occurs.  For the avoidance of doubt, this Agreement shall have no effect on the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Neff Holdings LLC, the Tax Receivable Agreement by and among Neff Corporation and certain members of Neff Holdings LLC, each dated the Effective Date, or the terms of any cash or equity plan of the Company (including options to purchase limited liability company interests of Neff Holdings LLC) in effect on or prior to the Effective Date (except as provided in Section 26).

 

26.          Tax Treatment.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that any payment that is either received by the Executive or paid by the Company on the Executive’s behalf or any property, or any other benefit provided to the Executive under this Agreement or under any other plan, arrangement or agreement with the Company or any other person whose payments or benefits are treated as contingent on a change of ownership or control of the Company (or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company) or any person affiliated with the Company or such person (but only if such payment or other benefit is in connection with the Executive’s employment by the Company) (collectively, the “Company Payments”), will be subject to the tax (the “Excise Tax”) imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (and any similar tax that may hereafter be imposed by any taxing authority), then the Executive will be entitled to receive either (i) the full amount of the Company Payments, or (ii) a portion of the Company Payments having a value equal to $1 less than three (3) times the Executive’s “base amount” (as such term is defined in Section 280G(b)(3)(A) of the Code), whichever of clauses (i) and (ii), after taking into account applicable federal, state, and local income taxes and the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, results in the receipt by the Executive on an after-tax basis, of the greatest portion of the Company Payments.  Any determination required under this Section 26 shall be made in writing by the independent public accountant of the Company (the “Accountants”), whose determination shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes upon the Company and the Executive.  For purposes of making any calculation required by this Section 26, the Accountants may make reasonable assumptions and approximations concerning applicable taxes and may rely on reasonable, good-faith interpretations concerning the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code.  If there is a reduction of the Company Payments pursuant to this Section 26, such reduction shall occur in the following order: (A) any cash severance payable by reference to the Executive’s Base Salary or Annual Bonus, (B) any other cash amount payable to the Executive, (C) any employee benefit valued as a “parachute payment,” and (D) acceleration of vesting of any outstanding equity award.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officer and the Executive has executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
NEFF HOLDINGS LLC
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ MARK IRION
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name: 
    	
Mark Irion
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Chief Financial Officer
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
EXECUTIVE
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
/s/ GRAHAM   HOOD
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Graham Hood
    	
 
    
					

 

 

APPENDIX A

Release and Waiver of Claims

 

1.             In consideration for the payments provided for under the Amended and Restated Employment Agreement between me, Graham Hood, and Neff Holdings LLC dated [           ], 2014 (the “A&R Employment Agreement”), and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, I hereby agree on behalf of myself, my spouse, agents, assignees, attorneys, successors, assigns, heirs and executors, to fully and completely release Neff Holdings LLC, Neff Corporation (which terms shall be deemed to include such entities and all subsidiary, parent and affiliated and successor companies of either such entity and any other entity in which Neff Corporation, Neff Holdings LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries, parents or affiliates has an equity interest in excess of ten percent (10%)), their respective predecessors and successors and all of their respective past and/or present officers, directors, partners, shareholders, members, managing members, managers, employees, agents, representatives, administrators, attorneys, insurers and fiduciaries in their individual and/or representative capacities (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Company Releasees”), from any and all causes of action and claims whatsoever, which I or my heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns ever had, now have or may have against the Company Releasees or any of them, in law, admiralty or equity, whether known or unknown to me, for, upon, or by reason of, any matter, action, omission, course or thing in connection with or in relationship to: (a) my employment or other service relationship with any Company Releasee; (b) the termination of any such employment or service relationship; (c) any applicable employment, benefit, compensatory or equity arrangement with any Company Releasee occurring or existing up to the date this Release is signed; and (d) any equity or stock plans of any Company Releasee, in each case, subject to the provisions of paragraph 3 of this Release, below (such released claims are collectively referred to herein as the “Released Claims”).

 

2.             The Released Claims include, without limitation of the language of paragraph 1, (i) any and all claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and any and all other federal, state or local laws, statutes, rules and regulations pertaining to employment or otherwise and (ii) any claims for wrongful discharge breach of contract, fraud, misrepresentation or any claims relating to benefits, compensation or equity, or any other claims under any statute, rule or regulation or under the common law, including compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, costs, expenses and all claims for any other type of damage or relief.

 

3.             Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Released Claims shall not include, and nothing herein shall impair, any (a) vested benefits which I hold under any Neff Corporation or subsidiary pension, equity or welfare benefit plan, (b) rights or obligations under Neff Holdings, LLC’s Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement, the Tax Receivable Agreement by and among Neff Corporation and certain members of Neff Holdings, LLC, in each case, as may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, and vested equity awards to purchase limited liability company interests of Neff Holdings, LLC or shares of Class A common stock of Neff Corporation, (c) rights to receive the payments and benefits promised me under the A&R Employment Agreement or other rights thereunder, or (d) and claims to indemnification under any governing documents of Neff Corporation, Neff Holdings, LLC or any of their subsidiaries or any rights under any insurance policy relating to my employment (including any directors and officers liability insurance).

 

4.             Except as provided in Section 3 above, I expressly understand and agree that the obligations of the Company as set forth in the A&R Employment Agreement are in lieu of any and all other amounts which I might be, am now, or may become, entitled to receive from any Company Releasee upon any claim released herein and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing (and except

 

 

as otherwise provided in paragraph 3 of this Release), I expressly waive any right or claim that I may have or assert with respect to any employment, benefit, compensatory or equity arrangement with any Company Releasee, and any damages and/or attorney’s fees and costs.

 

5.             To ensure that the provisions of this Release are fully enforceable in accordance with its terms, I agree to waive any and all rights of Section 1542 of the California Civil Code (to the extent applicable) as it exists from time to time or a successor provision thereto, which provides:

 

“A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him must have materially affected his settlement with the debtor.”

 

In addition, to ensure that the provisions of this Release are fully enforceable in accordance with its terms, I agree to waive any protection that may exist under any comparable or similar statute and under any principle of common law of the United States or any and all states, or any foreign jurisdiction.

 

6.             I represent that I have read carefully and fully understand the terms of this Release and that I have been advised by this writing to consult with an attorney and further have had the opportunity to consult with an attorney prior to signing this Release.  I further acknowledge that I fully understand the Release that I am signing.  I acknowledge that I am signing this Release voluntarily and knowingly and that I have not relied on any representations, promises or agreements of any kind made to me in connection with my decision to accept the terms of this Release, other than those set forth in this Release.  I acknowledge that I have been given at least twenty-one (21) days to consider whether I want to sign this Release.

 

7.             I acknowledge that the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act gives me the right to revoke this Release within seven (7) days after it is signed by me.  I further acknowledge that I will not receive any payments or benefits due to me under the Employment Agreement before the seven (7) day revocation period under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (the “Revocation Period”) has passed and then, only if l have not revoked this Release.  To the extent I have executed this Release within less than twenty-one (21) days after its delivery to me, I hereby acknowledge that my decision to execute this Release prior to the expiration of such twenty-one (21) day period was entirely voluntary.

 

[Continued on next page]

 

 

This Release shall take effect on the first business day following the expiration of the Revocation Period, provided this Release has not been revoked by me as provided above, during such Revocation Period.

 

 

	
 
    	
 
    
	
Graham Hood
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Date:

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