Document:

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Exhibit 10.8

 

FIRST LIEN PLEDGE AGREEMENT

FIRST LIEN PLEDGE AGREEMENT, dated as of March 13, 2014 (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Pledge Agreement”), among Nautilus Acquisition Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), Nautilus Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“MergerSub”), Vision Holding Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), National Vision, Inc., a Georgia corporation (“NVI”), each of the Subsidiaries listed on the signature pages hereto or that becomes a party hereto pursuant to Section 29 hereof (each such Subsidiary being a “Subsidiary Pledgor” and, collectively, the “Subsidiary Pledgors”; the Subsidiary Pledgors, Holdings, MergerSub and the Company are referred to collectively as the “Pledgors”), and Goldman Sachs Bank USA, as collateral agent (in such capacity, the “Collateral Agent”) for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, Holdings, MergerSub and the Company are party to the First Lien Credit Agreement,  dated as of March 13,  2014 (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Holdings, MergerSub, the Company, NVI, the lending institutions from time to time parties thereto (each a “Lender” and, collectively, together with the Swingline Lender, the “Lenders”), and Goldman Sachs Bank USA, as the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, a Letter of Credit Issuer and the Swingline Lender;

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 6, 2014 (the “Acquisition Agreement”), by and among Holdings, Initial Borrower, the Company and BSR LLC, Holdings will acquire the Company through an acquisition transaction pursuant to the Acquisition

Agreement whereby Initial Borrower will merge (the “Merger”) with and into the Company, with the Company surviving the Merger;

WHEREAS, (i) immediately prior to the Merger, certain stockholders of the Company will contribute Equity Interests held by them (the “Equity Rollover”) to Nautilus Parent, Inc. (“Parent”), (ii) immediately after giving effect to the Merger, the Equity Rollover will remain outstanding and held by Parent and (iii) on the Closing Date, after the Merger, Parent shall contribute (the “Equity Rollover Contribution”) the Equity Rollover to Holdings and thereafter the Company shall be a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Holdings;

WHEREAS, following the consummation of the Acquisition and the Equity Rollover, the Company  shall merge with and into NVI, and all rights and  obligations of the Company  as the “Borrower” shall be assumed by NVI;

WHEREAS, (a) pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Lenders have severally agreed to make Loans to the Borrower, the Swingline Lender has agreed to make Swingline Loans to the Borrower and the Letter of Credit Issuers have agreed to issue Letters of Credit for the account of Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein and (b) one or more Cash Management Banks or Hedge Banks may from time to time enter into Secured Cash Management Agreements or Secured Hedge Agreements with the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries;

WHEREAS, pursuant to  the First Lien Guarantee,  dated as of the date hereof (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from  time to time, the “Guarantee”), each Pledgor (other than the Borrower) has agreed to unconditionally and irrevocably guarantee, as primary obligor and not merely as surety, to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the prompt and complete payment and performance when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the Obligations (as defined below);

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

WHEREAS, the proceeds of the Loans, the issuance of the Letters of Credit and the provision of Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements will be used in part to enable the Borrower to make valuable transfers to the other Pledgors in connection with the operation of their respective businesses;

WHEREAS, each Pledgor acknowledges that it will derive substantial direct and indirect benefit from the making of the Loans and the issuance of the Letters of Credit and the provision of Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements; and

WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, (a) the Pledgors are the legal and beneficial owners of the Equity Interests described in Schedule 1 hereto and issued by the entities named therein (such Equity Interests, together with any Equity Interests of the issuer of such Equity Interests or any other issuer directly held by any Pledgor in the future, in each case, except to the extent excluded from the Collateral for the Obligations pursuant to the last paragraph of Section 2 below, referred to collectively herein as the “Pledged Shares”) and (b) each of the Pledgors is the legal and beneficial owner of the Indebtedness evidenced by a promissory note in excess of $10,000,000 and described in Schedule 1 hereto (together with any other Indebtedness owed to any Pledgor hereafter and required to be pledged pursuant to Section

9.12 of the Credit Agreement, the “Pledged Debt”);

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and to induce the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Lenders to enter into the Credit Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make their respective Loans, the Swingline Lender to make Swingline Loans and the Letter of Credit Issuers to issue Letters  of Credit  for  the account of Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries under the Credit Agreement and to induce one or more Lenders or Affiliates of Lenders to enter into Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements with the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries, the Pledgors hereby agree with the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, as follows:

1.           Defined Terms.

(a)          Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement. Any term used herein or in the Credit Agreement without definition that is defined in the UCC has the meaning given to it in the UCC.

(b)          “Collateral” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.

(c)          “Collateral Agent” shall have the meaning provided in the preamble hereto.

(d)          “Company” shall have the meaning provided in the preamble hereto.

(e)          “Equity Interests” shall mean, collectively, Capital Stock and Stock Equivalents.

(f)           “Guarantee” shall have the meaning provided in the recitals hereto.

(g)          “Holdings” shall have the meaning provided in the preamble hereto.

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(h)          “Intercreditor Agreement” means any First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and/or Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement (each, an “Intercreditor Agreement” and collectively, the “Intercreditor Agreements”).

(i)          “Obligations” shall mean the Obligations (as defined in the Credit Agreement).

(j)          “Pledge Agreement” shall have the meaning provided in the preamble hereto.

(k)          “Pledged Debt” shall have the meaning provided in the recitals hereto.

(l)           “Pledged Shares” shall have the meaning provided in the recitals hereto.

(m)          “Pledgors” shall have the meaning provided in the recitals hereto.

(n)          “Proceeds” has the meaning given to it in the UCC.

(o)          “Security Interest” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.

(p)          “Subsidiary Pledgor” shall have the meaning provided in the recitals hereto.

(q)          “Termination Date” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 13(a).

(r)           “UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York; provided, however, that, in the event that, by reason of mandatory provisions of law, any of the attachment, perfection or priority of the Collateral Agent’s and the Secured Parties’ security interest in any Collateral is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of New York, the term “UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such attachment, perfection or priority and for purposes of definitions related to such provisions.

(s)         Sections 1.2, 1.5, 1.9 and 1.10 of the Credit Agreement are incorporated herein by reference, mutatis mutandis.

2.          Grant of Security. As collateral security for the payment and performance when due of all of the Obligations, each Pledgor hereby collaterally assigns and pledges to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and grants to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a lien on and a security interest in (the “Security Interest”) all of such Pledgor’s right, title and interest in, to and under the following, whether now owned or existing or at any time hereafter acquired or existing (collectively, the “Collateral”):

(a)         the Pledged Shares held by such Pledgor and the certificates representing such Pledged Shares and any interest of such Pledgor in the entries on the books of the issuer of the Pledged Shares or any financial intermediary pertaining to the Pledged Shares and all dividends, cash, warrants, rights, instruments and other property or Proceeds from time to time received, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of or in exchange for any or all of the Pledged Shares.

(b)         the Pledged Debt and the instruments evidencing the Pledged Debt owed to such Pledgor, and all interest, cash, instruments and other property or Proceeds from time to time received, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of or in exchange for any or all of such Pledged Debt; and

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(c)       to the extent not covered by clauses (a) and (b) above, respectively, all Proceeds of any or all of the foregoing Collateral.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Collateral (and any defined term used in the definition thereof) for the Obligations shall not include any Excluded Stock and Stock Equivalents or any Excluded Property.

3.         Delivery of the Collateral. All certificates or instruments, if any, representing or evidencing the Collateral shall be promptly (and in any event within 90 days (or such longer period as the Collateral Agent may reasonably agree)), delivered to and held by or on behalf of the Collateral Agent pursuant hereto to the extent required by the Credit Agreement and shall be in suitable form for transfer by delivery, or shall be accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in blank, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent. The Collateral Agent shall have the right, at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, subject to the Intercreditor Agreements, and upon at least 3 Business Days’ prior written notice to the relevant Pledgor, to transfer to or to register in the name of the Collateral Agent or any of its nominees any or all of the Pledged Shares.

4.         Representations and Warranties.  Each Pledgor represents and warrants, after giving effect to the Transactions, as follows:

(a)       Schedule 1 hereto (i) correctly represents as of the Closing Date (A) the issuer, the certificate number, the Pledgor and the record and beneficial owner, the number and class and the percentage of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of such class of all Pledged Shares and (B) the issuer, the initial principal amount, the Pledgor and holder, date of issuance and maturity date of all Pledged Debt and (ii) together with the comparable schedule to each supplement hereto, includes all Equity Interests, debt securities and promissory notes required to be pledged hereunder.  Except as set forth on Schedule 1, and except for Excluded Stock and Stock Equivalents, the Pledged Shares represent all (or 66% in the case of pledges of the Voting Stock of Foreign Subsidiaries or any Domestic Subsidiary substantially all of the assets of which consist of Capital Stock and/or debt of Foreign Subsidiaries that are CFCs) of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each class of Equity Interests in the issuer on the Closing Date.

(b)       Such Pledgor is the legal and beneficial owner of the Collateral pledged or collaterally assigned by such Pledgor hereunder free and clear of any Lien, except for Permitted Liens and the Lien created by this Pledge Agreement.

(c)       As of the Closing Date, the Pledged Shares pledged by such Pledgor hereunder have been duly authorized and validly issued and, in the case of Pledged Shares issued by a corporation, are fully paid and non-assessable, in each case, to the extent such concepts are applicable in the jurisdiction of organization of the respective issuer.

(d)       The execution and delivery by such Pledgor of this Pledge Agreement and the pledge of the Collateral pledged by such Pledgor hereunder pursuant hereto create a legal, valid and enforceable security interest in such Collateral (with respect to Collateral consisting of the Equity Interests or Pledged Debt of Foreign Subsidiaries, to the extent the creation of such Security Interest is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction) and, upon delivery of such Collateral to the Collateral Agent, shall constitute a fully perfected Lien on and security interest in the Collateral, securing the payment of the Obligations, in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties (with respect to Collateral consisting of the Equity Interests or Pledged Debt of Foreign Subsidiaries, to the extent the creation and perfection of such Security Interest is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction), except as enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity and principles of good faith and fair dealing.

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(e)       Such Pledgor has full organizational power, authority and legal right to pledge all the Collateral pledged by such Pledgor pursuant to this Pledge Agreement and this Pledge Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Pledgor (with respect to Collateral consisting of the Equity Interests or Pledged Debt of Foreign Subsidiaries, to the extent the enforceability of such Security Interest is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction), enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability thereof may  be limited by  bankruptcy, insolvency  or other similar laws affecting  creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity and principles of good faith and fair dealing.

5.         Certification of Limited Liability Company, Limited Partnership Interests, Equity Interests in Foreign Subsidiaries and Pledged Debt.

(a)       With respect to any Equity Interests in any Subsidiary that are not a security as defined in Section 8-102(a)(15) of the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction or pursuant to Section 8-103 of the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction, if any Pledgor shall take any action that, under such sections, converts such Equity Interests into a security, such Pledgor shall give prompt written notice thereof to the Collateral Agent and cause the issuer thereof to issue to it certificates or instruments evidencing such Equity Interests, which it shall promptly deliver to the Collateral Agent as provided in Section 3.

(b)       Each Pledgor will comply with Section 9.12 of the Credit Agreement.

(c)       In the event that any Equity Interests in any Foreign Subsidiary pledged hereunder are not represented by a certificate, the Pledgors agree not to permit such Foreign Subsidiary to issue Equity Interests represented by a certificate to any other Person.

6.         Further Assurances. Subject to the terms and limitations of Sections 9.11, 9.12 and 9.14 of the Credit Agreement and 3.2(c) of the Security Agreement, each Pledgor agrees that at any time and from time to time, at the expense of such Pledgor, it will execute or otherwise authorize the filing of any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements and instruments, and take all such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements, deeds of trust and other documents), which may be required under any applicable law, or which the Collateral Agent may reasonably request, in order (x) to perfect and protect any pledge, assignment or security interest granted or purported to be granted hereby (including the priority thereof) or (y) to enable the Collateral Agent to exercise and enforce its rights and remedies hereunder with respect to any Collateral.  Each Pledgor hereby irrevocably authorizes the Collateral Agent and its Affiliates, counsel and other representatives, at any time and from  time to time, to file or record financing statements, amendments to financing statements and, with notice to the applicable Grantors, other filing or recording documents or instruments with respect to the Collateral in such form and in such offices as the Collateral Agent reasonably determines appropriate to perfect the Security Interest of the Collateral Agent under this Pledge Agreement.

7.         Voting Rights; Dividends and Distributions; Etc.

(a)       So long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing:

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(i)       Each Pledgor shall be entitled to exercise any and all voting and other consensual rights pertaining to the Collateral or any part thereof for any purpose not prohibited by the terms of this Pledge Agreement or the other Credit Documents.

(ii)       The Collateral Agent shall execute and deliver (or cause to be executed and delivered) to each Pledgor all such proxies and other instruments as such Pledgor may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling such Pledgor to exercise the voting and other rights that it is entitled to exercise pursuant to paragraph (i) above.

(b)       Subject to paragraph (c) below, each Pledgor shall be entitled to receive and retain and use, free and clear of the Lien created by this Pledge Agreement, any and all dividends, distributions, principal and interest made or paid in respect of the Collateral to the extent permitted by the Credit Agreement,  as applicable; provided, however, that any  and  all noncash dividends,  interest, principal or other distributions that would constitute Pledged Shares or Pledged Debt, whether resulting from a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the outstanding Equity Interests of the issuer of any Pledged Shares or received in exchange for Pledged Shares or Pledged Debt or any part thereof, or in redemption thereof, or as a result of any merger, consolidation, acquisition or other exchange of assets to which such issuer may be a party or otherwise, shall be, and shall be forthwith delivered to the Collateral Agent to hold as, Collateral and shall, if received by such Pledgor, be received in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent, be segregated from the other property or funds of such Pledgor and be forthwith delivered to the Collateral Agent as Collateral in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement).

(c)       Upon at least three Business Days’ prior written notice to a Pledgor by the Collateral Agent that the Collateral Agent is exercising its rights under this Section 7(c), following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements,

(i)       all rights of such Pledgor to exercise or refrain from exercising the voting and other consensual rights that it would otherwise be entitled to exercise pursuant to Section 7(a)(i) shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Collateral Agent, which shall thereupon have the sole right to exercise or refrain from exercising such voting and other consensual rights during  the continuance of such  Event of Default, provided that, unless otherwise directed by the Required Lenders, the Collateral Agent shall have the right from time to time following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements, to permit the Pledgors to exercise such rights. After all Events of Default have been cured or waived, each Pledgor will have the right to exercise the voting and consensual rights that such Pledgor would otherwise be entitled to exercise pursuant to the terms of Section 7(a)(i) (and the obligations of the Collateral Agent under Section 7(a)(ii) shall be reinstated);

(ii)       all rights of such Pledgor to receive the dividends, distributions and principal and interest payments that such Pledgor would otherwise be authorized to receive and retain pursuant to Section 7(b) shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Collateral Agent, which, subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements, shall thereupon have the sole right to receive and hold as Collateral such dividends, distributions and principal and interest payments during the continuance of such Event of Default. After all Events of Default have been cured or waived, the Collateral Agent shall repay to each Pledgor (without interest) all dividends, distributions and principal and interest payments not otherwise applied  in accordance with Section 11(b) that such Pledgor would otherwise be permitted to receive, retain and use pursuant to the terms of Section 7(b);

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(iii)       all dividends, distributions and principal and interest payments that are received by such Pledgor contrary to the provisions of Section 7(b) shall be received in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and segregated from other property or funds of such Pledgor and shall forthwith be delivered to the Collateral Agent as Collateral in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsements); and

(iv)      in order to permit the Collateral Agent to receive all dividends, distributions and principal and interest payments to which it may be entitled under Section 7(b) above, to exercise the voting and other consensual rights that it may be entitled to exercise pursuant to Section 7(c)(i) above, and to receive all dividends, distributions and principal and interest payments that it may be entitled to under Sections 7(c)(ii) and (c)(iii) above, such Pledgor shall from time to time execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent, appropriate proxies, dividend payment orders and other instruments as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request in writing, subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements.

8.         Transfers and Other Liens; Additional Collateral; Etc.  Subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements, each Pledgor shall:

(a)       not (i) except as permitted by the Credit Agreement, sell or otherwise dispose of, or grant any option or warrant with respect to, any of the Collateral or (ii) create or suffer to exist any consensual Lien upon or with respect to any of the Collateral, except for Permitted Liens and the Lien created by this Pledge Agreement; provided that in the event such Pledgor sells or otherwise disposes of assets as permitted by the Credit Agreement to a Person that is not a Credit Party, and such assets are or include any of the Collateral, the Lien created by this Pledge Agreement shall be automatically released concurrently with the consummation of such sale, and upon the request of the applicable Pledgor the Collateral Agent shall evidence such release of such Collateral to such Pledgor; and

(b)       use commercially reasonable efforts to defend its and the Collateral Agent’s title or interest in and to all the Collateral (and in the Proceeds thereof) against any and all Liens (other than Permitted Liens and the Lien created by this Pledge Agreement), however arising, and any and all Persons whomsoever (except to the extent that the Collateral Agent and the Borrower agree that the cost of such defense is excessive in relation to the benefit to the Lenders thereof).

9.         Collateral Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact.  Each Pledgor hereby appoints, which appointment is irrevocable and coupled with an interest, and shall automatically terminate with respect to such Pledgor on the Termination Date or, if sooner, upon the release of such Pledgor hereunder pursuant to Section 13, the Collateral Agent as such Pledgor’s attorney-in-fact, with full authority in the place and stead of such Pledgor and in the name of such Pledgor or otherwise, to take any action and to execute any instrument, in each case solely after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default (and upon prior written notice to such Pledgor that the Collateral Agent intends to take such action), that the Collateral Agent may deem reasonably necessary or advisable to accomplish the purposes of this Pledge Agreement, including to receive, indorse and collect all instruments made payable to such Pledgor representing  any  dividend, distribution or  principal or interest payment in respect of the Collateral or any part thereof and to give full discharge for the same.

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

10.       The Collateral Agent’s Duties. The powers conferred on the Collateral Agent hereunder are solely to protect its interest in the Collateral and shall not impose any duty upon it to exercise any such powers. Except for the safe custody of any Collateral in its possession and the accounting for moneys actually received by it hereunder, the Collateral Agent shall have no duty as to any Collateral, as to ascertaining or taking action with respect to calls, conversions, exchanges, maturities, tenders or other matters relative to any Pledged Shares, whether or not the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party has or is deemed to have knowledge of such matters, or as to the taking of any necessary steps to preserve rights against any parties or any other rights pertaining to any Collateral. The Collateral Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any Collateral in its possession if such Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which the Collateral Agent accords its own property. The Collateral Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral,  the existence, priority  or perfection  of the Collateral Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by any Credit Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Collateral Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

 

11.       Remedies. Subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements, if any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing:

(a)       The Collateral Agent may exercise in respect of the Collateral, in addition to other rights and remedies provided for herein or otherwise available to it, all the rights and remedies of a secured party upon default under the UCC or any other applicable law (whether or not the UCC applies to the affected Collateral) and also may upon prior notice to the relevant Pledgor, sell the Collateral or any part thereof in one or more parcels at public or private sale or sales, at any exchange broker’s board or at any of the Collateral Agent’s offices or elsewhere, for cash, on credit or for future delivery, at such price or prices and upon such other terms as are commercially reasonable irrespective of the impact of any such sales on the market price of the Collateral.  The Collateral Agent shall be authorized at any such sale of Pledged Shares or Pledged Debt (if it deems it advisable to do so) to restrict the prospective bidders or purchasers of Collateral to Persons who will represent and agree that they are purchasing the Collateral for their own account for investment and not with a view to the distribution or sale thereof, and, upon consummation of any such sale, the Collateral Agent shall have the right to assign, transfer and deliver to the purchaser or purchasers thereof the Pledged Shares or Pledged Debt so sold. Each purchaser at any such sale shall hold the property sold absolutely free from any claim or right on the part of any Pledgor, and each Pledgor hereby waives (to the extent permitted by law) all rights of redemption, stay and/or appraisal that it now has or may at any time in the future have under any rule of law or statute now existing or hereafter enacted. The Collateral Agent or any Secured Party shall have the right upon any such public sale, and, to the extent permitted by law, upon any such private sale, to purchase all or any part of the Collateral so sold, and the Collateral Agent or such Secured Party may pay the purchase price by crediting the amount thereof against the Obligations. Each Pledgor agrees that, to the extent notice of sale shall be required by law, at least ten days’ notice to such Pledgor of the time and place of any public sale or the time after which any private sale is to be made shall constitute reasonable notification.  The Collateral Agent shall not be obligated to make any sale of Collateral regardless of notice of sale having been given. The Collateral Agent may adjourn any public or private sale from time to time by announcement at the time and place fixed therefor, and such sale may, without further notice, be made at the time and place to which it was so adjourned. To the extent permitted by law, each Pledgor hereby waives any claim against the Collateral Agent arising by reason of the fact that the price at which any Collateral may have been sold at such a private sale was less than the price that might have been obtained at a public sale, even if the Collateral Agent accepts the first offer received and does not offer such Collateral to more than one offeree.

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b)       Subject to the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the Collateral Agent shall apply the Proceeds of any collection or sale of the Collateral as well as any Collateral consisting of cash, at any time after receipt in the order set forth in Section 11.14 of the Credit Agreement. Upon any sale of the Collateral by the Collateral Agent (including pursuant to a power of sale granted by statute or under a judicial proceeding), the receipt of the Collateral Agent or of the officer making the sale shall be a sufficient discharge to the purchaser or purchasers of the Collateral so sold and such purchaser or purchasers shall not be obligated to see to the application of any part of the purchase money paid over to the Collateral Agent or such officer or be answerable in any way for the misapplication thereof.

(c)       All payments received by any Pledgor in respect of the Collateral after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, shall be received in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent shall be segregated from other property or funds of such Pledgor and shall be forthwith delivered to the Collateral Agent as Collateral in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement).

12.       Amendments, etc. with Respect to the Obligations; Waiver of Rights.  Each Pledgor shall remain obligated hereunder notwithstanding that, without any reservation of rights against any Pledgor and without notice to or further assent by any Pledgor, (a) any demand for payment of any of the Obligations made by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party may be rescinded by such party and any of the Obligations continued, (b) the Obligations, or the liability of any other party upon or for any part thereof, or any collateral security or guarantee therefor or right of offset with respect thereto, may, from time to time, in whole or in part, be renewed, extended, amended, modified, accelerated, compromised, waived, surrendered or released by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party, (c) the Credit Agreement, the other Credit Documents and any other documents executed and delivered in connection therewith and the Secured Cash Management Agreements, Secured Hedge Agreements and any other documents executed and delivered in connection therewith may be amended, modified, supplemented or terminated, in whole or in part, as the Administrative Agent (or the Required Lenders, as the case may be, or, in the case of any Secured Hedge Agreement or Secured Cash Management Agreement, the Hedge Bank or Cash Management Bank party thereto) may deem advisable from time to time and (d) any collateral security, guarantee or right of offset at any time held by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party for the payment of the Obligations may be sold, exchanged, waived, surrendered or released.  Neither the Collateral Agent nor any other Secured Party shall have any obligation to protect, secure, perfect or insure any Lien at any time held by it as security for the Obligations or for this Pledge Agreement or any property subject thereto. When making any demand hereunder against any Pledgor, the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party may, but shall be under no obligation to, make a similar demand on any Pledgor or any other Person, and any failure by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to make any such demand or to collect any payments from any Pledgor or any other Person or any release of the Company or any Pledgor or any other Person shall not relieve any Pledgor in respect of which a demand or collection is not made or any Pledgor not so released of its several obligations or liabilities hereunder, and shall not impair or affect the rights and remedies, express or implied, or as a matter of law, of the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party against any Pledgor. For the purposes hereof “demand” shall include the commencement and continuance of any legal proceedings.

13.       Continuing Security Interest; Assignments Under the Credit Agreement; Release.

(a)       This Pledge Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and be binding in accordance with and to the extent of its terms upon each Pledgor and the successors and assigns thereof, and shall inure to the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties and their respective successors, endorsees, transferees and assigns permitted under the Credit Agreement until the date on which all the Obligations under the Credit Documents (other than, in each case, any contingent indemnity obligations not then due, any Secured Hedge Obligations or any Secured Cash Management Obligations) shall have been satisfied by payment in full, the Commitments shall have been terminated, all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated, and all Letter of Credit Outstandings shall have been reduced to zero (or all such Letters of Credit and Letter of Credit Outstandings shall have been Cash Collateralized in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the applicable Letter of Credit Issuers) (such date, the “Termination Date”), notwithstanding that from time to time during the term of the Credit Agreement the Credit Parties may be free from any Obligations.

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b)       Any Pledgor shall automatically be released from its obligations hereunder and the Collateral of such Pledgor shall be automatically released as it relates to the Obligations upon such Pledgor ceasing to be a Credit Party in accordance with Section 13.1 of the Credit Agreement. Any such release in connection with any sale, transfer or other disposition of such Collateral permitted under the Credit Agreement to a Person that is not a Credit Party shall result in such Collateral being sold, transferred or disposed of, as applicable, free and clear of the Liens of this Pledge Agreement.

(c)       The Collateral shall be automatically released from the Liens of this Pledge Agreement as it relates to the Obligations (i) to the extent provided for in Section 13.1 of the Credit Agreement and (ii) upon the effectiveness of any written consent to the release of the security interest granted in such Collateral pursuant to Section 13.1 of the Credit Agreement.

(d)       In connection with any termination or release pursuant to the foregoing paragraph (a), (b) or (c), the Collateral Agent shall execute and deliver to any Pledgor or authorize the filing of, at such Pledgor’s expense, all documents that such Pledgor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release subject to, if reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent, the Collateral Agent’s receipt of a certification by the Borrower and the applicable Pledgor stating that such transaction is in compliance with the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents. Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this Section 13 shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Collateral Agent.

14.       Reinstatement. Each Pledgor further agrees that, if any payment made by any Credit Party or other Person and applied to the Obligations is at any time annulled, avoided, set aside, rescinded, invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential or otherwise required to be refunded or repaid, or the Proceeds of Collateral are required to be returned by any Secured Party to such Credit Party, its estate, trustee, receiver or any other Person, including any Pledgor, under any bankruptcy law, state, federal or foreign law, common law or equitable cause, then, to the extent of such payment or repayment, any Lien or other Collateral securing such liability shall be and remain in full force and effect, as fully as if such payment had never been made or, if prior thereto the Lien granted hereby or other Collateral securing such liability hereunder shall have been released or terminated by virtue of such cancellation or surrender), such Lien or other Collateral shall be reinstated in full force and effect, and such prior cancellation or surrender shall not diminish, release, discharge, impair or otherwise affect any Lien or other Collateral securing the obligations of any Pledgor in respect of the amount of such payment.

15.       Notices. All notices, requests and demands pursuant hereto shall be made in accordance with Section 13.2 of the Credit Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to any Pledgor shall be given to it in care of Holdings at Holdings’ address set forth in Section 13.2 of the Credit Agreement.

16.       Counterparts. This Pledge Agreement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Pledge Agreement on any number of separate counterparts (including by facsimile or other electronic transmission), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

10

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

17.       Severability.  Any provision of this Pledge Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.  The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

18.       Integration. This Pledge Agreement together with the other Credit Documents represents the agreement of each of the Pledgors with respect to the subject matter hereof and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth herein or in the other Credit Documents.

19.       Amendments in Writing; No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.

(a)       None of the terms or provisions of this Pledge Agreement may be waived, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified except by a written instrument executed by the affected Pledgor and the Collateral Agent in accordance with Section 13.1 of the Credit Agreement.

(b)       Neither the Collateral Agent nor any Secured Party shall by any act (except by a written instrument pursuant to Section 19(a)), delay, indulgence, omission or otherwise be deemed to have waived any right or remedy hereunder or to have acquiesced in any Default or Event of Default or in any breach of any of the terms and conditions hereof. No failure to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, on the part of the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party, any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. No single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. A waiver by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party of any right or remedy hereunder on any one occasion shall not be construed as a bar to any right or remedy that the Collateral Agent or such other Secured Party would otherwise have on any future occasion.

(c)       The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative, may be exercised singly or concurrently and are not exclusive of any other rights or remedies provided by law.

20.       Section Headings. The Section headings used in this Pledge Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not to affect the construction hereof or be taken into consideration in the interpretation hereof.

21.       Successors and Assigns.   This Pledge Agreement shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of each Pledgor and shall inure to the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns, except that no Pledgor may assign, transfer or delegate any of its rights or obligations under this Pledge Agreement without the prior written consent of the Collateral Agent or as otherwise permitted by the Credit Agreement.

22.       WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES (TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW) TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS PLEDGE AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

23.       Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers.  Each party hereto irrevocably and unconditionally:

(a)       submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Pledge Agreement and the other Credit Documents to which it is a party to the exclusive general jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York or the courts of the United States for the Southern District of New York,  in each case sitting in New  York City in the Borough of Manhattan, and appellate courts from any thereof;

11

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b)       consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives (to the extent permitted by applicable law) any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same or to commence or support any such action or proceeding in any other courts;

(c)       agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Person at its address referred to in Section 15 or at such other address of which the Collateral Agent shall have been notified pursuant thereto;

(d)       agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right of any other party hereto (or any Secured Party) to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or to commence legal proceedings or otherwise proceed against any Pledgor in any other jurisdiction; and

(e)       waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section 23 any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

24.       GOVERNING LAW.  THIS PLEDGE AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

25.       Intercreditor Agreements. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the liens and security interests granted to the Collateral Agent pursuant to this Pledge Agreement and the exercise of any right or remedy by the Collateral Agent hereunder, are subject to the provisions of any Intercreditor Agreement then in effect. In the event of any conflict between the terms of any Intercreditor Agreement then in effect and the terms of this Pledge Agreement, the terms of such Intercreditor Agreement shall govern and control.   No  right, power or remedy  granted to the Collateral Agent hereunder shall be exercised by the Collateral Agent, and no direction shall be given by the Collateral Agent, in contravention of any such Intercreditor Agreement.

26.       Enforcement Expenses; Indemnification.

(a)       Each Pledgor agrees to pay any and all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses (including all reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel) that may be paid or incurred by any Secured Party in enforcing, or obtaining advice of counsel in respect of, any rights with respect to, or collecting, any or all of the Obligations and/or enforcing any rights with respect to, or collecting against, such Pledgor under this Pledge Agreement, in each case subject to the limitations on reimbursement of costs and expenses set forth in Section 13.5 of the Credit Agreement.

(b)       Each Pledgor agrees to pay, and to save the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties harmless from, any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance and administration of this Pledge Agreement to the extent the Borrower would be required to do so pursuant to Section 13.5 of the Credit Agreement.

12

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(c)       The agreements in this Section 26 shall survive repayment of the Obligations and all other amounts payable under the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents.

27.       Acknowledgments.  Each party hereto hereby acknowledges that:

(a)       it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Pledge Agreement and the other Credit Documents to which it is a party;

(b)       neither the Collateral Agent nor any other Secured Party has any fiduciary relationship with or duty to any Pledgor arising out of or in connection with this Pledge Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents, and the relationship between the Pledgors, on the one hand, and the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties, on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor; and

(c)       no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Credit Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Lenders and any other Secured Party or among the Pledgors and the Lenders and any other Secured Party.

28.       Additional Pledgors. Each Subsidiary that is required to become a party to this Pledge Agreement pursuant to Section 9.11 of the Credit Agreement shall become a Subsidiary Pledgor, with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Pledgor herein, for all purposes of this Pledge Agreement, upon execution and delivery by such Subsidiary of a written supplement substantially in the form of Annex A hereto. The execution and delivery of any instrument adding an additional Pledgor as a party to this Pledge Agreement shall not require the consent of any other Pledgor hereunder. The rights and obligations of each Pledgor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Pledgor as a party to this Pledge Agreement.

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

13

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

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

 

	
         
	
        NAUTILUS MERGER SUB, INC.,

	
         
	
        as a Pledgor

	
         
	
         
	
         

	
         
	
        By:
	
        /s/ Adam Waglay

	
         
	
         
	
        Name:
	
        Adam Waglay 

	
         
	
         
	
        Title:
	
        Vice President

 

 

	 	NAUTILUS ACQUISITION HOLDINGS, INC.,
	 	
        as a Pledgor

	 	 	 
	 	By:	/s/ Adam Waglay 
	 	 	Name:	Adam Waglay
	 	 	Title:	Vice President

 

[signature page of First Lien Pledge Agreement]

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

	 	 VISION HOLDING CORP., 
	 	
        as a Pledgor

	 	 	 
	 	By:	/s/ L. Reade Fahs, Jr.
	 	 	Name:	L. Reade Fahs, Jr.
	 	 	Title:	President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

	 	
        NATIONAL VISION, INC., 

	 	
        as a Pledgor

	 	 	 
	 	By:	/s/ L. Reade Fahs, Jr.
	 	 	Name:	L. Reade Fahs, Jr.
	 	 	Title:	Chief Executive Officer

 

 

	 	
        EYEGLASS WORLD, LLC, 

	 	
        as a Pledgor

	 	 	 
	 	By:	/s/ L. Reade Fahs, Jr.
	 	 	Name:	L. Reade Fahs, Jr.
	 	 	Title:	President and Chief Executive Officer

   

[signature page of First Lien Pledge Agreement]

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

	 	GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, 
	 	
        as the Collateral Agent

	 	 	 
	 	By:	/s/ Robert Ehudin
	 	 	Name:	Robert Ehudin
	 	 	Title:	Authorized Signatory

[signature page of First Lien Pledge Agreement]

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

ANNEX A 

TO THE PLEDGE AGREEMENT

SUPPLEMENT NO. [    ], dated as of [  ], 20[    ] (this “Supplement”), to the FIRST LIEN PLEDGE AGREEMENT (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Pledge Agreement”), dated as of March 13, 2014, among Nautilus Acquisition Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), Nautilus Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “MergerSub”), Vision Holding Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company), National Vision, Inc., a Georgia corporation (“NVI”), each of the Subsidiaries listed on the signature pages hereto or that becomes a party hereto pursuant to Section 29 hereof (each such Subsidiary being a “Subsidiary Pledgor” and, collectively, the “Subsidiary Pledgors”; the Subsidiary Pledgors, Holdings, MergerSub and the Company are referred to collectively as the “Pledgors”), and Goldman Sachs Bank USA, as collateral agent (in such capacity, the “Collateral Agent”) for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

A.        Reference is made to (i) the First Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of March 13, 2014 (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Holdings, MergerSub, the Company, NVI, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Goldman Sachs Bank USA, as the Administrative Agent, a Letter of Credit Issuer, the Collateral Agent and the Swingline Lender, and (ii) the First Lien Guarantee, dated as of the date of the Pledge Agreement (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Guarantee”), among the Guarantors party thereto and the Collateral Agent.

B.        Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Pledge Agreement.

C.        The Pledgors have entered into the Pledge Agreement in order to induce the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Lenders to enter into the Credit Agreement, to induce the Lenders to make their respective Loans to the Borrower, the Swingline Lender to make Swingline Loans and the Letter of Credit Issuers to issue Letters of Credit for the account of Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than the Borrower) under the Credit Agreement and to induce one or more Lenders or Affiliates of Lenders to enter into Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements with the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries.

D.        The undersigned Guarantors (each an “Additional Pledgor”) are, as of the date hereof, (a) the legal and beneficial owners of the Equity Interests described in Schedule 1 hereto and issued by the entities named therein (such Equity Interests, together with any Equity Interests of the issuer of such Equity Interests or any other issuer directly held directly by any such Additional Pledgor in the future, in each case, except to the extent excluded from the Additional Collateral for the Obligations pursuant to the penultimate paragraph of Section 1 below, referred to collectively herein as the “Additional Pledged Shares”) and (b) the legal and beneficial owners of the Indebtedness evidenced by a promissory note in excess of $10,000,000 described in Schedule 1 hereto (together with any other Indebtedness owed to any such Additional Pledgor hereafter and required to be pledged pursuant to Section 9.12 of the Credit Agreement, the “Additional Pledged Debt”).

A-1

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

E.        Section 9.11 of the Credit Agreement and Section 28 of the Pledge Agreement provide that additional Subsidiaries may become Subsidiary Pledgors under the Pledge Agreement by execution and delivery of an instrument in the form of this Supplement. Each undersigned Additional Pledgor is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of Section 9.11 of the Credit Agreement and Section 28 of the Pledge Agreement to pledge to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties the Additional Pledged Shares and the Additional Pledged Debt and to become a Subsidiary Pledgor under the Pledge Agreement in order to induce the Lenders to make their respective Loans to the Borrower, the Swingline Lenders to make Swingline Loans and the Letter of Credit Issuers to issue Letters of Credit for the account of Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than the Borrower) under the Credit Agreement and to induce one or more Lenders or Affiliates of Lenders to enter into Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements with the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries.

Accordingly, the Collateral Agent and each undersigned Additional Pledgor agree as follows:

SECTION 1.    Each Additional Pledgor by its signature hereby collaterally assigns and pledges to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and hereby grants to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a security interest in all of such Additional Pledgor’s right, title and  interest in the following, whether now owned or existing  or hereafter acquired or existing (collectively, the “Additional Collateral”):

(a)        the Additional Pledged Shares held by such Additional Pledgor and the certificates representing such Additional Pledged Shares and any interest of such Additional Pledgor in the entries on the books of the issuer of the Additional Pledged Shares or any financial intermediary pertaining to the Additional Pledged Shares and all dividends, cash, warrants, rights, instruments and other property or Proceeds from time to time received, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of or in exchange for any or all of the Additional Pledged Shares;

(b)        the Additional Pledged Debt and the instruments evidencing the Additional Pledged Debt owed to such Additional Pledgor, and all interest, cash, instruments and other property or Proceeds from time to time received, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of or in exchange for any or all of such Additional Pledged Debt; and

(c)        to the extent not covered by clauses (a) and (b) above, respectively, all Proceeds of any or all of the foregoing Additional Collateral.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Additional Collateral (and any defined term used in the definition thereof) for the Obligations shall not include any Excluded Stock and Stock Equivalents or any Excluded Property.

For purposes of the Pledge Agreement, the Collateral shall be deemed to include the Additional Collateral.

SECTION 2.    Each Additional Pledgor by its signature below becomes a Pledgor under the Pledge Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Pledgor, and each Additional Pledgor hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Pledge Agreement applicable to it as a Pledgor thereunder. Each reference to a “Subsidiary Pledgor” or a “Pledgor” in the Pledge Agreement shall be deemed to include each Additional Pledgor. The Pledge Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

A-2

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

SECTION 3.    Each Additional Pledgor represents and warrants as follows:

(a)       Schedule 1 hereto correctly represents as of the date hereof (A) the issuer, the certificate number, the Additional Pledgor and registered owner, the number and class and the percentage of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of such class of all Additional Pledged Shares and (B) the issuer, the initial principal amount, the Additional Pledgor and holder, date of and maturity date of all Additional Pledged Debt. Except as set forth on Schedule 1 and except for Excluded Stock and Stock Equivalents, the Additional Pledged Shares represent all (or 66% in the case of pledges of the Voting Stock of Foreign Subsidiaries or any Domestic Subsidiary substantially all of the assets of which consist of equity and/or debt of Foreign Subsidiaries that are CFCs) of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each class of Equity Interests of the issuer thereof on the date hereof.

(b)        Such Additional Pledgor is the legal and beneficial owner of the Additional Collateral pledged or collaterally assigned by such Additional Pledgor hereunder free and clear of any Lien, except for Permitted Liens and the Liens created by this Supplement to the Pledge Agreement.

(c)       As of the date of this Supplement, the Additional Pledged Shares pledged by such Additional Pledgor hereunder have been duly authorized and validly issued and, in the case of Additional Pledged Shares issued by a corporation, are fully paid and non-assessable, in each case, to the extent such concepts are applicable in the jurisdiction of organization of the respective issuer.

(d)       The execution and delivery by such Additional Pledgor of this Supplement and the pledge of the Additional Collateral pledged by such Additional Pledgor pursuant hereto create a legal, valid and enforceable security interest in such Additional Collateral (with respect to Collateral consisting of the Equity Interests or Pledged Debt of Foreign Subsidiaries, to the extent the creation of such Security Interest is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction) and, upon delivery of such Additional Collateral to the Collateral Agent, shall constitute a fully perfected lien and security interest in the Additional Collateral (with respect to Collateral consisting of the Equity Interests or Pledged Debt of Foreign Subsidiaries, to the extent the creation and  perfection of such Security Interest is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction), securing the payment of the Obligations, in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, except as enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity and principles of good faith and fair dealing.

(e)       Such Additional Pledgor has full organizational power, authority and legal right to pledge all the Additional Collateral pledged by such Additional Pledgor pursuant to this Supplement, and this Supplement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Additional Pledgor (with respect to Collateral consisting of the Equity Interests or Pledged Debt of Foreign Subsidiaries, to the extent the enforceability of such Security Interest is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction), enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity and principles of good faith and fair dealing.

SECTION 4.    This Supplement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Supplement on any number of separate counterparts (including by facsimile or other electronic transmission), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. A set of the copies of this Supplement signed by all the parties shall be lodged with the Collateral Agent and Holdings. This Supplement shall become effective as to each Additional Pledgor when the Collateral Agent shall have received counterparts of this Supplement that, when taken together, bear the signatures of such Additional Pledgor and the Collateral Agent.

A-3

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

SECTION 5.    Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Pledge Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6.    THIS     SUPPLEMENT    AND    THE     RIGHTS     AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED  AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH,  THE  LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 7.    Any provision of this Supplement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof and in the Pledge Agreement, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 8.    All notices, requests and demands pursuant hereto shall be made in accordance with Section 15 of the Pledge Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to each Additional Pledgor shall be given to it in care of Holdings at Holdings’ address set forth in Section 13.2 of the Credit Agreement.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

A-4

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Additional Pledgor and the Collateral Agent have duly executed this Supplement to the Pledge Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

	 	
        [NAME OF ADDITIONAL PLEDGOR], 

	 	as an Additional Pledgor
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	 	Name:	 
	 	 	Title:	 

	 	GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, 
	 	as the Collateral Agent
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	 	Name:	 
	 	 	Title:	 

 

[Supplement to the First Lien Pledge Agreement]

A-5

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

SCHEDULE 1

TO SUPPLEMENT NO. [    ] 

TO THE PLEDGE AGREEMENT

Pledged Shares

	
        Record
owner
	 	 	
        Issuer
	 	 	
        
        Certificate

        No.

	 	 	
        
        Number of

        Shares

	 	 	
        % of Shares
Owned
	 
	 	
         
	 	 	 	
         
	 	 	 		 	 	 		 	 	 		 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 

Pledged Debt

	Payee 	 	 	Issuer	 	 	
        Principal

        Amount
	 	 	
        Date of

        Instrument
	 	 	
        Maturity
Date
	 
	 		 	 	 		 	 	 		 	 	 		 	 	 		 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 

 

[First Lien Pledge Agreement]National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Exhibit 10.9

 

SECOND LIEN CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

dated as of March 13, 2014

 

among

 

NAUTILUS ACQUISITION HOLDINGS, INC.,

 as Holdings,

 

NAUTILUS MERGER SUB, INC.,

as the Initial Borrower,

 

VISION HOLDINGS CORP.,

 as the Surviving Borrower

 

NATIONAL VISION, INC.,

 as the Borrower

 

The Several Lenders

 from Time to Time Parties Hereto,

 

MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.,

 as the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent,

 

and

 

GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA 

MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC. 
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.  

MIZUHO BANK, LTD.  

KKR CAPITAL MARKETS LLC, 

BARCLAYS BANK PLC, 

MACQUARIE CAPITAL (USA) INC. 

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners

	 

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

	Section 1.   Definitions	2
	 	 
	1.1   Defined Terms	2
	1.2   Other Interpretive Provisions	61
	1.3   Accounting Terms	61
	1.4   Rounding	62
	1.5   References to Agreements Laws, Etc.	62
	1.6   Exchange Rates	62
	1.7   Rates	62
	1.8   Times of Day	62
	1.9   Timing of Payment or Performance	62
	1.10   Certifications	63
	1.11   Compliance with Certain Sections	63
	1.12   Pro Forma and Other Calculations	63
	 	 
	Section 2.   Amount and Terms of Credit	65
	 	 
	2.1   Commitments	65
	2.2   Minimum Amount of Each Borrowing; Maximum Number of Borrowings	65
	2.3   Notice of Borrowing	65
	2.4   Disbursement of Funds	65
	2.5   Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt	66
	2.6   Conversions and Continuations	67
	2.7   Pro Rata Borrowings	68
	2.8   Interest	68
	2.9   Interest Periods	69
	2.10   Increased Costs, Illegality, Etc.	69
	2.11   Compensation	71
	2.12   Change of Lending Office	72
	2.13   Notice of Certain Costs	72
	2.14   Incremental Facilities	72
	2.15   Permitted Debt Exchanges	75
	 	 
	Section 3.   [reserved]	76
	 	 
	Section 4.   Fees	76
	 	 
	4.1   Fees	76
	4.2   [reserved]	77
	4.3   Mandatory Termination of Commitments	77
	 	 
	Section 5.   Payments	77
	 	 
	5.1   Voluntary Prepayments	77
	5.2   Mandatory Prepayments	77
	5.3   Method and Place of Payment	80
	5.4   Net Payments	81

 

	-i-

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Page

 

	5.5   Computations of Interest and Fees	85
	5.6   Limit on Rate of Interest	85
	 	 
	Section 6.   Conditions Precedent to Initial Borrowing	86
	 	 
	6.1   Credit Documents	86
	6.2   Collateral	86
	6.3   Legal Opinions	86
	6.4   Equity Investments	86
	6.5   Closing Certificates	87
	6.6   Authorization of Proceedings of Holdings and the Company; Corporate Documents	87
	6.7   Fees	87
	6.8   Representations and Warranties	87
	6.9   Solvency Certificate	87
	6.10   Acquisition	87
	6.11   Patriot Act	88
	6.12   Pro Forma Balance Sheet	88
	6.13   Financial Statements	88
	6.14   No Company Material Adverse Effect	88
	6.15   Refinancing	88
	6.16   Notice of Term Loan Borrowing	88
	 	 
	Section 7.   [reserved]	88
	 	 
	Section 8.   Representations and Warranties	88
	 	 
	8.1   Corporate Status	89
	8.2   Corporate Power and Authority	89
	8.3   No Violation	89
	8.4   Litigation	89
	8.5   Margin Regulations	89
	8.6   Governmental Approvals	89
	8.7   Investment Company Act	90
	8.8   True and Complete Disclosure	90
	8.9   Financial Condition; Financial Statements	90
	8.10   Compliance with Laws; No Default	91
	8.11   Tax Matters	91
	8.12   Compliance with ERISA	91
	8.13   Subsidiaries	91
	8.14   Intellectual Property	91
	8.15   Environmental Laws	91
	8.16   Properties	92
	8.17   Solvency	92
	8.18   Patriot Act	92
	 	 
	Section 9.   Affirmative Covenants.	92
	 	 
	9.1   Information Covenants	92
	9.2   Books, Records, and Inspections	95
	9.3   Maintenance of Insurance	96

 

	-ii-

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Page

 

	9.4   Payment of Taxes	96
	9.5   Preservation of Existence; Consolidated Corporate Franchises	96
	9.6   Compliance with Statutes, Regulations, Etc.	97
	9.7   ERISA	97
	9.8   Maintenance of Properties	97
	9.9   Transactions with Affiliates	97
	9.10   End of Fiscal Years	98
	9.11   Additional Guarantors and Grantors	99
	9.12   Pledge of Additional Stock and Evidence of Indebtedness	99
	9.13   Use of Proceeds	99
	9.14   Further Assurances	100
	9.15   Maintenance of Ratings	101
	9.16   Lines of Business	101
	 	 
	Section 10.   Negative Covenants	101
	 	 
	10.1   Limitation on Indebtedness	101
	10.2   Limitation on Liens	107
	10.3   Limitation on Fundamental Changes	107
	10.4   Limitation on Sale of Assets	109
	10.5   Limitation on Restricted Payments	110
	10.6   Limitation on Subsidiary Distributions	118
	 	 
	Section 11.   Events of Default	119
	 	 
	11.1   Payments	119
	11.2   Representations, Etc.	120
	11.3   Covenants	120
	11.4   Default Under Other Agreements	120
	11.5   Bankruptcy, Etc.	121
	11.6   ERISA	121
	11.7   Guarantee	121
	11.8   Pledge Agreement	122
	11.9   Security Agreement	122
	11.10   Judgments	122
	11.11   Change of Control	122
	11.12   Remedies Upon Event of Default	122
	11.13   Application of Proceeds	122
	 	 
	Section 12.   The Agents	123
	 	 
	12.1   Appointment	123
	12.2   Delegation of Duties	124
	12.3   Exculpatory Provisions	124
	12.4   Reliance by Agents	124
	12.5   Notice of Default	125
	12.6   Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Other Lenders	125
	12.7   Indemnification	125
	12.8   Agents in Their Individual Capacities	126
	12.9   Successor Agents	126

 

	-iii-

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Page

 

	12.10   Withholding Tax	127
	12.11   Agents Under Security Documents and Guarantee	128
	12.12   Right to Realize on Collateral and Enforce Guarantee	128
	12.13   Intercreditor Agreement Governs	129
	 	 
	Section 13.   Miscellaneous	129
	 	 
	13.1   Amendments, Waivers, and Releases	129
	13.2   Notices	132
	13.3   No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies	133
	13.4   Survival of Representations and Warranties	133
	13.5   Payment of Expenses; Indemnification	133
	13.6   Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments	134
	13.7   Replacements of Lenders Under Certain Circumstances	140
	13.8   Adjustments; Set-off	141
	13.9   Counterparts	141
	13.10   Severability	141
	13.11   Integration	142
	13.12   GOVERNING LAW	142
	13.13   Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers	142
	13.14   Acknowledgments	142
	13.15   WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL	143
	13.16   Confidentiality	143
	13.17   Direct Website Communications	144
	13.18   USA PATRIOT Act	145
	13.19   [Reserved]	145
	13.20   Payments Set Aside	145
	13.21   No Fiduciary Duty	146
	13.22   Intercreditor Agreement	146

	-iv-

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Page

 

SCHEDULES

 

	Schedule 1.1(a)	Mortgaged Properties 

	Schedule 1.1(b)	Commitments of Lenders 

	Schedule 8.13	Subsidiaries 

	Schedule 8.15	Environmental 

	Schedule 9.14	Post-Closing Actions 

	Schedule 10.1	Closing Date Indebtedness 

	Schedule 10.2	Closing Date Liens 

	Schedule 10.5	Closing Date Investments 

	Schedule 13.2	Notice Addresses

 

EXHIBITS

 

	Exhibit A	Form of Joinder Agreement 

	Exhibit B	Form of Guarantee 

	Exhibit C	Form of Pledge Agreement 

	Exhibit D	Form of Security Agreement 

	Exhibit E	Form of Credit Party Closing Certificate 

	Exhibit F	Form of Assignment and Acceptance 

	Exhibit G-1	Form of Promissory Note 

	Exhibit H	Form of Intercreditor Agreement 

	Exhibit I	[reserved] 

	Exhibit J-1	Form of Non-Bank Tax Certificate

		(For Non-U.S. Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

	Exhibit J-2	
        Form of Non-Bank Tax Certificate

        (For Non-U.S. Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

	Exhibit J-3	Form of Non-Bank Tax Certificate

 (For Non-U.S. Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

	Exhibit J-4	Form of Non-Bank Tax Certificate

 (For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

	Exhibit K	Form of Notice of Borrowing or Continuation or Conversion

 

	-v-

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

SECOND LIEN CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of March 13, 2014, among NAUTILUS ACQUISITION HOLDINGS, INC. (“Holdings”), NAUTILUS MERGER SUB, INC., a Delaware corporation (“MergerSub” or the “Initial Borrower”), Vision Holding Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company” and, following the consummation of the Merger, the “Surviving Borrower”), National Vision, Inc., a Georgia corporation (“NVI” and, following the consummation of the Secondary Merger, the “Borrower”), the lending institutions from time to time parties hereto (each a “Lender” and, collectively, the “Lenders”), MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., as the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent (such terms and each other capitalized term used but not defined in this preamble having the meaning provided in Section 1).

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 6, 2014 (the “Acquisition Agreement”), by and among Holdings, MergerSub, the Company and BSR LLC, Holdings will acquire the Company through an acquisition transaction pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement whereby MergerSub will merge (the “Merger”) with and into the Company, with the Company surviving the Merger;

 

WHEREAS, (i) immediately prior to the Merger, certain stockholders of the Company contribute Equity Interests of the Company held by them (the “Equity Rollover Interests”) to Nautilus Parent, Inc. (“Parent”), (ii) immediately after giving effect to the Merger, the Equity Rollover Interests will remain outstanding and held by Parent and (iii) on the Closing Date, after the Merger, Parent shall contribute (the “Equity Rollover Contribution”) the Equity Rollover Interests to Holdings and thereafter the Company shall be a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Holdings;

 

WHEREAS, to fund, in part, the Acquisition, it is intended that the Sponsor and the other Initial Investors will contribute an amount in cash to Holdings and/or a direct or indirect parent thereof in exchange for Capital Stock (such contribution, the “Equity Investments”) together with the investment of equity rolled over or invested in connection with the Acquisition by the existing management and other existing stockholders (including the Equity Rollover Interests), which shall be no less than 25% of the sum of (1) the aggregate gross proceeds of the First Lien Term Loans and the Initial Term Loans borrowed on the Closing Date, excluding the gross proceeds of any loans to fund working capital needs and (2) the equity capitalization of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date after giving effect to the Transactions (the “Minimum Equity Amount”);

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the Acquisition, it is intended that the Borrower will enter into Credit Facilities established pursuant to the First Lien Credit Documents (the “First Lien Facilities”) consisting of First Lien Term Loans of $500,000,000 and First Lien Revolving Loans of up to $75,000,000;

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the foregoing, (i) the Initial Borrower has requested that the Lenders extend credit in the form of Initial Term Loans to the Initial Borrower on the Closing Date, in an aggregate principal amount of $125,000,000;

 

WHEREAS, the proceeds of the Initial Term Loans will be used, together with (i) the net proceeds of the First Lien Facilities, (ii) the net proceeds of the Equity Investments on the Closing Date, and (iii) cash on hand, to effect the Acquisition, to provide for liquidity in the form of cash on the balance sheet of Holdings and to pay Transaction Expenses;

	 

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

WHEREAS, following the consummation of the Acquisition and the contribution of the Equity Rollover Interests, the Company shall merge (the “Secondary Merger”) with and into NVI, and all rights and obligations of the Company as the “Borrower” shall be assumed by NVI; and

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders are willing to make available to the Borrower such loans upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

Section 1.              Definitions

 

              1.1            Defined Terms. As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings specified in this Section 1.1 unless the context otherwise requires (it being understood that defined terms in this Agreement shall include in the singular number the plural and in the plural the singular):

 

“ABR” shall mean for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (i) the Federal Funds Effective Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (ii) the rate of interest in effect for such day as announced from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its “prime rate” at its principal office in New York City, and (iii) the rate per annum determined in the manner set forth in clause (ii) of the definition of LIBOR Rate plus 1%; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the ABR applicable to the Initial Term Loans at any time be less than 2.00% per annum. Any change in the ABR due to a change in such rate announced by the Administrative Agent or in the Federal Funds Effective Rate or LIBOR Rate shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the announcement of such change.

 

“ABR Loan” shall mean each Loan bearing interest based on the ABR.

 

“Acquired EBITDA”shall mean, with respect to any Acquired Entity or Business or any Converted Restricted Subsidiary (any of the foregoing, a “Pro Forma Entity”) for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Pro Forma Entity (determined using such definitions as if references to Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries therein were to such Pro Forma Entity and its Restricted Subsidiaries), all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Pro Forma Entity in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Acquired Entity or Business”shall have the meaning provided in the definition of the term Consolidated EBITDA.

 

“Acquired Indebtedness” shall mean, with respect to any specified Person, (i) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is merged, consolidated, or amalgamated with or into or became a Restricted Subsidiary of such specified Person, including Indebtedness incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging, consolidating, or amalgamating with or into or becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of such specified Person, and (ii) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.

 

“Acquisition” shall mean the transactions contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement.

 

“Acquisition Agreement” shall have the meaning provided in the recitals to this Agreement.

	2

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Administrative Agent” shall mean Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., as the administrative agent for the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, or any successor administrative agent pursuant to Section 12.9.

 

“Administrative Agent’s Office”shall mean the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 13.2 or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

“Administrative Questionnaire”shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(b)(ii)(D).

 

“Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with such Person. A Person shall be deemed to control another Person if such Person possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such other Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

“Affiliated Institutional Lender” shall mean (i) any Affiliate of the Sponsor that is either a bona fide debt fund or such Affiliate extends credit or buys loans in the ordinary course of business, (ii) KKR Corporate Lending LLC and (iii) MCS Corporate Lending LLC.

 

“Affiliated Lender” shall mean a Lender that is the Sponsor or any Affiliate thereof (other than Holdings, the Borrower, any other Subsidiary of Holdings, or any Affiliated Institutional Lender).

 

“Agent Parties”shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.17(b).

 

“Agents” shall mean the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and each Joint Lead Arranger and Bookrunner.

 

“Agreement” shall mean this Credit Agreement.

 

“Agreement Currency” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.19.

 

“Applicable Margin” shall mean a percentage per annum with respect to the Initial Term Loans equal to (i)for LIBOR Loans; 5.75% and (ii) for ABR Loans; 4.75%:

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the Applicable Margin in respect of any Class of Extended Term Loans shall be the applicable percentages per annum set forth in the relevant Extension Amendment, (b) the Applicable Margin in respect of any Class of New Term Loans shall be the applicable percentages per annum set forth in the relevant Incremental Amendment, (c) the Applicable Margin in respect of any Class of Replacement Term Loans shall be the applicable percentages per annum set forth in the relevant agreement, and (d) in the case of the Loans and any Class of New Term Loans, the Applicable Margin shall be increased as, and to the extent, necessary to comply with the provisions of Section 2.14.

 

“Approved Fund”shall mean any Fund that is administered or managed by (i) a Lender, (ii) an Affiliate of a Lender, or (iii) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers, advises or manages a Lender.

 

	3

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Asset Sale” shall mean:

 

(i) the sale, conveyance, transfer, or other disposition, whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, of property or assets (including by way of a Sale Leaseback) (each a “disposition”) of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, or

 

(ii) the issuance or sale of Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than preferred stock of Restricted Subsidiaries issued in compliance with Section 10.1), whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, in each case, other than:

 

(a) any disposition of Cash Equivalents or Investment Grade Securities or obsolete, worn out or surplus property or property (including leasehold property interests) that is no longer economically practical in its business or commercially desirable to maintain or no longer used or useful equipment in the ordinary course of business or any disposition of inventory, immaterial assets, or goods (or other assets) in the ordinary course of business (including the disposition of optical goods to FirstSight);

 

(b) the disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of Holdings or the Borrower in a manner permitted pursuant to Section 10.3;

 

(c) the incurrence of Liens that are permitted to be incurred pursuant to Section 10.2 or the making of any Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment (other than pursuant to clause (i) of the definition thereof) that is permitted to be made, and is made, pursuant to Section 10.5;

 

(d) any disposition of assets or issuance or sale of Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary in any transaction or series of transactions with an aggregate Fair Market Value of less than $12,000,000;

 

(e) any disposition of property or assets or issuance of securities by (1) a Restricted Subsidiary to Holdings or (2) by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary to another Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(f) to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Code, or any comparable or successor provision, any exchange of like property (excluding any boot thereon) for use in a Similar Business;

 

(g) any issuance, sale or pledge of Equity Interests in, or Indebtedness, or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(h) foreclosures, condemnation, casualty or any similar action on assets (including dispositions in connection therewith);

 

(i) sales of accounts receivable, or participations therein, and related assets in connection with any Receivables Facility;

 

(j) any financing transaction with respect to property built or acquired by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date, including Sale Leasebacks and asset securitizations permitted by this Agreement;

 

	4

	 

 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(k) (1) any surrender or waiver of contractual rights or the settlement, release, or surrender of contractual rights or other litigation claims, (2) the termination or collapse of cost sharing agreements with Holdings or any Subsidiary and the settlement of any crossing payments in connection therewith, or (3) the settlement, discount, write off, forgiveness, or cancellation of any Indebtedness owing by any present or former consultants, directors, officers, or employees of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings) or any Subsidiary or any of their successors or assigns;

 

(l) the disposition or discount of inventory, accounts receivable, or notes receivable in the ordinary course of business or the conversion of accounts receivable to notes receivable;

 

(m) the licensing or sub-licensing of Intellectual Property or other general intangibles (whether pursuant to franchise agreements or otherwise) in the ordinary course of business;

 

(n) the unwinding of any Hedging Obligations or obligations in respect of Cash Management Services;

 

(o) sales, transfers, and other dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to, customary buy/sell arrangements between the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements;

 

(p) the lapse or abandonment of Intellectual Property rights in the ordinary course of business, which in the reasonable business judgment of the Borrower are not material to the conduct of the business of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

 

(q) the issuance of directors’ qualifying shares and shares issued to foreign nationals as required by applicable law;

 

(r) dispositions of property to the extent that (1) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property that is promptly purchased or (2) the proceeds of such Asset Sale are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property (which replacement property is actually promptly purchased);

 

(s) leases, assignments, subleases, licenses, or sublicenses, in each case in the ordinary course of business and which do not materially interfere with the business of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

(t) dispositions of non-core assets acquired in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or Investment permitted hereunder;

 

(u) to the extent necessary or reasonably considered advisable by the Borrower to comply with requirements of law at such time, dispositions of (A) any retail location or any eye facility located in California and/or (B) FirstSight or any other Managed Care Subsidiary;

 

(v) dispositions pursuant to the Wal-Mart Agreements; and

 

(w) any lease or sublease of real property and related office equipment and personal property to health care professionals (or their Affiliates) or a Managed Care Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business.

 

	5

	 

 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Asset Sale Prepayment Event”shall mean any Asset Sale subject to the Reinvestment Period allowed in Section 10.4; provided, further, that with respect to any Asset Sale Prepayment Event, the Borrower shall not be obligated to make any prepayment otherwise required by Section 5.2 unless and until the aggregate amount of Net Cash Proceeds from all such Asset Sale Prepayment Events, after giving effect to the reinvestment rights set forth herein, exceeds $12,000,000 (the “Prepayment Trigger”) in any fiscal year of Holdings, but then from all such Net Cash Proceeds (excluding amounts below the Prepayment Trigger).

 

“Assignment and Acceptance”shall mean (i) an assignment and acceptance substantially in the form of Exhibit F, or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent and (ii) in the case of any assignment of Term Loans in connection with a Permitted Debt Exchange conducted in accordance with Section 2.15, such form of assignment (if any) as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.15(a).

 

“Auction Agent” shall mean (i) the Administrative Agent or (ii) any other financial institution or advisor employed by Holdings, the Borrower, or any Subsidiary (whether or not an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent) to act as an arranger in connection with any Permitted Debt Exchange pursuant to Section 2.15 or Dutch auction pursuant to Section 13.6(h); provided that Holdings shall not designate the Administrative Agent as the Auction Agent without the written consent of the Administrative Agent (it being understood that the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to agree to act as the Auction Agent); provided, further, that neither Holdings nor any of its Subsidiaries may act as the Auction Agent.

 

“Authorized Officer”shall mean, with respect to any Person, any individual holding the position of chairman of the board (if an officer), the Chief Executive Officer, President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Controller, the Vice President-Finance, a Senior Vice President, a Director, a Manager, or any other senior officer or agent with express authority to act on behalf of such Person designated as such by the board of directors or other managing authority of such Person.

 

“Average New Store Consolidated EBITDA” shall mean, with respect to any Test Period, the numeric average of the amount of Consolidated EBITDA of Stores (excluding New Stores) in their 7th through 10th fiscal quarters after opening of such Stores (e.g., the sum of each such Store’s Consolidated EBITDA for such four quarter period, divided by the number of applicable Stores).

 

“Bankruptcy Code”shall have the meaning provided in Section 11.5.

 

“Benefited Lender” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.8(a).

 

“Board” shall mean the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States (or any successor).

 

“Borrower” shall mean (a) at any time prior to the consummation of the Transactions, the Initial Borrower, (b) upon and at any time after the consummation of the Transactions other than the Secondary Merger, the Surviving Borrower and (c) following the Secondary Merger, NVI.

 

“Borrowing” shall mean Loans of the same Class and Type, made, converted, or continued on the same date and, in the case of LIBOR Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

 

“Business Day”shall mean any day excluding Saturday, Sunday, and any other day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized by law or other governmental actions to close, and, if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a LIBOR Loan, any fundings, disbursements, settlements, and payments in respect of any such LIBOR Loan, or any other dealings in Dollars to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such LIBOR Loan, such day shall be a day on which dealings in deposits in Dollars are conducted by and between banks in the applicable London interbank market.

 

	6

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Capital Expenditures”shall mean, for any period, the aggregate of all expenditures (whether paid in cash or accrued as liabilities and including in all events all amounts expended or capitalized under Capital Leases) by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that, in conformity with GAAP, are or are required to be included as additions during such period to property, plant, or equipment reflected in the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including capitalized software expenditures, customer acquisition costs and incentive payments, conversion costs, and contract acquisition costs).

 

“Capital Lease” shall mean, as applied to any Person, any lease of any property (whether real, personal, or mixed) by that Person as lessee that, in conformity with GAAP, is, or is required to be, accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of that Person; provided that (i) all leases of any Person that are or would be characterized as operating leases in accordance with GAAP immediately prior to December 31, 2013 (whether or not such operating leases were in effect on such date) shall continue to be accounted for as operating leases (and not as Capital Leases) for purposes of this Agreement regardless of any change in GAAP following the date that would otherwise require such leases to be recharacterized as Capital Leases and (ii) all leases for Stores shall be accounted for as operating leases for purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Capital Stock” shall mean (i) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock, (ii) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights, or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock, (iii) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited), and (iv) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person (it being understood and agreed, for the avoidance of doubt, that “cash-settled phantom appreciation programs” in connection with employee benefits that do not require a dividend or distribution shall not constitute Capital Stock).

 

“Capitalized Lease Obligation” shall mean, at the time any determination thereof is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a Capital Lease that would at such time be required to be capitalized and reflected as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) prepared in accordance with GAAP; providedthat all obligations of any Person that are or would be characterized as operating lease obligations in accordance with GAAP immediately prior to December 31, 2013 (whether or not such operating lease obligations were in effect on such date) shall continue to be accounted for as operating lease obligations (and not as Capitalized Lease Obligations) for purposes of this Agreement regardless of any change in GAAP following the date that would otherwise require such obligations to be recharacterized as Capitalized Lease Obligations.

 

“Cash Equivalents” shall mean:

 

(i) Dollars,

 

(ii) (a) Euro, Pounds Sterling, Canadian Dollars, or any national currency of any Participating Member State in the European Union or (b) local currencies held from time to time in the ordinary course of business,

 

	7

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(iii) securities issued or directly and fully and unconditionally guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any country that is a member state of the European Union or any agency or instrumentality thereof the securities of which are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of such government with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition,

 

(iv) certificates of deposit, time deposits, and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year, and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any commercial bank having capital and surplus of not less than $250,000,000 in the case of U.S. banks and $100,000,000 (or the Dollar Equivalent as of the date of determination) in the case of foreign banks,

 

(v) repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses(iii), (iv), and (ix) entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (iv) above,

 

(vi) commercial paper rated at least P-2 by Moody’s or at least A-2 by S&P and in each case maturing within 24 months after the date of creation thereof,

 

(vii) marketable short-term money market and similar securities having a rating of at least P-2 or A-2 from either Moody’s or S&P, respectively (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized ratings agency) and in each case maturing within 24 months after the date of creation or acquisition thereof,

 

(viii) readily marketable direct obligations issued by any state, commonwealth, or territory of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof having one of the two highest rating categories obtainable from either Moody’s or S&P with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition,

 

(ix) Indebtedness or preferred stock issued by Persons with a rating of “A” or higher from S&P or “A2” or higher from Moody’s with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition,

 

(x) solely with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary: (a) obligations of the national government of the country in which such Foreign Subsidiary maintains its chief executive office and principal place of business provided such country is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, in each case maturing within one year after the date of investment therein, (b) certificates of deposit of, bankers acceptances of, or time deposits with, any commercial bank which is organized and existing under the laws of the country in which such Foreign Subsidiary maintains its chief executive office and principal place of business provided such country is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and whose short-term commercial paper rating from S&P is at least “A-2” or the equivalent thereof or from Moody’s is at least “P-2” or the equivalent thereof (any such bank being an “Approved Foreign Bank”), and in each case with maturities of not more than 24 months from the date of acquisition, and (c) the equivalent of demand deposit accounts which are maintained with an Approved Foreign Bank, in each case, customarily used by corporations for cash management purposes in any jurisdiction outside the United States to the extent reasonably required in connection with any business conducted by such Foreign Subsidiary organized in such jurisdiction,

 

	8

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(xi) in the case of investments by any Foreign Subsidiary or investments made in a country outside the United States, Cash Equivalents shall also include investments of the type and maturity described in clauses (i) through (ix) above of foreign obligors, which investments have ratings, described in such clauses or equivalent ratings from comparable foreign rating agencies, and

 

(xii) investment funds investing 90% of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (i) through (ix) above.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cash Equivalents shall include amounts denominated in currencies other than those set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) above; provided that such amounts are converted into any currency listed in clauses (i) and (ii) as promptly as practicable and in any event within ten Business Days following the receipt of such amounts.

 

“Cash Management Agreement” shall mean any agreement or arrangement to provide Cash Management Services.

 

“Cash Management Services” shall mean any one or more of the following types of services or facilities: (i) commercial credit cards, merchant card services, purchase or debit cards, including non-card e-payables services, or electronic funds transfer services, (ii) treasury management services (including controlled disbursement, overdraft automatic clearing house fund transfer services, return items, and interstate depository network services) and (iii) any other demand deposit or operating account relationships or other cash management services, including pursuant to any Cash Management Agreements.

 

“Casualty Event” shall mean, with respect to any property of any Person, any loss of or damage to, or any condemnation or other taking by a Governmental Authority of, such property for which such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries receives insurance proceeds or proceeds of a condemnation award in respect of any equipment, fixed assets, or real property (including any improvements thereon) to replace or repair such equipment, fixed assets, or real property; provided, further, that with respect to any Casualty Event, the Borrower shall not be obligated to make any prepayment otherwise required by Section 5.2 unless and until the aggregate amount of Net Cash Proceeds from all such Casualty Events, after giving effect to the reinvestment rights set forth herein, exceeds $12,000,000 (the “Casualty Prepayment Trigger”) in any fiscal year of Holdings, but then from all such Net Cash Proceeds (excluding amounts below the Casualty Prepayment Trigger).

 

“CFC” shall mean a Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of Section 957 of the Code.

 

“CFC Holding Company” shall mean a Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower substantially all of the assets of which consist of equity or debt of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries that are CFCs.

 

“Change in Law” shall mean (i) the adoption of any law, treaty, order, policy, rule, or regulation after the Closing Date, (ii) any change in any law, treaty, order, policy, rule, or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the Closing Date or (iii) compliance by any Lender with any guideline, request, directive, or order issued or made after the Closing Date by any central bank or other governmental or quasi-governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law), including, for avoidance of doubt any such adoption, change or compliance in respect of (a) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, regulations, guidelines, or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (b) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements, or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority), or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities pursuant to Basel III.

 

	9

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Change of Control” shall mean and be deemed to have occurred if (i) at any time prior to a Qualifying IPO of the Company, the Permitted Holders shall at any time not own, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record, at least 35% of the voting power of the outstanding Voting Stock of Holdings; (ii) any Person, entity, or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than the Permitted Holders, shall at any time have acquired direct or indirect beneficial ownership of a percentage of the voting power of the outstanding Voting Stock of Holdings that exceeds 35% thereof, unless, in case of clause (i) or clause (ii) above, the Permitted Holders have, at such time, the right or the ability by voting power, contract, or otherwise to elect or designate for election at least a majority of the board of directors of Holdings; (iii) at any time, a Change of Control (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement) shall have occurred; or (iv)  at any time prior to a Qualifying IPO of the Company, Holdings shall cease to beneficially own, directly or indirectly, 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Borrower.

 

“Class” (i) when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, shall refer to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Initial Term Loans, New Term Loans (of each Series), Extended Term Loans (of the same Extension Series) or, Replacement Term Loans (of the same Series) and (ii) when used in reference to any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is an Initial Term Loan Commitment or a New Term Loan Commitment.

 

“Closing Date” shall mean March 13, 2014.

 

“Closing Date Refinancing” means the repayment, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other discharge of the Existing Debt Facility and termination and/or release of any security interests and guarantees in connection therewith.

 

“Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

“Collateral” shall mean all property pledged or mortgaged or purported to be pledged or mortgaged pursuant to the Security Documents, excluding in all events Excluded Property.

 

“Collateral Agent” shall mean Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., as collateral agent under the Security Documents, or any successor collateral agent pursuant to Section 12.9, and any Affiliate or designee of Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. may act as the Collateral Agent under any Credit Document.

 

“Commitments” shall mean, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s Initial Term Loan Commitment and; if applicable, New Term Loan Commitment with respect to any Series.

 

“Communications”shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.17(a).

 

“Company” shall have the meaning provided in the preamble to this Agreement and after the Secondary Merger, the Company shall mean NVI.

 

“Company Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning provided to the term “Material Adverse Effect” in the Acquisition Agreement.

 

	10

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Company Representations” shall mean the representations and warranties made by the Company with respect to itself and its subsidiaries in the Acquisition Agreement as are material to the interests of the Lenders, but only to the extent that Holdings (or one of Holdings’ Affiliates) has the right (taking into account any applicable cure provisions) to terminate its obligations under the Acquisition Agreement or decline to consummate the Acquisition as a result of a breach of such representations and warranties in the Acquisition Agreement.

 

“Confidential Information” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.16.

 

“Confidential Information Memorandum”shall mean the Confidential Information Memorandum of Holdings dated February 2014.

 

“Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense” shall mean with respect to any Person for any period, the total amount of depreciation and amortization expense, including the amortization of deferred financing fees or costs, debt issuance costs, commissions, fees, and expenses, capitalized expenditures, customer acquisition costs, the amortization of original issue discount resulting from the issuance of Indebtedness at less than par and incentive payments, conversion costs, and contract acquisition costs of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Consolidated EBITDA” shall mean, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period:

 

(i) increased (without duplication) by:

 

(a) provision for taxes based on income or profits or capital, including, without limitation, U.S. federal, state, non-U.S., franchise, excise, value added, and similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes of such Person paid or accrued during such period deducted, including any penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from any tax examinations (and not added back) in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

 

(b) Fixed Charges of such Person for such period (including (1) net losses on Hedging Obligations or other derivative instruments entered into for the purpose of hedging interest rate risk and (2) costs of surety bonds in connection with financing activities, in each case, to the extent included in Fixed Charges), together with items excluded from the definition of Consolidated Interest Expense and any non-cash interest expense, to the extent the same were deducted (and not added back) in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, plus

 

(c) Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense of such Person for such period to the extent the same were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

 

(d) any expenses, fees, charges, or losses (other than depreciation or amortization expense) related to any Equity Offering, Permitted Investment, Restricted Payment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization, or the incurrence of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by this Agreement (including a refinancing thereof) (whether or not successful and including any such transaction consummated prior to the Closing Date), including (1) such fees, expenses, or charges related to the incurrence of the First Lien Loans and the Loans hereunder and all Transaction Expenses, (2) such fees, expenses, or charges related to the offering of the Credit Documents and any other credit facilities, and (3) any amendment or other modification of the First Lien Loans, the Loans hereunder, or other Indebtedness, and, in each case, deducted (and not added back) in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

 

	11

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(e) any other non-cash charges, including any write offs, write downs, expenses, losses, or items to the extent the same were deducted (and not added back) in computing Consolidated Net Income (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be deducted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent, and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period), plus

 

(f) the amount of any minority interest expense consisting of Subsidiary income attributable to minority equity interests of third parties in any non-Wholly Owned Subsidiary deducted (and not added back) in such period in calculating Consolidated Net Income, plus

 

(g) the amount of management, monitoring, consulting, and advisory fees (including termination fees) and related indemnities and expenses paid or accrued in such period to the Initial Investors or any of their respective Affiliates, plus

 

(h) costs of surety bonds incurred in such period in connection with financing activities, plus

 

(i) the amount of reasonably identifiable and factually supportable “run-rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions, and synergies that are projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions either taken or expected to be taken within 24 months of the determination to take such action, net of the amount of actual benefits realized prior to or during such period from such actions (which cost savings, operating expense reductions, and synergies shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis as though such cost savings, operating expense reductions, or synergies had been realized on the first day of such period), plus

 

(j) the amount of loss or discount on sale of receivables and related assets to the Receivables Subsidiary in connection with a Receivables Facility, plus

 

(k) any costs or expense incurred by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, to the extent that such cost or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of Holdings or net cash proceeds of an issuance of Equity Interests of Holdings (other than Disqualified Stock) solely to the extent that such net cash proceeds are excluded from the calculation set forth in clause (iii) of Section 10.5(a) and have not been relied on for purposes of any incurrence of Indebtedness pursuant to clause (l)(i) of Section 10.1, plus

 

(l) the amount of expenses relating to payments made to option holders of any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings or any of its direct or indirect parent companies in connection with, or as a result of, any distribution being made to shareholders of such Person or its direct or indirect parent companies, which payments are being made to compensate such option holders as though they were shareholders at the time of, and entitled to share in, such distribution, in each case to the extent permitted under this Agreement, plus

 

(m) with respect to any joint venture that is not a Restricted Subsidiary, an amount equal to the proportion of those items described in clauses (a) and (c) above relating to such joint venture corresponding to Holdings’ and the Restricted Subsidiaries’ proportionate share of such joint venture’s Consolidated Net Income (determined as if such joint venture were a Restricted Subsidiary), plus

 

	12

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(n) costs associated with, or in anticipation of, or preparation for, compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith and Public Company Costs, plus

 

(o) cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenses) not included in Consolidated EBITDA in any period solely to the extent that the corresponding non-cash gains relating to such receipts were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to paragraph (2) below for any previous period and not added back, plus

 

(p) to the extent not already included in the Consolidated Net Income, (1) any expenses and charges that are reimbursed by indemnification or other similar provisions in connection with any investment or any sale, conveyance, transfer, or other Asset Sale of assets permitted hereunder and (2) to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed by the insurer and only to the extent that such amount is (A) not denied by the applicable carrier in writing within 180 days and (B) in fact reimbursed within 365 days of the date of the determination by Borrower that there exists such evidence (with a deduction for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within such 365 days), expenses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption, plus

 

(q) for any Test Period, the aggregate amount of “run-rate” Consolidated Net Income projected by the Borrower in good faith to be attributable to New Contracts entered into during such Test Period (or following such Test Period but prior to the date for the delivery of the financial statements for such Test Period pursuant to Section 9.1(a) or (b)) (which amount shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis as though the full annual amount of such Consolidated Net Income attributable to such New Contracts had been realized during such Test Period (without duplication of any amounts attributable to such New Contracts already received in such Test Period)), plus

 

(r) New Store Consolidated EBITDA Adjustments, plus

 

(s) pre-opening costs and expenses incurred during the Test Period for Stores or facilities opened during or after the Test Period, plus

 

(t) charges, expenses, and other items described in the Confidential Information Memorandum or the Sponsor Model,

 

(ii) decreased by (without duplication):

 

(a) non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period, excluding any non-cash gains which represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges that reduced Consolidated EBITDA in any prior period other than non-cash gains relating to the application of Financial Accounting Standards Codification Topic 840— Leases (formerly Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 13); provided that, to the extent non cash gains are deducted pursuant to this clause (ii)(a) for any previous period and not otherwise added back to Consolidated EBITDA, Consolidated EBITDA shall be increased by the amount of any cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenses) in respect of such non cash gains received in subsequent periods to the extent not already included therein, plus

 

	13

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) for any Test Period, the aggregate amount of “run-rate” Consolidated Net Income attributable to Terminated Contracts that have terminated or expired during such Test Period (or following such Test Period but prior to the date for delivery of the financial statements for such Test Period pursuant to Section 9.1(a) or (b)) (which amount shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis so as to eliminate the full annual amount of such Consolidated Net Income attributable to such Terminated Contracts during such Test Period), plus

 

(iii) increased or decreased by (without duplication):

 

(a) any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency gains or losses related to Indebtedness, intercompany balances, and other balance sheet items, plus or minus, as the case may be, and

 

(b) any net gain or loss resulting in such period from Hedging Obligations, and the application of Financial Accounting Standards Codification Topic 815—Derivatives and Hedging (ASC 815) (formerly Financing Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 133), and its related pronouncements and interpretations, or the equivalent accounting standard under GAAP or an alternative basis of accounting applied in lieu of GAAP.

 

For the avoidance of doubt:

 

(i) to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, there shall be excluded in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period any adjustments resulting from the application of ASC 815 and its related pronouncements and interpretations, or the equivalent accounting standard under GAAP or an alternative basis of accounting applied in lieu of GAAP,

 

(ii) there shall be included in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period, without duplication, (1) the Acquired EBITDA of any Person or business, or attributable to any property or asset acquired by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (but not the Acquired EBITDA of any related Person or business or any Acquired EBITDA attributable to any assets or property, in each case to the extent not so acquired) to the extent not subsequently sold, transferred, abandoned, or otherwise disposed by Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each such Person, business, property, or asset acquired and not subsequently so disposed of, an “Acquired Entity or Business”) and the Acquired EBITDA of any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is converted into a Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each, a “Converted Restricted Subsidiary”), based on the actual Acquired EBITDA of such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition or conversion) and (2) an adjustment in respect of each Acquired Entity or Business equal to the amount of the Pro Forma Adjustment with respect to such Acquired Entity or Business for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition);

 

(iii) to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, there shall be excluded in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period the Disposed EBITDA of any Person, property, business, or asset sold, transferred, abandoned, or otherwise disposed of, closed or classified as discontinued operations by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each such Person, property, business, or asset so sold or disposed of, a “Sold Entity or Business”), and the Disposed EBITDA of any Restricted Subsidiary that is converted into an Unrestricted Subsidiary during such period (each, a “Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary”) based on the actual Disposed EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such sale, transfer, or disposition or conversion); provided that for the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding any classification under GAAP of any Person or business in respect of which a definitive agreement for the disposition thereof has been entered into as discontinued operations, the Disposed EBITDA of such Person or business shall not be excluded pursuant to this paragraph until such disposition shall have been consummated; and

 

	14

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(iv) the Equity Rollover Contribution shall not be included in determining Consolidated EBITDA.

 

“Consolidated First LienSecured Debt”shall mean Consolidated Total Debt as of such date secured by a Lien on the Collateral on an equal priority basis (but without regard to the control of remedies) with liens on the Collateral securing the First Lien Obligations.

 

“Consolidated First Lien Secured Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (i) Consolidated First Lien Secured Debt as of such date of determination, minus cash and Cash Equivalents (in each case, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens) of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than the proceeds of any Indebtedness being incurred and giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated First Lien Secured Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio) to (ii) Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the Test Period then last ended, in each case with such pro forma adjustments to Consolidated First Lien Secured Debt and Consolidated EBITDA as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.

 

“Consolidated Interest Expense” shall mean, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of:

 

(i) consolidated cash interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent such expense was deducted (and not added back) in computing Consolidated Net Income (including (a) all commissions, discounts, and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit or bankers acceptances, (b) capitalized interest to the extent paid in cash, and (c) net payments, if any, pursuant to interest rate Hedging Obligations with respect to Indebtedness, and excluding (1) any one-time cash costs associated with breakage in respect of hedging agreements for interest rates, (2) all non-recurring cash interest expense consisting of liquidated damages for failure to timely comply with registration rights obligations, all as calculated on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, (3) any “additional interest” owing pursuant to a registration rights agreement, (4) non-cash interest expense attributable to a parent entity resulting from push-down accounting, but solely to the extent not reducing consolidated cash interest expense in any prior period, (5) any non-cash expensing of bridge, commitment, and other financing fees that have been previously paid in cash, but solely to the extent not reducing consolidated cash interest expense in any prior period, and (6) commissions, discounts, yield, and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any Receivables Facility); less

 

(ii) cash interest income for such period.

 

For purposes of this definition, interest on a Capitalized Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by such Person to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP.

 

	15

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Consolidated Net Income”shall mean, with respect to any Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income, of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis, and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that, without duplication,

 

(i) any after-tax effect of extraordinary, non-recurring, or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or expenses (including relating to the Transactions), severance, relocation costs, curtailments, or modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefits plans, start-up, transition, integration, and other restructuring and business optimization costs, charges, reserves, or expenses (including related to acquisitions after the Closing Date and to the start-up, closure, and/or consolidation of facilities), new product introductions, and one-time compensation charges shall be excluded,

 

(ii) the Net Income for such period shall not include the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles and changes as a result of the adoption or modification of accounting policies during such period,

 

(iii) any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of disposed, abandoned, transferred, closed, or discontinued operations or Stores shall be excluded,

 

(iv) any after-tax effect of gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) attributable to asset dispositions or abandonments other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined in good faith by the board of directors of Holdings, shall be excluded,

 

(v) the Net Income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, shall be excluded; provided that Consolidated Net Income of Holdings shall be increased by the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash or Cash Equivalents) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period,

 

(vi) solely for the purpose of determining the amount available for Restricted Payments under clause (iii)(A) of Section 10.5 the Net Income for such period of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Guarantor) shall be excluded to the extent the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of its Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (which has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by the operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule, or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders, unless such restriction with respect to the payment of dividends or similar distributions (a) has been legally waived, or otherwise released, (b) is imposed pursuant to this Agreement and other Credit Documents, the First Lien Credit Documents, Permitted Debt Exchange Notes, New Term Loans, or Permitted Other Indebtedness, or (c) arises pursuant to an agreement or instrument if the encumbrances and restrictions contained in any such agreement or instrument taken as a whole are not materially less favorable to the Secured Parties than the encumbrances and restrictions contained in the Credit Documents (as determined by the Borrower in good faith); provided that Consolidated Net Income of the referent Person will be increased by the amount of dividends or other distributions or other payments actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) or Cash Equivalents to such Person or a Restricted Subsidiary in respect of such period, to the extent not already included therein,

 

	16

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(vii) effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries) in any line item in such Person’s consolidated financial statements required or permitted by Financial Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805 – Business Combinations and Topic 350 – Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (ASC 805 and ASC 350) (formerly Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement Nos. 141 and 142, respectively) resulting from the application of purchase accounting, including in relation to the Transactions and any acquisition that is consummated after the Closing Date or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of taxes, shall be excluded,

 

(viii) (a) any after-tax effect of income (loss) from the early extinguishment of Indebtedness or Hedging Obligations or other derivative instruments (including deferred financing costs written off and premiums paid), (b) any non-cash income (or loss) related to currency gains or losses related to Indebtedness, intercompany balances, and other balance sheet items and to Hedging Obligations pursuant to ASC 815 (or such successor provision), and (c) any non-cash expense, income, or loss attributable to the movement in mark to market valuation of foreign currencies, Indebtedness, or derivative instruments pursuant to GAAP, shall be excluded,

 

(ix) any impairment charge, asset write-off, or write-down pursuant to ASC 350 and Financial Accounting Standards Codification Topic 360 – Impairment and Disposal of Long-Lived Assets (ASC 360) (formerly Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement Nos. 142 and 144, respectively) and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to ASC 805 shall be excluded,

 

(x) (a) any non-cash compensation expense recorded from grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, phantom equity, stock options units, restricted stock, or other rights to officers, directors, managers, or employees and (b) non-cash income (loss) attributable to deferred compensation plans or trusts, shall be excluded,

 

(xi) any fees and expenses incurred during such period, or any amortization thereof for such period, in connection with any acquisition, Investment, recapitalization, Asset Sale, issuance, or repayment of Indebtedness, issuance of Equity Interests, refinancing transaction or amendment or modification of any debt instrument (in each case, including any such transaction consummated prior to the Closing Date and any such transaction undertaken but not completed) and any charges or non-recurring merger costs incurred during such period as a result of any such transaction shall be excluded,

 

(xii) accruals and reserves (including contingent liabilities) that are established or adjusted within twelve months after the Closing Date that are so required to be established as a result of the Transactions in accordance with GAAP, or changes as a result of adoption or modification of accounting policies, shall be excluded,

 

(xiii) to the extent covered by insurance or indemnification and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed by the insurer or indemnifying party and only to the extent that such amount is (a) not denied by the applicable carrier or indemnifying party in writing within 180 days and (b) in fact reimbursed within 365 days of the date of the determination by Borrower that there exists such evidence (with a deduction for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within 365 days), losses and expenses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption shall be excluded,

 

	17

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(xiv) any deferred tax expense associated with tax deductions or net operating losses arising as a result of the Transactions, or the release of any valuation allowance related to such items, shall be excluded,

 

(xv) any costs or expenses incurred during such period relating to environmental remediation, litigation, or other disputes in respect of events and exposures that occurred prior to the Closing Date shall be excluded, and

 

(xvi) Consolidated Net Income for any Test Period shall be (a) increased by the aggregate amount of “run-rate” Consolidated Net Income projected by the Borrower in good faith to be attributable to New Contracts entered into during such Test Period (or following such Test Period but prior to the date for the delivery of the financial statements for such Test Period pursuant to Section 9.1(a) or (b)) (which amount shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis as though the full annual amount of such Consolidated Net Income attributable to such New Contracts had been realized during such Test Period (without duplication of any amounts attributable to such New Contracts already received in such Test Period)) and (b) decreased by the aggregate amount of “run-rate” Consolidated Net Income attributable to Terminated Contracts that have terminated or expired during such Test Period (or following such Test Period but prior to the date for delivery of the financial statements for such Test Period pursuant to Section 9.1(a) or (b)) (which amount shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis so as to eliminate the full annual amount of such Consolidated Net Income attributable to such Terminated Contracts during such Test Period), and

 

(xvii) any net increase or decrease in deferred revenue from the sale of Eye Care Club memberships, product warranty programs and other programs providing deferred revenue shall be excluded.

 

“Consolidated Senior Secured Debt” shall mean the Consolidated Total Debt as of such date secured by a Lien on the Collateral.

 

“Consolidated Senior Secured Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (i) Consolidated Senior Secured Debt as of such date of determination, minus cash and Cash Equivalents (in each case, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens) of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than the proceeds of any Indebtedness being incurred and giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Senior Secured Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio) to (ii) Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the Test Period then last ended, in each case with such pro forma adjustments to Consolidated Senior Secured Debt and Consolidated EBITDA as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.

 

“Consolidated Total Assets”shall mean, as of any date of determination, the amount that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption “total assets” (or any like caption) on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries at such date.

 

“Consolidated Total Debt” shall mean, as at any date of determination, an amount equal to the sum of the aggregate amount of all outstanding Indebtedness of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis consisting of Indebtedness for borrowed money, Capitalized Lease Obligations and debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes and similar instruments (and excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Hedging Obligations); provided that Consolidated Total Debt shall not include Letters of Credit (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement), except to the extent of Unpaid Drawings (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement) thereunder.

 

	18

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio”shall mean, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (i) Consolidated Total Debt as of such date of determination, minus cash and Cash Equivalents (in each case, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens) of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than the proceeds of any Indebtedness being incurred and giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio) to (ii) Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the Test Period then last ended, in each case with such pro forma adjustments to Consolidated Total Debt and Consolidated EBITDA as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.

 

“Consolidated Working Capital” shall mean, at any date, the excess of (i) the sum of all amounts (other than cash and Cash Equivalents) that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption “total current assets” (or any like caption) on a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries at such date excluding the current portion of current and deferred income taxes over (ii) the sum of all amounts that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption “total current liabilities” (or any like caption) on a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries on such date, but excluding, without duplication, (a) the current portion of any Funded Debt, (b) all Indebtedness consisting of Loans and Letter of Credit Exposure (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement) and Capital Leases to the extent otherwise included therein, (c) the current portion of interest, (d) the current portion of current and deferred income taxes, (e) any liabilities that are not Indebtedness and will not be settled in cash or Cash Equivalents during the next succeeding twelve month period after such date, (f) the effects from applying purchase accounting, (g) any accrued professional liability risks, (h) restricted marketable securities and (i) current portion of deferred revenue.

 

“Contingent Obligations” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any obligation of such Person guaranteeing any leases, dividends, or other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness (“primary obligations”) of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, any obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent, (i) to purchase any such primary obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (ii) to advance or supply funds (a) for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation or (b) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, or (iii) to purchase property, securities, or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof.

 

“Contract Consideration” shall have the meaning provided in the definition of Excess Cash Flow.

 

“Contractual Requirement”shall have the meaning provided in Section 8.3.

 

“Converted Restricted Subsidiary”shall have the meaning provided in the definition of the term Consolidated EBITDA.

 

“Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary”shall have the meaning provided in the definition of the term Consolidated EBITDA.

 

“Counterparty” shall mean a Person other than a retail customer.

 

	19

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Credit Documents”shall mean this Agreement, each Joinder Agreement, the Guarantees, the Security Documents, and any promissory notes issued by the Borrower pursuant hereto.

 

“Credit Event”shall mean and include the making (but not the conversion or continuation) of a Loan.

 

“Credit Facility” shall mean a category of Commitments and extensions of credit thereunder.

 

“Credit Party”shall mean Holdings, the Borrower, and the other Guarantors.

 

“Cure Amount” shall have the meaning provided in Section 11.15 of the First Lien Credit Agreement.

 

“Debt Incurrence Prepayment Event” shall mean any issuance or incurrence by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries of any Indebtedness (excluding any Indebtedness permitted to be issued or incurred under Section 10.1 other than Section 10.1(w)(i) or Section 10.1(x)(i)(b)).

 

“Declined Proceeds”shall have the meaning provided in Section 5.2(f).

 

“Default” shall mean any event, act, or condition that with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

 

“Default Rate” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.8(c).

 

“Defaulting Lender” shall mean any Lender whose acts or failure to act, whether directly or indirectly, cause it to meet any part of the definition of Lender Default.

 

“Deferred Net Cash Proceeds”shall have the meaning provided such term in the definition of Net Cash Proceeds.

 

“Deferred Net Cash Proceeds Payment Date”shall have the meaning provided such term in the definition of Net Cash Proceeds.

 

“Designated Non-Cash Consideration”shall mean the Fair Market Value of non-cash consideration received by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated as Designated Non-Cash Consideration pursuant to a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings or the Borrower, setting forth the basis of such valuation, executed by either a senior vice president or the principal financial officer of Holdings or the Borrower, less the amount of cash or Cash Equivalents received in connection with a subsequent sale of or collection on or other disposition of such Designated Non-Cash Consideration. A particular item of Designated Non-Cash Consideration will no longer be considered to be outstanding when and to the extent it has been paid, redeemed or otherwise retired or sold or otherwise disposed of in compliance with Section 10.4.

 

“Designated Preferred Stock” shall mean preferred stock of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings (in each case other than Disqualified Stock) that is issued for cash (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary or an employee stock ownership plan or trust established by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries) and is so designated as Designated Preferred Stock, pursuant to an officer’s certificate executed by the principal financial officer of Holdings or the parent company thereof, as the case may be, on the issuance date thereof, the cash proceeds of which are excluded from the calculation set forth in clause (iii) of Section 10.5(a).

 

	20

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Disposed EBITDA”shall mean, with respect to any Sold Entity or Business or any Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary (determined as if references to Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the definition of Consolidated EBITDA were references to such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary and its respective Subsidiaries), all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.

 

“disposition” shall have the meaning assigned such term in clause (i) of the definition of Asset Sale.

 

“Disqualified Lenders” shall mean such Persons (i) that have been specified in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arrangers prior to the commencement of “primary syndication” as being Disqualified Lenders, (ii) who are competitors of Holdings and its Subsidiaries that are separately identified in writing by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent from time to time, and (iii) in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii), any of their Affiliates (other than any such Affiliate that is affiliated with a financial investor in such Person and that is not itself an operating company or otherwise an Affiliate of an operating company so long as such Affiliate is a bona fide Fund) that are either (a) identified in writing by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent from time to time or (b) clearly identifiable on the basis of such Affiliate’s name. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Loan Party and the Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Administrative Agent shall not have any responsibility or obligation to determine whether any Lender or potential Lender is a Disqualified Lender and the Administrative Agent shall have no liability with respect to any assignment made to a Disqualified Lender.

 

“Disqualified Stock” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of such Person which, by its terms, or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is putable or exchangeable, or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Qualified Stock), other than as a result of a change of control, asset sale, or similar event, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Qualified Stock), other than as a result of a change of control, asset sale, or similar event, in whole or in part, in each case, prior to the date that is 91 days after the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date hereunder; provided that if such Capital Stock is issued to any plan for the benefit of employees of Holdings or its Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Capital Stock shall not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because it may be required to be repurchased by Holdings or its Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations or as a result of such employee’s termination, death, or disability.

 

“Dollar Equivalent” shall mean, at any time, (i) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, such amount, and (ii) with respect to any amount denominated in any currency other than Dollars, the equivalent amount thereof in Dollars, as determined by the Administrative Agent on the basis of the Spot Rate (determined on the most recent relevant date of determination) for the purchase of Dollars with such currency.

 

“Dollars”and “$” shall mean dollars in lawful currency of the United States.

 

“Domestic Subsidiary” shall mean each Subsidiary of Holdings that is organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia.

 

“Effective Yield” shall mean, as to any Indebtedness, the effective yield on such Indebtedness in the reasonable determination of the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower and consistent with generally accepted financial practices, taking into account the applicable interest rate margins, any interest rate floors (the effect of which floors shall be determined in a manner set forth in the proviso below), or similar devices and all fees, including upfront or similar fees or original issue discount (amortized over the shorter of (i) the remaining weighted average life to maturity of such Indebtedness and (ii) the four years following the date of incurrence thereof) payable generally to Lenders or other institutions providing such Indebtedness, but excluding any arrangement, structuring, ticking, or other similar fees payable in connection therewith that are not generally shared with the relevant Lenders and, if applicable, consent fees for an amendment paid generally to consenting Lenders; provided that with respect to any Indebtedness that includes a “LIBOR floor” or “ABR floor,” (a) to the extent that the LIBOR Rate (with an Interest Period of three months) or ABR (without giving effect to any floors in such definitions), as applicable, on the date that the Effective Yield is being calculated is less than such floor, the amount of such difference shall be deemed added to the interest rate margin for such Indebtedness for the purpose of calculating the Effective Yield and (b) to the extent that the LIBOR Rate (with an Interest Period of three months) or ABR (without giving effect to any floors in such definitions), as applicable, on the date that the Effective Yield is being calculated is greater than such floor, then the floor shall be disregarded in calculating the Effective Yield.

 

	21

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Environmental Claims” shall mean any and all actions, suits, orders, decrees, demand letters, claims, notices of noncompliance or potential responsibility or violation, or proceedings pursuant to any Environmental Law or any permit issued, or any approval given, under any such Environmental Law (hereinafter, “Claims”), including, without limitation, (i) any and all Claims by governmental or regulatory authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial, or other actions or damages pursuant to any Environmental Law and (ii) any and all Claims by any third party seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation, or injunctive relief relating to the presence Release or threatened Release of Hazardous Materials or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to health or safety (to the extent relating to human exposure to Hazardous Materials), or the environment including, without limitation, ambient air, indoor air, surface water, groundwater, soil, land surface and subsurface strata, and natural resources such as wetlands.

 

“Environmental Law” shall mean any applicable federal, state, foreign, or local statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, and rule of common law now or hereafter in effect and in each case as amended, and any binding judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any binding judicial or administrative order, consent decree, or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of the environment, including, without limitation, ambient air, indoor air, surface water, groundwater, soil, land surface and subsurface strata and natural resources such as flora, fauna, or wetlands, or protection of human health or safety (to the extent relating to human exposure to Hazardous Materials) and including those relating to the generation, storage, treatment, transport, Release, or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials.

 

“Equity Interest” shall mean Capital Stock and all warrants, options, or other rights to acquire Capital Stock, but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock.

 

“Equity Investments”shall have the meaning provided in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Equity Offering” shall mean any public or private sale of common stock or preferred stock of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings (excluding Disqualified Stock), other than: (i) public offerings with respect to the Company or any of its direct or indirect parent company’s (including Holdings’) common stock registered on Form S-8, (ii) issuances to any Subsidiary of Holdings, (iii) any such public or private sale that constitutes an Excluded Contribution, (iv) any Cure Amount, and (v) any Rollover Equity or Equity Rollover Contribution.

 

	22

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Equity Rollover Contribution” shall have the meaning provided in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Equity Rollover Interests” shall have the meaning provided in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

 

“ERISA Affiliate” shall mean any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with any Credit Party, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 (b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).

 

“ERISA Event” shall mean (i) the failure of any Plan to comply with any provisions of ERISA and/or the Code (and applicable regulations under either) or with the terms of such Plan; (ii) the existence with respect to any Plan of a non-exempt Prohibited Transaction; (iii) any Reportable Event; (iv) the failure of any Credit Party or ERISA Affiliate to make by its due date a required installment under Section 430(j) of the Code with respect to any Pension Plan or any failure by any Pension Plan to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Pension Plan, whether or not waived; (v) a determination that any Pension Plan is in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA); (vi) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Pension Plan; (vii) the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or the incurrence by any Credit Party or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Pension Plan, including but not limited to the imposition of any Lien in favor of the PBGC or any Pension Plan; (viii) the receipt by any Credit Party or any of its ERISA Affiliates from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice to terminate any Pension Plan or to appoint a trustee to administer any Pension Plan under Section 4042 of ERISA; (ix) the failure by any Credit Party or any of its ERISA Affiliates to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan; (x) the incurrence by any Credit Party or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Pension Plan (or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA) or Multiemployer Plan; (xi) the receipt by any Credit Party or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any notice concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, Insolvent or in Reorganization, in “endangered” or “critical” status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA), or terminated (within the meaning of Section 4041A of ERISA); or (xii) the failure by any Credit Party or any of its ERISA Affiliates to pay when due (after expiration of any applicable grace period) any installment payment with respect to Withdrawal Liability under Section 4201 of ERISA.

 

“Event of Default”shall have the meaning provided in Section 11.

 

“Excess Cash Flow”shall mean, for any period, an amount equal to the excess of:

 

(i) the sum, without duplication, of:

 

(a) Consolidated Net Income for such period,

 

(b) an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash charges to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income and cash receipts to the extent excluded in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

 

	23

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(c) decreases in Consolidated Working Capital for such period (other than (1) reclassification of items from short-term to long-term or vice versa and (2) any such decreases arising from acquisitions or Asset Sales by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting),

 

(d) an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash loss on Asset Sales by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Asset Sales in the ordinary course of business) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, and

 

(e) cash receipts in respect of Hedge Agreements during such period to the extent not otherwise included in Consolidated Net Income,

 

(f) increases in current and non-current deferred revenue to the extent deducted or not included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

 

over (ii) the sum, without duplication, of:

 

(a) an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, cash charges to the extent excluded in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, and Transaction Expenses to the extent not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income and paid in cash during such period,

 

(b) without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to clause (k) below in prior periods, the amount of Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of Intellectual Property accrued or made in cash during such period, except to the extent that such Capital Expenditures or acquisitions were financed with the proceeds of long-term Indebtedness of Holdings or the Restricted Subsidiaries (unless such Indebtedness has been repaid other than with the proceeds of long-term indebtedness) other than intercompany loans,

 

(c) the aggregate amount of all principal payments of Indebtedness of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including (1) the principal component of payments in respect of Capitalized Lease Obligations, (2) the amount of any scheduled repayment of First Lien Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.5 (or any comparable provisions) of the First Lien Credit Agreement or Loans pursuant to Section 2.5, and (3) the amount of a mandatory prepayment of Loans pursuant to Section 5.2(a) and of First Lien Term Loans pursuant to Section 5.2(a) (or any comparable provision) of the First Lien Credit Agreement) to the extent required due to an Asset Sale that resulted in an increase to Consolidated Net Income and not in excess of the amount of such increase but excluding (A) all other prepayments of Loans and First Lien Term Loans and (B) all prepayments of Revolving Loans (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement) (and any other revolving loans (unless there is an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder)) made during such period, except to the extent financed with the proceeds of other long-term Indebtedness of Holdings or the Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(d) an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash gain on Asset Sales by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Asset Sales in the ordinary course of business) to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

 

(e) increases in Consolidated Working Capital for such period (other than (1) reclassification of items from short-term to long-term or vice versa and (2) any such increases arising from acquisitions or Asset Sales by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting),

 

	24

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(f) payments in cash by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period in respect of long-term liabilities of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries other than Indebtedness, to the extent not already deducted from Consolidated Net Income,

 

(g) without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to clause (k) below in prior fiscal periods, the aggregate amount of cash consideration paid by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries (on a consolidated basis) in connection with Investments (including acquisitions) (but excluding Permitted Investments of the type described in clauses (i) and (ii) thereof) made during such period constituting Permitted Investments or made pursuant to Section 10.5 to the extent that such Investments were not financed with the proceeds received from (1) the issuance or incurrence of long-term Indebtedness or (2) the issuance of Capital Stock,

 

(h) the amount of dividends paid in cash during such period (on a consolidated basis) by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent such dividends were not financed with the proceeds received from (1) the issuance or incurrence of long-term Indebtedness or (2) the issuance of Capital Stock,

 

(i) the aggregate amount of expenditures actually made by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries in cash during such period (including expenditures for the payment of financing fees) to the extent that such expenditures are not expensed during such period and are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income,

 

(j) the aggregate amount of any premium, make-whole, or penalty payments actually paid in cash by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that are made in connection with any prepayment of Indebtedness to the extent that such payments are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income,

 

(k) without duplication of amounts deducted from Excess Cash Flow in other periods, (1) the aggregate consideration required to be paid in cash by Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to binding contracts (the “Contract Consideration”) entered into prior to or during such period and (2) any planned cash expenditures by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (the “Planned Expenditures”), in the case of each of clauses (1) and (2), relating to Permitted Acquisitions (or Investments similar to those made for Permitted Acquisitions), Capital Expenditures, or acquisitions of Intellectual Property to be consummated or made during the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of Holdings following the end of such period (except to the extent financed with any of the proceeds received from (A) the issuance or incurrence of long-term Indebtedness or (B) the issuance of Equity Interests); provided that to the extent that the aggregate amount of cash actually utilized to finance such Permitted Acquisitions (or Investments similar to those made for Permitted Acquisitions), Capital Expenditures, or acquisitions of Intellectual Property during such following period of four consecutive fiscal quarters is less than the Contract Consideration and Planned Expenditures, the amount of such shortfall shall be added to the calculation of Excess Cash Flow, at the end of such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters,

 

(l) the amount of taxes (including penalties and interest) paid in cash or tax reserves set aside or payable (without duplication) in such period to the extent they exceed the amount of tax expense deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period,

 

	25

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(m) cash expenditures in respect of Hedge Agreements during such period to the extent not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, and

 

(n) decreases in current and non-current deferred revenue to the extent included or not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income.

 

“Excluded Contribution” shall mean net cash proceeds, the Fair Market Value of marketable securities, or the Fair Market Value of Qualified Proceeds received by Holdings from (i) contributions to its common equity capital, and (ii) the sale (other than to a Subsidiary of Holdings or to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement of Holdings) of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock and Designated Preferred Stock) of Holdings, in each case designated as Excluded Contributions pursuant to an officer’s certificate executed by either a senior vice president or the principal financial officer of the Borrower on the date such capital contributions are made or the date such Equity Interests are sold, as the case may be, which are excluded from the calculation set forth in clause (iii) of Section 10.5(a); provided that (i) any non-cash assets shall qualify only if acquired by a parent of Holdings in an arm’s-length transaction within the six months prior to such contribution, (ii) no Cure Amount shall constitute an Excluded Contribution and (iii) no Equity Rollover Contribution shall constitute an Excluded Contribution.

 

“Excluded Property” shall have the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

 

“Excluded Stock andStock Equivalents”shall mean (i) any Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents with respect to which, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (as agreed to in writing), the cost or other consequences of pledging such Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents in favor of the Secured Parties under the Security Documents shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom(it being understood that prior to the First Lien Termination Date, the judgment of the First Lien Administrative Agent in respect of the matters described in this clause (i) shall be deemed to be the judgment of the Administrative Agent with respect to such matters), (ii) solely in the case of any pledge of Capital Stock and Stock Equivalents of any Foreign Subsidiary or any CFC Holding Company, any Voting Stock or Stock Equivalents of any class of such Foreign Subsidiary or such CFC Holding Company in excess of 66% of the outstanding Voting Stock of such class, (iii) any Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents to the extent the pledge thereof would violate any applicable Requirement of Law (including any legally effective requirement to obtain the consent of any Governmental Authority unless such consent has been obtained), (iv) in the case of (A) any Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents of any Subsidiary to the extent such Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents are subject to a Lien permitted by clause (ix) of the definition of Permitted Lien or (B) any Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents of any Subsidiary that is not Wholly-Owned by Holdings and its Subsidiaries at the time such Subsidiary becomes a Subsidiary, any Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents of each such Subsidiary described in clause (A) or (B) to the extent (I) that a pledge thereof to secure the Obligations is prohibited by any applicable Contractual Requirement (other than customary non-assignment provisions which are ineffective under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law and other than proceeds thereof the assignment of which is expressly deemed effective under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law notwithstanding such prohibition or restriction), (II) any Contractual Requirement prohibits such a pledge without the consent of any other party; provided that this clause (II) shall not apply if (x) such other party is a Credit Party or Wholly-Owned Subsidiary or (y) consent has been obtained to consummate such pledge (it being understood that the foregoing shall not be deemed to obligate Holdings or any Subsidiary to obtain any such consent) and for so long as such Contractual Requirement or replacement or renewal thereof is in effect, or (III) a pledge thereof to secure the Obligations would give any other party (other than a Credit Party or Wholly-Owned Subsidiary) to any contract, agreement, instrument, or indenture governing such Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents the right to terminate its obligations thereunder (other than customary non-assignment provisions which are ineffective under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law and other than proceeds thereof the assignment of which is expressly deemed effective under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law notwithstanding such prohibition or restriction), (v) any Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents of any Subsidiary to the extent that the pledge of such Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents would result in materially adverse tax consequences to Holdings or any Subsidiary as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent, (vi) any Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents that are margin stock, and (vii) any Capital Stock and Stock Equivalents of any Subsidiary that is not a Material Subsidiary or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, a captive insurance Subsidiary, an SPV, any special purpose entity or a Managed Care Subsidiary.

 

	26

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Excluded Subsidiary”shall mean (i) each Subsidiary, in each case, for so long as any such Subsidiary does not (on a consolidated basis with its Restricted Subsidiaries) constitute a Material Subsidiary, (ii) each Subsidiary that is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary on any date such Subsidiary would otherwise be required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the requirements of Section 9.11 (for so long as such Subsidiary remains a non-Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary), (iii) any CFC Holding Company, (iv) any Domestic Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary of a Foreign Subsidiary that is a CFC, (v) any Foreign Subsidiary, (vi) each Subsidiary that is prohibited by any applicable Contractual Requirement or Requirement of Law from guaranteeing or granting Liens to secure the Obligations at the time such Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (and for so long as such restriction or any replacement or renewal thereof is in effect), (vii) each Subsidiary with respect to which, as reasonably determined by Holdings, the consequence of providing a Guarantee of the Obligations would adversely affect the ability of Holdings and its Subsidiaries to satisfy applicable Requirements of Law, (viii) any other Subsidiary with respect to which, (a) in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent and Borrower, as agreed in writing, the cost or other consequences of providing a Guarantee of the Obligations shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom (it being understood that prior to the First Lien Termination Date, the determination of the First Lien Administrative Agent in respect of the matters described in this clause (viii)(a) shall be deemed to be the determination of the Administrative Agent with respect to such matters) or (b) providing such a Guarantee would result in material adverse tax consequences as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent, (ix) each Unrestricted Subsidiary, (x) any Receivables Subsidiary, (xi) each other Subsidiary acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition or other Investment permitted hereunder and financed with assumed secured Indebtedness permitted hereunder, and each Restricted Subsidiary acquired in such Permitted Acquisition or other Investment permitted hereunder that guarantees such Indebtedness, in each case to the extent that, and for so long as, the documentation relating to such Indebtedness to which such Subsidiary is a party prohibits such Subsidiary from guaranteeing the Obligations and such prohibition was not created in contemplation of such Permitted Acquisition or other Investment permitted hereunder, (xii) each SPV or not-for-profit Subsidiary and (xiii) any Managed Care Subsidiary.

 

“Excluded Taxes” shall mean, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party hereunder or under any other Credit Document, (i) Taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income, net profits, or branch profits (however denominated, and including (for the avoidance of doubt) any backup withholding in respect thereof under Section 3406 of the Code or any similar provision of state, local, or foreign law), and franchise (and similar) Taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income Taxes), in each case by a jurisdiction (including any political subdivision thereof) as a result of such recipient being organized in, having its principal office in, or in the case of any Lender, having its applicable lending office in, such jurisdiction, or as a result of any other present or former connection with such jurisdiction (other than any such connection arising solely from this Agreement or any other Credit Documents or any transactions contemplated thereunder), (ii) any United States federal withholding Tax imposed on any payment by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party hereunder or under any other Credit Document that is required to be imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of a Lender pursuant to laws in force at the time such Lender acquires an interest in any Credit Document (or designates a new lending office), other than in the case of a Lender that is an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 13.7 (or that designates a new lending office pursuant to a request by the Borrower), except to the extent that such Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, immediately prior to the designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Credit Parties with respect to such withholding Tax pursuant to Section 5.4, (iii) any withholding Taxes attributable to a recipient’s failure to comply with Section 5.4(e), or (iv) any United States federal withholding Tax imposed under FATCA.

 

	27

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Existing Class” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(g).

 

“Extended Term Loans” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(g)(i).

 

“Extending Lender” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(g)(iii).

 

“Extension Amendment” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(g)(iv).

 

“Extension Date” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(g)(v).

 

“Extension Election” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(g)(iii).

 

“Extension Request” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(g)(i).

 

“Extension Series” shall mean all Extended Term Loans that are established pursuant to the same Extension Amendment (or any subsequent Extension Amendment to the extent such Extension Amendment expressly provides that the Extended Term Loans, provided for therein are intended to be a part of any previously established Extension Series) and that provide for the same interest margins, extension fees, and amortization schedule.

 

“Eye Care Club” shall mean the multi-year programs offered from locations operated by Holdings or its Subsidiaries pursuant to which a purchaser/customer obtains the right to obtain multiple eye examinations and discounts on eyewear during the program period.

 

“Fair Market Value” shall mean with respect to any asset or group of assets on any date of determination, the value of the consideration obtainable in a sale of such asset at such date of determination assuming a sale by a willing seller to a willing purchaser dealing at arm’s length and arranged in an orderly manner over a reasonable period of time having regard to the nature and characteristics of such asset, as determined in good faith by the Borrower.

 

“FATCA” shall mean Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version described above), and any intergovernmental agreements (or related legislation or official administrative rules or practices) implementing the foregoing.

 

	28

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Federal Funds Effective Rate” shall mean, for any day, the weighted average of the per annumrates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers on such day, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; provided that (i) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (ii) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day shall be the average rate charged to the Administrative Agent on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

“Fees” shall mean all amounts payable pursuant to, or referred to in, Section 4.1.

 

“First Lien Administrative Agent” shall mean Goldman Sachs Bank USA, in its capacity as the Administrative Agent under and as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement, or any successor administrative agent appointed in accordance with the terms and provisions of the First Lien Credit Agreement.

 

“First Lien Base Incremental Amount” shall mean collectively (i) New Term Loans, New Term Loan Commitments, Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, and Incremental Revolving Credit Loans (in each case, as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement) issued or incurred (including any unused commitments obtained) pursuant to clause (ii)(a) of the definition of “Maximum Incremental Facilities Amount” in the First Lien Credit Agreement (as in effect on the Closing Date) and (ii) Permitted Other Indebtedness issued or incurred (including any unused commitments obtained) pursuant to Section 10.1(x)(i)(a) of the First Lien Credit Agreement (as in effect on the Closing Date) pursuant to clause (i)(a) of the definition of “Maximum Incremental Facilities Amount” as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement (as in effect on the Closing Date).

 

“First Lien Credit Agreement” shall mean the Credit Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, among Holdings, the Borrower, the guarantors party thereto, the lenders party thereto, the other parties from time to time party thereto, and the First Lien Administrative Agent.

 

“First Lien Credit Documents” shall have the meaning given the term “Credit Documents” in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

 

“First Lien Facilities” shall have the meaning provided in the recitals of this Agreement.

 

“First Lien Loans” shall mean the Loans under and as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

 

“First Lien Obligations” shall have the meaning provided to the term “Obligations” in the First Lien Credit Agreement and any modification, replacement, refinancing, refunding, renewal, or extension thereof.

 

“First Lien Revolving Loans” shall have the meaning provided to the term “Revolving Loan” in the First Lien Credit Agreement” and any modification, replacement, refinancing, refunding, renewal, or extension thereof.

 

“First Lien Term Loans” shall have the meaning provided to the term “Term Loans” in the First Lien Credit Agreement and any modification, replacement, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension thereof.

 

	29

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“First Lien Termination Date” shall mean the date on which the Discharge of Senior Obligations (as such term is defined in the Intercreditor Agreement) has occurred.

 

“FirstSight” shall mean FirstSight Vision Services, Inc., a California corporation.

 

“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (i) Consolidated EBITDA for the Test Period then last ended to (ii) the Fixed Charges for such Test Period. In the event that Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary incurs, assumes, guarantees, redeems, retires, or extinguishes any Indebtedness or issues or redeems Disqualified Stock or preferred stock subsequent to the commencement of the Test Period but prior to or simultaneously with the date of determination, then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving Pro Forma Effect to such incurrence, assumption, guarantee, redemption, retirement, or extinguishment of Indebtedness, or such issuance or redemption of Disqualified Stock or preferred stock (in each case, including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the Test Period; provided, however, that Pro Forma Effect shall not give effect to any Indebtedness incurred on the date of such determination (except pursuant to the first paragraph of Section 10.1 and Section 10.1(n)).

 

“Fixed Charges” shall mean, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum of:

 

(i) Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person for such period,

 

(ii) all cash dividend payments (excluding items eliminated in consolidation) on any series of preferred stock (including any Designated Preferred Stock) or any Refunding Capital Stock of such Person made during such period, and

 

(iii) all cash dividend payments (excluding items eliminated in consolidation) on any series of Disqualified Stock made during such period.

 

“Foreign Benefit Arrangement” shall mean any employee benefit arrangement mandated by non-U.S. law that is maintained or contributed to by any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

“Foreign Plan”shall mean each employee benefit plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, whether or not subject to ERISA) that is not subject to U.S. law and is maintained or contributed to by any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

“Foreign Plan Event” shall mean, with respect to any Foreign Plan or Foreign Benefit Arrangement, (i) the failure to make or, if applicable, accrue in accordance with normal accounting practices, any employer or employee contributions required by applicable law or by the terms of such Foreign Plan or Foreign Benefit Arrangement; (ii) the failure to register or loss of good standing (if applicable) with applicable regulatory authorities of any such Foreign Plan or Foreign Benefit Arrangement required to be registered; or (iii) the failure of any Foreign Plan or Foreign Benefit Arrangement to comply with any provisions of applicable law and regulations or with the terms of such Foreign Plan or Foreign Benefit Arrangement.

 

“Foreign Subsidiary” shall mean each Subsidiary of Holdings that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

 

“Fund” shall mean any Person (other than a natural Person) that is engaged or advises funds or other investment vehicles that are engaged in making, purchasing, holding, or investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course.

 

	30

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Funded Debt” shall mean all Indebtedness of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries for borrowed money that matures more than one year from the date of its creation or matures within one year from such date that is renewable or extendable, at the option of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, to a date more than one year from the date of its creation or arises under a revolving credit or similar agreement that obligates the lender or lenders to extend credit during a period of more than one year from such date (including all amounts of such Funded Debt required to be paid or prepaid within one year from the date of its creation), and, in the case of the Credit Parties, Indebtedness in respect of the Loans and the First Lien Loans.

 

“GAAP” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, as in effect from time to time; provided, however, that if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the Closing Date in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision, regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith. Furthermore, at any time after the Closing Date, Holdings may elect to apply International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) accounting principles in lieu of GAAP and, upon any such election, references herein to GAAP and GAAP concepts shall thereafter be construed to refer to IFRS and corresponding IFRS concepts (except as otherwise provided in this Agreement); provided any such election, once made, shall be irrevocable; provided, further, that any calculation or determination in this Agreement that requires the application of GAAP for periods that include fiscal quarters ended prior to Holdings’ election to apply IFRS shall remain as previously calculated or determined in accordance with GAAP. The Borrower shall give written notice of any such election made in accordance with this definition to the Administrative Agent. For the avoidance of doubt, solely making an election (without any other action) referred to in this definition will not be treated as an incurrence of Indebtedness. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, the amount of any Indebtedness under GAAP with respect to Capitalized Lease Obligations shall be determined in accordance with the definition of Capitalized Lease Obligations.

 

“Governmental Authority”shall mean any nation, sovereign, or government, any state, province, territory, or other political subdivision thereof, and any entity or authority exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory, or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, including a central bank or stock exchange.

 

“Granting Lender” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(g).

 

“Guarantee” shall mean (i) the Guarantee made by Holdings and each other Guarantor in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit B, and (ii) any other guarantee of the Obligations made by a Restricted Subsidiary in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

“guarantee obligations”shall mean, as to any Person, any obligation of such Person guaranteeing or intended to guarantee any Indebtedness of any primary obligor in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including any obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent, (i) to purchase any such Indebtedness or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (ii) to advance or supply funds (a) for the purchase or payment of any such Indebtedness or (b) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (iii) to purchase property, securities, or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such Indebtedness of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such Indebtedness, or (iv) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of such Indebtedness against loss in respect thereof; provided, however, that the term guarantee obligations shall not include endorsements of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations or product warranties in effect on the Closing Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness). The amount of any guarantee obligation shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the Indebtedness in respect of which such guarantee obligation is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof (assuming such Person is required to perform thereunder) as determined by such Person in good faith.

 

	31

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Guarantors” shall mean (i) each Subsidiary of Holdings that is party to the Guarantee on the Closing Date, (ii) each Subsidiary of Holdings that becomes a party to the Guarantee after the Closing Date pursuant to Section 9.11 or otherwise, and (iii) Holdings; provided that in no event shall any Excluded Subsidiary be required to be a Guarantor (unless such Subsidiary is no longer an Excluded Subsidiary).

 

“Hazardous Materials”shall mean (i) any petroleum or petroleum products, radioactive materials, friable asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, and radon gas; (ii) any chemicals, materials, or substances defined as or included in the definition of “hazardous substances,” “hazardous waste,” “hazardous materials,” “extremely hazardous waste,” “restricted hazardous waste,” “toxic substances,” “toxic pollutants,” “contaminants,” or “pollutants,” or words of similar import, under any Environmental Law; and (iii) any other chemical, material, or substance, which is prohibited, limited, or regulated due to its dangerous or deleterious properties or characteristics by, any Environmental Law.

 

“Hedge Agreements”shall mean (i) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (ii) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

 

“Hedging Obligations” shall mean, with respect to any Person, the obligations of such Person under any Hedge Agreements.

 

“Historical Financial Statements”shall mean (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2011 and December 29, 2012, and the related audited consolidated statements of income and cash flow of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the years ended December 31, 2011 and December 29, 2012 and (ii) the unaudited interim consolidated balance sheets of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarters ending March 30, 2013, June 29, 2013 and September 28, 2013 and the related unaudited consolidated statements of income and cash flow of the Company and its Subsidiaries for fiscal quarters ending March 30, 2013, June 29, 2013 and September 28, 2013.

 

	32

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Holdings”shall mean (i) Holdings (as defined in the preamble to this Agreement) or (ii) after the Closing Date any other Person or Persons (“New Holdings”) that is a Subsidiary of (or are Subsidiaries of) Holdings or of any Parent Entity of Holdings (or the previous New Holdings, as the case may be) but not the Company (“Previous Holdings”); provided that (a) such New Holdings directly owns (i) 100% of the Equity Interests of the Company and (ii) 100% of the Equity Interests of each other direct Subsidiary of Previous Holdings which were owned by Previous Holdings immediately prior thereto, (b) New Holdings shall expressly assume all the obligations of Previous Holdings under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (c) if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, an opinion of counsel shall be delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent to the effect that, without limitation, such substitution does not violate this Agreement or any other Credit Document, (d) all Capital Stock of the Company and each other direct Subsidiary of Previous Holdings and substantially all of the other assets of Previous Holdings are contributed or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, to such New Holdings and pledged to secure the Obligations, (f) (i) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such substitution and such substitution does not result in any Event of Default, (ii) such substitution does not result in any material adverse tax consequences to any Credit Party and (iii) such substitution does not result in any adverse tax consequences to any Lender (unless reimbursed hereunder) or to the Administrative Agent (unless reimbursed hereunder), and (g) no Change of Control shall occur; provided, further, that if each of the foregoing is satisfied, Previous Holdings shall be automatically released of all its obligations under the Credit Documents and any reference to Holdings in the Credit Documents shall be meant to refer to New Holdings.

 

“IFRS” shall have the meaning given such term in the definition of GAAP.

 

“Impacted Loans” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.10(a).

 

“Increased Amount Date”shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(a).

 

“incur” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.1.

 

“Indebtedness” shall mean, with respect to any Person, (i) any indebtedness (including principal and premium) of such Person, whether or not contingent (a) in respect of borrowed money, (b) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures, or similar instruments or letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances (or, without double counting, reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), (c) representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property (including Capitalized Lease Obligations), or (d) representing any Hedging Obligations, if and to the extent that any of the foregoing Indebtedness (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a net liability upon a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP; provided that Indebtedness of any direct or indirect parent company appearing upon the balance sheet of Holdings solely by reason of push down accounting under GAAP shall be excluded, (ii) to the extent not otherwise included, any obligation by such Person to be liable for, or to pay, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, on the obligations of the type referred to in clause (i) of another Person (whether or not such items would appear upon the balance sheet of such obligor or guarantor), other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business, and (iii) to the extent not otherwise included, the obligations of the type referred to in clause (i) of another Person secured by a Lien on any asset owned by such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person; provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, Indebtedness shall be deemed not to include (1) Contingent Obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, (2) obligations under or in respect of Receivables Facilities, (3) prepaid or deferred revenue arising in the ordinary course of business, (4) purchase price holdbacks arising in the ordinary course of business in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warrants or other unperformed obligations of the seller of such asset, (5) any balance that constitutes a trade payable or similar obligation to a trade creditor, accrued in the ordinary course of business, or (6) any earn-out obligation until such obligation, within 60 days of becoming due and payable, has not been paid and such obligation is reflected as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP. The amount of Indebtedness of any Person for purposes of clause (iii) above shall (unless such Indebtedness has been assumed by such Person) be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (x) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (y) the Fair Market Value of the property encumbered thereby as determined by such Person in good faith.

 

	33

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of Holdings, the Borrower and the other Restricted Subsidiaries, shall exclude all intercompany Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 365 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.

 

“Indemnified Liabilities”shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.5.

 

“Indemnified Person” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.5.

 

“Indemnified Taxes” shall mean all Taxes imposed on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party hereunder or under any other Credit Document, other than Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes.

 

“Initial Borrower” shall have the meaning provided in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

“Initial Investors” shall mean Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., KKR North America Fund XI L.P., KKR North America Fund XI ESC L.P.,KKR North America Fund XI SBS L.P., KKR Partners III, L.P. KKR CIS Global Investor L.P., CPS Managers Fund L.P., KKR Principal Opportunities Partnership (Domestic) L.P., KKR Principal Opportunities Partnership (Domestic) L.P., Berkshire Fund VI, Limited Partnership, Berkshire Investors  LLC and Berkshire Investors III LLC, and each of their respective Affiliates.

 

“Initial Term Loan” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.1(a).

 

“Initial Term Loan Commitment” shall mean, in the case of each Lender that is a Lender on the Closing Date, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1(b) as such Lender’s Initial Term Loan Commitment. The aggregate amount of the Initial Term Loan Commitments as of the Closing Date is $125,000,000.

 

“Initial Term Loan Lender”shall mean a Lender with an Initial Term Loan Commitment or an outstanding Initial Term Loan.

 

“Initial Term Loan Maturity Date” shall mean March 13, 2022 or, if such date is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day.

 

“Insolvent” shall mean, with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such Multiemployer Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA.

 

“Intellectual Property” shall mean U.S. and foreign intellectual property, including all (i) (a) patents, inventions, processes, developments, technology, and know-how; (b) copyrights and works of authorship in any media, including graphics, advertising materials, labels, package designs, and photographs; (c) trademarks, service marks, trade names, brand names, corporate names, domain names, logos, trade dress, and other source indicators, and the goodwill of any business symbolized thereby; and (d) trade secrets, confidential, proprietary, or non-public information and (ii) all registrations, issuances, applications, renewals, extensions, substitutions, continuations, continuations-in-part, divisions, re-issues, re-examinations, foreign counterparts, or similar legal protections related to the foregoing.

 

	34

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Intercreditor Agreement” shall mean an Intercreditor Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit H (with such changes to such form as may be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower) among the First Lien Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, and the Administrative Agent, and the representatives for purposes thereof for any other Permitted Other Indebtedness Secured Parties that are holders of Permitted Other Indebtedness Obligations having a Lien on the Collateral ranking pari passu or junior to the Lien securing the Obligations.

 

“Interest Period”shall mean, with respect to any Loan, the interest period applicable thereto, as determined pursuant to Section 2.9.

 

“Investment” shall mean, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the form of loans (including guarantees), advances, or capital contributions (excluding accounts receivable, trade credit, advances to customers, commission, travel, and similar advances to officers and employees, in each case made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests, or other securities issued by any other Person and investments that are required by GAAP to be classified on the balance sheet (excluding the footnotes) of Holdings in the same manner as the other investments included in this definition to the extent such transactions involve the transfer of cash or other property; provided that Investments shall not include, in the case of Holdings, the Borrower, and the other Restricted Subsidiaries, intercompany loans, advances, or Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business.

 

For purposes of the definition of Unrestricted Subsidiary and Section 10.5,

 

(i) Investments shall include the portion (proportionate to Holdings’ equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of a Subsidiary of Holdings at the time that such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, Holdings shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount (if positive) equal to (a) Holdings’ Investment in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation less (b) the portion (proportionate to Holdings’ equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation; and

 

(ii) any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer.

 

The amount of any Investment outstanding at any time shall be the original cost of such Investment, reduced by any dividend, distribution, interest payment, return of capital, repayment, or other amount received by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary in respect of such Investment (provided that, with respect to amounts received other than in the form of Cash Equivalents, such amount shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of such consideration).

 

“Investment Grade Rating” shall mean a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P, or an equivalent rating by any other Rating Agency.

 

	35

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Investment Grade Securities” shall mean:

 

(i) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof (other than Cash Equivalents),

 

(ii) debt securities or debt instruments with an Investment Grade Rating, but excluding any debt securities or instruments constituting loans or advances among Holdings and its Subsidiaries,

 

(iii) investments in any fund that invest at least 90% in investments of the type described in clauses (i) and (ii) which fund may also hold immaterial amounts of cash pending investment or distribution, and

 

(iv) corresponding instruments in countries other than the United States customarily utilized for high-quality investments.

 

“Joinder Agreement”shall mean an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A.

 

“Joint Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners” shall mean Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Mizuho Bank, Ltd., KKR Capital Markets LLC, Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., Barclays Bank PLC and Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc.

 

“Judgment Currency” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.19.

 

“Junior Debt” shall mean any Indebtedness in respect of Subordinated Indebtedness.

 

“KKR” shall mean each of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. and KKR North America Fund XI L.P.

 

“Latest Term Loan Maturity Date” shall mean, at any date of determination, the latest maturity or expiration date applicable to any Term Loan hereunder at such time, including the latest maturity or expiration date of any New Term Loan or any Extended Term Loan, in each case as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time.

 

“LCA Election” shall have the meaning provided in Section 1.12(a).

 

“LCA Test Date” shall have the meaning provided in Section 1.12(a).

 

“Lender” shall have the meaning provided in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

“LIBOR” shall have the meaning provided in the definition of LIBOR Rate.

 

“LIBOR Loan”shall mean any Loan bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the LIBOR Rate.

 

“LIBOR Rate” shall mean,

 

(i) for any Interest Period with respect to a LIBOR Loan, the rate per annum equal to the offered rate administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (“LIBOR”) or a comparable or successor rate, which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, on the applicable Reuters screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations of LIBOR as designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the LIBOR Rate applicable to the Initial Term Loans at any time be less than 1.00% per annum, and

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(ii) for any interest calculation with respect to an ABR Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to LIBOR, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day; provided that to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further, that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower.

 

“Lien” shall mean with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, hypothecation, charge, security interest, preference, priority, or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction; provided that in no event shall an operating lease or a license to Intellectual Property be deemed to constitute a Lien.

 

“Limited Condition Acquisition” shall mean any acquisition by one or more of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries of any assets, business or Person permitted to be acquired by this Agreement, in each case whose consummation is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party financing.

 

“Loan” shall mean any Term Loan pursuant to this Agreement.

 

“Managed Care Subsidiary” shall mean FirstSight and any other Subsidiary of the Borrower (i) whose financial condition or activities are regulated under laws of any state in connection with the provision of health or vision care products or services (or related administrative services) and (ii) a pledge of the Capital Stock of whom, or whose guaranty of the Obligations or granting of a lien on its assets to secure the Obligations would violate any applicable law or regulation or require a consent of a Governmental Authority which has not been obtained.

 

“Mandatory Borrowing” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.1(d).

 

“Master Agreement” shall have the meaning provided in the definition of the term “Hedge Agreement.”

 

“Material Adverse Effect” shall mean a circumstance or condition affecting the business, assets, operations, properties, or financial condition of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that would, individually or in the aggregate, materially adversely affect (i) the ability of Holdings and the other Credit Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their payment obligations under this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents or (ii) the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under the Credit Documents.

 

	37

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Material Subsidiary”shall mean, at any date of determination, each Restricted Subsidiary (i) whose total assets at the last day of the Test Period ending on the last day of the most recent fiscal period for which Section 9.1 Financials have been delivered were equal to or greater than 5.0% of the Consolidated Total Assets of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries at such date or (ii) whose revenues during such Test Period were equal to or greater than 5.0% of the consolidated revenues of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that if, at any time and from time to time after the Closing Date, Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Material Subsidiaries (other than Subsidiaries that are Excluded Subsidiaries by virtue of any of clauses (ii) through (xii) of the definition of “Excluded Subsidiary”) have, in the aggregate, (a) total assets at the last day of such Test Period equal to or greater than 7.5% of the Consolidated Total Assets of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries at such date or (b) revenues during such Test Period equal to or greater than 7.5% of the consolidated revenues of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP, then Holdings shall, on the date on which financial statements for such quarter are delivered pursuant to this Agreement, designate in writing to the Administrative Agent one or more of such Restricted Subsidiaries as Material Subsidiaries for each fiscal period until this proviso is no longer applicable.

 

“Maturity Date”shall mean the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, the New Term Loan Maturity Date or the maturity date of an Extended Term Loan, as applicable.

 

“Maximum Incremental Facilities Amount” shall mean, at any date of determination, (i) the amount such that, after giving effect to the incurrence of such amount Holdings would be in compliance on a Pro Forma Basis (including any adjustments required by such definition as a result of a contemplated Permitted Acquisition and, only in the case of a simultaneous incurrence of the maximum amount permitted to be incurred under this clause (i) on the date of such incurrence together with an incurrence in reliance on clause (ii) below on such date, without giving pro forma effect to such simultaneous incurrence in reliance on clause (ii) below) with the Senior Secured Leverage Test (assuming that all Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 2.14(a) or Section 10.1(x) prior to or on such date of determination would be included in the definition of Consolidated Senior Secured Debt, whether or not such Indebtedness would otherwise be so included and assuming the Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement) established at such time are fully drawn), plus (ii) the sum of (a) $100,000,000 (less the First Lien Base Incremental Amount) and (b) the aggregate amount of voluntary prepayments of Loans (including purchases of the Loans by Holdings and its Subsidiaries at or below par, in which case the amount of voluntary prepayments of Loans shall be deemed not to exceed the actual purchase price of such Loans below par), in each case, other than from proceeds of the incurrence of Indebtedness, minus (iii) the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of New Term Loan Commitments incurred pursuant to Section 2.14(a) prior to such date and (b) the aggregate principal amount of Permitted Other Indebtedness issued or incurred (including any unused commitments obtained) pursuant to Section 10.1(x)(i)(a) prior to such date.

 

“Merger” shall have the meaning provided in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

“Merger Sub” shall have the meaning provided in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

“Minimum Borrowing Amount”shall mean (i) with respect to a Borrowing of LIBOR Loans, $1,000,000 (or, if less, the entire remaining applicable Commitments at the time of such Borrowing) and (ii) with respect to a Borrowing of ABR Loans, $1,000,000 (or, if less, the entire remaining applicable Commitments at the time of such Borrowing).

 

“Minimum Equity Amount”shall have the meaning provided in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

	38

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Minimum Tender Condition” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.15(b).

 

“Moody’s” shall mean Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor by merger or consolidation to its business.

 

“Mortgage” shall mean a mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt, trust deed, or other security document entered into by the owner of a Mortgaged Property and the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties in respect of that Mortgaged Property to secure the Obligations, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent and the Borrower, together with such terms and provisions as may be required by local laws.

 

“Mortgaged Property” shall mean, initially, each parcel of real estate and the improvements thereto owned in fee by a Credit Party and identified on Schedule 1.1(a), and each other parcel of real property and improvements thereto with respect to which a Mortgage is granted pursuant to Section 9.14.

 

“Multiemployer Plan” shall mean a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which any Credit Party or ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the five preceding calendar years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

 

“Net Cash Proceeds”shall mean, with respect to any Prepayment Event and any incurrence of Permitted Other Indebtedness, (i) the gross cash proceeds (including payments from time to time in respect of installment obligations, if applicable, but only as and when received) received by or on behalf of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of such Prepayment Event or incurrence of Permitted Other Indebtedness, as the case may be, less (ii) the sum of:

 

(a) the amount, if any, of all taxes (including in connection with any repatriation of funds) paid or estimated to be payable by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such Prepayment Event or incurrence of Permitted Other Indebtedness,

 

(b) the amount of any reasonable reserve established in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities (other than any taxes deducted pursuant to clause (a) above) (1) associated with the assets that are the subject of such Prepayment Event and (2) retained by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the amount of any subsequent reduction of such reserve (other than in connection with a payment in respect of any such liability) shall be deemed to be Net Cash Proceeds of such a Prepayment Event occurring on the date of such reduction,

 

(c) the amount of any Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Permitted Other Indebtedness) secured by a Lien on the assets that are the subject of such Prepayment Event to the extent that the instrument creating or evidencing such Indebtedness requires that such Indebtedness be repaid upon consummation of such Prepayment Event,

 

(d) in the case of any Asset Sale Prepayment Event or Casualty Event or Permitted Sale Leaseback, the amount of any proceeds of such Prepayment Event that Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary has reinvested (or intends to reinvest within the Reinvestment Period or has entered into a binding commitment prior to the last day of the Reinvestment Period to reinvest) in the business of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that any portion of such proceeds that has not been so reinvested within such Reinvestment Period (with respect to such Prepayment Event, the “Deferred Net Cash Proceeds”) shall, unless Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary has entered into a binding commitment prior to the last day of such Reinvestment Period to reinvest such proceeds no later than 180 days following the last day of such Reinvestment Period, (1) be deemed to be Net Cash Proceeds of an Asset Sale Prepayment Event, Casualty Event, or Permitted Sale Leaseback occurring on the last day of such Reinvestment Period or, if later, 180 days after the date Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary has entered into such binding commitment, as applicable (such last day or 180th day, as applicable, the “Deferred Net Cash Proceeds Payment Date”), and (2) be applied to the repayment of Term Loans in accordance with Section 5.2(a)(i),

 

	39

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(e) in the case of any Asset Sale Prepayment Event, Casualty Event, or Permitted Sale Leaseback by a non-Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary, the pro rata portion of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this clause (e)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of Holdings or a Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof,

 

(f) in the case of any Asset Sale Prepayment Event or Permitted Sale Leaseback, any funded escrow established pursuant to the documents evidencing any such sale or disposition to secure any indemnification obligations or adjustments to the purchase price associated with any such sale or disposition; provided that the amount of any subsequent reduction of such escrow (other than in connection with a payment in respect of any such liability) shall be deemed to be Net Cash Proceeds of such a Prepayment Event occurring on the date of such reduction solely to the extent that Holdings and/or any Restricted Subsidiaries receives cash in an amount equal to the amount of such reduction, and

 

(g) all fees and out of pocket expenses paid by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with any of the foregoing (for the avoidance of doubt, including, (1) in the case of the issuance of Permitted Other Indebtedness, any fees, underwriting discounts, premiums, and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with such issuance and (2) attorney’s fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, underwriting discounts and commissions, other customary expenses, and brokerage, consultant, accountant, and other customary fees),

 

in each case only to the extent not already deducted in arriving at the amount referred to in clause (i) above.

 

“Net Income” shall mean, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends.

 

“New Contracts” shall mean binding contracts or purchase orders (i) entered with new Counterparties or (ii) for new business with existing Counterparties, in each case, under which Holdings and/or its Subsidiaries have begun to provide goods or services, which are expected to increase the Consolidated Net Income of Holdings.

 

“New Store Consolidated EBITDA Adjustment” means, for any applicable Test Period, the excess (not to be less than zero) of (i) aggregate amount derived from the product of (a) the aggregate number of New Stores and (b) Average New Store Consolidated EBITDA during the previous Test Period over (ii) the actual Consolidated EBITDA generated by New Stores during the Test Period.

 

“New Stores” shall mean, with respect to any Test Period, the number of Stores opened within the last 24 months, measured from and including the last month in such Test Period.

 

“New Term Loan”shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(c).

 

	40

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“New Term Loan Commitments” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(a).

 

“New Term Loan Lender”shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(c).

 

“New Term Loan Maturity Date”shall mean the date on which a New Term Loan matures.

 

“Non-Bank Tax Certificate” shall have the meaning provided in Section 5.4(e)(ii)(3).

 

“Non-Consenting Lender” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.7(b).

 

“Non-U.S. Lender” shall mean any Lender that is not a “United States person” as defined by Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

“Notice of Borrowing” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.3(a).

 

“Notice of Conversion orContinuation”shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.6(a).

 

“NVI” shall have the meaning provided in the preamble to this Agreement..

 

“Obligations” shall mean all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants, and duties of, any Credit Party arising under any Credit Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Credit Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency law naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of the Credit Parties under the Credit Documents (and any of their Subsidiaries to the extent they have obligations under the Credit Documents) include the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest, charges, expenses, fees, attorney costs, indemnities, and other amounts payable by any Credit Party under any Credit Document.

 

“Other Taxes” shall mean all present or future stamp, registration, court or documentary Taxes or any other excise, property, intangible, mortgage recording, filing or similar Taxes arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Credit Document or from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Credit Document; provided that such term shall not include (i) any Taxes that result from an assignment, grant of a participation pursuant to Section 13.6(c) or transfer or assignment to or designation of a new lending office or other office for receiving payments under any Credit Document (“Assignment Taxes”) to the extent such Assignment Taxes are imposed as a result of a connection between the assignor/participating Lender and/or the assignee/Participant and the taxing jurisdiction (other than a connection arising solely from any Credit Documents or any transactions contemplated thereunder), except to the extent that any such action described in this proviso is requested or required by the Borrower or Holdings or (ii) Excluded Taxes.

 

“Overnight Rate”shall mean, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate and (b) an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

“Parent Entity” shall mean any Person that is a direct or indirect parent company (which may be organized as, among other things, a partnership) of Holdings and/or the Company, as applicable; provided that for purposes of clauses (i), (ii) and (iv) of the definition of Change of Control, references to Holdings shall be deemed to refer to any such Parent Entity.

 

	41

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Participant” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(c)(i).

 

“Participant Register” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(c)(ii).

 

“Participating Member State” shall mean any member state of the European Union that adopts or has adopted the Euro as its lawful currency in accordance with legislation of the European Union relating to economic and monetary union.

 

“Patriot Act” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.18.

 

“PBGC” shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

 

“Pension Plan” shall mean any employee benefit pension plan (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, but excluding any Multiemployer Plan) in respect of which any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4062 or Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

“Permitted Acquisition” shall have the meaning provided in clause (iii) of the definition of Permitted Investment.

 

“Permitted Asset Swap” shall mean the concurrent purchase and sale or exchange of Related Business Assets or a combination of Related Business Assets and cash or Cash Equivalents between Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary and another Person; provided that any cash or Cash Equivalents received must be applied in accordance with Section 10.4.

 

“Permitted Debt Exchange” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.15(a).

 

“Permitted Debt Exchange Notes” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.15(a).

 

“Permitted Debt Exchange Offer” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.15(a).

 

“Permitted First Lien Exchange Notes” shall mean “Permitted Debt Exchange Notes” as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement that are not prohibited by the terms of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.

 

“Permitted Holders” shall mean each of (i) the Initial Investors and their respective Affiliates (other than any portfolio company of an Initial Investor) and members of management of Holdings or the Borrower (or their respective direct or indirect parent) who are holders of Equity Interests of Holdings (or its direct or indirect parent company) on the Closing Date and any group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act or any successor provision) of which any of the foregoing are members; provided that, in the case of such group and without giving effect to the existence of such group or any other group, such Initial Investors, their respective Affiliates (other than any portfolio company of an Initial Investor) and members of management, collectively, have beneficial ownership of more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent company of Holdings and (ii) any direct or indirect parent of Holdings formed not in connection with, or in contemplation of, a transaction (other than the Transactions) that, assuming such parent was not formed, after giving effect thereto would constitute a Change of Control.

 

	42

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Permitted Investments” shall mean:

 

(i) any Investment in Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(ii) any Investment in cash, Cash Equivalents, or Investment Grade Securities at the time such Investment is made;

 

(iii) (a) any transactions or Investments otherwise made in connection with the Transactions and in accordance with the Acquisition Agreement and (b) any Investment by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in a Person that is engaged in a Similar Business if as a result of such Investment (a “Permitted Acquisition”), (1) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or (2) such Person, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, is merged, consolidated, or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary, and, in each case, any Investment held by such Person; provided that such Investment was not acquired by such Person in contemplation of such acquisition, merger, consolidation, or transfer;

 

(iv) any Investment in securities or other assets not constituting cash, Cash Equivalents, or Investment Grade Securities and received in connection with an Asset Sale made pursuant to Section 10.4 or any other disposition of assets not constituting an Asset Sale;

 

(v) (a) any Investment existing or contemplated on the Closing Date and, in each case, listed on Schedule 10.5 and (b) Investments consisting of any modification, replacement, renewal, reinvestment, or extension of any such Investment; provided that the amount of any such Investment is not increased from the amount of such Investment on the Closing Date except pursuant to the terms of such Investment (including in respect of any unused commitment), plus any accrued but unpaid interest (including any portion thereof which is payable in kind in accordance with the terms of such modified, extended, renewed, or replaced Investment) and premium payable by the terms of such Indebtedness thereon and fees and expenses associated therewith as of the Closing Date;

 

(vi) any Investment acquired by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary (a) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by Holdings or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization, or recapitalization of Holdings of such other Investment or accounts receivable or (b) as a result of a foreclosure by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default;

 

(vii) Hedging Obligations permitted under clause (j) of Section 10.1 and Cash Management Services;

 

(viii) any Investment in a Similar Business having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (viii) that are at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (a) $48,000,000 and (b) 48.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value); provided, however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause (viii) is made in any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after such date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (i) above and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (viii) for so long as such Person continues to be a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

	43

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(ix) Investments the payment for which consists of Equity Interests of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings (exclusive of Disqualified Stock); provided that such Equity Interests will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under clause (iii) of Section 10.5(a);

 

(x) guarantees of Indebtedness permitted under Section 10.1;

 

(xi) any transaction to the extent it constitutes an Investment that is permitted and made in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.9 (except transactions described in clause (b) of such paragraph);

 

(xii) Investments consisting of purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, material, equipment, or other similar assets in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xiii) additional Investments having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (xiii) that are at that time outstanding (without giving effect to the sale of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent the proceeds of such sale do not consist of cash or marketable securities), not to exceed the greater of (a) $42,000,000 and (b) 42.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value); provided, however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause (xiii) is made in any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after such date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (i) above and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (xiii) for so long as such Person continues to be a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(xiv) Investments relating to any Receivables Subsidiary that, in the good faith determination of the board of directors of Holdings, are necessary or advisable to effect a Receivables Facility or any repurchases in connection therewith;

 

(xv) advances to, or guarantees of Indebtedness of, employees not in excess of the greater of (a) $12,000,000 and (b) 6.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at the time of such Investment;

 

(xvi) (a) loans and advances to officers, directors, managers, and employees for business-related travel expenses, moving expenses, and other similar expenses, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practices or to fund such Person’s purchase of Equity Interests of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company thereof and (b) promissory notes received from stockholders of Holdings, any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings  or any Subsidiary in connection with the exercise of stock options in respect of the Equity Interests of Holdings, any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings and the Subsidiaries;

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(xvii) Investments consisting of extensions of trade credit in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xviii) Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of Uniform Commercial Code Article 3 endorsements for collection or deposit and Uniform Commercial Code Article 4 customary trade arrangements with customers consistent with past practices;

 

(xix) non-cash Investments in connection with tax planning and reorganization activities; provided that after giving effect to any such activities, the security interests of the Lenders in the Collateral, taken as a whole, would not be materially impaired;

 

(xx)  Investments made in the ordinary course of business in connection with obtaining, maintaining or renewing client, franchisee and customer contracts and loans or advances made to, and guarantees with respect to obligations of, independent eye care professionals (or to professional corporations owned by such professionals), franchisees, distributors, suppliers, licensors and licensees in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xxi) the licensing and contribution of Intellectual Property pursuant to joint  marketing arrangements with other Persons, in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(xxii) to the extent constituting Investments, transactions pursuant to the Wal-Mart Agreements.

 

“Permitted Liens” shall mean, with respect to any Person:

 

(i) pledges or deposits by such Person under workmen’s compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws, or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness), or leases to which such Person is a party, or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of such Person or deposits of cash or U.S. government bonds to secure surety or appeal bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits as security for the payment of rent or deposits made to secure obligations arising from contractual or warranty refunds, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(ii) Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s, materialmen’s, repairmen’s, and mechanics’ Liens, in each case for sums not yet overdue for a period of more than 60 days or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or other Liens arising out of judgments or awards against such Person with respect to which such Person shall then be proceeding with an appeal or other proceedings for review if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of such Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(iii) Liens for taxes, assessments, or other governmental charges not yet overdue for a period of more than 60 days or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of such Person in accordance with GAAP or are not required to be paid pursuant to Section 8.11, or for property taxes on property Holdings or one of its Subsidiaries has determined to abandon if the sole recourse for such tax, assessment, charge, levy, or claim is to such property;

 

(iv) Liens in favor of issuers of performance, surety, bid, indemnity, warranty, release, appeal, or similar bonds or with respect to other regulatory requirements or letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances issued, and completion guarantees provided for, in each case pursuant to the request of and for the account of such Person in the ordinary course of its business;

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(v) minor survey exceptions, minor encumbrances, ground leases, easements, or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, servitudes, sewers, electric lines, drains, telegraph and telephone and cable television lines, gas and oil pipelines, and other similar purposes, or zoning, building codes, or other restrictions (including, without limitation, minor defects or irregularities in title and similar encumbrances) as to the use of real properties or Liens incidental, to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties which were not incurred in connection with Indebtedness and which do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;

 

(vi) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted to be outstanding pursuant to clause (a), (b), (d), (l)(ii), (r), (w), (x) or (y) of Section 10.1; provided that, (a) in the case of clause (d) of Section 10.1, such Lien may not extend to any property or equipment (or assets affixed or appurtenant thereto) other than the property or equipment being financed or refinanced under such clause (d) of Section 10.1, replacements of such property, equipment or assets, and additions and accessions and in the case of multiple financings of equipment provided by any lender, other equipment financed by such lender; (b) in the case of clause (r) of Section 10.1, such Lien may not extend to any assets other than the assets owned by the Restricted Subsidiaries incurring such Indebtedness; (c) in the case of Liens securing Permitted Other Indebtedness Obligations that are secured on an equal priority basis with the Obligations pursuant to this clause (vi), the applicable Permitted Other Indebtedness Secured Parties (or a representative thereof on behalf of such holders) shall enter into security documents with terms and conditions not materially more restrictive to the Credit Parties, taken as a whole, than the terms and conditions of the Security Documents and (1) in the case of the first such issuance of Permitted Other Indebtedness that are secured on an equal priority basis with the Obligations, the Collateral Agent, the Administrative Agent and the representative for the holders of such Permitted Other Indebtedness Obligations shall have entered into the Intercreditor Agreement or an intercreditor agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (2) in the case of subsequent issuances of Permitted Other Indebtedness secured on an equal priority basis with the Obligations, the representative for the holders of such Permitted Other Indebtedness Obligations shall have become a party to the Intercreditor Agreement in accordance with the terms thereof; (d) in the case of Liens securing Permitted Other Indebtedness Obligations that are secured on a junior priority basis to the Obligations pursuant to this clause (vi), the applicable Permitted Other Indebtedness Secured Parties (or a representative thereof on behalf of such holders) shall enter into security documents with terms and conditions not materially more restrictive to the Credit Parties, taken as a whole, than the terms and conditions of the Security Documents and shall (x) in the case of the first such issuance of Permitted Other Indebtedness that are secured on a junior priority basis to the Obligations, the Collateral Agent, the Administrative Agent and the representative of the holders of such Permitted Other Indebtedness Obligations shall have entered into intercreditor arrangements substantially consistent with the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement (but with Liens securing Obligations being senior Liens thereunder) and otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower and (y) in the case of subsequent issuances of Permitted Other Indebtedness that are secured on a junior priority basis to the Obligations, the representative for the holders of such Permitted Other Indebtedness shall have become a party to such intercreditor arrangements in accordance with the terms thereof; without any further consent of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall be authorized to execute and deliver on behalf of the Secured Parties the Intercreditor Agreement or any other such intercreditor agreement contemplated by this clause (vi); and (e) in the case of clause (b), (x) in the case of the first such issuance of Indebtedness that is secured on an equal priority basis with the First Lien Obligations, the Collateral Agent, the Administrative Agent and the representative for the holders of such Indebtedness (or a representative thereof on behalf of such holders) shall have entered the Intercreditor Agreement and (y) in the case of subsequent issuances of Indebtedness secured on an equal priority basis with the First Lien Obligations, the representative for the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become a party to the Intercreditor Agreement;

 

	46

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(vii) subject to Section 9.14, other than with respect to Mortgaged Property, Liens existing on the Closing Date; provided that any Lien securing Indebtedness or other obligations in excess of (a) $5,000,000 individually or (b) $10,000,000 in the aggregate (when taken together with all other Liens securing obligations outstanding in reliance on this clause (b) that are not listed on Schedule 10.2) shall only be permitted if set forth on Schedule 10.2, and, in each case, any modifications, replacements, renewals, or extensions thereof;

 

(viii) Liens on property or shares of stock of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided such Liens are not created or incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming a Subsidiary; provided, further, however, that such Liens may not extend to any other property owned by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than, with respect to such Person, any replacements of such property or assets and additions and accessions thereto, after-acquired property subject to a Lien securing Indebtedness and other obligations incurred prior to such time and which Indebtedness and other obligations are permitted hereunder that require, pursuant to their terms at such time, a pledge of after-acquired property of such Person, and the proceeds and the products thereof and customary security deposits in respect thereof and in the case of multiple financings of equipment provided by any lender, other equipment financed by such lender, it being understood that such requirement shall not be permitted to apply to any property to which such requirement would not have applied but for such acquisition);

 

(ix) Liens on property at the time Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary acquired the property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary or the designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Liens are not created or incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition, merger, consolidation, or designation; provided, further, however, that such Liens may not extend to any other property owned by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than, with respect to such property, any replacements of such property or assets and additions and accessions thereto, after-acquired property subject to a Lien securing Indebtedness and other obligations incurred prior to such time and which Indebtedness and other obligations are permitted hereunder that require, pursuant to their terms at such time, a pledge of after-acquired property, and the proceeds and the products thereof and customary security deposits in respect thereof and in the case of multiple financings of equipment provided by any lender, other equipment financed by such lender, it being understood that such requirement shall not be permitted to apply to any property to which such requirement would not have applied but for such acquisition);

 

(x) Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to Holdings or another Restricted Subsidiary permitted to be incurred in accordance with Section 10.1;

 

	47

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(xi) Liens securing Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Services so long as the related Indebtedness is, and is permitted hereunder to be, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Services;

 

(xii) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment, or storage of such inventory or other goods;

 

(xiii) leases, subleases, licenses, or sublicenses (including of Intellectual Property) granted to others in the ordinary course of business which do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary and do not secure any Indebtedness;

 

(xiv) Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases or consignments entered into by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xv) Liens in favor of Holdings, the Borrower, or any other Guarantor;

 

(xvi) Liens on equipment of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary granted in the ordinary course of business to Holdings’ or such Restricted Subsidiary’s client at which such equipment is located;

 

(xvii) Liens on accounts receivable and related assets incurred in connection with a Receivables Facility;

 

(xviii) Liens to secure any refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal, or replacement (or successive refinancing, refunding, extensions, renewals, or replacements) as a whole, or in part, of any Indebtedness secured by any Lien referred to in clauses (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), and (xv) of this definition of Permitted Liens; provided that (a) such new Lien shall be limited to all or part of the same property that secured the original Lien (plus improvements on such property), and (b) the Indebtedness secured by such Lien at such time is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of (1) the outstanding principal amount or, if greater, committed amount of the Indebtedness described under clauses (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), and (xv) at the time the original Lien became a Permitted Lien under this Agreement, and (2) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums and accrued and unpaid interest, related to such refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal, or replacement;

 

(xix) deposits made or other security provided to secure liabilities to insurance carriers under insurance or self-insurance arrangements in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xx) other Liens securing obligations which do not exceed the greater of (a) $48,000,000 and (b) 48.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at the time of the incurrence of such Lien;

 

(xxi) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 11.5 or Section 11.10;

 

	48

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(xxii) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xxiii) Liens (a) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code or any comparable or successor provision on items in the course of collection, (b) attaching to commodity trading accounts or other commodity brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business, and (c) in favor of banking or other financial institutions or other electronic payment service providers arising as a matter of law encumbering deposits (including the right of set-off) and which are within the general parameters customary in the banking or finance industry;

 

(xxiv) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements permitted under Section 10.1; provided that such Liens do not extend to any assets other than those that are the subject of such repurchase agreement;

 

(xxv) Liens encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

 

(xxvi) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off (a) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness, (b) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries, or (c) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xxvii) Liens (a) solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement permitted under this Agreement or (b) consisting of an agreement to dispose of any property pursuant to a disposition permitted hereunder;

 

(xxviii) rights reserved or vested in any Person by the terms of any lease, license, franchise, grant, or permit held by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or by a statutory provision, to terminate any such lease, license, franchise, grant, or permit, or to require annual or periodic payments as a condition to the continuance thereof;

 

(xxix) restrictive covenants affecting the use to which real property may be put; provided that the covenants are complied with;

 

(xxx) security given to a public utility or any municipality or governmental authority when required by such utility or authority in connection with the operations of that Person in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xxxi) zoning by-laws and other land use restrictions, including, without limitation, site plan agreements, development agreements, and contract zoning agreements;

 

	49

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(xxxii) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment, or similar arrangements for sale of goods entered into by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xxxiii) Liens arising under the Security Documents;

 

(xxxiv) Liens on goods purchased in the ordinary course of business the purchase price of which is financed by a documentary letter of credit issued for the account of Holdings, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries;

 

(xxxv) (a) Liens on Equity Interests in joint ventures; provided that any such Lien is in favor of a creditor of such joint venture and such creditor is not an Affiliate of any partner to such joint venture and (b) purchase options, call, and similar rights of, and restrictions for the benefit of, a third party with respect to Equity Interests held by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in joint ventures;

 

(xxxvi) Liens on cash and Cash Equivalents that are earmarked to be used to satisfy or discharge Indebtedness; provided (a) such cash and/or Cash Equivalents are deposited into an account from which payment is to be made, directly or indirectly, to the Person or Persons holding the Indebtedness that is to be satisfied or discharged, (b) such Liens extend solely to the account in which such cash and/or Cash Equivalents are deposited and are solely in favor of the Person or Persons holding the Indebtedness (or any agent or trustee for such Person or Persons) that is to be satisfied or discharged, and (c) the satisfaction or discharge of such Indebtedness is expressly permitted hereunder;

 

(xxxvii) with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary, other Liens and privileges arising mandatorily by any Requirement of Law;

 

(xxxviii) Liens on the assets of a Managed Care Subsidiary pursuant to applicable rules, or regulations of, or undertakings made to, any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction and authority over such Managed Care Subsidiary; and

 

(xxix) Liens arising pursuant to the Wal-Mart Agreements.

 

For purposes of this definition, the term Indebtedness shall be deemed to include interest on such Indebtedness.

 

“Permitted Other Indebtedness” shall mean subordinated or senior Indebtedness (which Indebtedness may (i) be unsecured, (ii) have the same lien priority as the Obligations (without regard to control of remedies); provided such Permitted Other Indebtedness is in the form of secured notes, or (iii) be secured by a Lien ranking junior to the Lien securing the Obligations), in each case issued or incurred by the Borrower or other Guarantor, (a) the terms of which do not provide for any scheduled repayment, mandatory repayment, or redemption or sinking fund obligations prior to, at the time of incurrence, the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date (other than, in each case, customary offers or obligations to repurchase upon a change of control, asset sale, or casualty or condemnation event, AHYDO payments and customary acceleration rights after an event of default), (b) the covenants, taken as a whole, are not more restrictive to the Borrower and the other Restricted Subsidiaries than those herein (taken as a whole) (except for covenants applicable only to periods after the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date at the time of such refinancing) (it being understood that, (1) to the extent that any financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of any such Indebtedness, no consent shall be required by the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders if such financial maintenance covenant is also added for the benefit of any corresponding Loans remaining outstanding after the issuance or incurrence of such Indebtedness or (2) no consent shall be required by the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders if any covenants are only applicable after the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date at the time of such refinancing); provided that a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower delivered to the Administrative Agent at least five Business Days (or such shorter period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree) prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within two Business Days after receipt of such certificate that it disagrees with such determination (including a reasonable description of the basis upon which it disagrees), (c) of which no Subsidiary of Holdings (other than the Borrower or a Guarantor) is an obligor, and (d) that, if secured, is not secured by a lien on any assets other than the Collateral.

 

	50

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Permitted Other Indebtedness Documents” shall mean any document or instrument (including any guarantee, security agreement, or mortgage and which may include any or all of the Credit Documents) issued or executed and delivered with respect to any Permitted Other Indebtedness by any Credit Party.

 

“Permitted Other Indebtedness Obligations” shall mean, if any Permitted Other Indebtedness is issued or incurred, all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants, and duties of, any Credit Party arising under any Permitted Other Indebtedness Document, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising, and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Credit Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency law naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Permitted Other Indebtedness Obligations of the applicable Credit Parties under the Permitted Other Indebtedness Documents (and any of their Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent they have obligations under the Permitted Other Indebtedness Documents) include the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest, charges, expenses, fees, attorney costs, indemnities, and other amounts payable by any such Credit Party under any Permitted Other Indebtedness Document.

 

“Permitted Other Indebtedness Secured Parties” shall mean the holders from time to time of secured Permitted Other Indebtedness Obligations (and any representative on their behalf).

 

“Permitted Other Provision” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(g)(i).

 

“Permitted Sale Leaseback” shall mean any Sale Leaseback consummated by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries after the Closing Date; provided that any such Sale Leaseback not between Holdings and a Restricted Subsidiary is consummated for fair value as determined at the time of consummation in good faith by (i) Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) in the case of any Sale Leaseback (or series of related Sales Leasebacks) the aggregate proceeds of which exceed the greater of (a) $48,000,000 and (b) 42.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at the time of the incurrence of such Sale Leaseback, the board of directors (or analogous governing body) of Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary (which such determination may take into account any retained interest or other Investment of Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with, and any other material economic terms of, such Sale Leaseback).

 

	51

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Person” shall mean any individual, partnership, joint venture, firm, corporation, limited liability company, association, trust, or other enterprise or any Governmental Authority.

 

“Plan” shall mean, other than any Multiemployer Plan, any employee benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA), including any employee welfare benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA), any employee pension benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), and any plan which is both an employee welfare benefit plan and an employee pension benefit plan, and in respect of which any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such Plan were terminated, would under Section 4062 or Section 4069 of ERISA be reasonably likely to be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

“Platform”shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.17(a).

 

“Pledge Agreement” shall mean the Pledge Agreement, entered into by the Credit Parties party thereto and the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

 

“Post-Acquisition Period”shall mean, with respect to any Permitted Acquisition, the period beginning on the date such Permitted Acquisition is consummated and ending on the last day of the eighth full consecutive fiscal quarter immediately following the date on which such Permitted Acquisition is consummated.

 

“Prepayment Event” shall mean any Asset Sale Prepayment Event, Debt Incurrence Prepayment Event, Casualty Event, or any Permitted Sale Leaseback.

 

“primary obligor” shall have the meaning provided such term in the definition of Contingent Obligations.

 

“Prime Rate”shall mean the “prime rate” referred to in the definition of ABR.

 

“Pro Forma Adjustment”shall mean, for any Test Period that includes all or any part of a fiscal quarter included in any Post-Acquisition Period, with respect to the Acquired EBITDA of the applicable Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary or the Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings, the pro forma increase or decrease in such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, projected by Holdings in good faith as a result of (i) actions taken during such Post-Acquisition Period for the purposes of realizing reasonably identifiable and factually supportable cost savings or (ii) any additional costs incurred during such Post-Acquisition Period, in each case in connection with the combination of the operations of such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary with the operations of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that (a) at the election of Holdings, such Pro Forma Adjustment shall not be required to be determined for any Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary to the extent the aggregate consideration paid in connection with such acquisition was less than $10,000,000 and (b) so long as such actions are taken during such Post-Acquisition Period or such costs are incurred during such Post-Acquisition Period, as applicable, it may be assumed, for purposes of projecting such pro forma increase or decrease to such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, that the applicable amount of such cost savings will be realizable during the entirety of such Test Period, or the applicable amount of such additional costs, as applicable, will be incurred during the entirety of such Test Period; provided, further, that any such pro forma increase or decrease to such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, shall be without duplication for cost savings or additional costs already included in such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, for such Test Period.

 

	52

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Pro Forma Basis,”“Pro Forma Compliance,”and “Pro Forma Effect”shall mean, with respect to compliance with any test, financial ratio, or covenant hereunder, that (i) to the extent applicable, the Pro Forma Adjustment shall have been made and (ii) all Specified Transactions and the following transactions in connection therewith shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable period of measurement in such test or covenant: (a) income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property or Person subject to such Specified Transaction, (1) in the case of a sale, transfer, or other disposition of all or substantially all Capital Stock in any Subsidiary of Holdings or any division, product line, or facility used for operations of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries, shall be excluded, and (2) in the case of a Permitted Acquisition or Investment described in the definition of Specified Transaction, shall be included, (b) any retirement of Indebtedness, and (c) any incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection therewith (it being agreed that if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, such Indebtedness shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate that is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination); provided that, without limiting the application of the Pro Forma Adjustment pursuant to clause (a) above, the foregoing pro forma adjustments may be applied to any such test or covenant solely to the extent that such adjustments are consistent with the definition of Consolidated EBITDA and give effect to operating expense reductions that are (x)(1) directly attributable to such transaction, (2) expected to have a continuing impact on Holdings, the Borrower or any of the other Restricted Subsidiaries, and (3) factually supportable or (y) otherwise consistent with the definition of Pro Forma Adjustment.

 

“Pro Forma Entity” shall have the meaning provided in the definition of the term Acquired EBITDA.

 

“Pro Forma Financial Statements” shall have the meaning provided in Section 6.12.

 

“Prohibited Transaction” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975(c) of the Code.

 

“Public Company Costs” shall mean costs relating to compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as applicable to companies with equity or debt securities held by the public, the rules of national securities exchange companies with listed equity or debt securities, directors’ or managers’ compensation, fees and expense reimbursement, costs relating to investor relations, shareholder meetings and reports to shareholders or debtholders, directors’ and officers’ insurance and other executive costs, legal and other professional fees, and listing fees.

 

“Qualified Proceeds” shall mean assets that are used or useful in, or Capital Stock of any Person engaged in, a Similar Business.

 

“Qualified Stock” of any Person shall mean Capital Stock of such Person other than Disqualified Stock of such Person.

 

“Qualifying IPO” shall mean the issuance by Holdings or any Parent Entity of its common Equity Interests in an underwritten primary public offering (other than a public offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act (whether alone or in connection with a secondary public offering) or in a firm commitment underwritten offering (or series of related offerings of securities to the public pursuant to a final prospectus) made pursuant to the Securities Act.

 

	53

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Real Estate”shall have the meaning provided in Section 9.1(f).

 

“Receivables Facility” shall mean any of one or more receivables financing facilities (and any guarantee of such financing facility), as amended, supplemented, modified, extended, renewed, restated, or refunded from time to time, the obligations of which are non-recourse (except for customary representations, warranties, covenants, and indemnities made in connection with such facilities) to Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than a Receivables Subsidiary) pursuant to which Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary sells, directly or indirectly, grants a security interest in or otherwise transfers its accounts receivable to either (i) a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) a Receivables Subsidiary that in turn funds such purchase by purporting to sell its accounts receivable to a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or by borrowing from such a Person or from another Receivables Subsidiary that in turn funds itself by borrowing from such a Person.

 

“Receivables Fee” shall mean distributions or payments made directly or by means of discounts with respect to any accounts receivable or participation interest issued or sold in connection with, and other fees paid to a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with, any Receivables Facility.

 

“Receivables Subsidiary” shall mean any Subsidiary formed for the purpose of facilitating or entering into one or more Receivables Facilities, and in each case engages only in activities reasonably related or incidental thereto or another Person formed for the purposes of engaging in a Receivables Facility in which Holdings or any Subsidiary makes an Investment and to which Holdings or any Subsidiary transfers accounts receivables and related assets.

 

“Refinanced Term Loans” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.1.

 

“Refinancing Indebtedness” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.1(m).

 

“Refinancing Permitted Other Indebtedness” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.1(x).

 

“Refunding Capital Stock” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.5(b)(2).

 

“Register” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(b)(iv).

 

“Regulation T”shall mean Regulation T of the Board as from time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof establishing margin requirements.

 

“Regulation U” shall mean Regulation U of the Board as from time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof establishing margin requirements.

 

“Regulation X”shall mean Regulation X of the Board as from time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof establishing margin requirements.

 

“Reinvestment Period”shall mean 450 days following the date of receipt of Net Cash Proceeds of an Asset Sale Prepayment Event, Casualty Event, or Permitted Sale Leaseback.

 

“Rejection Notice” shall have the meaning provided in Section 5.2(f).

 

	54

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Related Business Assets” shall mean assets (other than cash or Cash Equivalents) used or useful in a Similar Business; provided that any assets received by Holdings or the Restricted Subsidiaries in exchange for assets transferred by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed to be Related Business Assets if they consist of securities of a Person, unless upon receipt of the securities of such Person, such Person would become a Restricted Subsidiary.

 

“Related Fund” shall mean, with respect to any Lender that is a Fund, any other Fund that is advised or managed by (a) such Lender, (b) an Affiliate of such Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of such entity that administers, advises or manages such Lender.

 

“Related Parties”shall mean, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, and advisors of such Person and any Person that possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.

 

“Release” shall mean any release, spill, emission, discharge, disposal, escaping, leaking, pumping, pouring, dumping, emptying, injection, or leaching into the environment.

 

“Reorganization” shall mean, with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such plan is in reorganization within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA.

 

“Replacement Term Loan Commitment” means the commitments of the Lenders to make Replacement Term Loans.

 

“Replacement Term Loans”shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.1.

 

“Reportable Event” shall mean any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043(c) of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder, with respect to a Pension Plan (other than a Pension Plan maintained by an ERISA Affiliate that is considered an ERISA Affiliate only pursuant to subsection (m) or (o) of Section 414 of the Code), other than those events as to which notice is waived pursuant to DOL Reg. § 4043.

 

“Required Lenders” shall mean, at any date, Lenders having or holding a majority of the sum of (i) the Total Term Loan Commitment at such date and (ii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans at such date.

 

“Requirement of Law” shall mean, as to any Person, the certificate of incorporation and by-laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any law, treaty, rule, or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or assets or to which such Person or any of its property or assets is subject.

 

“Resignation Effective Date” shall have the meaning provided in Section 12.9(a).

 

“Restricted Investment” shall mean an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.

 

“Restricted Payment” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.5(a).

 

“Restricted Subsidiary” shall mean any Subsidiary of Holdings other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

	55

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Retained Declined Proceeds”shall have the meaning provided in Section 5.2(f).

 

“Retired Capital Stock” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.5(b)(2).

 

“S&P” shall mean Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services or any successor by merger or consolidation to its business.

 

“Sale Leaseback” shall mean any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary of any real or tangible personal property, which property has been or is to be sold or transferred by Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary to such Person in contemplation of such leasing.

 

“SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto.

 

“Secondary Merger”shall have the meaning provided in the recitals hereto.

 

“Section 2.14 Additional Amendment” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(g)(iv).

 

“Section 9.1Financials”shall mean the financial statements delivered, or required to be delivered, pursuant to Section 9.1(a) or (b) together with the accompanying officer’s certificate delivered, or required to be delivered, pursuant to Section 9.1(d).

 

“Secured Parties” shall mean the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, and each Lender, in each case with respect to the Credit Facility, and each sub-agent pursuant to Section 12 appointed by the Administrative Agent with respect to matters relating to the Credit Facility or the Collateral Agent with respect to matters relating to any Security Document.

 

“Security Documents”shall mean, collectively, the Pledge Agreement, the Security Agreement, the Mortgages, if executed, the Intercreditor Agreement, and each other security agreement or other instrument or document executed and delivered pursuant to Sections 9.11, 9.12, or 9.14 or pursuant to any other such Security Documents to secure the Obligations or to govern the lien priorities of the holders of Liens on the Collateral.

 

“Senior Secured Leverage Test” shall mean, as of any date of determination, with respect to the last day of the most recently ended Test Period, the Consolidated Senior Secured Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio shall be no greater than 6.25 to 1.00.

 

“Series” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14(a).

 

“Significant Subsidiary” shall mean, at any date of determination, (a) any Restricted Subsidiary whose gross revenues (when combined with the gross revenues of such Restricted Subsidiary’s Subsidiaries after eliminating intercompany obligations) for the Test Period most recently ended on or prior to such date were equal to or greater than 15% of the consolidated gross revenues of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined in accordance with GAAP or (b) each other Restricted Subsidiary that, when such Restricted Subsidiary’s total gross revenues (when combined with the total gross revenues of such Restricted Subsidiary’s Subsidiaries after eliminating intercompany obligations) are aggregated with each other Restricted Subsidiary (when combined with the total gross revenues of such Restricted Subsidiary’s Subsidiaries after eliminating intercompany obligations) that is the subject of an Event of Default described in Section 11.5 would constitute a “Significant Subsidiary” under clause (a) above.

 

	56

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Similar Business” shall mean any business conducted or proposed to be conducted by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries on the Closing Date or any business that is similar, reasonably related, synergistic, incidental, or ancillary thereto.

 

“Sold Entity or Business”shall have the meaning provided in the definition of the term Consolidated EBITDA.

 

“Solvent” shall mean, after giving effect to the consummation of the Transactions, (i) the sum of the liabilities (including contingent liabilities) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, does not exceed the present fair saleable value of the present assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis; (ii) the fair value of the property of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, is greater than the total amount of liabilities (including contingent liabilities) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis; (iii) the capital of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, is not unreasonably small in relation to their business as contemplated on the date hereof; and (iv) the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, have not incurred and do not intend to incur, or believe that they will incur, debts including current obligations beyond their ability to pay such debts as they become due (whether at maturity or otherwise).

 

“Specified Representations” shall mean the representations and warranties with respect to the Borrower set forth in Sections 8.1(a), 8.2 (as related to the borrowing under, guaranteeing under, granting of security interests in the Collateral to, and performance of, the Credit Documents), 8.3(c) (as related to the borrowing under, guaranteeing under, granting of security interests in the Collateral to, and performance of, the Credit Documents), 8.5, 8.7, 8.17, 8.18, and in Section 3.2(a) and (b) of the Security Agreement and Section 4(d) of the Pledge Agreement, except with respect to items referred to on Schedule 9.14, of this Agreement.

 

“Specified Transaction”shall mean, with respect to any period, any Investment (including a Permitted Acquisition), any asset sale, incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, Restricted Payment, Subsidiary designation, New Term Loan or other event or action that by the terms of this Agreement requires Pro Forma Compliance with a test or covenant hereunder or requires such test or covenant to be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis.

 

“Sponsor” shall mean any of KKR and its Affiliates but excluding portfolio companies of any of the foregoing.

 

“Sponsor Management Agreement” shall mean the management agreement between certain of the management companies associated with the Initial Investors and Holdings dated as of March 13, 2014.

 

“Sponsor Model” shall mean the Sponsor’s financial model dated February 25, 2014 used in connection with the syndication of the Facilities.

 

“Spot Rate” for any currency shall mean the rate determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate quoted by the Administrative Agent as the spot rate for the purchase by the Administrative Agent of such currency with another currency through its principal foreign exchange trading office at approximately 11:00 a.m. on the date two Business Days prior to the date as of which the foreign exchange computation is made; provided that the Administrative Agent may obtain such spot rate from another financial institution designated by the Administrative Agent if it does not have as of the date of determination a spot buying rate for any such currency.

 

	57

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“SPV” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(g).

 

“Stock Equivalents” shall mean all securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock and all warrants, options, or other rights to purchase or subscribe for any Capital Stock, whether or not presently convertible, exchangeable, or exercisable.

 

“Stores” shall mean any retail store (which may include any real property, fixtures, equipment, inventory and other property related thereto) operated, or to be operated, by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

“Subordinated Indebtedness” shall mean Indebtedness of Holdings, the Borrower, or any other Guarantor that is by its terms subordinated in right of payment to the obligations of Holdings, the Borrower, or such Guarantor, as applicable, under this Agreement or the Guarantee, as applicable.

 

“Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean and include (i) any corporation more than 50% of whose Capital Stock of any class or classes having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time Capital Stock of any class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time owned by such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries, or (ii) any limited liability company, partnership, association, joint venture, or other entity of which such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries has more than a 50% equity interest at the time. Unless otherwise expressly provided, all references herein to a Subsidiary shall mean a Subsidiary of Holdings.

 

“Successor Borrower” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.3(a).

 

“Surviving Borrower” shall have the meaning provided in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

“Taxes” shall mean any and all present or future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, assessments, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), fees, or other similar charges imposed by any Governmental Authority and any interest, fines, penalties, or additions to tax with respect to the foregoing.

 

“Term Loan Commitment”shall mean, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s Initial Term Loan Commitment, and, if applicable, New Term Loan Commitment with respect to any Series and Replacement Term Loan Commitment with respect to any Series.

 

“Term Loan Extension Request” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14 (g)(i).

 

“Term Loan Lender”shall mean, at any time, any Lender that has a Term Loan Commitment or an outstanding Term Loan.

 

“Term Loans”shall mean the Initial Term Loans, any New Term Loans, any Replacement Term Loans, and any Extended Term Loans, collectively.

 

“Terminated Contracts” shall mean binding contracts with Counterparties that have terminated (whether on or before their stated expiration).

 

“Test Period” shall mean, for any determination under this Agreement, the four consecutive fiscal quarters of Holdings then last ended and for which Section 9.1 Financials shall have been delivered (or required to be delivered) to the Administrative Agent (or, before the first delivery of Section 9.1 Financials, the most recent period of four fiscal quarters at the end of which financial statements are available).

 

	58

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Title Policy” shall have the meaning provided in Section 9.14(d)(ii).

 

“Total Credit Exposure” shall mean, at any date, the sum, without duplication, of (i) the Total Term Loan Commitment at such date and (ii) without duplication of clause (ii), the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Term Loans at such date.

 

“Total Initial Term Loan Commitment”shall mean the sum of the Initial Term Loan Commitments of all Lenders.

 

“Total Term Loan Commitment”shall mean the sum of the Initial Term Loan Commitments, and the New Term Loan Commitments, if applicable, of all the Lenders.

 

“Transaction Expenses”shall mean any fees, costs, or expenses incurred or paid by Holdings, the Borrower, or any of their respective Affiliates in connection with the Transactions, this Agreement, and the other Credit Documents, the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

 

“Transactions” shall mean, collectively, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the First Lien Credit Agreement, the Acquisition, the contribution of the Equity Rollover Interests, the Equity Rollover Contribution, the Secondary Merger and the Equity Investments, any repayment, repurchase, prepayment, or defeasance of Indebtedness of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in connection therewith, the consummation of any other transactions in connection with the foregoing (including in connection with the Acquisition Agreement and the payment of the fees and expenses incurred in connection with any of the foregoing (including the Transaction Expenses)).

 

“Transferee” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(e).

 

“Type” shall mean as to any Loan, its nature as an ABR Loan or a LIBOR Loan.

 

“Unrestricted Subsidiary” shall mean (i) any Subsidiary of Holdings which at the time of determination is an Unrestricted Subsidiary (as designated by the board of directors of Holdings, as provided below) and (ii) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

The board of directors of Holdings may designate any Subsidiary of Holdings (including any existing Subsidiary and any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary) other than the Company or a Subsidiary of Holdings that is a direct or indirect parent of the Company to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries owns any Equity Interests or Indebtedness of, or owns or holds any Lien on, any property of, Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings (other than any Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated or an Unrestricted Subsidiary); provided that:

 

(a) such designation complies with Section 10.5; and

 

(b) each of (1) the Subsidiary to be so designated and (2) its Subsidiaries has not at the time of designation, and does not thereafter, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee, or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable with respect to any Indebtedness pursuant to which the lender has recourse to any of the assets of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

	59

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

The board of directors of Holdings may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that, immediately after giving effect to such designation no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and either: (i) Holdings could incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of Section 10.1 or (ii) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries would be greater than such ratio for Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior to such designation, in each case on a Pro Forma Basis taking into account such designation.

 

Any such designation by the board of directors of Holdings shall be notified by Holdings to the Administrative Agent by promptly delivering to the Administrative Agent a copy of the Board Resolution giving effect to such designation and a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing provisions.

 

“U.S.” and “United States” shall mean the United States of America.

 

“U.S.Lender” shall have the meaning provided in Section 5.4(e)(ii)(A).

 

“Voting Stock”shall mean, with respect to any Person as of any date, the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the board of directors of such Person.

 

“Wal-Mart Agreements” shall mean (i) the Management & Services Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2012, by and among Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Wal-Mart”), its U.S. operating subsidiaries, including Sam’s West, Inc., and the Borrower, (ii) the Lease of Premises and License of Equipment, dated May 2, 2009, by and among Wal-Mart, its affiliates and subsidiaries and FirstSight, as amended by the First Amendment to FirstSight Lease, dated as of March 31, 2012, (iii) the Management and Services Agreement, dated as of December 17, 2012, by and between Wal-Mart, but excluding its United States operating subsidiaries Sam’s West, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and Sam’s East Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with Sam’s West, Inc., “Sam’s”) and Arlington Contact Lens Services, Inc., an Ohio corporation (“AC Lens”), (iv) the Management and Services Agreement, dated as of December 17, 2012, by and among Sam’s and its operating subsidiaries and AC Lens, (v) the Professional Office Lease Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2012, by and among Wal-Mart, its affiliates and subsidiaries and the Borrower and (vi) the Supplier Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2012, by and among the Borrower and Wal-Mart, in each case, as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented, otherwise modified or replaced from time to time.

 

“Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person, 100% of the outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership interests of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) shall at the time be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

“Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean a Subsidiary of such Person, 100% of the outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership interests of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) shall at the time be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

“Withdrawal Liability” shall mean liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Title IV of ERISA.

 

	60

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Withholding Agent” shall mean any Credit Party, the Administrative Agent and, in the case of any U.S. federal withholding Tax, any other applicable withholding agent.

 

1.2           Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Credit Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Credit Document:

 

(a) The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

 

(b) The words “herein”, “hereto”, “hereof”, and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in any Credit Document shall refer to such Credit Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.

 

(c) Section, Exhibit, and Schedule references are to the Credit Document in which such reference appears.

 

(d) The term “including” is by way of example and not limitation.

 

(e) The term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form.

 

(f) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”; the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding”; and the word “through” means “to and including”.

 

(g) Section headings herein and in the other Credit Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Credit Document.

 

(h) The words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

(i) All references to “knowledge” or “awareness” of any Credit Party or any Restricted Subsidiary thereof means the actual knowledge of an Authorized Officer of such Credit Party or such Restricted Subsidiary.

 

1.3           Accounting Terms.

 

(a) Except as expressly provided herein, all accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP, applied in a consistent manner.

 

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, for purposes of determining compliance with any test or covenant contained in this Agreement with respect to any period during which any Specified Transaction occurs, the Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio, the Consolidated First Lien Secured Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio, Consolidated Senior Secured Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio and the Senior Secured Leverage Test shall each be calculated with respect to such period and such Specified Transaction on a Pro Forma Basis.

 

	61

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(c) Where reference is made to “Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis” or similar language, such consolidation shall not include any Subsidiaries of Holdings other than Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

1.4          Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by Holdings pursuant to this Agreement (or required to be satisfied in order for a specific action to be permitted under this Agreement) shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number.

 

1.5          References to Agreements Laws, Etc. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to organizational documents, agreements (including the Credit Documents), and other Contractual Requirements shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, amendment, and restatements, extensions, supplements, modifications, replacements, refinancings, renewals, or increases, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, amendment, and restatements, extensions, supplements, modifications, replacements, refinancings, renewals, or increases are permitted by any Credit Document; and (b) references to any Requirement of Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing, or interpreting such Requirement of Law.

 

1.6          Exchange Rates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of any determination under Section 9, Section 10 or Section 11 or any determination under any other provision of this Agreement expressly requiring the use of a current exchange rate, all amounts incurred, outstanding, or proposed to be incurred or outstanding in currencies other than Dollars shall be translated into Dollars at the Spot Rate; provided, however, that for purposes of determining compliance with Section 10 with respect to the amount of any Indebtedness, Restricted Investment, Lien, Asset Sale, or Restricted Payment in a currency other than Dollars, no Default or Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of changes in rates of exchange occurring after the time such Indebtedness, Lien or Restricted Investment is incurred or Asset Sale or Restricted Payment made; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.6 shall otherwise apply to such Sections, including with respect to determining whether any Indebtedness, Lien, or Investment may be incurred or Asset Sale or Restricted Payment made at any time under such Sections. For purposes of any determination of Consolidated Total Debt, amounts in currencies other than Dollars shall be translated into Dollars at the currency exchange rates used in preparing the most recently delivered Section 9.1 Financials.

 

1.7          Rates. The Administrative Agent does not warrant, nor accept responsibility, nor shall the Administrative Agent have any liability with respect to the administration, submission, or any other matter related to the rates in the definition of LIBOR Rate or with respect to any comparable or successor rate thereto.

 

1.8          Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

1.9          Timing of Payment or Performance. Except as otherwise provided herein, when the payment of any obligation or the performance of any covenant, duty, or obligation is stated to be due or performance required on (or before) a day which is not a Business Day, the date of such payment (other than as described in the definition of Interest Period) or performance shall extend to the immediately succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

 

	62

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

1.10          Certifications. All certifications to be made hereunder by an officer or representative of a Credit Party shall be made by such a Person in his or her capacity solely as an officer or a representative of such Credit Party, on such Credit Party’s behalf and not in such Person’s individual capacity.

 

1.11          Compliance with Certain Sections. In the event that any Lien, Investment, Indebtedness (whether at the time of incurrence or upon application of all or a portion of the proceeds thereof), disposition, Restricted Payment, Affiliate transaction, Contractual Requirement, or prepayment of Indebtedness meets the criteria of one or more than one of the categories of transactions then permitted pursuant to any clause or subsection of Section 9.9 or any clause or subsection of Sections 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5 or 10.6 then, such transaction (or portion thereof) at any time shall be allocated to one or more of such clauses or subsections within the relevant sections as determined by the Borrower in its sole discretion at such time.

 

1.12          Pro Forma and Other Calculations.

 

(a) For purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Investments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, consolidations, and disposed operations (as determined in accordance with GAAP) that have been made by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary during the Test Period or subsequent to such Test Period and on or prior to or simultaneously with the date of determination shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis assuming that all such Investments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, consolidations, and disposed operations (and the change in any associated fixed charge obligations and the change in Consolidated EBITDA resulting therefrom) had occurred on the first day of the Test Period. If since the beginning of such period any Person (that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such period) shall have made any Investment, acquisition, disposition, merger, consolidation, or disposed operation that would have required adjustment pursuant to this definition, then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving Pro Forma Effect thereto for such Test Period as if such Investment, acquisition, disposition, merger, consolidation, or disposed operation had occurred at the beginning of the Test Period.

 

Whenever Pro Forma Effect is to be given to a transaction, the pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Borrower (and may include, for the avoidance of doubt and without duplication, cost savings, and operating expense reductions resulting from such Investment, acquisition, merger, or consolidation which is being given Pro Forma Effect that have been or are expected to be realized; provided that such costs savings and operating expense reductions are made in compliance with the definition of Pro Forma Adjustment). If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given Pro Forma Effect, the interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated as if the rate in effect on the date of determination had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account for such entire period, any Hedging Obligation applicable to such Indebtedness with a remaining term of 12 months or longer, and in the case of any Hedging Obligation applicable to such Indebtedness with a remaining term of less than 12 months, taking into account such Hedging Obligation to the extent of its remaining term). Interest on a Capitalized Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by a responsible financial or accounting officer of Holdings to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of making the computation referred to above, interest on any Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility computed on a Pro Forma Basis shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period (or, if lower, the greater of (i) maximum commitments under such revolving credit facilities as of the date of determination and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of loans outstanding under such a revolving credit facilities on such date). Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Borrower may designate.

 

	63

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

In connection with any action being taken solely in connection with a Limited Condition Acquisition, for purposes of:

 

(i) determining compliance with any provision of this Agreement which requires the calculation of the Consolidated First Lien Secured Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio, Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio or the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio; or

 

(ii) testing availability under baskets set forth in this agreement (including baskets measured as a percentage of Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Total Assets);

 

in each case, at the option of the Borrower (the Borrower’s election to exercise such option in connection with any Limited Condition Acquisition, an “LCA Election”), the date of determination of whether any such action is permitted hereunder, shall be deemed to be the date the definitive agreements for such Limited Condition Acquisition are entered into (the “LCA Test Date”), and if, after giving Pro Forma Effect to the Limited Condition Acquisition and the other transactions to be entered into in connection therewith (including any incurrence of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof) as if they had occurred at the beginning of the most recent Test Period ending prior to the LCA Test Date, the Borrower could have taken such action on the relevant LCA Test Date in compliance with such ratio or basket, such ratio or basket shall be deemed to have been complied with. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower has made an LCA Election and any of the ratios or baskets for which compliance was determined or tested as of the LCA Test Date are exceeded as a result of fluctuations in any such ratio or basket, including due to fluctuations in Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Total Assets of the Borrower or the Person subject to such Limited Condition Acquisition, at or prior to the consummation of the relevant transaction or action, such baskets or ratios will not be deemed to have been exceeded as a result of such fluctuations. If the Borrower has made an LCA Election for any Limited Condition Acquisition, then in connection with any subsequent calculation of any ratio or basket availability with respect to the incurrence of Indebtedness or Liens, or the making of Restricted Payments, mergers, the conveyance, lease or other transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower, the prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of Indebtedness, or the designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary on or following the relevant LCA Test Date and prior to the earlier of the date on which such Limited Condition Acquisition is consummated or the date that the definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Acquisition is terminated or expires without consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition, any such ratio or basket shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis assuming such Limited Condition Acquisition and other transactions in connection therewith (including any incurrence of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof) have been consummated.

 

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 1.12 or in any classification under GAAP of any Person, business, assets or operations in respect of which a definitive agreement for the disposition thereof has been entered into as discontinued operations, no Pro Forma Effect shall be given to any discontinued operations (and the EBITDA attributable to any such Person, business, assets or operations shall not be excluded for any purposes hereunder) until such disposition shall have been consummated.

 

	64

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(c) Any determination of Consolidated Total Assets shall be made by reference to the last day of the Test Period most recently ended on or prior to the relevant date of determination.

 

Section 2.             Amount and Terms of Credit

 

                2.1         Commitments.

 

Subject to and upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, each Lender having an Initial Term Loan Commitment severally agrees to make a loan or loans (each, an “Initial Term Loan”) to Merger Sub on the Closing Date, which Initial Term Loans shall not exceed for any such Lender the Initial Term Loan Commitment of such Lender and in the aggregate shall not exceed $125,000,000. Such Term Loans (i) may at the option of the Borrower be incurred and maintained as, and/or converted into, ABR Loans or LIBOR Loans; provided that all Term Loans made by each of the Lenders pursuant to the same Borrowing shall, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, consist entirely of Term Loans of the same Type, (ii) may be repaid or prepaid (without premium or penalty other than as set forth in Section 5.1(b)) in accordance with the provisions hereof, but once repaid or prepaid, may not be reborrowed, (iii) shall not exceed for any such Lender the Initial Term Loan Commitment of such Lender, and (iv) shall not exceed in the aggregate the Total Initial Term Loan Commitments. On the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, all then unpaid Initial Term Loans shall be repaid in full in Dollars.

 

2.2         Minimum Amount of Each Borrowing; Maximum Number of Borrowings.

 

The aggregate principal amount of each Borrowing of Loans shall be in a minimum amount of at least the Minimum Borrowing Amount for such Type of Loans and in a multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. More than one Borrowing may be incurred on any date; provided that at no time shall there be outstanding more than five Borrowings of LIBOR Loans under this Agreement.

 

2.3         Notice of Borrowing.

 

(a) The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) at least one Business Day’s prior written notice in the case of a Borrowing of Initial Term Loans to be made on the Closing Date if such Initial Term Loans are to be LIBOR Loans or ABR Loans. Such notice (a “Notice of Borrowing”) shall specify (A) the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans to be made, (B) the date of the Borrowing (which shall be the Closing Date) and (C) whether the Term Loans shall consist of ABR Loans and/or LIBOR Loans and, if the Term Loans are to include LIBOR Loans, the Interest Period to be initially applicable thereto. If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified in any such notice, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period with respect to any Borrowing of LIBOR Loans is specified in any such notice, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. The Administrative Agent shall promptly advise the applicable Lenders of any notice given pursuant to this Section 2.3 (and the contents thereof), and of each Lender’s pro rata share of the requested Borrowing.

 

(b) Without in any way limiting the obligation of the Borrower to confirm in writing any notice it shall give hereunder by telephone (which such obligation is absolute), the Administrative Agent may act prior to receipt of written confirmation without liability upon the basis of such telephonic notice believed by the Administrative Agent in good faith to be from an Authorized Officer of Holdings or the Borrower.

 

2.4         Disbursement of Funds.

 

(a) No later than 2:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the date specified in each Notice of Borrowing, each Lender shall make available its pro rataportion, if any, of each Borrowing requested to be made on such date in the manner provided below; provided that on the Closing Date, such funds may be made available at such earlier time as may be agreed among the Lenders, Holdings, and the Administrative Agent for the purpose of consummating the Transactions.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) Each Lender shall make available all amounts it is to fund to the Borrower under any Borrowing for its applicable Commitments, and in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office and the Administrative Agent will make available to the Borrower, by depositing to an account designated by Holdings or the Borrower to the Administrative Agent the aggregate of the amounts so made available in Dollars. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by any Lender prior to the date of any such Borrowing that such Lender does not intend to make available to the Administrative Agent its portion of the Borrowing or Borrowings to be made on such date, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such amount available to the Administrative Agent on such date of Borrowing, and the Administrative Agent, in reliance upon such assumption, may (in its sole discretion and without any obligation to do so) make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. If such corresponding amount is not in fact made available to the Administrative Agent by such Lender and the Administrative Agent has made available such amount to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover such corresponding amount from such Lender. If such Lender does not pay such corresponding amount forthwith upon the Administrative Agent’s demand therefor the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Borrower shall immediately pay such corresponding amount to the Administrative Agent in Dollars. The Administrative Agent shall also be entitled to recover from such Lender or the Borrower interest on such corresponding amount in respect of each day from the date such corresponding amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower to the date such corresponding amount is recovered by the Administrative Agent, at a rate per annumequal to (i) if paid by such Lender, the Overnight Rate or (ii) if paid by the Borrower, the then-applicable rate of interest or fees, calculated in accordance with Section 2.8, for the respective Loans.

 

(c) Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to, fulfill its commitments hereunder or to prejudice any rights that the Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder (it being understood, however, that no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to fulfill its commitments hereunder).

 

2.5         Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt

 

(a) The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent, in Dollars, for the benefit of the Initial Term Loan Lenders, on the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date (or, if not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) the outstanding principal amount of Initial Term Loans made to the Borrower.

 

(b) The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent, in Dollars, for the benefit of the applicable Lenders, on the Maturity Date outstanding principal amount of Initial Term Loans made to the Borrower.

 

(c) In the event that any New Term Loans are made, such New Term Loans shall, subject to Section 2.14(d), be repaid by the Borrower in the amounts set forth in the applicable Joinder Agreement. In the event that any Extended Term Loans are established, such Extended Term Loans shall, subject to Section 2.14(g), be repaid by the Borrower in the amounts and on the dates set forth in the applicable Extension Amendment.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(d) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the Indebtedness of the Borrower to the appropriate lending office of such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such lending office of such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such lending office of such Lender from time to time under this Agreement.

 

(e) The Administrative Agent shall maintain the Register pursuant to Section 13.6(b), and a subaccount for each Lender, in which Register and subaccounts (taken together) shall be recorded (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, whether such Loan is an Initial Term Loan or, New Term Loan, as applicable, the Type of each Loan made, the name of the Borrower and the Interest Period, if any, applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder, and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from the Borrower and each Lender’s share thereof.

 

(f) The entries made in the Register and accounts and subaccounts maintained pursuant to clauses (d) and (e) of this Section 2.5 shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations of the Borrower therein recorded; provided, however, that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such account, such Register or subaccount, as applicable, or any error therein, shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay (with applicable interest) the Loans made to such Borrower by such Lender in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(g) The Borrower hereby agrees that, upon request of any Lender at any time and from time to time after a Borrower has made an initial borrowing hereunder, the Borrower shall provide to such Lender, at the Borrower’s own expense, a promissory note, substantially in the form of Exhibit G evidencing the Initial Term Loans and New Term Loans, respectively, owing to such Lender. Thereafter, unless otherwise agreed to by the applicable Lender, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 13.6) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if requested by such payee, to such payee and its registered assigns).

 

2.6         Conversions and Continuations

 

(a) Subject to the penultimate sentence of this clause (a), (x) the Borrower shall have the option on any Business Day to convert all or a portion equal to at least $5,000,000 of the outstanding principal amount of Term Loans of one Type and (y) the Borrower shall have the option on any Business Day to continue the outstanding principal amount of any LIBOR Loans as LIBOR Loans for an additional Interest Period; provided that (i) no partial conversion of LIBOR Loans shall reduce the outstanding principal amount of LIBOR Loans made pursuant to a single Borrowing to less than the Minimum Borrowing Amount, (ii) ABR Loans may not be converted into LIBOR Loans if an Event of Default is in existence on the date of the conversion and the Administrative Agent has or the Required Lenders have determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such conversion, (iii) LIBOR Loans may not be continued as LIBOR Loans for an additional Interest Period if an Event of Default is in existence on the date of the proposed continuation and the Administrative Agent has or the Required Lenders have determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such continuation, and (iv) Borrowings resulting from conversions pursuant to this Section 2.6 shall be limited in number as provided in Section 2.2. Each such conversion or continuation shall be effected by the Borrower by giving the Administrative Agent prior written notice at the Administrative Agent’s Office prior to 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) at least (i) three Business Days prior, in the case of a continuation of or conversion to LIBOR Loans (other than in the case of a notice delivered on the Closing Date, which shall be deemed to be effective on the Closing Date), or (ii) one Business Day prior in the case of a conversion into ABR Loans (each, a “Notice of Conversion or Continuation” substantially in the form of Exhibit K) specifying the Loans to be so converted or continued, the Type of Loans to be converted or continued into and, if such Loans are to be converted into or continued as LIBOR Loans, the Interest Period to be initially applicable thereto. If no Interest Period is specified in any such notice with respect to any conversion to or continuation as a LIBOR Loan, the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. The Administrative Agent shall give each applicable Lender notice as promptly as practicable of any such proposed conversion or continuation affecting any of its Loans.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) If any Event of Default is in existence at the time of any proposed continuation of any LIBOR Loans denominated in Dollars and the Administrative Agent has or the Required Lenders have determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such continuation, such LIBOR Loans shall be automatically converted on the last day of the current Interest Period into ABR Loans. If upon the expiration of any Interest Period in respect of LIBOR Loans, the Borrower has failed to elect a new Interest Period to be applicable thereto as provided in clause (a), the Borrower shall be deemed to have elected to convert such Borrowing of LIBOR Loans into a Borrowing of ABR Loans, effective as of the expiration date of such current Interest Period.

 

2.7         Pro Rata Borrowings. Each Borrowing of Initial Term Loans under this Agreement shall be made by the Lenders pro rataon the basis of their then-applicable Initial Term Loan Commitments. Each Borrowing of New Term Loans under this Agreement shall be made by the Lenders pro rataon the basis of their then-applicable New Term Loan Commitments. It is understood that (a) no Lender shall be responsible for any default by any other Lender in its obligation to make Loans hereunder and that each Lender severally but not jointly shall be obligated to make the Loans provided to be made by it hereunder, regardless of the failure of any other Lender to fulfill its commitments hereunder and (b) failure by a Lender to perform any of its obligations under any of the Credit Documents shall not release any Person from performance of its obligation, under any Credit Document.

 

2.8         Interest

 

(a) The unpaid principal amount of each ABR Loan shall bear interest from the date of the Borrowing thereof until maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) at a rate per annumthat shall at all times be the Applicable Margin for ABR Loans plus the ABR, in each case, in effect from time to time.

 

(b) The unpaid principal amount of each LIBOR Loan shall bear interest from the date of the Borrowing thereof until maturity thereof (whether by acceleration or otherwise) at a rate per annumthat shall at all times be the Applicable Margin for LIBOR Loans plus the relevant LIBOR Rate.

 

(c) If all or a portion of (i) the principal amount of any Loan or (ii) any interest payable thereon or any other amount payable hereunder shall not be paid when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), such overdue amount shall bear interest at a rate per annum (the “Default Rate”) that is (x) in the case of overdue principal, the rate that would otherwise be applicable thereto plus 2.00% or (y) in the case of any other overdue amount, including overdue interest, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the rate described in Section 2.8(a) for the applicable Class plus 2.00% from the date of such non-payment to the date on which such amount is paid in full (after as well as before judgment).

 

(d) Interest on each Loan shall accrue from and including the date of any Borrowing to but excluding the date of any repayment thereof; provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same date on which it is made shall bear interest for one day. Except as provided below, interest shall be payable (i) in respect of each ABR Loan, quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, (ii) in respect of each LIBOR Loan, on the last day of each Interest Period applicable thereto and, in the case of an Interest Period in excess of three months, on each date occurring at three-month intervals after the first day of such Interest Period, and (iii) in respect of each Loan, (A) on any prepayment in respect thereof, (B) at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise), and (C) after such maturity, on demand.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(e) All computations of interest hereunder shall be made in accordance with Section 5.5.

 

(f) The Administrative Agent, upon determining the interest rate for any Borrowing of LIBOR Loans, shall promptly notify the Borrower and the relevant Lenders thereof. Each such determination shall, absent clearly demonstrable error, be final and conclusive and binding on all parties hereto.

 

2.9         Interest Periods. At the time the Borrower gives a Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion or Continuation in respect of the making of, or conversion into or continuation as, a Borrowing of LIBOR Loans in accordance with Section 2.6(a), the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent written notice of the Interest Period applicable to such Borrowing, which Interest Period shall, at the option of the Borrower be a one, two, three or six month period (or if available to all the Lenders making such LIBOR Loans as determined by such Lenders in good faith based on prevailing market conditions, a twelve month or shorter period).

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained above:

 

(a) the initial Interest Period for any Borrowing of LIBOR Loans shall commence on the date of such Borrowing (including the date of any conversion from a Borrowing of ABR Loans) and each Interest Period occurring thereafter in respect of such Borrowing shall commence on the day on which the next preceding Interest Period expires;

 

(b) if any Interest Period relating to a Borrowing of LIBOR Loans begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month or begins on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period, such Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;

 

(c) if any Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall expire on the next succeeding Business Day; provided that if any Interest Period in respect of a LIBOR Loan would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day but is a day of the month after which no further Business Day occurs in such month, such Interest Period shall expire on the immediately preceding Business Day; and

 

(d) the Borrower shall not be entitled to elect any Interest Period in respect of any LIBOR Loan if such Interest Period would extend beyond the Maturity Date of such Loan.

 

2.10         Increased Costs, Illegality, Etc.

 

(a) In the event that (x) in the case of clause (i) below, the Administrative Agent and (y) in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) below, the Required Lenders shall have reasonably determined (which determination shall, absent clearly demonstrable error, be final and conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto):

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

       (i) on any date for determining the LIBOR Rate for any Interest Period that (x) deposits in the principal amounts and currencies of the Loans comprising such LIBOR Borrowing are not generally available in the relevant market or (y) by reason of any changes arising on or after the Closing Date affecting the interbank LIBOR market, adequate and fair means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable interest rate on the basis provided for in the definition of LIBOR Rate; or

 

       (ii) at any time, that such Lenders shall incur increased costs or reductions in the amounts received or receivable hereunder with respect to any LIBOR Loans (including any increased costs or reductions attributable to Taxes, other than any increase or reduction attributable to Indemnified Taxes, Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes) because of any Change in Law; or

 

       (iii) at any time, that the making or continuance of any LIBOR Loan has become unlawful by compliance by such Lenders in good faith with any law, governmental rule, regulation, guideline or order (or would conflict with any such governmental rule, regulation, guideline or order not having the force of law even though the failure to comply therewith would not be unlawful), or has become impracticable as a result of a contingency occurring after the Closing Date that materially and adversely affects the interbank LIBOR market;

 

(such Loans, “Impacted Loans”), then, and in any such event, such Required Lenders (or the Administrative Agent, in the case of clause (i) above) shall within a reasonable time thereafter give notice (if by telephone, confirmed in writing) to Holdings, the Borrower, and to the Administrative Agent of such determination (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the other Lenders). Thereafter (x) in the case of clause (i) above, LIBOR Loans shall no longer be available until such time as the Administrative Agent notifies Holdings, the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice by the Administrative Agent no longer exist (which notice the Administrative Agent agrees to give at such time when such circumstances no longer exist), and any Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion given by the Borrower with respect to LIBOR Loans that have not yet been incurred shall be deemed rescinded by the Borrower, (y) in the case of clause (ii) above, the Borrower shall pay to such Lenders, promptly after receipt of written demand therefor such additional amounts (in the form of an increased rate of, or a different method of calculating, interest or otherwise as such Required Lenders in their reasonable discretion shall determine) as shall be required to compensate such Lenders for such actual increased costs or reductions in amounts receivable hereunder (it being agreed that a written notice as to the additional amounts owed to such Lenders, showing in reasonable detail the basis for the calculation thereof, submitted to the Borrower by such Lenders shall, absent clearly demonstrable error, be final and conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto), and (z) in the case of subclause (iii) above, the Borrower shall take one of the actions specified in subclause (x) or (y), as applicable, of Section 2.10(b) promptly and, in any event, within the time period required by law.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent has made the determination described in Section 2.10(a)(i)(x), the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower and the affected Lenders, may establish an alternative interest rate for the Impacted Loans, in which case, such alternative rate of interest shall apply with respect to the Impacted Loans until (1) the Administrative Agent revokes the notice delivered with respect to the Impacted Loans under clause (x) of the first sentence of the immediately preceding paragraph, (2) the Administrative Agent or the affected Lenders notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that such alternative interest rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding the Impacted Loans, or (3) any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to such alternative rate of interest or to determine or charge interest rates based upon such rate or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to do any of the foregoing and provides the Administrative Agent and the Borrower written notice thereof.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) At any time that any LIBOR Loan is affected by the circumstances described in Section 2.10(a)(ii) or (iii), the Borrower may (and in the case of a LIBOR Loan affected pursuant to Section 2.10(a)(iii) shall) either (x) if a Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion or Continuation with respect to the affected LIBOR Loan has been submitted pursuant to Section 2.3 but the affected LIBOR Loan has not been funded or continued, cancel such requested Borrowing by giving the Administrative Agent written notice thereof on the same date that the Borrower was notified by Lenders pursuant to Section 2.10(a)(ii) or (iii) or (y) if the affected LIBOR Loan is then outstanding, upon at least three Business Days’ notice to the Administrative Agent, require the affected Lender to convert each such LIBOR Loan into an ABR Loan; provided that if more than one Lender is affected at any time, then all affected Lenders must be treated in the same manner pursuant to this Section 2.10(b).

 

(c) If, after the Closing Date, any Change in Law relating to capital adequacy or liquidity of any Lender or compliance by any Lender or its parent with any Change in Law relating to capital adequacy or liquidity occurring after the Closing Date, has or would have the effect of reducing the actual rate of return on such Lender’s or its parent’s or its Affiliate’s capital or assets as a consequence of such Lender’s commitments or obligations hereunder to a level below that which such Lender or its parent or its Affiliate could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or its parent’s policies with respect to capital adequacy or liquidity), then from time to time, promptly after demand by such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such actual additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or its parent for such actual reduction, it being understood and agreed, however, that a Lender shall not be entitled to such compensation as a result of such Lender’s compliance with, or pursuant to any request or directive to comply with, any law, rule or regulation as in effect on the Closing Date or to the extent such Lender is not imposing such charges on, or requesting such compensation from, borrowers (similarly situated to the Borrower hereunder) under comparable syndicated credit facilities similar to the Credit Facility. Each Lender, upon determining in good faith that any additional amounts will be payable pursuant to this Section 2.10(c), will give prompt written notice thereof to the Borrower, which notice shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis of the calculation of such additional amounts, although the failure to give any such notice shall not, subject to Section 2.13, release or diminish the Borrower’s obligations to pay additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.10(c) promptly following receipt of such notice.

 

2.11         Compensation. If (a) any payment of principal of any LIBOR Loan is made by the Borrower to or for the account of a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such LIBOR Loan as a result of a payment or conversion pursuant to Sections 2.5, 2.6, 2.10, 5.1, 5.2 or 13.7, as a result of acceleration of the maturity of the Loans pursuant to Section 11 or for any other reason, (b) any Borrowing of LIBOR Loans is not made as a result of a withdrawn Notice of Borrowing or a failure to satisfy borrowing conditions, (c) any ABR Loan is not converted into a LIBOR Loan as a result of a withdrawn Notice of Conversion or Continuation, (d) any LIBOR Loan is not continued as a LIBOR Loan, as the case may be, as a result of a withdrawn Notice of Conversion or Continuation or (e) any prepayment of principal of any LIBOR Loan is not made as a result of a withdrawn notice of prepayment pursuant to Sections 5.1 or 5.2, the Borrower shall, after receipt of a written request by such Lender (which request shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such amount), promptly pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses that such Lender may reasonably incur as a result of such payment, failure to convert, failure to continue or failure to prepay, including any loss, cost or expense (excluding loss of anticipated profits) actually incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Lender to fund or maintain such LIBOR Loan. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender as specified in this Section 2.11 and setting forth in reasonable detail the manner in which such amount or amounts were determined shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

2.12          Change of Lending Office. Each Lender agrees that, upon the occurrence of any event giving rise to the operation of Sections 2.10(a)(ii), 2.10(a)(iii), 2.10(b) or 5.4 with respect to such Lender, it will, if requested by the Borrower use reasonable efforts (subject to overall policy considerations of such Lender) to designate another lending office for any Loans affected by such event; provided that such designation is made on such terms that such Lender and its lending office suffer no unreimbursed cost or other material economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage, with the object of avoiding the consequence of the event giving rise to the operation of any such Section. Nothing in this Section 2.12 shall affect or postpone any of the obligations of the Borrower or the right of any Lender provided in Sections 2.10 or 5.4.

 

2.13          Notice of Certain Costs. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent any notice required by Sections 2.10, 2.11 or 5.4 is given by any Lender more than 120 days after such Lender has knowledge (or should have had knowledge) of the occurrence of the event giving rise to the additional cost, reduction in amounts, loss, or other additional amounts described in such Sections, such Lender shall not be entitled to compensation under Sections 2.10, 2.11 or 5.4, as the case may be, for any such amounts incurred or accruing prior to the 121st day prior to the giving of such notice to the Borrower.

 

2.14          Incremental Facilities.

 

(a) The Borrower may by written notice to Administrative Agent elect to request the establishment of one or more additional tranches of term loans (the commitments thereto, the “New Term Loan Commitments”), by an aggregate amount not in excess of the Maximum Incremental Facilities Amount in the aggregate and not less than $10,000,000 individually (or such lesser amount as (x) may be approved by the Administrative Agent or (y) shall constitute the difference between the Maximum Incremental Facilities Amount and all such New Term Loan Commitments obtained on or prior to such date). Each such notice shall specify the date (each, an “Increased Amount Date”) on which the Borrower proposes that the New Term Loan Commitments shall be effective. In connection with the incurrence of any Indebtedness under this Section 2.14, at the request of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent a certificate certifying that the New Term Loan Commitments do not exceed the Maximum Incremental Facilities Amount, which certificate shall be in reasonable detail and shall provide the calculations and basis therefor. The Borrower may approach any Lender or any Person (other than a natural Person) to provide all or a portion of the New Term Loan Commitments; provided that any Lender offered or approached to provide all or a portion of the New Term Loan Commitments may elect or decline, in its sole discretion, to provide a New Term Loan Commitment. In each case, such New Term Loan Commitments shall become effective as of the applicable Increased Amount Date; provided that (i) no Event of Default (except in connection with an acquisition or investment, no Event of Default under Section 11.1 or Section 11.5) shall exist on such Increased Amount Date before or after giving effect to such New Term Loan Commitments, as applicable, (ii) the New Term Loan Commitments shall be effected pursuant to one or more Joinder Agreements executed and delivered by the Borrower and Administrative Agent, and each of which shall be recorded in the Register and shall be subject to the requirements set forth in Section 5.4(e), and (iii) the Borrower shall make any payments required pursuant to Section 2.11 in connection with the New Term Loan Commitments, as applicable. No Lender shall have any obligation to provide any Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.14(a). Any New Term Loans made on an Increased Amount Date shall, at the election of the Borrower and agreed to by Lenders providing such New Term Loan Commitments, be designated as (a) a separate series (a “Series”) of New Term Loans for all purposes of this Agreement or (b) as part of a Series of existing Term Loans for all purposes of this Agreement.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) [reserved]

 

(c) On any Increased Amount Date on which any New Term Loan Commitments of any Series are effective, subject to the satisfaction of the foregoing terms and conditions, (i) each Lender with a New Term Loan Commitment (each, a “NewTerm Loan Lender”) of any Series shall make a Loan to the Borrower (a “NewTerm Loan”) in an amount equal to its New Term Loan Commitment of such Series, and (ii) each New Term Loan Lender of any Series shall become a Lender hereunder with respect to the New Term Loan Commitment of such Series and the New Term Loans of such Series made pursuant thereto.

 

(d) The terms and provisions of the New Term Loans and New Term Loan Commitments of any Series shall be on terms and documentation set forth in the Joinder Agreement as determined by the Borrower; provided that (i) the applicable New Term Loan Maturity Date of each Series shall be no earlier than the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date; (ii) the weighted average life to maturity of all New Term Loans shall be no shorter than the weighted average life to maturity of the then existing Initial Term Loans, (iii) the pricing, interest rate margins, discounts, premiums, rate floors, fees, and amortization schedule applicable to any New Term Loans shall be determined by the Borrower and the Lenders thereunder; provided that solely in the case of New Term Loans incurred prior to the 18 month anniversary of the Closing Date, if the Effective Yield for LIBOR Loans in respect of such New Term Loans exceeds the Effective Yield for LIBOR Loans in respect of the then existing Initial Term Loans by more than 0.50%, the Applicable Margin for LIBOR Loans in respect of the then existing Initial Term Loans shall be adjusted so that the Effective Yield in respect of the then existing Initial Term Loans is equal to the Effective Yield for LIBOR Loans in respect of the New Term Loans minus 0.50%; and (iv) to the extent such terms and documentation are not consistent with the then existing Initial Term Loans (except to the extent permitted by clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above), they shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (it being understood that, (1) to the extent that any financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of any such Indebtedness, no consent shall be required by the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders if such financial maintenance covenant is also added for the benefit of any corresponding Loans remaining outstanding after the issuance or incurrence of such Indebtedness or (2) no consent shall be required by the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders if any covenants or other provisions are only applicable after the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date).

 

(e) [reserved]

 

(f) Each Joinder Agreement may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect technical and corresponding amendments to this Agreement and the other Credit Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provision of this Section 2.14.

 

(g) (4) The Borrower may at any time and from time to time request that all or a portion of the Term Loans of any Class (an “Existing Term Loan Class”) be converted to extend the scheduled maturity date(s) of any payment of principal with respect to all or a portion of any principal amount of such Term Loans (any such Term Loans which have been so converted, “Extended Term Loans”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.14(g). In order to establish any Extended Term Loans, the Borrower shall provide a notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Lenders of the applicable Existing Term LoanClass which such request shall be offered equally to all such Lenders) (a “Term Loan Extension Request”) setting forth the proposed terms of the Extended Term Loans to be established, which shall not be materially more restrictive to the Credit Parties (as determined in good faith by the Borrower), when taken as a whole, than the terms of the Term Loans of the Existing Term Loan Class unless (x) the Lenders of the Term Loans of such applicable Existing Term Loan Class receive the benefit of such more restrictive terms or (y) any such provisions apply after the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date (a “Permitted Other Provision”); provided, however, that (x) the scheduled final maturity date shall be extended and all or any of the scheduled amortization payments of principal of the Extended Term Loans may be delayed to later dates than the scheduled amortization of principal of the Term Loans of such Existing Term Loan Class (with any such delay resulting in a corresponding adjustment to the scheduled amortization payments reflected in Section 2.5 or in the Joinder Agreement, as the case may be, with respect to the Existing Term Loan Class from which such Extended Term Loans were converted, in each case as more particularly set forth in paragraph (iv) of this Section 2.14(g) below), (y) (A) the interest margins with respect to the Extended Term Loans may be higher or lower than the interest margins for the Term Loans of such Existing Term Loan Class and/or (B) additional fees, premiums or AHYDO payments may be payable to the Lenders providing such Extended Term Loans in addition to or in lieu of any increased margins contemplated by the preceding clause (A), in each case, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment and to the extent that any Permitted Other Provision (including a financial maintenance covenant) is added for the benefit of any such Indebtedness, no consent shall be required by the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders if such Permitted Other Provision is also added for the benefit of any corresponding Loans remaining outstanding after the issuance or incurrence of such Indebtedness or if such Permitted Other Provision applies only after the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.14 or otherwise, no Extended Term Loans may be optionally prepaid prior to the date on which the Existing Term Loan Class from which they were converted is repaid in full, except in accordance with the last sentence of Section 5.1(a). No Lender shall have any obligation to agree to have any of its Term Loans of any Existing Term Loan Class converted into Extended Term Loans pursuant to any Extension Request. Any Extended Term Loans of any Extension Series shall constitute a separate Class of Term Loans from the Existing Term Loan Class from which they were converted.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(ii) [reserved]

 

(iii) Any Lender (an “Extending Lender”) wishing to have all or a portion of its Loans converted into Extended Term Loans, shall notify the Administrative Agent (an “Extension Election”) on or prior to the date specified in such Extension Request of the amount of its Loans of the Existing Class or Existing Classes subject to such Extension Request that it has elected to convert into Extended Term Loans. In the event that the aggregate amount of Loans of the Existing Class or Existing Classes subject to Extension Elections exceeds the amount of Extended Term Loans requested pursuant to the Extension Request, Loans of the Existing Class or Existing Classes subject to Extension Elections shall be converted to Extended Term Loans on a pro rata basis based on the amount of Loans in each such Extension Election.

 

(iv) Extended Term Loans shall be established pursuant to an amendment (an “Extension Amendment”) to this Agreement (which, except to the extent expressly contemplated by the penultimate sentence of this Section 2.14(g)(iv) and notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Section 13.1, shall not require the consent of any Lender other than the Extending Lenders with respect to the Extended Term Loans established thereby) executed by the Credit Parties, the Administrative Agent and the Extending Lenders. No Extension Amendment shall provide for any tranche of Extended Term Loans in an aggregate principal amount that is less than $10,000,000. In addition to any terms and changes required or permitted by Section 2.14(g)(i), each Extension Amendment may, but shall not be required to, impose additional requirements (not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement in effect at such time) with respect to the final maturity and weighted average life to maturity of New Term Loans incurred following the date of such Extension Amendment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.14(g) and without limiting the generality or applicability of Section 13.1 to any Section 2.14 Additional Amendments, any Extension Amendment may provide for additional terms and/or additional amendments other than those referred to or contemplated above (any such additional amendment, a “Section 2.14 Additional Amendment”) to this Agreement and the other Credit Documents; provided that such Section 2.14 Additional Amendments are within the requirements of Section 2.14(g)(i) and do not become effective prior to the time that such Section 2.14 Additional Amendments have been consented to (including, without limitation, pursuant to (1) consents applicable to holders of New Term Loans provided for in any Joinder Agreement and (2) consents applicable to holders of any Extended Term Loans provided for in any Extension Amendment) by such of the Lenders, Credit Parties and other parties (if any) as may be required in order for such Section 2.14 Additional Amendments to become effective in accordance with Section 13.1.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(v) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, on any date on which any Existing Class is converted to extend the related scheduled maturity date(s) in accordance with clause (i) above (an “Extension Date”), the aggregate principal amount of such existing Loans shall be deemed reduced by an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Extended Term Loans so converted by such Lender on such date, and the Extended Term Loans shall be established as a separate Class of Loans (together with any other Extended Term Loans so established on such date).

 

(vi) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby consent to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Section 2.14 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, payment of any interest, fees, or premium in respect of any Extended Term Loans on such terms as may be set forth in the relevant Extension Amendment) and hereby waive the requirements of any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, any pro rata payment or amendment section) or any other Credit Document that may otherwise prohibit or restrict any such extension or any other transaction contemplated by this Section 2.14.

 

2.15         Permitted Debt Exchanges.

 

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, pursuant to one or more offers (each, a “Permitted Debt Exchange Offer”) made from time to time by the Borrower, the Borrower may from time to time following the Closing Date consummate one or more exchanges of Term Loans for Permitted Other Indebtedness in the form of notes (such notes, “Permitted Debt Exchange Notes,” andeach such exchange a “Permitted Debt Exchange”), so long as the following conditions are satisfied: (i) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time the final offering document in respect of a Permitted Debt Exchange Offer is delivered to the relevant Lenders, (ii) the aggregate principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of Term Loans exchanged shall equal no more than the aggregate principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of Permitted Debt Exchange Notes issued in exchange for such Term Loans; provided that the aggregate principal amount of the Permitted Debt Exchange Notes may include accrued interest and premium (if any) under the Term Loans exchanged and underwriting discounts, fees, commissions and expenses in connection with the issuance of such Permitted Debt Exchange Notes, (iii) the aggregate principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of all Term Loans exchanged under each applicable Class by the Borrower pursuant to any Permitted Debt Exchange shall automatically be cancelled and retired by the Borrower on the date of the settlement thereof (and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, any applicable exchanging Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Acceptance, or such other form as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, in respect thereof pursuant to which the respective Lender assigns its interest in the Term Loans being exchanged pursuant to the Permitted Debt Exchange to the Borrower for immediate cancellation), (iv) if the aggregate principal amount of all Term Loans of a given Class (calculated on the face amount thereof) tendered by Lenders in respect of the relevant Permitted Debt Exchange Offer (with no Lender being permitted to tender a principal amount of Term Loans which exceeds the principal amount thereof of the applicable Class actually held by it) shall exceed the maximum aggregate principal amount of Term Loans of such Class offered to be exchanged by the Borrower pursuant to such Permitted Debt Exchange Offer, then the Borrower shall exchange Term Loans subject to such Permitted Debt Exchange Offer tendered by such Lenders ratably up to such maximum amount based on the respective principal amounts so tendered, (v) all documentation in respect of such Permitted Debt Exchange shall be consistent with the foregoing, and all written communications generally directed to the Lenders in connection therewith shall be in form and substance consistent with the foregoing and made in consultation with the Borrower and the Auction Agent, and (vi) any applicable Minimum Tender Condition shall be satisfied.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) With respect to all Permitted Debt Exchanges effected by any of the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.15, (i) such Permitted Debt Exchanges (and the cancellation of the exchanged Term Loans in connection therewith) shall not constitute voluntary or mandatory payments or prepayments for purposes of Section 5.1 or 5.2, and (ii) such Permitted Debt Exchange Offer shall be made for not less than $10,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of Term Loans; provided that subject to the foregoing clause (ii) the Borrower may at its election specify as a condition (a “Minimum Tender Condition”) to consummating any such Permitted Debt Exchange that a minimum amount (to be determined and specified in the relevant Permitted Debt Exchange Offer in the Borrower’s discretion) of Term Loans of any or all applicable Classes be tendered.

 

(c) In connection with each Permitted Debt Exchange, the Borrower and the Auction Agent shall mutually agree to such procedures as may be necessary or advisable to accomplish the purposes of this Section 2.15 and without conflict with Section 2.15(d); provided that the terms of any Permitted Debt Exchange Offer shall provide that the date by which the relevant Lenders are required to indicate their election to participate in such Permitted Debt Exchange shall be not less than a reasonable period (in the discretion of the Borrower and the Auction Agent) of time following the date on which the Permitted Debt Exchange Offer is made.

 

(d) The Borrower shall be responsible for compliance with, and hereby agrees to comply with, all applicable securities and other laws in connection with each Permitted Debt Exchange, it being understood and agreed that (x) none of the Auction Agent, the Administrative Agent nor any Lender assumes any responsibility in connection with the Borrower’s compliance with such laws in connection with any Permitted Debt Exchange and (y) each Lender shall be solely responsible for its compliance with any applicable “insider trading” laws and regulations to which such Lender may be subject under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Section 3.             [reserved]

 

Section 4.             Fees

 

4.1         Fees.

 

(a) Without duplication, the Borrower agrees to pay for its own account, administrative agent fees as have been previously agreed in writing or as may be agreed in writing from time to time to the Administrative Agent in Dollars.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

4.2         [reserved]

 

4.3         Mandatory Termination of Commitments.

 

(a) The Initial Term Loan Commitments shall terminate at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Closing Date.

 

(b) The New Term Loan Commitment for any Series shall, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Joinder Agreement, terminate at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Increased Amount Date for such Series.

 

Section 5.            Payments

 

5.1        Voluntary Prepayments. (a) The Borrower shall have the right to prepay Loans, other than as set forth in Section 5.1(b), without premium or penalty, in whole or in part from time to time on the following terms and conditions: (1) the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office written notice of its intent to make such prepayment, the amount of such prepayment and (in the case of LIBOR Loans) the specific Borrowing(s) pursuant to which made, which notice shall be given by the Borrower no later than 12:00 Noon (New York City time) (i) in the case of LIBOR Loans, three Business Days prior to or (ii) in the case of ABR Loans, one Business Day prior to the date of such prepayment and shall promptly be transmitted by the Administrative Agent to each of the Lenders; (2) each partial prepayment of (i) any Borrowing of LIBOR Loans shall be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 and in multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, and (ii) any ABR Loans shall be in a minimum amount of $1,000,000 and in multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof, provided that no partial prepayment of LIBOR Loans made pursuant to a single Borrowing shall reduce the outstanding LIBOR Loans made pursuant to such Borrowing to an amount less than the applicable Minimum Borrowing Amount for such LIBOR Loans, and (3) in the case of any prepayment of LIBOR Loans pursuant to this Section 5.1 on any day other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto, the Borrower shall, promptly after receipt of a written request by any applicable Lender (which request shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such amount), pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required pursuant to Section 2.11. Each prepayment in respect of any Loans pursuant to this Section 5.1 shall be applied to the Class or Classes of Loans as the Borrower may specify.

 

(b) If any Initial Term Loans are voluntarily prepaid pursuant to Section 5.1(a) or mandatorily prepaid pursuant to Section 5.2 pursuant to a Debt Incurrence Prepayment Event or as a result of the incurrence of Indebtedness under Section 10.1(w)(i) or Section 10.1(x)(i)(b) or as a result of an assignment by a Non-Consenting Lender in accordance with Section 13.7(b) prior to the second anniversary of the Closing Date, such prepayments shall be made at (x) 102% of the aggregate principal amount of Loans prepaid if such prepayment occurs prior to the first anniversary of the Closing Date and (y) 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Loans prepaid if such prepayment occurs on or after the first anniversary of the Closing Date but prior to the second anniversary of the Closing Date.

 

5.2         Mandatory Prepayments.

 

(a)         Term Loan Prepayments.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(i) On each occasion that a Prepayment Event occurs, the Borrower shall, within three Business Days after receipt of the Net Cash Proceeds of a Debt Incurrence Prepayment Event (other than one covered by clause (iii) below) and within ten Business Days after the occurrence of any other Prepayment Event (or, in the case of Deferred Net Cash Proceeds, within ten Business Days after the Deferred Net Cash Proceeds Payment Date), prepay, in accordance with clause (c) below, Term Loans with an equivalent principal amount equal to 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds from such Prepayment Event; provided that, with respect to the Net Cash Proceeds of an Asset Sale Prepayment Event, Casualty Event or Permitted Sale Leaseback, in each case solely to the extent with respect to any Collateral, the Borrower may use a portion of such Net Cash Proceeds to prepay or repurchase Permitted Other Indebtedness (and with such prepaid or repurchased Permitted Other Indebtedness permanently extinguished) with a Lien on the Collateral ranking pari passu with the Liens securing the Obligations to the extent any applicable Permitted Other Indebtedness Document requires the issuer of such Permitted Other Indebtedness to prepay or make an offer to purchase such Permitted Other Indebtedness with the proceeds of such Prepayment Event, in each case in an amount not to exceed the product of (x) the amount of such Net Cash Proceeds multiplied by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the outstanding principal amount of the Permitted Other Indebtedness with a Lien on the Collateral ranking pari passu with the Liens securing the Obligations and with respect to which such a requirement to prepay or make an offer to purchase exists and the denominator of which is the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Permitted Other Indebtedness and the outstanding principal amount of Term Loans.

 

(ii) Not later than ten Business Days after the date on which financial statements are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 9.1(a) for any fiscal year (commencing with and including the fiscal year ending January 3, 2015), the Borrower shall prepay (or cause to be prepaid), in accordance with clause (c) below, Loans with a principal amount equal to (x) 50% of Excess Cash Flow for such fiscal year; provided that (A) the percentage in this Section 5.2(a)(ii) shall be reduced to 25% if the Consolidated First Lien Secured Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio on the date of prepayment (prior to giving effect thereto but giving effect to any prepayment described in clause (y) below and as certified by an Authorized Officer of Holdings) for the most recent Test Period ended prior to such prepayment date is less than or equal to 4.25 to 1.00 but greater than 4.00 to 1.00 and (B) no payment of any Loans shall be required under this Section 5.2(a)(ii) if the Consolidated First Lien Secured Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio on the date of prepayment (prior to giving effect thereto but giving effect to any prepayment described in clause (y) below and as certified by an Authorized Officer of Holdings) for the most recent Test Period ended prior to such prepayment date is less than or equal to 4.00 to 1.00, minus (y) (i) the principal amount of First Lien Term Loans voluntarily prepaid pursuant to Section 5.1 or Section 13.6 of the First Lien Credit Agreement (or comparable provisions) and Loans voluntarily prepaid pursuant to Section 5.1 or 13.6 (in each case, including purchases of the Loans by Holdings and its Subsidiaries at or below par, in which case the amount of voluntary prepayments of Loans shall be deemed not to exceed the actual purchase price of such Loans below par) during such fiscal year or after such fiscal year and prior to the date of the required Excess Cash Flow payment, and (ii) to the extent accompanied by permanent optional reductions of Revolving Credit Commitments (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement), Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement) or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement), as applicable, Revolving Credit Loans (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement), Swing Line Loans (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement), Extended Revolving Credit Loans (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement), Incremental Revolving Credit Loans (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement), in each case of clauses (i) and (ii), other than to the extent any such prepayment is funded with the proceeds of Funded Debt.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(iii) On each occasion that Permitted Other Indebtedness is issued or incurred pursuant to Section 10.1(w), the Borrower shall within three Business Days of receipt of the Net Cash Proceeds of such Permitted Other Indebtedness prepay, in accordance with clause (c) below, Term Loans with a principal amount equal to 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds from such issuance or incurrence of Permitted Other Indebtedness.

 

(iv) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 5.2, (A) to the extent that any or all of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Prepayment Event by a Foreign Subsidiary giving rise to a prepayment pursuant to clause (i) above (a “Foreign Prepayment Event”) or Excess Cash Flow are prohibited or delayed by any Requirement of Law from being repatriated to the Credit Parties, an amount equal to the portion of such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow so affected will not be required to be applied to repay Loans at the times provided in clauses (i) and (ii) above, as the case may be, but only so long, as the applicable Requirement of Law will not permit repatriation to the Credit Parties (the Credit Parties hereby agreeing to cause the applicable Foreign Subsidiary to promptly take all actions reasonably required by the applicable Requirement of Law to permit repatriation), and once a repatriation of any of such affected Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow is permitted under the applicable Requirement of Law, an amount equal to such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow will be promptly (and in any event not later than ten Business Days after such repatriation is permitted) applied (net of any taxes that would be payable or reserved against if such amounts were actually repatriated whether or not they are repatriated) to the repayment of the Loans pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above, as applicable, and (B) to the extent that the Borrower has determined in good faith that repatriation of any of or all the Net Cash Proceeds of any Foreign Prepayment Event or Excess Cash Flow would have a material adverse tax consequence with respect to such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow, an amount equal to the Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow so affected may be retained by the applicable Foreign Subsidiary; provided that in the case of this clause (B), on or before the date on which any Net Cash Proceeds from any Foreign Prepayment Event so retained would otherwise have been required to be applied to reinvestments or prepayments pursuant to clause (i) above or, in the case of Excess Cash Flow, a date on or before the date that is eighteen months after the date an amount equal to such Excess Cash Flow would have so required to be applied to prepayments pursuant to clause (ii) above unless previously actually repatriated in which case such repatriated Excess Cash Flow shall have been promptly applied to the repayment of the Term Loans pursuant to clause (ii) above, (x) the Borrower shall apply an amount equal to such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow to such reinvestments or prepayments as if such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow had been received by the Credit Parties rather than such Foreign Subsidiary, less the amount of any taxes that would have been payable or reserved against if such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow had been repatriated (or, if less, the Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow that would be calculated if received by such Foreign Subsidiary) or (y) such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow shall be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness of a Foreign Subsidiary. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Agreement, including Section 5 shall be construed to require any Foreign Subsidiary to repatriate cash.

 

(b) [reserved]

 

(c) Application to Repayment Amounts. Subject to Section 5.2(f), each prepayment of Term Loans required by Section 5.2(a)(i) or (ii) shall be allocated pro rata among the Initial Term Loans, the New Term Loans and the Extended Term Loans and shall be applied within each Class of Term Loans in respect of such Term Loans in direct order of maturity thereof or as otherwise directed by the Borrower; provided that if any Class of Extended Term Loans have been established hereunder, the Borrower may allocate such prepayment in its sole discretion to the Term Loans of the Existing Term Loan Class, if any, from which such Extended Term Loans were converted (except, as to Term Loans made pursuant to a Joinder Agreement, as otherwise set forth in such Joinder Agreement, or as to a Replacement Term Loan). Subject to Section 5.2(f), with respect to each such prepayment, the Borrower will, not later than the date specified in Section 5.2(a) for making such prepayment, give the Administrative Agent written notice which shall include a calculation of the amount of such prepayment to be applied to each Class of Term Loans requesting that the Administrative Agent provide notice of such prepayment to each Initial Term Loan Lender, New Term Loan Lender, or Lender of Extended Term Loans, as applicable.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(d) Application to Term Loans. With respect to each prepayment of Term Loans required by Section 5.2(a), the Borrower may, if applicable, designate the Types of Loans that are to be prepaid and the specific Borrowing(s) pursuant to which made; provided, that if any Lender has provided a Rejection Notice in compliance with Section 5.2(f), such prepayment shall be applied with respect to the Term Loans to be prepaid on a pro rata basis across all outstanding Types of such Term Loans in proportion to the percentage of such outstanding Term Loans to be prepaid represented by each such Class. In the absence of a Rejection Notice or a designation by the Borrower as described in the preceding sentence, the Administrative Agent shall, subject to the above, make such designation in its reasonable discretion with a view, but no obligation, to minimize breakage costs owing under Section 2.11.

 

(e) [reserved]

 

(f) Rejection Right. Holdings or the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent in writing of any mandatory prepayment of Term Loans required to be made pursuant to Section 5.2(a) at least three Business Days prior to the date of such prepayment. Each such notice shall specify the date of such prepayment and provide a reasonably detailed calculation of the amount of such prepayment. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender holding Term Loans of the contents of such prepayment notice and of such Lender’s pro rata share of the prepayment. Each Term Loan Lender may reject all (but not less than all) of its pro ratashare of any mandatory prepayment other than any such mandatory prepayment with respect to a Debt Incurrence Prepayment Event under Section 5.2(a)(i) or Permitted Other Indebtedness under Section 5.2(a)(iii) (such declined amounts, the “Declined Proceeds”) of Term Loans required to be made pursuant to Section 5.2(a) by providing written notice (each, a “Rejection Notice”) to the Administrative Agent no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) one Business Day after the date of such Lender’s receipt of notice from the Administrative Agent regarding such prepayment. If a Lender fails to deliver a Rejection Notice to the Administrative Agent within the time frame specified above, any such failure will be deemed an acceptance of the total amount of such mandatory prepayment of Term Loans. Any Declined Proceeds remaining after offering such Declined Proceeds to the Lenders in accordance with the terms hereof shall be retained by the Borrower (“Retained Declined Proceeds”).

 

(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5.2, no prepayments of Loans shall be required pursuant to this Section 5.2 until the Discharge of First Lien Obligations (as defined in the Intercreditor Agreement) has occurred (except amounts declined by the First Lien Term Loan Lenders pursuant to Section 5.2(f) of the First Lien Credit Agreement shall be required to be applied as a mandatory prepayment hereunder.

 

5.3         Method and Place of Payment.

 

(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, all payments under this Agreement shall be made by the Borrower, without set-off, counterclaim or deduction of any kind, to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders entitled thereto, not later than 2:00 p.m. (New York City time), in each case, on the date when due and shall be made in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office or at such other office as the Administrative Agent shall specify for such purpose by notice to the Borrower. All repayments or prepayments of any Loans (whether of principal, interest or otherwise) hereunder and all other payments under each Credit Document shall, unless otherwise specified in such Credit Document, be made in Dollars. The Administrative Agent will thereafter cause to be distributed on the same day (if payment was actually received by the Administrative Agent prior to 2:00 p.m. (New York City time) or, otherwise, on the next Business Day in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion) like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest or Fees ratably to the Lenders entitled thereto.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) Any payments under this Agreement that are made later than 2:00 p.m. (New York City time) may be deemed to have been made on the next succeeding Business Day in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion for purposes of calculating interest thereon. Except as otherwise provided herein, whenever any payment to be made hereunder shall be stated to be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the due date thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day and, with respect to payments of principal, interest shall be payable during such extension at the applicable rate in effect immediately prior to such extension.

 

5.4         Net Payments.

 

(a) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.

 

(i) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party hereunder or under any other Credit Document shall to the extent permitted by applicable laws be made free and clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Taxes.

 

(ii) If any Credit Party, the Administrative Agent or any other applicable Withholding Agent shall be required by applicable law to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Withholding Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are reasonably determined by such Withholding Agent to be required by applicable law, (B) such Withholding Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Credit Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or deductions have been made (including withholding or deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 5.4) each Lender (or, in the case of a payment to the Administrative Agent for its own account, the Administrative Agent) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deductions been made.

 

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law or timely reimburse the Administrative Agent or any Lender for the payment of any Other Taxes.

 

(c) Tax Indemnifications. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, the Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 15 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 5.4) payable by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of any such payment or liability (along with a written statement setting forth in reasonable detail the basis and calculation of such amounts) delivered to the Borrower by a Lender, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. If the Borrower reasonably believes that any such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were not correctly or legally asserted, the Administrative Agent and/or each affected Lender will use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower in pursuing a refund of such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes so long as such efforts would not, in the sole determination of the Administrative Agent or affected Lender, result in any additional costs, expenses or risks or be otherwise disadvantageous to it.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(d) Evidence of Payments. After any payment of Taxes by any Credit Party or the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 5.4, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.

 

(e) Status of Lenders and Tax Documentation.

 

(i) Each Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent, at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable laws or by the taxing authorities of any jurisdiction and such other reasonably requested information as will permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to determine (A) whether or not any payments made hereunder or under any other Credit Document are subject to Taxes, (B) if applicable, the required rate of withholding or deduction, and (C) such Lender’s entitlement to any available exemption from, or reduction of, applicable Taxes in respect of any payments to be made to such Lender by any Credit Party pursuant to any Credit Document or otherwise to establish such Lender’s status for withholding tax purposes in the applicable jurisdiction. Any documentation and information required to be delivered by a Lender pursuant to this Section 5.4(e) (including any specific documentation set forth in subsection (ii) below) shall be delivered by such Lender (i) on or prior to the Closing Date (or on or prior to the date it becomes a party to this Agreement), (ii) on or before any date on which such documentation expires or becomes obsolete or invalid, (iii) after the occurrence of any change in the Lender’s circumstances requiring a change in the most recent documentation previously delivered by it to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (iv) from time to time thereafter if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, and each such Lender shall promptly notify in writing the Borrower and the Administrative Agent if such Lender is no longer legally eligible to provide any documentation previously provided.

 

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

 

		(A)	any Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code (a “U.S. Lender”) shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or such other documentation or information prescribed by applicable laws or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements;

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

		(B)	each Non-U.S. Lender that is entitled under the Code or any applicable treaty to an exemption from or reduction of U.S. federal withholding tax with respect to any payments hereunder or under any other Credit Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(1) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN (or any successor form thereto) claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party;

 

(2) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI (or any successor form thereto);

 

(3) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit J-1, J-2, J-3 or J-4, as applicable, (a “Non-Bank Tax Certificate”), to the effect that such Non-U.S. Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and that no payments under any Credit Document are effectively connected with such Non-U.S. Lender’s conduct of a United States trade or business and (y) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN (or any successor thereto);

 

(4) where such Lender is a partnership (for U.S. federal income tax purposes) or otherwise not a beneficial owner (e.g., where such Lender has sold a participation), IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor thereto) and all required supporting documentation (including, where one or more of the underlying beneficial owner(s) is claiming the benefits of the portfolio interest exemption, a Non-Bank Tax Certificate of such beneficial owner(s)) (provided that, if the Non-U.S. Lender is a partnership and not a participating Lender, the Non-Bank Tax Certificate(s) may be provided by the Non-U.S. Lender on behalf of the direct or indirect partner(s)); or

 

(5) executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable laws as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States federal withholding tax together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable laws to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made;

 

		(C)	if a payment made to a Lender under any Credit Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA, to determine whether such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount, if any, to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (C), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement; and

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

		(D)	If the Administrative Agent is a “United States person” (as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code), it shall provide the Borrower with two duly completed original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9. If the Administrative Agent is not a “United States person” (as defined in Section 7701(a)(3) of the Code), it shall provide applicable Form W-8 (together with required accompanying documentation) with respect to payments to be received by it on behalf of the Lenders.

 

(iii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5.4, no Lender or the Administrative Agent shall be required to deliver any documentation that it is not legally eligible to deliver.

 

(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If the Administrative Agent or any Lender determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Credit Party or with respect to which any Credit Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 5.4, the Administrative Agent or such Lender (as applicable) shall promptly pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Credit Parties under this Section 5.4 with respect to the Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including any Taxes) incurred by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. In such event, the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, shall, at the Borrower’s request, provide the Borrower with a copy of any notice of assessment or other evidence of the requirement to repay such refund received from the relevant taxing authority (provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender may delete any information therein that it deems confidential). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (f), in no event will the Administrative Agent or any Lender be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (f) the payment of which would place the Administrative Agent or any Lender in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the Administrative Agent or any Lender would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This subsection shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Credit Party or any other Person.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(g) For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of this Section 5.4, the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

 

(h) Each party’s obligations under this Section 5.4 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under the Credit Documents.

 

5.5         Computations of Interest and Fees.

 

(a) Except as provided in the next succeeding sentence, interest on LIBOR Loans shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year for the actual days elapsed. Interest on ABR Loans shall be calculated on the basis of a 365- (or 366-, as the case may be) day year for the actual days elapsed.

 

(b) Fees shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year for the actual days elapsed.

 

5.6         Limit on Rate of Interest.

 

(a) No Payment Shall Exceed Lawful Rate. Notwithstanding any other term of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be obliged to pay any interest or other amounts under or in connection with this Agreement or otherwise in respect of the Obligations in excess of the amount or rate permitted under or consistent with any applicable law, rule or regulation.

 

(b) Payment at Highest Lawful Rate. If the Borrower is not obliged to make a payment that it would otherwise be required to make, as a result of Section 5.6(a), the Borrower shall make such payment to the maximum extent permitted by or consistent with applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

 

(c) Adjustment if Any Payment Exceeds Lawful Rate. If any provision of this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents would obligate the Borrower to make any payment of interest or other amount payable to any Lender in an amount or calculated at a rate that would be prohibited by any applicable law, rule or regulation, then notwithstanding such provision, such amount or rate shall be deemed to have been adjusted with retroactive effect to the maximum amount or rate of interest, as the case may be, as would not be so prohibited by law, such adjustment to be effected, to the extent necessary, by reducing the amount or rate of interest required to be paid by the Borrower to the affected Lender under Section 2.8; provided that to the extent lawful, the interest or other amounts that would have been payable but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, and after giving effect to all adjustments contemplated thereby, if any Lender shall have received from the Borrower an amount in excess of the maximum permitted by any applicable law, rule or regulation, then the Borrower shall be entitled, by notice in writing to the Administrative Agent to obtain reimbursement from that Lender in an amount equal to such excess, and pending such reimbursement, such amount shall be deemed to be an amount payable by that Lender to the Borrower.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Section 6.              Conditions Precedent to Initial Borrowing

 

The initial Borrowing under this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent, except as otherwise agreed between Holdings and the Administrative Agent.

 

6.1           Credit Documents.

 

The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received:

 

(a) this Agreement, executed and delivered by a duly Authorized Officer of Holdings, Merger Sub, the Company and NVI;

 

(b) the Guarantee, executed and delivered by a duly Authorized Officer of the Guarantors;

 

(c) the Pledge Agreement, executed and delivered by a duly Authorized Officer of each of Holdings, Merger Sub, NVI, the Company and each Guarantor;

 

(d) the Security Agreement, executed and delivered by a duly Authorized Officer of each Holdings, Merger Sub, NVI, Company and each Guarantor; and

 

(e) the Intercreditor Agreement, executed and delivered by each of the parties hereto.

 

6.2           Collateral. Except for any items referred to on Schedule 9.14:

 

(a) All outstanding equity interests in whatever form of the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary that is directly owned by or on behalf of any Credit Party and required to be pledged pursuant to the Security Documents shall have been pledged pursuant thereto;

 

(b) The Collateral Agent (or its bailee or representative) shall have received the certificates representing securities of the Borrower and of each Credit Party’s Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries that are Domestic Subsidiaries to the extent required to be delivered under the Security Documents and pledged under the Security Documents to the extent certificated, accompanied by instruments of transfer and undated stock powers or allonges endorsed in blank; and

 

(c) All Uniform Commercial Code financing statements required to be filed, registered or recorded to create the Liens intended to be created by any Security Document and perfect such Liens to the extent required by such Security Document shall have been delivered to the Collateral Agent, and shall be in proper form, for filing, registration or recording.

 

6.3           Legal Opinions. The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received the executed legal opinion, in customary form, of (i) Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, special New York counsel to the Credit Parties, (ii) Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, special Georgia counsel to the Credit Parties and (iii) Roetzel & Andress, L.P.A., special Ohio counsel to the Credit Parties. Holdings and the Company hereby instruct and agree to instruct the other Credit Parties to have such counsel deliver such legal opinions.

 

6.4           Equity Investments. Equity Investments, which, to the extent constituting Capital Stock other than common Capital Stock, shall be on terms and conditions and pursuant to documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Joint Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners to the extent material to the interests of the Lenders, in an amount not less than the Minimum Equity Amount shall have been made.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

6.5           Closing Certificates. The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received a certificate of (x) each of Holdings, Merger Sub, NVI and the Company, dated the Closing Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit E, with appropriate insertions, executed by any Authorized Officer (or in the case of Holdings any Director or authorized agent of Holdings) and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of Holdings or the Company (or in the case of Holdings any Director or authorized agent of Holdings), as applicable, and attaching the documents referred to in Section 6.6 and (y) an Authorized Officer certifying compliance with Section 6.8 (with respect to Company Representations, to their knowledge) and 6.10 and certifying, to their knowledge, that, except as set forth on the Company Disclosure Schedule (as defined in the Acquisition Agreement) or except as contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement, since December 29, 2012, there has not been any event, change, occurrence, or circumstance that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Acquisition Agreement).

 

6.6           Authorization of Proceedings of Holdings, Merger Sub, NVI and the Company; Corporate Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a copy of the resolutions of the board of directors or other managers of Holdings, Merger Sub, NVI and the Company (or a duly authorized committee thereof) authorizing (a) the execution, delivery, and performance of the Credit Documents (and any agreements relating thereto) to which it is a party and (b) in the case of the Merger Sub, NVI and Company, the extensions of credit contemplated hereunder, (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws, Certificate of Formation and Operating Agreement or other comparable organizational documents, as applicable, of Holdings, Merger Sub, NVI and the Company, and (iii) signature and incumbency certificates (or other comparable documents evidencing the same) of the Authorized Officers of Holdings, Merger Sub, NVI and the Company executing the Credit Documents to which it is a party.

 

6.7           Fees. The Agents and Lenders shall have received, substantially simultaneously with the funding of the Initial Term Loans, fees and, to the extent invoiced at least three business days prior to the Closing Date (except as otherwise reasonably agreed by the Borrower) expenses in the amounts previously agreed in writing to be received on the Closing Date (which amounts may, at the Borrower’s option, be offset against the proceeds of the Initial Term Loans).

 

6.8           Representations and Warranties. On the Closing Date, the Specified Representations shall be true and correct in all material respects (provided that any such Specified Representations which are qualified by materiality, material adverse effect or similar language shall be true and correct in all respects) and the Company Representations shall be true to the extent a breach thereof would give Holdings (or one of Holdings’ Affiliates) the right (taking into account any applicable cure provisions) to terminate its obligations under the Acquisition Agreement or decline to consummate the Acquisition.

 

6.9           Solvency Certificate. On the Closing Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate from the Chief Executive Officer, President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Vice President-Finance, a Director, a Manager, or any other senior financial officer of Holdings or the Borrower to the effect that after giving effect to the consummation of the Transactions, Holdings on a consolidated basis with the Restricted Subsidiaries is Solvent.

 

6.10         Acquisition. Substantially concurrently with the initial Credit Event hereunder, the Acquisition shall have been consummated in all material respects in accordance with the terms of the Acquisition Agreement (or the Joint Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners shall be reasonably satisfied with the arrangements in place for the consummation of the Acquisition reasonably promptly after the initial Credit Event hereunder and shall have received confirmation from representatives of Holdings that such actions shall be taken promptly after the initial Credit Event hereunder).

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

6.11          Patriot Act. The Administrative Agent shall have received at least two days prior to the Closing Date, such documentation and information as is reasonably requested in writing at least seven Business Days prior to the Closing Date by the Administrative Agent about the Credit Parties to the extent the Administrative Agent and Holdings in good faith mutually agree is required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Patriot Act.

 

6.12          Pro Forma Balance Sheet. The Joint Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners shall have received a pro forma combined balance sheet and related pro forma combined statements of operations (collectively, the “Pro Forma Financial Statements”) of the Company as of and for the fiscal year ended December 28, 2013, prepared after giving effect to the Transactions as if the Transactions had occurred as of such date (in the case of such balance sheet) or at the beginning of such period (in the case of such other statements of income), which need not be prepared in compliance with Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or include adjustments for purchase accounting (including adjustments of the type contemplated by ASC 805).

 

6.13          Financial Statements. The Joint Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners shall have received the Historical Financial Statements.

 

6.14          No Company Material Adverse Effect1. . Except as set forth on the Company Disclosure Schedule (as defined in the Acquisition Agreement) or except as contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement, since December 29, 2012, there has not been any event, change, occurrence, or circumstance that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Acquisition Agreement).

 

6.15          Refinancing. Substantially simultaneously with the funding of the Initial Term Loans, the Closing Date Refinancing shall be consummated.

 

6.16          Notice of Term Loan Borrowing. The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received a Notice of Borrowing with respect to the Initial Term Loan meeting the requirements of Section 2.3.

 

For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 6 on the Closing Date, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

Section 7.               [reserved]

 

Section 8.                Representations and Warranties

 

In order to induce the Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to make the Loans as provided for herein, Holdings and the Borrower make the following representations and warranties to the Lenders, all of which shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of the Loans (it being understood that the following representations and warranties shall be deemed made with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary only to the extent relevant under applicable law):

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

8.1           Corporate Status. Each Credit Party (a) is a duly organized and validly existing corporation, limited liability company or other entity in good standing (if applicable) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and has the corporate, limited liability company or other organizational power and authority to own its property and assets and to transact the business in which it is engaged and (b) has duly qualified and is authorized to do business and is in good standing (if applicable) in all jurisdictions where it is required to be so qualified, except where the failure to be so qualified would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

8.2           Corporate Power and Authority. Each Credit Party has the corporate or other organizational power and authority to execute, deliver and carry out the terms and provisions of the Credit Documents to which it is a party and has taken all necessary corporate or other organizational action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of the Credit Documents to which it is a party. Each Credit Party has duly executed and delivered each Credit Document to which it is a party and each such Credit Document constitutes the legal, valid, and binding obligation of such Credit Party enforceable in accordance with its terms (provided that, with respect to the creation and perfection of security interests with respect to Indebtedness, Capital Stock and Stock Equivalents of Foreign Subsidiaries, only to the extent enforceability of such obligation with respect to which Capital Stock and Stock Equivalents of Foreign Subsidiaries is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code), except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity.

 

8.3           No Violation. Neither the execution, delivery or performance by any Credit Party of the Credit Documents to which it is a party nor compliance with the terms and provisions thereof nor the consummation of the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated hereby or thereby will (a) contravene any applicable provision of any material law, statute, rule, regulation, order, writ, injunction or decree of any court or governmental instrumentality, (b) result in any breach of any of the terms, covenants, conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of (or the obligation to create or impose) any Lien upon any of the property or assets of such Credit Party or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Liens created under the Credit Documents or Permitted Liens) pursuant to, the terms of any material indenture, loan agreement, lease agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, agreement or other material instrument to which such Credit Party or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of its property or assets is bound (any such term, covenant, condition or provision, a “Contractual Requirement”) other than any such breach, default or Lien that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (c) violate any provision of the certificate of incorporation, by-laws, articles or other organizational documents of such Credit Party or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

8.4           Litigation. There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings or the Borrower, threatened in writing against Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

8.5           Margin Regulations. Neither the making of any Loan hereunder nor the use of the proceeds thereof will violate the provisions of Regulation T, U or X of the Board.

 

8.6           Governmental Approvals. The execution, delivery and performance of each Credit Document does not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or other action by, any Governmental Authority, except for (i) such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (ii) filings, consents, approvals, registrations and recordings in respect of the Liens created pursuant to the Security Documents (and to release existing Liens), and (iii) such licenses, approvals, authorizations, registrations, filings or consents the failure of which to obtain or make would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

8.7           Investment Company Act. None of Holdings, the Borrower, or any other Restricted Subsidiary is an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

8.8           True and Complete Disclosure.

 

(a) None of the written factual information and written data (taken as a whole) heretofore or contemporaneously furnished by or on behalf of Holdings, the Borrower, any of the other Restricted Subsidiaries or any of their respective authorized representatives to the Administrative Agent, any Joint Lead Arranger, and/or any Lender on or before the Closing Date (including all such written information and data contained in (i) the Confidential Information Memorandum (as updated prior to the Closing Date and including all information incorporated by reference therein) and (ii) the Credit Documents) for purposes of or in connection with this Agreement or any transaction contemplated herein contained any untrue statement of any material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary to make such information and data (taken as a whole) not materially misleading at such time in light of the circumstances under which such information or data was furnished (after giving effect to all supplements and updates), it being understood and agreed that for purposes of this Section 8.8(a), such factual information and data shall not include proforma financial information, projections, estimates (including financial estimates, forecasts, and other forward-looking information) or other forward looking information and information of a general economic or general industry nature.

 

(b) The projections (including financial estimates, forecasts, and other forward-looking information) contained in the information and data referred to in paragraph (a) above were based on good faith estimates and assumptions believed by such Persons to be reasonable at the time made, it being recognized by the Lenders that such projections as to future events are not to be viewed as facts and that actual results during the period or periods covered by any such projections may differ from the projected results and such differences may be material.

 

8.9           Financial Condition; Financial Statements.

 

(a) (i) The unaudited historical consolidated financial information of the Company as set forth in the Confidential Information Memorandum, and (ii) the Historical Financial Statements, in each case present fairly in all material respects the combined financial position of the Company at the respective dates of said information, statements and results of operations for the respective periods covered thereby. The Pro Forma Financial Statements, copies of which have heretofore been furnished to the Administrative Agent, have been prepared based on the Historical Financial Statements and have been prepared in good faith, based on assumptions believed by the Company to be reasonable as of the date of delivery thereof, and present fairly in all material respects on a Pro Forma Basis the estimated financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at December 28, 2013 (as if the Transactions had been consummated on such date) and their estimated results of operations as if the Transactions had been consummated on December 30, 2012. The financial statements referred to in clause (a)(ii) of this Section 8.9 have been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied except to the extent provided in the notes to said financial statements.

 

(b) There has been no Material Adverse Effect since the Closing Date.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Each Lender and the Administrative Agent hereby acknowledges and agrees that Holdings and its Subsidiaries may be required to restate historical financial statements as the result of the implementation of changes in GAAP or IFRS, or the respective interpretation thereof, and that such restatements will not result in a Default or an Event of Default under the Credit Documents.

 

8.10          Compliance with Laws; No Default. Each Credit Party is in compliance with all Requirements of Law applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to be so in compliance would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

8.11          Tax Matters. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) each of Holdings, the Borrower and each of the other Restricted Subsidiaries has filed all Tax returns required to be filed by it and has timely paid all Taxes payable by it (whether or not shown on a Tax return and including in its capacity as withholding agent) that have become due, other than those being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings if it has maintained adequate reserves (in the good faith judgment of management of Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable) with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (b) each of Holdings, the Borrower and each of the Restricted Subsidiaries has paid, or has provided adequate reserves (in the good faith judgment of management of Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable) in accordance with GAAP for the payment of all Taxes not yet due and payable. There is no current or proposed Tax assessment, deficiency or other claim against Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

8.12          Compliance with ERISA.

 

(a) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur.

 

(b) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no Foreign Plan Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur.

 

8.13          Subsidiaries. Schedule 8.13 lists each Subsidiary of Holdings and the Company (and the direct and indirect ownership interest of Holdings and the Company therein), in each case existing on the Closing Date after giving effect to the Transactions.

 

8.14          Intellectual Property. Each of Holdings, the Borrower and the other Restricted Subsidiaries owns or has the right to use all Intellectual Property that is used in or otherwise necessary for the operation of their respective businesses as currently conducted, except where the failure of the foregoing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The operation of their respective businesses by each of Holdings, the Borrower, and the other Restricted Subsidiaries does not infringe upon, misappropriate, violate or otherwise conflict with the Intellectual Property of any third party, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

8.15          Environmental Laws.

 

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 8.15, or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) each of Holdings, the Borrower, and the other Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective operations and properties are in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws; (ii) none of Holdings, the Borrower, or any other Restricted Subsidiary has received written notice of any Environmental Claim; (iii) none of Holdings, the Borrower, or any Restricted Subsidiary is conducting any investigation, removal, remedial or other corrective action pursuant to any Environmental Law at any location; and (iv) to the knowledge of the Borrower, no underground or above ground storage tank or related piping, or any impoundment or other disposal area containing Hazardous Materials is located at, on or under any Real Estate currently owned or leased by Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) Except as set forth on Schedule 8.15, none of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries has treated, stored, transported, Released or arranged for disposal or transport for disposal or treatment of Hazardous Materials at, on, under or from any currently or, formerly owned or operated property nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower, has there been any other Release of Hazardous Materials at, on, under or from any such properties, in each case, in a manner that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

8.16          Properties.

 

(a) Each of Holdings, the Borrower, and the other Restricted Subsidiaries has good and valid record title to, valid leasehold interests in, or rights to use, all properties that are necessary for the operation of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted, free and clear of all Liens (other than any Liens permitted by this Agreement) and except where the failure to have such good title or interest would not reasonably be expected, to have a Material Adverse Effect and (b) no Mortgage encumbers improved Real Estate that is located in an area that has been identified by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as an area having special flood hazards within the meaning of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended, unless flood insurance available under such Act has been obtained in accordance with Section 9.3(b).

 

(b) Set forth on Schedule 1.1(a) is a list of each real property owned by any Loan Party as of the Closing Date having a Fair Market Value in excess of $10,000,000.

 

8.17          Solvency. On the Closing Date (after giving effect to the Transactions) immediately following the making of the Loans and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of such Loans, Holdings on a consolidated basis with the Restricted Subsidiaries will be Solvent.

 

8.18          Patriot Act. On the Closing Date, the use of proceeds of the Loans will not violate the PATRIOT Act in any material respect.

 

Section 9.               Affirmative Covenants.

 

Each of Holdings and the Borrower hereby covenants and agrees that on the Closing Date and thereafter, until the Commitments have terminated and the Loans, together with interest, Fees and all other Obligations incurred hereunder (other than contingent indemnity obligations), are paid in full:

 

9.1           Information Covenants. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly make such information available to the Lenders in accordance with its customary practice):

 

(a) Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available and in any event within five days after the date on which such financial statements are required to be filed with the SEC (after giving effect to any permitted extensions) (or, if such financial statements are not required to be filed with the SEC, on or before the date that is 120 days after the end of each such fiscal year) (commencing with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013), the consolidated balance sheets of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries as at the end of each fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth comparative consolidated and/or combined figures for the preceding fiscal years, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, and, in each case, certified by independent certified public accountants of recognized national standing whose opinion shall not be qualified as to the scope of audit or as to the status of Holdings or any of the Material Subsidiaries (or group of Subsidiaries that together would constitute a Material Subsidiary) as a going concern (other than any exception, explanatory paragraph or qualification, that is expressly solely with respect to, or expressly resulting solely from, (i) an upcoming maturity date under any Indebtedness occurring within one year from the time such opinion is delivered or (ii) any potential inability to satisfy a financial maintenance covenant on a future date or in a future period).

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available and in any event within five days after the date on which such financial statements are required to be filed with the SEC (after giving effect to any permitted extensions) with respect to each of the first three quarterly accounting periods in each fiscal year of Holdings (or, if such financial statements are not required to be filed with the SEC, on or before the date that is 45 days after the end of each such quarterly accounting period (90 days for the fiscal quarter of Holdings ending March 29, 2014, and 60 days for the fiscal quarters of Holdings ending June 28, 2014 and September 27, 2014)), the consolidated balance sheets of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarterly period and the related consolidated statements of operations for such quarterly accounting period and for the elapsed portion of the fiscal year ended with the last day of such quarterly period, and the related consolidated statement of cash flows for the elapsed portion of the fiscal year ended with the last day of the applicable quarterly period, and commencing with the quarter ending April 4, 2015 setting forth comparative consolidated and/or combined figures for the related periods in the prior fiscal year or, in the case of such consolidated balance sheet, for the last day of the related period in the prior fiscal year, all of which shall be certified by an Authorized Officer of Holdings as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP (except as noted therein), subject to changes resulting from normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes, and, with respect to fiscal 2014 reporting periods, subject to finalization of the purchase price allocation to the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the Transactions, as required by GAAP.

 

(c) Budgets. Within 90 days (120 days in the case of the fiscal year beginning on December 29, 2013) after the commencement of each fiscal year of Holdings, a budget of Holdings in reasonable detail on a quarterly basis for such fiscal year as customarily prepared by management of Holdings for its internal use consistent in scope with the financial statements provided pursuant to Section 9.1(a), setting forth the principal assumptions upon which such budget is based (collectively, the “Projections”), which Projections shall in each case be accompanied by a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings or the Borrower stating that such Projections have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation of such Projections, it being understood and agreed that such Projections and assumptions as to future events are not to be viewed as facts and that actual results during the period or periods covered by any such Projections may differ from the projected results and such differences may be material.

 

(d) Officer’s Certificates. Not later than five days after the delivery of the financial statements provided for in Sections 9.1(a) and (b), a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings or the Borrower to the effect that no Default or Event of Default exists or, if any Default or Event of Default does exist, specifying the nature and extent thereof, as the case may be, which certificate shall set forth a specification of any change in the identity of the Restricted Subsidiaries and Unrestricted Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year or period, as the case may be, from the Restricted Subsidiaries and Unrestricted Subsidiaries, respectively, provided to the Lenders on the Closing Date or the most recent fiscal year or period, as the case may be. At the time of the delivery of the financial statements provided for in Section 9.1(a), a certificate of an Authorized Officer of Holdings or the Borrower setting forth changes to the legal name, jurisdiction of formation, type of entity and organizational number (or equivalent) to the Person organized in a jurisdiction where an organizational identification number is required to be included in a Uniform Commercial Code financing statement, in each case for each Credit Party or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the Closing Date or the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to this clause (d), as the case may be.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(e) Notice of Default or Litigation. Promptly after an Authorized Officer of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries obtains knowledge thereof, notice of (i) the occurrence of any event that constitutes a Default or Event of Default, which notice shall specify the nature thereof, the period of existence thereof and what action Holdings proposes to take with respect thereto and (ii) any litigation or governmental proceeding pending against Holdings or any of the Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to be determined adversely and, if so determined, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(f) Environmental Matters. Promptly after an Authorized Officer of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries obtains knowledge of any one or more of the following environmental matters, unless such environmental matters would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, notice of:

 

(i) any pending or threatened Environmental Claim against any Credit Party or any Real Estate; and

 

(ii) the conduct of any investigation, or any removal, remedial or other corrective action in response to the actual or alleged presence, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material on, at, under or from any Real Estate.

 

All such notices shall describe in reasonable detail the nature of the claim, investigation or removal, remedial or other corrective action in response thereto. The term “Real Estate”shall mean land, buildings, facilities and improvements owned or leased by any Credit Party.

 

(g) Other Information. Promptly upon filing thereof, copies of any filings (including on Form 10-K, 10-Q or 8-K) or registration statements with, and reports to, the SEC or any analogous Governmental Authority in any relevant jurisdiction by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than amendments to any registration statement (to the extent such registration statement, in the form it becomes effective, is delivered to the Administrative Agent), exhibits to any registration statement and, if applicable, any registration statements on Form S-8) and copies of all financial statements, proxy statements, notices, and reports that Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall send to the holders of any publicly issued debt of Holdings and/or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, in their capacity as such holders, lenders or agents (in each case to the extent not theretofore delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement) and, with reasonable promptness, such other information (financial or otherwise) as the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of any Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent) may reasonably request in writing from time to time; provided, that none of Holdings, the Borrower nor any other Restricted Subsidiary will be required to disclose or permit the inspection or discussion of, any document, information or other matter (i) that constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (ii) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective contractors) is prohibited by law, or any binding agreement or (iii) that is subject to attorney client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product.

 

	94

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in clauses (a) and (b) of this Section 9.1 may be satisfied with respect to financial information of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries by furnishing (A) the applicable financial statements of the Borrower orany direct or indirect parent of Holdings or (B) Holdings’ (or any direct or indirect parent thereof), as applicable, Form 10-K or 10-Q, as applicable, filed with the SEC; provided that, with respect to each of subclauses (A) and (B) of this paragraph, to the extent such information relates to a parent of Holdings, such information is accompanied by consolidating or other information that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to such parent, on the one hand, and the information relating to Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a standalone basis, on the other hand.

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to clauses (a), (b), and (g) of this Section 9.1 (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the earliest date on which (i) Holdings posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on Holdings’ website on the Internet; (ii) such documents are posted on Holdings’ behalf on IntraLinks/IntraAgency or another website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent), or (iii) such financial statements and/or other documents are posted on the SEC’s website on the internet at www.sec.gov; provided, that, (A) the Borrower shall, at the request of the Administrative Agent, continue to deliver copies (which delivery may be by electronic transmission ) of such documents to the Administrative Agent and (B) the Borrower shall notify (which notification may be by facsimile or electronic transmission) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents on any website described in this paragraph. Each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents and maintaining its copies of such documents.

 

Each Loan Party hereby acknowledges and agrees that, unless the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent in advance, all financial statements and certificates furnished pursuant to Sections 9.1(a), (b) and (d) above are hereby deemed to be suitable for distribution, and to be made available, to all Lenders and may be treated by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as not containing any material nonpublic information.

 

9.2           Books, Records, and Inspections. Holdings will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, permit officers and designated representatives of the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders to visit and inspect any of the properties or assets of Holdings and any such Subsidiary in whomsoever’s possession to the extent that it is within such party’s control to permit such inspection (and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such inspection to be permitted to the extent that it is not within such party’s control to permit such inspection), and to examine the books and records of Holdings and any such Subsidiary and discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of Holdings and of any such Subsidiary with, and be advised as to the same by, its and their officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and intervals and to such reasonable extent as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may desire (and subject, in the case of any such meetings or advice from such independent accountants, to such accountants’ customary policies and procedures); provided that, excluding any such visits and inspections during the continuation of an Event of Default, (a) only the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Required Lenders may exercise rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Section 9.2, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not exercise such rights more than one time in any calendar year, which such visit will be at Holdings’ expense, and (c) notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9.2, none of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries will be required to disclose, permit the inspection, examination or making copies or abstracts of, or discussion of, any document, information or other matter that (i) constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (ii) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives or contractors) is prohibited by law or any agreement binding on a third-party or (iii) is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product; provided, further, that when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent (or any of its respective representatives or independent contractors) or any representative of the Required Lenders may do any of the foregoing at the expense of Holdings at any time during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice. The Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders shall give Holdings the opportunity to participate in any discussions with Holdings’ independent public accountants.

 

	95

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

9.3           Maintenance of Insurance. (a) Holdings will, and will cause each Material Subsidiary to, at all times maintain in full force and effect, pursuant to self-insurance arrangements or with insurance companies that Holdings believes (in the good faith judgment of the management of Holdings) are financially sound and responsible at the time the relevant coverage is placed or renewed, insurance in at least such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance which Holdings believes (in the good faith judgment of management of Holdings) is reasonable and prudent in light of the size and nature of its business and the availability of insurance on a cost-effective basis) and against at least such risks (and with such risk retentions) as Holdings believes (in the good faith judgment of management of Holdings) is reasonable and prudent in light of the size and nature of its business and the availability of insurance on a cost-effective basis; and will furnish to the Administrative Agent, promptly following written request from the Administrative Agent, information presented in reasonable detail as to the insurance so carried and (b) with respect to each Mortgaged Property, Holdings will obtain flood insurance in such total amount as may reasonably be required by the Collateral Agent, if at any time the area in which any improvements located on any Mortgaged Property is designated a “special flood hazard area” in any Flood Insurance Rate Map published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency), and otherwise comply with the National Flood Insurance Program as set forth in the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended from time to time. Each such policy of insurance shall (i) name the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties as an additional insured thereunder as its interests may appear and (ii) in the case of each casualty insurance policy, contain a loss payable clause or endorsement that names the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties as the loss payee thereunder.

 

9.4           Payment of Taxes. Holdings will pay and discharge, and will cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to pay and discharge, all material Taxes imposed upon it (including in its capacity as a withholding agent) or upon its income or profits, or upon any properties belonging to it, prior to the date on which material penalties attach thereto, and all lawful material claims in respect of any Taxes imposed, assessed or levied that, if unpaid, would reasonably be expected to become a material Lien upon any properties of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that neither Holdings nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall be required to pay any such Tax that is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings if it has maintained adequate reserves (in the good faith judgment of management of Holdings) with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and the failure to pay would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

9.5           Preservation of Existence; Consolidated Corporate Franchises. Holdings and the Borrower will, and will cause each Material Subsidiary to, take all actions necessary (a) to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, organizational rights and authority and (b) to maintain its rights, privileges (including its good standing (if applicable)), permits, licenses and franchises necessary in the normal conduct of its business, in each case, except to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided, however, that Holdings and its Subsidiaries may consummate any transaction permitted under Permitted Investments and Sections 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, or 10.5.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

9.6           Compliance with Statutes, Regulations, Etc. Holdings will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, (a) comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and orders applicable to it or its property, including, without limitation, applicable laws administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and all governmental approvals or authorizations required to conduct its business, and to maintain all such governmental approvals or authorizations in full force and effect, (b) comply with, and use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure compliance by all tenants and subtenants, if any, with, all Environmental Laws, and obtain and comply with and maintain, and use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that all tenants and subtenants obtain and comply with and maintain, any and all licenses, approvals, notifications, registrations or permits required by Environmental Laws, and (c) conduct and complete all investigations, studies, sampling and testing, and all remedial, removal, and other actions required under Environmental Laws and promptly comply with all lawful orders and directives of all Governmental Authorities regarding Environmental Laws, other than such orders and directives which are being timely contested in good faith by proper proceedings, except in each case of (a), (b), and (c) of this Section 9.6, where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

9.7           ERISA. (a) Holdings will furnish to the Administrative Agent promptly following receipt thereof, copies of any documents described in Sections 101(k) or 101(l) of ERISA that any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan to which a Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to contribute; provided that if the Credit Parties or any of their Subsidiaries have not requested such documents or notices from the administrator or sponsor of the applicable Multiemployer Plan, then, upon reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, the Credit Parties shall promptly make a request for such documents or notices from such administrator or sponsor and the Borrower shall provide copies of such documents and notices to the Administrative Agent promptly after receipt thereof; and further provided, that the rights granted to the Administrative Agent in this Section shall be exercised not more than once during a 12-month period, and (b) Holdings will notify the Administrative Agent promptly following the occurrence of any ERISA Event or Foreign Plan Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events or Foreign Plan Events that have occurred, would reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Credit Party that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

9.8           Maintenance of Properties. Holdings will, and will cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear, casualty, and condemnation excepted, except to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

9.9           Transactions with Affiliates. Holdings will conduct, and cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to conduct, all transactions with any of its Affiliates (other than Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries) involving aggregate payments or consideration in excess of $2,500,000 for any individual transaction or series of related transactions on terms that are at least substantially as favorable to Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary as it would obtain in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person that is not an Affiliate, as determined by the board of directors of Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary in good faith; provided that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (a) the payment of fees to the Sponsor for management, consulting, and financial services rendered to Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement and customary investment banking fees paid to the Sponsor for services rendered to Holdings and the Subsidiaries in connection with divestitures, acquisitions, financings and other transactions which payments are approved by a majority of the board of directors of Holdings in good faith, (b) transactions permitted by Section 10.5, (c) consummation of the Transactions and the payment of the Transaction Expenses, (d) the issuance of Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any of its Subsidiaries not otherwise prohibited by the Credit Documents, (e) loans, advances and other transactions between or among Holdings, any Restricted Subsidiary or any joint venture (regardless of the form of legal entity) in which Holdings or any Subsidiary has invested (and which Subsidiary or joint venture would not be an Affiliate of Holdings but for Holdings’ or a Subsidiary’s ownership of Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents in such joint venture or Subsidiary) to the extent permitted under Section 10, (f) employment and severance arrangements between Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees or consultants (including management and employee benefit plans or agreements, stock option plans and other compensatory arrangements) in the ordinary course of business (including loans and advances in connection therewith), (g) payments by Holdings (and any direct or indirect parent thereof) and the Subsidiaries pursuant to the tax sharing agreements among Holdings (and any such parent) and the Subsidiaries that are permitted under Section 10.5(b)(15); provided that in each case the amount of such payments in any fiscal year does not exceed the amount that Holdings, the Restricted Subsidiaries and the Unrestricted Subsidiaries (to the extent of the amount received from Unrestricted Subsidiaries) would have been required to pay in respect of such foreign, federal, state and/or local taxes for such fiscal year had Holdings, the Restricted Subsidiaries and the Unrestricted Subsidiaries (to the extent described above) paid such taxes separately from any such direct or indirect parent company of Holdings, (h) the payment of customary fees and reasonable out of pocket costs to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, directors, managers, consultants, officers, employees of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) and the Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business to the extent attributable to the ownership or operation of Holdings and the Subsidiaries, (i) transactions undertaken pursuant to membership in a purchasing consortium, (j) transactions pursuant to any agreement or arrangement as in effect as of the Closing Date, or any amendment, modification, supplement or replacement thereto (so long as any such amendment, modification, supplement or replacement is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Lenders when taken as a whole as compared to the applicable agreement as in effect on the Closing Date as determined by the Borrower in good faith), (k) customary payments by Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent) and any Restricted Subsidiaries to the Sponsor made for any financial advisory, consulting, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities (including in connection with acquisitions or divestitures), (l) the existence and performance of agreements and transactions with any Unrestricted Subsidiary that were entered into prior to the designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as such Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent that the transaction was permitted at the time that it was entered into with such Restricted Subsidiary and transactions entered into by an Unrestricted Subsidiary with an Affiliate prior to the redesignation of any such Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such transaction was not entered into in contemplation of such designation or redesignation, as applicable, (m) Affiliate repurchases of the Loans or Commitments to the extent permitted hereunder and the holding of such Loans or Commitments and the payments and other transactions contemplated herein in respect thereof, and (n) any customary transactions with a Receivables Subsidiary effected as part of a Receivables Facility.

 

	97

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

9.10          End of Fiscal Years. Holdings will, for financial reporting purposes, cause each of its, and each of the Restricted Subsidiaries’, fiscal years to end on dates consistent with past practice; provided, however, that Holdings may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent change the financial reporting convention specified above to (x) align the dates of such fiscal year and for any Restricted Subsidiary whose fiscal years end on dates different from those of Holdings or (y) any other financial reporting convention (including a change of fiscal year) reasonably acceptable (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to the Administrative Agent, in which case Holdings and the Administrative Agent will, and are hereby authorized by the Lenders to, make any adjustments to this Agreement that are necessary in order to reflect such change in financial reporting.

  

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

9.11          Additional Guarantors and Grantors. Subject to any applicable limitations set forth in the Security Documents and the terms, provisions and conditions of the Intercreditor Agreement, Holdings will cause each direct or indirect Subsidiary (other than any Excluded Subsidiary) formed or otherwise purchased or acquired after the Closing Date (including pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition), and each other Subsidiary that ceases to constitute an Excluded Subsidiary, within 60 days from the date of such formation, acquisition or cessation, as applicable (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), and Holdings may at its option cause any Subsidiary, to execute a supplement to each of the Guarantee, the Pledge Agreement and the Security Agreement in order to become a Guarantor under the Guarantee and a grantor under such Security Documents or, to the extent reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent, enter into a new Security Document substantially consistent with the analogous existing Security Documents and otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent and take all other action reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent to grant a perfected security interest in its assets to substantially the same extent as created and perfected by the Credit Parties on the Closing Date and pursuant to Section 9.14(d) in the case of such Credit Parties. For the avoidance of doubt, no Credit  Party or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary shall be required to take any action outside the United States to perfect any security interest in the Collateral (including the execution of any agreement, document or other instrument governed by the law of any jurisdiction other than the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia).

 

9.12          Pledge of Additional Stock and Evidence of Indebtedness. Subject to any applicable limitations set forth in the Security Documents and the terms, provisions and conditions of the Intercreditor Agreement and other than (x) when in the reasonable determination of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (as agreed to in writing), the cost or other consequences of doing so would be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom or (y) to the extent doing so would result in material adverse tax consequences as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent, Holdings will cause (i) all certificates representing Capital Stock and Stock Equivalents of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Excluded Stock and Stock Equivalents) held directly by Holdings or any other Credit Party, (ii) all evidences of Indebtedness in excess of $10,000,000 received by Holdings or any of the Guarantors in connection with any disposition of assets pursuant to Section 10.4(b), and (iii) any promissory notes executed after the Closing Date evidencing Indebtedness in excess of $10,000,000 of Holdings or any Subsidiary that is owing to Holdings or any other Credit Party, in each case, to be delivered to the Collateral Agent as security for the Obligations accompanied by undated instruments of transfer executed in blank pursuant to the terms of the Security Documents. Notwithstanding the foregoing any promissory note among Holdings and/or its Subsidiaries need not be delivered to the Collateral Agent so long as (i) a global intercompany note superseding such promissory note has been delivered to the Collateral Agent, (ii) such promissory note is not delivered to any other party other than Holdings or any other Credit Party, in each case, owed money thereunder, and (iii) such promissory note indicates on its face that it is subject to the security interest of the Collateral Agent.

 

9.13          Use of Proceeds.

 

(a) The Borrower will use the proceeds of the Initial Term Loans hereunder, together with the proceeds of the First Lien Loans under the First Lien Credit Agreement, to effect the Transactions.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

9.14          Further Assurances.

 

(a) Subject to the terms of Sections 9.11 and 9.12, this Section 9.14 and the Security Documents, Holdings will, and will cause each other Credit Party to, execute any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements, and instruments, and take all such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements, fixture filings, mortgages, deeds of trust, and other documents) that may be required under any applicable law, or that the Collateral Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request, in order to grant, preserve, protect, and perfect the validity and priority of the security interests created or intended to be created by the applicable Security Documents, all at the expense of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

(b) Subject to any applicable limitations set forth in the Security Documents and other than (x) when in the reasonable determination of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (as agreed to in writing), the cost or other consequences of doing so would be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom (it being understood that prior to the First Lien Termination Date, the determination of the First Lien Administrative Agent in respect of the matters described in this clause (x) shall be deemed to be the determination of the Administrative Agent with respect to such matters) or (y) to the extent doing so would result in material adverse tax consequences as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent, if any assets (other than Excluded Property) (including any real estate or improvements thereto or any interest therein but excluding Capital Stock and Stock Equivalents of any Subsidiary and excluding any real estate which the Borrower or applicable Credit Party intends to dispose of pursuant to a Permitted Sale Leaseback so long as actually disposed of within 270 days of acquisition (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree)) with a book value in excess of $10,000,000 (at the time of acquisition) are acquired by Holdings or any other Credit Party after the Closing Date (other than assets constituting Collateral under a Security Document that become subject to the Lien of the applicable Security Document upon acquisition thereof) that are of a nature secured by a Security Document or that constitute a fee interest in real property in the United States, Holdings will notify the Collateral Agent, and, if requested by the Collateral Agent, Holdings will cause such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the Obligations and will take, and cause the other applicable Credit Parties to take, such actions as shall be necessary or reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent, as soon as commercially reasonable but in no event later than 90 days, unless extended by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, to grant and perfect such Liens consistent with the applicable requirements of the Security Documents, including actions described in clause (a) of this Section 9.14.

 

(c) Any Mortgage delivered to the Administrative Agent in accordance with the preceding clause (b) shall, if requested by the Collateral Agent, be received as soon as commercially reasonable but in no event later than 90 days (except as set forth in the preceding clause (b)), unless extended by the Administrative Agent acting reasonably and accompanied by (x) a policy or policies (or an unconditional binding commitment therefor to be replaced by a final title policy) of title insurance issued by a nationally recognized title insurance company, in such amounts as reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent not to exceed the Fair Market Value of the applicable Mortgaged Property, insuring the Lien of each Mortgage as a valid Second Lien on the Mortgaged Property described therein, free of any other Liens except as expressly permitted by Section 10.2 or as otherwise permitted by the Administrative Agent and otherwise in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, together with such endorsements, coinsurance and reinsurance as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request but only to the extent such endorsements are (i) available in the relevant jurisdiction (provided in no event shall the Administrative Agent request a creditors’ rights endorsement) and (ii) available at commercially reasonable rates, (y) an opinion of local counsel to the applicable Credit Party in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, (z) a completed “Life-of-Loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination, and if any improvements on such Mortgaged Property are located in a special flood hazard area, (i) a notice about special flood hazard area status and flood disaster assistance duly executed by the applicable Credit Parties and (ii) certificates of insurance evidencing the insurance required by Section 9.3 in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and (aa) an ALTA survey in a form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent or such existing survey together with a no-change affidavit sufficient for the title company to remove all standard survey exceptions from the Title Policy related to such Mortgaged Property and issue the endorsements required in (x) above. It is understood and agreed that prior to the First Lien Termination Date, to the extent that the First Lien Administrative Agent is satisfied with or agrees to any deliveries or documents required under this Section 9.14(c), the Collateral Agent and/or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be satisfied with such deliveries.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(d) Post-Closing Covenant. Holdings agrees that it will, or will cause its relevant Subsidiaries to, complete each of the actions described on Schedule 9.14 as soon as commercially reasonable and by no later than the date set forth in Schedule 9.14 with respect to such action or such later date as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree.

 

9.15          Maintenance of Ratings. Holdings will use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain (but not maintain any specific rating) a corporate family and/or corporate credit rating, as applicable, and ratings in respect of the credit facilities provided pursuant to this Agreement, in each case, from each of S&P and Moody’s.

 

9.16          Lines of Business. Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will not fundamentally and substantively alter the character of their business, taken as a whole, from the business conducted by Holdings and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, on the Closing Date and other business activities which are extensions thereof or otherwise incidental, synergistic, reasonably related, or ancillary to any of the foregoing (and non-core incidental businesses acquired in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or permitted Investment).

 

Section 10.             Negative Covenants

 

Each of Holdings and the Borrower hereby covenants and agrees that on the Closing Date (immediately after consummation of the Acquisition) and thereafter, until the Commitments have terminated and the Loans, together with interest, Fees and all other Obligations incurred hereunder (other than contingent indemnity obligations), are paid in full:

 

10.1          Limitation on Indebtedness. Holdings will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable, contingently or otherwise (collectively, “incur” and collectively, an “incurrence”) with respect to any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) and Holdings will not issue any shares of Disqualified Stock and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to issue any shares of Disqualified Stock or, in the case of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors, preferred stock; provided that Holdings may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) or issue shares of Disqualified Stock, and any Restricted Subsidiary may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness), issue shares of Disqualified Stock and issue shares of preferred stock, if, after giving effect thereto, the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries would be at least 1.75 to 1.00; providedfurther that the amount of Indebtedness (other than Acquired Indebtedness), Disqualified Stock and preferred stock that may be incurred pursuant to the foregoing together with any amounts incurred under Section 10.1(n)(x) by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors shall not exceed the greater of (x) $36,000,000 and (y) 36.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at any one time outstanding.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

The foregoing limitations will not apply to:

 

(a) Indebtedness arising under the Credit Documents;

 

(b) (x) Indebtedness represented by the First Lien Facilities, Permitted First Lien Exchange Notes, and any guarantee thereof in an aggregate principal amount (plus all accrued interest, fees and expenses) not to exceed $575,000,000 and (y) Indebtedness that may be incurred pursuant to Sections 2.14 and 10.1(x)(i) of the First Lien Credit Agreement (as in effect on the Closing Date), in each case, pursuant to the definition of Maximum Incremental Facilities Amount in the First Lien Credit Agreement (as in effect on the Closing Date);

 

(c) (i) Indebtedness (including any unused commitment) outstanding on the Closing Date listed on Schedule 10.1 and (ii) intercompany Indebtedness (including any unused commitment) outstanding on the Closing Date listed on Schedule 10.1 (other than intercompany Indebtedness owed by a Credit Party to another Credit Party);

 

(d) Indebtedness (including Capitalized Lease Obligations), Disqualified Stock and preferred stock incurred by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, to finance the purchase, lease, construction, installation, maintenance, replacement or improvement of property (real or personal) or equipment that is used or useful in a Similar Business, whether through the direct purchase of assets or the Capital Stock of any Person owning such assets and Indebtedness arising from the conversion of the obligations of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary under or pursuant to any “synthetic lease” transactions to on-balance sheet Indebtedness of Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary, in an aggregate principal amount which, when aggregated with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock and preferred stock then outstanding and incurred pursuant to this clause (d) and all Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refinance any other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock and preferred stock incurred pursuant to this clause (d), does not exceed the greater of (x) $42,000,000 and (y) 42.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at the time of incurrence; provided that Capitalized Lease Obligations incurred by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to this clause (d) in connection with a Permitted Sale Leaseback shall not be subject to the foregoing limitation so long as the proceeds of such Permitted Sale Leaseback are used by Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary to permanently repay outstanding Term Loans or other Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the assets subject to such Permitted Sale Leaseback (excluding any Lien ranking junior to the Lien securing the Obligations);

 

(e) Indebtedness incurred by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary (including letter of credit obligations consistent with past practice constituting reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit issued in the ordinary course of business), in respect of workers’ compensation claims, performance or surety bonds, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance or other Indebtedness with respect to reimbursement or indemnification type obligations regarding workers’ compensation claims, performance or surety bonds, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance;

 

(f) Indebtedness arising from agreements of Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price, earnout or similar obligations, in each case, incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business, assets or a Subsidiary or other Person, other than guarantees of Indebtedness incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or a Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such acquisition; provided that such Indebtedness is not reflected on the balance sheet of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary (contingent obligations referred to in a footnote to financial statements and not otherwise reflected on the balance sheet will not be deemed to be reflected as Indebtedness on such balance sheet for purposes of this clause (f));

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(g) Indebtedness of Holdings to a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any such Indebtedness owing to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not the Borrower or a Guarantor is subordinated in right of payment to Holdings’ Guarantee; provided, further, that any subsequent issuance or transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event which results in any such Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such Indebtedness (except to another Borrower or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case to be an incurrence of such Indebtedness not permitted by this clause;

 

(h) Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to Holdings or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the Borrower or a Guarantor incurs such Indebtedness owing to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not the Borrower or a Guarantor, such Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Guarantee of such Guarantor as the case may be; provided, further, that any subsequent transfer of any such Indebtedness (except to Holdings or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case to be an incurrence of such Indebtedness not permitted by this clause;

 

(i) shares of preferred stock of a Restricted Subsidiary issued to Holdings or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any subsequent issuance or transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event which results in any such Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such shares of preferred stock (except to Holdings or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be deemed in each case to be an issuance of such shares of preferred stock not permitted by this clause;

 

(j) Hedging Obligations (excluding Hedging Obligations entered into for speculative purposes);

 

(k) obligations in respect of self-insurance, performance, bid, appeal, and surety bonds and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments related thereto, in each case, in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

 

(l) (i) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock and preferred stock of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount or liquidation preference up to 100% of the net cash proceeds received by Holdings since immediately after the Closing Date from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of Holdings or cash contributed to the capital of Holdings (in each case, other than Excluded Contributions, the Equity Rollover Contribution, any Cure Amount or proceeds of Disqualified Stock or sales of Equity Interests to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries) as determined in accordance with Sections 10.5(a)(iii)(B) and 10.5(a)(iii)(C) to the extent such net cash proceeds or cash have not been applied pursuant to such clauses to make Restricted Payments or to make other Investments, payments or exchanges pursuant to Section 10.5(b) or to make Permitted Investments (other than Permitted Investments specified in clauses (a) and (c) of the definition thereof) and (ii) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary not otherwise permitted hereunder in an aggregate principal amount or liquidation preference, which when aggregated with the principal amount and liquidation preference of all other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock and preferred stock then outstanding and incurred pursuant to this clause (l)(ii), does not at any one time outstanding exceed the greater of (x) $48,000,000 and (y) 48.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at the time of incurrence (it being understood that any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock incurred pursuant to this clause (l)(ii) shall cease to be deemed incurred or outstanding for purposes of this clause (l)(ii) but shall be deemed incurred for the purposes of the first paragraph of this Section 10.1 from and after the first date on which Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary could have incurred such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock under the first paragraph of this Section 10.1 without reliance on this clause (l)(ii));

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(m) the incurrence or issuance by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock which serves to refinance any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock incurred as permitted under the first paragraph of this Section 10.1 and clauses (b) and (c) above, clause (l)(i) and, this clause (m) and clause (n) below or any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock issued to so refinance, replace, refund, extend, renew, defease, restructure, amend, restate or otherwise modify (collectively, “refinance”) such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock (the “Refinancing Indebtedness”) prior to its respective maturity; provided, that such Refinancing Indebtedness (1) has a weighted average life to maturity at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is incurred which is not less than the remaining weighted average life to maturity of the Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock being refinanced, (2) to the extent such Refinancing Indebtedness refinances (i) Indebtedness that is unsecured or secured by a Lien ranking pari passu or junior to the Liens securing the Obligations, such Refinancing Indebtedness is unsecured or secured by a Lien ranking pari passu or junior to the Liens securing the Obligations, as applicable, (ii) Disqualified Stock or preferred stock, such Refinancing Indebtedness must be Disqualified Stock or preferred stock, respectively, and (iii) Indebtedness subordinated to the Obligations, such Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated to the Obligations at least to the same extent as the Indebtedness being Refinanced and (3) shall not include Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock of a Subsidiary of Holdings that is not the Borrower or a Guarantor that refinances Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock of the Borrower or a Guarantor;

 

(n) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock of (x) Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary incurred or issued to finance an acquisition, merger, or consolidation; provided that the amount of Indebtedness (other than Acquired Indebtedness), Disqualified Stock and preferred stock that may be incurred pursuant to the foregoing, together with any amounts incurred under the first paragraph of this Section 10.1 by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors shall not exceed the greater of (x) $36,000,000 and (y) 36.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at any one time outstanding, or (y) Persons that are acquired by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary or merged into or consolidated with Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms hereof (including designating an Unrestricted Subsidiary a Restricted Subsidiary); provided that after giving effect to any such acquisition, merger, consolidation or designation described in this clause (n), either: (1) Holdings would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of this Section 10.1 or (2) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries is equal to or greater than that immediately prior to such acquisition, merger, consolidation or designation;

 

(o) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business;

 

(p) (i) Indebtedness of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary supported by a letter of credit, in a principal amount not in excess of the stated amount of such letter of credit so long as such letter of credit is otherwise permitted to be incurred pursuant to this Section 10.1 or (ii) obligations in respect of letters of support, guarantees or similar obligations issued, made or incurred for the benefit of any Subsidiary of Holdings to the extent required by law or in connection with any statutory filing or the delivery of audit opinions performed in jurisdictions other than within the United States;

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(q) (1) any guarantee by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness or other obligations of any Restricted Subsidiary so long as in the case of a guarantee of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, such Indebtedness could have been incurred directly by the Restricted Subsidiary providing such guarantee or (2) any guarantee by a Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness of Holdings;

 

(r) Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors in an amount not to exceed, in the aggregate at any one time outstanding, the greater of (x) $18,000,000 and (y) 12.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) (it being understood that any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (r) shall cease to be deemed incurred or outstanding for purposes of this clause (r) but shall be deemed incurred for the purposes of the first paragraph of this covenant from and after the first date on which such Restricted Subsidiary could have incurred such Indebtedness under the first paragraph of this covenant without reliance on this clause (r));

 

(s) Indebtedness of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take or pay obligations contained in supply arrangements in each case, incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

 

(t) Indebtedness of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries undertaken in connection with cash management and related activities with respect to any Subsidiary or joint venture in the ordinary course of business, including with respect to financial accommodations of the type described in the definition of Cash Management Services;

 

(u) Indebtedness consisting of Indebtedness issued by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to future, current or former officers, directors, managers and employees thereof, their respective estates, spouses or former spouses, in each case to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings to the extent described in clause (4) of Section 10.5(b);

 

(v) to the extent constituting Indebtedness, obligations pursuant to the Wal-Mart Agreements;

 

(w) Indebtedness in respect of (i) Permitted Other Indebtedness to the extent that the Net Cash Proceeds therefrom are applied to the prepayment of Term Loans in the manner set forth in Section 5.2(a)(i); and (ii) any refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness specified in subclause (i) above; provided that (x) the principal amount of any such Indebtedness is not increased above the principal amount thereof outstanding immediately prior to such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension (except for any original issue discount thereon and the amount of fees, expenses, and premium and accrued and unpaid interest in connection with such refinancing) and (y) such Indebtedness otherwise complies with the definition of Permitted Other Indebtedness;

 

(x) Indebtedness in respect of (i) Permitted Other Indebtedness; provided that either (a) the aggregate principal amount of all such Permitted Other Indebtedness issued or incurred pursuant to this clause (i)(a) shall not, exceed the Maximum Incremental Facilities Amount or (b) the Net Cash Proceeds thereof shall be applied no later than ten Business Days after the receipt thereof to repurchase, repay, redeem or otherwise defease Loans (provided, in the case of this clause (i)(b), such Permitted Other Indebtedness is unsecured or secured by a Lien ranking junior to the Lien securing the Obligations) and (ii) any refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness specified in subclause (i) above; provided that (x) the principal amount of any such Indebtedness is not increased above the principal amount thereof outstanding immediately prior to such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension (except for any original issue discount thereon and the amount of fees, expenses and premium and accrued and unpaid interest in connection with such refinancing), (y) such Indebtedness otherwise complies with the definition of Permitted Other Indebtedness, and (z) in the case of a refinancing of Permitted Other Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (i)(b) above with other Permitted Other Indebtedness (“Refinancing Permitted Other Indebtedness”), such Refinancing Permitted Other Indebtedness, if secured, may only be secured by a Lien ranking junior to the Lien securing the Obligations; and

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(y) (i) Indebtedness in respect of Permitted Debt Exchange Notes incurred pursuant to a Permitted Debt Exchange in accordance with Section 2.15 (and which does not generate any additional proceeds) and (ii) any refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness specified in subclause (i) above; provided that (x) the principal amount of any such Indebtedness is not increased above the principal amount thereof outstanding immediately prior to such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension (except for any original issue discount thereon and the amount of fees, expenses, and premium and accrued and unpaid interest in connection with such refinancing) and (y) such Indebtedness otherwise complies with the definition of Permitted Other Indebtedness.

 

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 10.1: (i) in the event that an item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of permitted Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock described in clauses (a) through (y) above or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this Section 10.1, Holdings, in its sole discretion, will classify and may reclassify such item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock (or any portion thereof) and will only be required to include the amount and type of such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock in one of the above clauses or paragraphs; and (ii) at the time of incurrence, Holdings will be entitled to divide and classify an item of Indebtedness in more than one of the types of Indebtedness described in this Section 10.1.

 

Accrual of interest or dividends, the accretion of accreted value, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount and the payment of interest or dividends in the form of additional Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock for purposes of this covenant. Any Refinancing Indebtedness and any Indebtedness incurred to refinance Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clauses (a) and (l)(i) above shall be deemed to include additional Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock incurred to pay premiums (including reasonable tender premiums), defeasance costs, fees, and expenses in connection with such refinancing.

 

For purposes of determining compliance with any Dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, the principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in another currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term debt, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in another currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable Dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such Dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed (i) the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced plus (ii) the aggregate amount of fees, underwriting discounts, premiums, and other costs and expenses and accrued and unpaid interest incurred in connection with such refinancing.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

The principal amount of any Indebtedness incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such respective Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.

 

This Agreement will not treat (1) unsecured Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to secured Indebtedness merely because it is unsecured or (2) senior Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to any other senior Indebtedness merely because it has a junior priority with respect to the same collateral.

 

10.2         Limitation on Liens.

 

(a) Holdings will not, and will not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any property or assets of any kind (real or personal, tangible or intangible) of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, whether now owned or hereafter acquired (each, a “Subject Lien”) that secures obligations under any Indebtedness on any asset or property of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, except:

 

(i) in the case of Subject Liens on any Collateral, if such Subject Lien is a Permitted Lien; and

 

(ii) in the case of any other asset or property, any Subject Lien if (i) the Obligations are equally and ratably secured with (or on a senior basis to, in the case such Subject Lien secures any Junior Debt) the obligations secured by such Subject Lien or (ii) such Subject Lien is a Permitted Lien.

 

(b) Any Lien created for the benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally be released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the Subject Lien that gave rise to the obligation to so secure the Obligations.

 

10.3         Limitation on Fundamental Changes. Holdings will not, and will not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any merger, consolidation or amalgamation, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution), or convey, sell, lease, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of, all or substantially all its business units, assets or other properties, except that:

 

(a) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, any Subsidiary of Holdings or any other Person may be merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into Holdings or the Borrower; provided that (A) Holdings or the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation or (B) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger, amalgamation or consolidation is not Holdings or the Borrower (such other Person, the “Successor Borrower”), (1) the Successor Borrower shall be an entity organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof, (2) the Successor Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of Holdings or the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto or in a form otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (3) each Guarantor, unless it is the other party to such merger, amalgamation or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to the Guarantee confirmed that its guarantee thereunder shall apply to any Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, (4) each Subsidiary grantor and each Subsidiary pledgor, unless it is the other party to such merger, amalgamation or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to any applicable Security Document affirmed that its obligations thereunder shall apply to its Guarantee as reaffirmed pursuant to clause (3), (5) each mortgagor of a Mortgaged Property, unless it is the other party to such merger, amalgamation or consolidation, shall have affirmed that its obligations under the applicable Mortgage shall apply to its Guarantee as reaffirmed pursuant to clause (3), and (6) the Successor Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent (x) an officer’s certificate stating that such merger, amalgamation, or consolidation and such supplements preserve the enforceability of the Guarantee and the perfection and priority of the Liens under the applicable Security Documents and (y) if requested by the Administrative Agent, an opinion of counsel to the effect that such merger, amalgamation, or consolidation does not violate this Agreement or any other Credit Document and that the provisions set forth in the preceding clauses (3) through (5) preserve the enforceability of the Guarantee and the perfection of the Liens created under the applicable Security Documents (it being understood that if the foregoing are satisfied, the Successor Borrower will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Borrower under this Agreement);

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, any Subsidiary of Holdings or any other Person (in each case, other than the Company) may be merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into any one or more Subsidiaries of Holdings; provided that (i) in the case of any merger, amalgamation or consolidation involving one or more Restricted Subsidiaries, (A) a Restricted Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving Person or (B) Holdings shall cause the Person formed by or surviving any such merger, amalgamation or consolidation (if other than a Restricted Subsidiary) to become a Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) in the case of any merger, amalgamation or consolidation involving one or more Guarantors, a Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving Person or the Person formed by or surviving any such merger, amalgamation or consolidation and if the surviving Person is not already a Guarantor, such Person shall execute a supplement to the Guarantee and the relevant Security Documents in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in order to become a Guarantor and pledgor, mortgagor and grantor, as applicable, thereunder for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and (iii) Holdings shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate stating that such merger, amalgamation or consolidation and any such supplements to any Security Document preserve the enforceability of the Guarantees and the perfection and priority of the Liens under the applicable Security Documents;

 

(c) the Transactions may be consummated;

 

(d) (i) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party may convey, sell, lease, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or dissolution or otherwise) to Holdings or any other Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) any Credit Party (other than the Company) may convey, sell, lease, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or dissolution or otherwise) to any other Credit Party;

 

(e) any Subsidiary may convey, sell, lease, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or dissolution or otherwise) to a Credit Party; provided that the consideration for any such disposition by any Person other than a Guarantor shall not exceed the fair value of such assets;

 

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(f) any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Company) may liquidate or dissolve if Holdings determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of Holdings and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders;

 

(g) Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries may consummate a merger, dissolution, liquidation, consolidation, investment or conveyance, sale, lease, assignment or disposition, the purpose of which is to effect an Asset Sale (which for purposes of this Section 10.3(g), will include any disposition below the dollar threshold set forth in clause (d) of the definition of “Asset Sale”) permitted by Section 10.4 or an investment permitted pursuant to Section 10.5 or an investment that constitutes a Permitted Investment; and

 

(h) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary may change its legal form.

 

10.4         Limitation on Sale of Assets. Holdings will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, consummate an Asset Sale, unless:

 

(a) Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value (as determined at the time of contractually agreeing to such Asset Sale) of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of; and

 

(b) except in the case of a Permitted Asset Swap, if the property or assets sold or otherwise disposed of have a Fair Market Value in excess of $12,000,000, at least 75% of the consideration therefor received by Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents; provided that the amount of:

 

(i) any liabilities (as reflected on Holdings’ most recent consolidated balance sheet or in the footnotes thereto, or if incurred or accrued subsequent to the date of such balance sheet, such liabilities that would have been reflected on Holdings’ consolidated balance sheet or in the footnotes thereto if such incurrence or accrual had taken place on or prior to the date of such balance sheet, as determined in good faith by Holdings) of Holdings, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Loans, that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets (or are otherwise extinguished in connection with the transactions relating to such Asset Sale) and for which Holdings and all such Restricted Subsidiaries have been validly released by all applicable creditors in writing;

 

(ii) any securities, notes or other obligations or assets received by Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Cash Equivalents, or by their terms are required to be satisfied for cash or Cash Equivalents (to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents received), in each case, within 180 days following the closing of such Asset Sale;

 

(iii) Indebtedness, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Loans, that are of any Restricted Subsidiary that is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such Asset Sale, to the extent that Holdings and all Restricted Subsidiaries have been validly released from any Guarantee of payment of such Indebtedness in connection with such Asset Sale; and

 

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(iv) any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received by Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary in such Asset Sale having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (iv) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of $96,000,000 or 7.2% of Consolidated Total Assets at the time of the receipt of such Designated Non-Cash Consideration, with the Fair Market Value of each item of Designated Non-Cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value,

 

shall be deemed to be cash for purposes of this clause (b) of this provision and for no other purpose.

 

Within the Reinvestment Period after Holdings’ or any Restricted Subsidiary’s receipt of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Asset Sale, Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary shall apply the Net Cash Proceeds from such Asset Sale:

 

(i) to prepay Loans or Permitted Other Indebtedness in accordance with Section 5.2(a)(i); and/or

 

(ii) to make investments in the Borrower and its Subsidiaries; provided that Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries will be deemed to have complied with this clause (ii) if and to the extent that, within the Reinvestment Period after the Asset Sale that generated the Net Cash Proceeds, Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary has entered into and not abandoned or rejected a binding agreement to consummate any such investment described in this clause (ii) with the good faith expectation that such Net Cash Proceeds will be applied to satisfy such commitment within 180 days of such commitment and, in the event any such commitment is later cancelled or terminated for any reason before the Net Cash Proceeds are applied in connection therewith, Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary prepays the Loans in accordance with Section 5.2(a)(i).

 

(c) Pending the final application of any Net Cash Proceeds pursuant to this covenant, Holdings or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary may apply such Net Cash Proceeds temporarily to reduce Indebtedness outstanding under or any revolving credit facility or otherwise invest such Net Cash Proceeds in any manner not prohibited by this Agreement.

 

10.5         Limitation on Restricted Payments.

 

(a) Holdings will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:

 

(1) declare or pay any dividend or make any payment or distribution on account of Holdings’ or any Restricted Subsidiary’s Equity Interests, including any dividend or distribution payable in connection with any merger or consolidation, other than:

 

(A) dividends or distributions by Holdings payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of Holdings or in options, warrants or other rights to purchase such Equity Interests, or

 

(B) dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary so long as, in the case of any dividend or distribution payable on or in respect of any class or series of securities issued by a Subsidiary other than a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution in accordance with its Equity Interests in such class or series of securities;

 

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(2) purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Equity Interests of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings, including in connection with any merger or consolidation;

 

(3) make any principal payment on, or redeem, repurchase, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value in each case, prior to any scheduled repayment, sinking fund payment or maturity, any Junior Debt of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, other than (A) Indebtedness permitted under clauses (g) and (h) of Section 10.1 or (B) the purchase, repurchase or other acquisition of Junior Debt purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of purchase, repurchase or acquisition; or

 

(4) make any Restricted Investment;

 

(all such payments and other actions set forth in clauses (1) through (4) above (other than any exception thereto) being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”), unless, at the time of such Restricted Payment:

 

(i) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof (or in the case of a Restricted Investment, no Event of Default under Section 11.1 or 11.5 shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof);

 

(ii) except in the case of a Restricted Investment, immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis, Holdings could incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the provisions of the first paragraph of Section 10.1; and

 

(iii) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries after the Closing Date (including Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (1), (2) (with respect to the payment of dividends on Refunding Capital Stock pursuant to clause (b) thereof only), (6)(C) and (9) of Section 10.5(b) below, but excluding all other Restricted Payments permitted by Section 10.5(b)), is less than the sum of (without duplication):

 

(A) the Consolidated EBITDA for the period (taken as one accounting period) from the first day of the fiscal quarter during which the Closing Date occurs to the end of Holdings’ most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment less the product of 1.5 times Holdings’ Fixed Charges for such period, plus

 

(B) 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds and the Fair Market Value of marketable securities or other property received by Holdings since immediately after the Closing Date (other than the Equity Rollover Contribution and net cash proceeds from Cure Amounts or to the extent such net cash proceeds have been used to incur Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock pursuant to clause (l)(i) of Section 10.1) from the issue or sale of (x) Equity Interests of Holdings, including Retired Capital Stock, but excluding cash proceeds and the Fair Market Value of marketable securities or other property received from the sale of (A) Equity Interests to any employee, director, manager or consultant of Holdings, any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings and Holdings’ Subsidiaries after the Closing Date to the extent such amounts have been applied to Restricted Payments made in accordance with clause (4) of Section 10.5(b) below, and (B) Designated Preferred Stock, and, to the extent such net cash proceeds are actually contributed to Holdings, Equity Interests of any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings (excluding contributions of the proceeds from the sale of Designated Preferred Stock of such companies or contributions to the extent such amounts have been applied to Restricted Payments made in accordance with clause (4) of Section 10.5(b) below) or (y) Indebtedness of Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary that has been converted into or exchanged for such Equity Interests of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings; provided that this clause (B) shall not include the proceeds from (a) Refunding Capital Stock, (b) Equity Interests or Indebtedness that has been converted or exchanged for Equity Interests of Holdings sold to a Restricted Subsidiary or Holdings, as the case may be, (c) Disqualified Stock or Indebtedness that has been converted or exchanged into Disqualified Stock or (d) Excluded Contributions, plus

 

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(C) 100% of the aggregate amount of cash and the Fair Market Value of marketable securities or other property contributed to the capital of Holdings following the Closing Date (other than the Equity Rollover Contribution and net cash proceeds from Cure Amounts or to the extent such net cash proceeds (i) have been used to incur Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock pursuant to clause (l)(i) of Section 10.1), (ii) are contributed by a Restricted Subsidiary or (iii) constitute Excluded Contributions), plus

 

(D) 100% of the aggregate amount received in cash and the Fair Market Value of marketable securities or other property received by means of (A) the sale or other disposition (other than to Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary) of Restricted Investments made by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries and repurchases and redemptions of such Restricted Investments from Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries and repayments of loans or advances, and releases of guarantees, which constitute Restricted Investments made by Holdings or the Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case, after the Closing Date; or (B) the sale (other than to Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary) of the stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or a distribution from an Unrestricted Subsidiary (other than in each case to the extent the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary was made by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to clause (7) of Section 10.5(b) below or to the extent such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment) or a dividend from an Unrestricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date, plus

 

(E) in the case of the redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date, the Fair Market Value of the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time of the redesignation of such Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, other than to the extent the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary was made by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to clause (7) of Section 10.5(b) below or to the extent such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment, plus

 

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(F) the aggregate amount of any Retained Declined Proceeds since the Closing Date, plus

 

(G) $60,000,000.

 

(b) The foregoing provisions of Section 10.5(a) will not prohibit:

 

(1) the payment of any dividend or distribution or the consummation of any irrevocable redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof or the giving of such irrevocable notice, as applicable, if at the date of declaration or the giving of such notice such payment would have complied with the provisions of this Agreement;

 

(2) (a) the redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of any Equity Interests (“Retired Capital Stock”) or Junior Debt of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, or any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings, in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary) of, Equity Interests of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings to the extent contributed to Holdings (in each case, other than any Disqualified Stock) (“Refunding Capital Stock”) and (b) if immediately prior to the retirement of Retired Capital Stock, the declaration and payment of dividends thereon was permitted under clause (6) of this Section 10.5(b), the declaration and payment of dividends on the Refunding Capital Stock (other than Refunding Capital Stock the proceeds of which were used to redeem, repurchase, retire or otherwise acquire any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings) in an aggregate amount per year no greater than the aggregate amount of dividends per annum that was declarable and payable on such Retired Capital Stock immediately prior to such retirement;

 

(3) the prepayment, redemption, defeasance, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement for value of Junior Debt of Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, new Indebtedness of Holdings, or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, which is incurred in compliance with Section 10.1 so long as: (A) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such new Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of (or accreted value, if applicable), plus any accrued and unpaid interest on the Junior Debt being so redeemed, defeased, repurchased, exchanged, acquired or retired for value, plus the amount of any premium (including reasonable tender premiums), defeasance costs and any reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of such new Indebtedness, (B) if such Junior Debt is subordinated to the Obligations, such new Indebtedness is subordinated to the Obligations or the applicable Guarantee at least to the same extent as such Junior Debt so purchased, exchanged, redeemed, defeased, repurchased, acquired or retired for value, (C) such new Indebtedness has a final scheduled maturity date equal to or later than the final scheduled maturity date of the Junior Debt being so redeemed, defeased, repurchased, exchanged, acquired or retired, (D) if such Junior Debt so purchased, exchanged, redeemed, repurchased, acquired or retired for value is (i) unsecured then such new Indebtedness shall be unsecured or (ii) Permitted Other Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 10.1(x)(i)(b) and is secured by a Lien ranking junior to the Liens securing the Obligations then such new Indebtedness shall be unsecured or secured by a Lien ranking junior to the Liens securing the Obligations, and (E) such new Indebtedness has a weighted average life to maturity equal to or greater than the remaining weighted average life to maturity of the Junior Debt being so redeemed, defeased, repurchased, exchanged, acquired or retired;

 

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(4) a Restricted Payment to pay for the repurchase, retirement or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings held by any future, present or former employee, director, manager or consultant of Holdings, any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings, or their estates, descendants, family, spouse or former spouse pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement, or any stock subscription or shareholder agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any principal and interest payable on any notes issued by Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings in connection with such repurchase, retirement or other acquisition), including any Equity Interests rolled over by management of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings in connection with the Transactions; provided that, except with respect to non-discretionary purchases, the aggregate Restricted Payments made under this clause (4) subsequent to the Closing Date do not exceed in any calendar year $24,000,000 (which subsequent to the consummation of a Qualifying IPO shall increase to $48,000,000) (with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried over to succeeding calendar years subject to maximum aggregate Restricted Payments under this clause (without giving effect to the following proviso) of $36,000,000 in any calendar year (which subsequent to the consummation of a Qualifying IPO shall increase to the greater of $72,000,000); provided, further, that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed: (A) the cash proceeds from the sale of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of Holdings and, to the extent contributed to Holdings, the cash proceeds from the sale of Equity Interests of any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings, in each case to any future, present or former employees, directors, managers or consultants of Holdings, any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings that occurs after the Closing Date, to the extent the cash proceeds from the sale of such Equity Interests have not otherwise been applied to the payment of Restricted Payments by virtue of clause (iii) of Section 10.5(a), plus (B) the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries after the Closing Date, less (C) the amount of any Restricted Payments previously made pursuant to clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (4); and provided, further, that cancellation of Indebtedness owing to Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary from any future, present or former employees, directors, managers or consultants of Holdings, any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, or their estates, descendants, family, spouse or former spouse pursuant in connection with a repurchase of Equity Interests of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings will not be deemed to constitute a Restricted Payment for purposes of this Section 10.5 or any other provision of this Agreement;

 

(5) the declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary or any class or series of preferred stock of any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case, issued in accordance with Section 10.1 to the extent such dividends are included in the definition of Fixed Charges;

 

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(6) (A) the declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) issued by Holdings after the Closing Date; (B) the declaration and payment of dividends to any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings, the proceeds of which will be used to fund the payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of such parent company issued after the Closing Date; provided that the amount of dividends paid pursuant to this clause (B) shall not exceed the aggregate amount of cash actually contributed to Holdings from the sale of such Designated Preferred Stock; or (C) the declaration and payment of dividends on Refunding Capital Stock in excess of the dividends declarable and payable thereon pursuant to clause (2) of this Section 10.5(b); provided that, in the case of each of (A), (B), and (C) of this clause (6), for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date of issuance of such Designated Preferred Stock or the declaration of such dividends on Refunding Capital Stock, after giving effect to such issuance or declaration on a pro forma basis, Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis would have had a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of at least 1.75 to 1.00;

 

(7) Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (7) that are at the time outstanding, without giving effect to the sale of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent the proceeds of such sale do not consist of cash, Cash Equivalents or marketable securities, not to exceed the greater of (x) $30,000,000 and (y) 30.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value);

 

(8) (i) payments made or expected to be made by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of withholding or similar taxes payable upon exercise of Equity Interests by any future, present or former employee, director, manager, or consultant and repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants and (ii) payments or other adjustments to outstanding Equity Interests in accordance with any management equity plan, stock option plan or any other similar employee benefit plan, agreement or arrangement in connection with any Restricted Payment;

 

(9) the declaration and payment of dividends on Holdings’ common stock (or the payment of dividends to any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings to fund a payment of dividends on such company’s common stock), following consummation of the first public offering of Holdings’ common stock or the common stock of any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings after the Closing Date, of up to 7.20% per annum of the net cash proceeds received by or contributed to Holdings in or from any such public offering, other than public offerings with respect to Holdings’ common stock registered on Form S-8 and other than any public sale constituting an Excluded Contribution;

 

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(10) Restricted Payments in an amount that does not exceed the amount of Excluded Contributions made since the Closing Date;

 

(11) other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount taken together with all other Restricted Payments made pursuant to this clause not to exceed the greater of (x) $36,000,000 and (y) 36.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) at the time made;

 

(12) distributions or payments of Receivables Fees;

 

(13) any Restricted Payment made in connection with the Transactions and the fees and expenses related thereto or used to fund amounts owed to Affiliates (including dividends to any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings to permit payment by such parent of such amount), to the extent permitted by Section 9.9 (other than clause (b) thereof), and Restricted Payments in respect of working capital adjustments or purchase price adjustments pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement, any Permitted Acquisition or other Permitted Investment and to satisfy indemnity and other similar obligations under the Acquisition Agreement, any Permitted Acquisitions or other Permitted Investments;

 

(14) other Restricted Payments; provided that after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Restricted Payments the Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio is equal to or less than 5.75:1.00;

 

(15) the declaration and payment of dividends by Holdings to, or the making of loans to, any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings in amounts required for any direct or indirect parent company to pay: (A) franchise and excise taxes, and other fees and expenses, required to maintain its organizational existence, (B) consolidated, combined or similar foreign, federal, state and local income and similar taxes, to the extent that such income taxes are attributable to the income of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries and, to the extent of the amount actually received from its Unrestricted Subsidiaries, in amounts required to pay such taxes to the extent attributable to the income of such Unrestricted Subsidiaries, provided that in each case the amount of such payments with respect to any fiscal year does not exceed the amount that Holdings, the Restricted Subsidiaries and the Unrestricted Subsidiaries (to the extent described above) would have been required to pay in respect of such foreign, federal, state and local income taxes for such fiscal year had Holdings, the Restricted Subsidiaries and the Unrestricted Subsidiaries (to the extent described above) been a stand-alone taxpayer or stand-alone group (separate from any such direct or indirect parent company of Holdings) for all fiscal years ending after the Closing Date, (C) customary salary, bonus, and other benefits payable to officers, employees, directors, and managers of any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings to the extent such salaries, bonuses, and other benefits are attributable to the ownership or operation of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries, including Holdings’ proportionate share of such amount relating to such parent company being a public company, (D) general corporate or other operating (including, without limitation, expenses related to auditing or other accounting matters) and overhead costs and expenses of any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings to the extent such costs and expenses are attributable to the ownership or operation of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries, including Holdings’ proportionate share of such amount relating to such parent company being a public company, (E) amounts required for any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings to pay fees and expenses incurred by any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings related to (i) the maintenance by such parent entity of its corporate or other entity existence and (ii) transactions of such parent company of Holdings of the type described in clause (xi) of the definition of Consolidated Net Income, (F) cash payments in lieu of issuing fractional shares in connection with the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Interests of Holdings or any such direct or indirect parent company of Holdings, and (G) repurchases deemed to occur upon the cashless exercise of stock options;

 

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(16) the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition for value of Equity Interests of Holdings deemed to occur in connection with paying cash in lieu of fractional shares of such Equity Interests in connection with a share dividend, distribution, share split, reverse share split, merger, consolidation, amalgamation or other business combination of Holdings, in each case, permitted under this Agreement; and

 

(17) the distribution, by dividend or otherwise, of shares of Capital Stock of, or Indebtedness owed to Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary by, Unrestricted Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries, the primary assets of which are cash and/or Cash Equivalents).

 

provided that at the time of, and after giving effect to, any Restricted Payment permitted under clauses (10) (but only if the Excluded Contribution was made more than six months prior to such time), (11) and (14) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof (or in the case of a Restricted Investment, no Event of Default under Section 11.1 or 11.5 shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof).

 

Holdings will not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to become a Restricted Subsidiary except pursuant to the last sentence of the definition of Unrestricted Subsidiary. For purposes of designating any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, all outstanding Investments by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid) in the Subsidiary so designated will be deemed to be Restricted Payments in an amount determined as set forth in the last sentence of the definition of Investment. Such designation will be permitted only if a Restricted Payment in such amount would be permitted at such time, whether pursuant to Section 10.5(a) or under clauses (7), (10), or (11) of Section 10.5(b), or pursuant to the definition of Permitted Investments, and if such Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to any of the restrictive covenants set forth in this Agreement.

 

For purposes of determining compliance with this covenant, in the event that a proposed Restricted Payment or Investment (or a portion thereof) meets the criteria of clauses (1) through (17) above or is entitled to be made pursuant to Section 10.5(a) and/or one or more of the exceptions contained in the definition of Permitted Investments, Holdings will be entitled to classify or later reclassify (based on circumstances existing on the date of such reclassification) such Restricted Payment (or portion thereof) among such clauses (1) through (17), Section 10.5(a) and/or one or more of the exceptions contained in the definition of “Permitted Investments”, in a manner that otherwise complies with this covenant.

 

(c) Prior to the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, to the extent any Permitted Debt Exchange Notes are issued pursuant to Section 10.1(y) for the purpose of consummating a Permitted Debt Exchange, (i) Holdings will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, prepay, repurchase, redeem or otherwise defease or acquire any Permitted Debt Exchange Notes unless Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary shall concurrently voluntarily prepay Term Loans pursuant to Section 5.1(a) on a pro rata basis among the Term Loans, in an amount not less than the product of (a) a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of such Permitted Debt Exchange Notes that are proposed to be prepaid, repurchased, redeemed, defeased or acquired and the denominator of which is the aggregate principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of all Permitted Debt Exchange Notes in respect of the relevant Permitted Debt Exchange then outstanding (prior to giving effect to such proposed prepayment, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or acquisition) and (b) the aggregate principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of Term Loans then outstanding and (ii) Holdings will not waive, amend or modify the terms of any Permitted Debt Exchange Notes or any indenture pursuant to which such Permitted Debt Exchange Notes have been issued in any manner inconsistent with the terms of Section 2.15(a), Section 10.1(y), or the definition of Permitted Other Indebtedness or that would result in a Default hereunder if such Permitted Debt Exchange Notes (as so amended or modified) were then being issued or incurred.

 

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10.6         Limitation on Subsidiary Distributions. Holdings will not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any such Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

(a) (i) pay dividends or make any other distributions to Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary on its Capital Stock or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits or (ii) pay any Indebtedness owed to Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(b) make loans or advances to Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(c) sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

except (in each case) for such encumbrances or restrictions (x) which the Borrower has reasonably determined in good faith will not materially impair the Borrower’s ability to make payments under this Agreement when due or (y) existing under or by reason of:

 

(i) contractual encumbrances or restrictions in effect on the Closing Date, including pursuant to this Agreement and the related documentation and related Hedging Obligations;

 

(ii) the First Lien Credit Documents and the First Lien Loans;

 

(iii) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice and Capitalized Lease Obligations that impose restrictions of the nature discussed in clause (c) above on the property so acquired;

 

(iv) Requirement of Law or any applicable rule, regulation or order;

 

(v) any agreement or other instrument of a Person acquired by or merged or consolidated with or into Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, or of an Unrestricted Subsidiary that is designated a Restricted Subsidiary, or that is assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case that is in existence at the time of such transaction (but not created in contemplation thereof), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person and its Subsidiaries, or the property or assets of the Person and its Subsidiaries, so acquired or designated;

 

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(vi) contracts for the sale of assets, including customary restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary of Holdings pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock or assets of such Subsidiary and restrictions on transfer of assets subject to Permitted Liens;

 

(vii) (x) secured Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred pursuant to Sections 10.1 and 10.2 that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets securing such Indebtedness and (y) restrictions on transfers of assets subject to Permitted Liens (but, with respect to any such Permitted Lien, only to the extent that such transfer restrictions apply solely to the assets that are the subject of such Permitted Lien);

 

(viii) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(ix) other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock of Restricted Subsidiaries permitted to be incurred subsequent to the Closing Date pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.1;

 

(x) customary provisions in joint venture agreements or arrangements and other similar agreements or arrangements relating solely to such joint venture and the Equity Interests issued thereby;

 

(xi) customary provisions contained in leases, sub-leases, licenses, sub-licenses or similar agreements, in each case, entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xii) restrictions created in connection with any Receivables Facility that, in the good faith determination of the board of directors of Holdings, are necessary or advisable to effect such Receivables Facility; and

 

(xiii) any encumbrances or restrictions of the type referred to in clauses (a), (b), and (c) above imposed by any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to in clauses (i) through (xii) above; provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements, or refinancings (x) are, in the good faith judgment of Holdings’ board of directors, no more restrictive in any material respect with respect to such encumbrance and other restrictions taken as a whole than those prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing or (y) do not materially impair the Borrower’s ability to pay their respective obligations under the Credit Documents as and when due (as determined in good faith by the Borrower).

 

Section 11.            Events of Default

 

Upon the occurrence of any of the following specified events (each an “Event of Default”):

 

11.1         Payments. The Borrower shall (a) default in the payment when due of any principal of the Loans or (b) default, and such default shall continue for five or more Business Days, in the payment when due of any interest on the Loans or any Fees or of any other amounts owing hereunder or under any other Credit Document; or

 

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11.2         Representations, Etc. Any representation, warranty or statement made or deemed made by any Credit Party herein or in any other Credit Document or any certificate delivered or required to be delivered pursuant hereto or thereto (except those in the Credit Documents made or deemed made on the Closing Date that are not the Company Representations and the Specified Representations) shall prove to be untrue in any material respect on the date as of which made or deemed made, and, to the extent capable of being cured, such incorrect representation or warranty shall remain incorrect for a period of 30 days after written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower; or

 

11.3         Covenants. Any Credit Party shall:

 

(a) default in the due performance or observance by it of any term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 9.1(e)(i), Section 9.5 (solely with respect to Holdings or the Borrower), Section 9.14(d) or Section 10; or

 

(b) default in the due performance or observance by it of any term, covenant or agreement (other than those referred to in Section 11.1 or 11.2 or clause (a) of this Section 11.3) contained in this Agreement or any Security Document and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of at least 30 days after receipt of written notice by Holdings from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders; or

 

11.4         Default Under Other Agreements. (a) Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall (i) default in any payment with respect to any Indebtedness (other than the Obligations) in excess of $36,000,000 in the aggregate, for Holdings and such Restricted Subsidiaries, beyond the period of grace and following all required notices, if any, provided in the instrument or agreement under which such Indebtedness was created or (ii) default in the observance or performance of any agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event shall occur or condition exist (after giving effect to all applicable grace period and delivery of all required notices) (other than, with respect to Indebtedness consisting of any Hedge Agreements, termination events or equivalent events pursuant to the terms of such Hedge Agreements (it being understood that clause (i) shall apply to any failure to make any payment in excess of $36,000,000 that is required as a result of any such termination or similar event and that is not otherwise being contested in good faith)), the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, any such Indebtedness to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; provided that this clause (a) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the sale, transfer or other disposition (including as a result of a casualty or condemnation event) of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness (to the extent such sale, transfer or other disposition is not prohibited under this Agreement), or (b) without limiting the provisions of clause (a) above, any such Indebtedness shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment or as a mandatory prepayment (and, with respect to Indebtedness consisting of any Hedge Agreements, other than due to a termination event or equivalent event pursuant to the terms of such Hedge Agreements (it being understood that clause (a)(i) above shall apply to any failure to make any payment in excess of $36,000,000 that is required as a result of any such termination or equivalent event and that is not otherwise being contested in good faith)), prior to the stated maturity thereof; provided that this clause (b) shall not apply to (x) secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, if such sale or transfer is permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such Indebtedness, (y) Indebtedness which is convertible into Qualified Stock and converts to Qualified Stock in accordance with its terms and such conversion is not prohibited hereunder, or (z) any breach or default that is (I) remedied by Holdings or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary or (II) waived (including in the form of amendment) by the required holders of the applicable item of Indebtedness, in either case, prior to the acceleration of Loans pursuant to this Section 11; provided, further, that with respect to the First Lien Facilities, any Permitted Other Indebtedness (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement) and any Refinancing Other Indebtedness (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement), in each case, that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral on a senior basis to the Obligations, such failure shall constitute an Event of Default hereunder only if (I) such failure results from the failure to pay at scheduled maturity any such Indebtedness in excess of $36,000,000 and such Indebtedness has become due and payable in accordance with its terms or (II) the holders of such Indebtedness have caused the same to become due and payable prior to the scheduled maturity thereof; or

 

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11.5         Bankruptcy, Etc. Except as otherwise permitted by Section 10.3, Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary shall commence a voluntary case, proceeding or action concerning itself under Title 11 of the United States Code entitled “Bankruptcy” as now or hereafter in effect, or any successor thereto (collectively, the “Bankruptcy Code”); or an involuntary case, proceeding or action is commenced against Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary and the petition is not controverted within 30 days after commencement of the case, proceeding or action; or an involuntary case, proceeding or action is commenced against Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary and the petition is not dismissed within 60 days after commencement of the case, proceeding or action; or a custodian (as defined in the Bankruptcy Code), judicial manager, compulsory manager, receiver, receiver manager, trustee, liquidator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar Person is appointed for, or takes charge of, all or substantially all of the property of Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary; or Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary commences any other voluntary proceeding or action under any reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debt, relief of debtors, dissolution, insolvency, winding-up, administration or liquidation or similar law of any jurisdiction whether now or hereafter in effect relating to Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary; or there is commenced against Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary any such proceeding or action that remains undismissed for a period of 60 days; or Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary is adjudicated bankrupt; or any order of relief or other order approving any such case or proceeding or action is entered; or Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary suffers any appointment of any custodian receiver, receiver manager, trustee, administrator or the like for it or any substantial part of its property to continue undischarged or unstayed for a period of 60 days; or Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or

 

11.6         ERISA. (a) An ERISA Event or a Foreign Plan Event shall have occurred, (b) a trustee shall be appointed by a United States district court to administer any Pension Plan(s), (c) the PBGC shall institute proceedings to terminate any Pension Plan(s), or (d) any Credit Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates shall have been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that it has incurred or will be assessed Withdrawal Liability to such Multiemployer Plan and such entity does not have reasonable grounds for contesting such Withdrawal Liability or is not contesting such Withdrawal Liability in a timely and appropriate manner;; and in each case in clauses (a) through (d) above, such event or condition, together with all other such events or conditions, if any, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or

 

11.7         Guarantee. Any Guarantee provided by any Credit Party or any material provision thereof shall cease to be in full force or effect (other than pursuant to the terms hereof and thereof) or any such Guarantor thereunder or any other Credit Party shall deny or disaffirm in writing any such Guarantor’s obligations under the Guarantee; or

  

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11.8         Pledge Agreement. The Pledge Agreement or any other Security Document pursuant to which the Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents of the Borrower or any Subsidiary is pledged or any material provision thereof shall cease to be in full force or effect (other than pursuant to the terms hereof or thereof, as a result of acts or omissions of the Collateral Agent or any Lender or as a result of the Collateral Agent’s failure to maintain possession of any Capital Stock or Stock Equivalents that have been previously delivered to it) or any pledgor thereunder or any Credit Party shall deny or disaffirm in writing any pledgor’s obligations under any Security Document; or

 

11.9         Security Agreement. The Security Agreement or any other Security Document pursuant to which the assets of Holdings, the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary are pledged as Collateral or any material provision thereof shall cease to be in full force or effect (other than pursuant to the terms hereof or thereof, as a result of acts or omissions of the Collateral Agent in respect of certificates, promissory notes or instruments actually delivered to it (including as a result of the Collateral Agent’s failure to file a Uniform Commercial Code continuation statement) or any grantor thereunder or any Credit Party shall deny or disaffirm in writing any grantor’s obligations under the Security Agreement or any other Security Document; or

 

11.10        Judgments. One or more judgments or decrees shall be entered against Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries involving a liability in excess of $36,000,000 in the aggregate for all such judgments and decrees for Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries (to the extent not covered by insurance or indemnities as to which the applicable insurance company or third party has not denied coverage) and any such judgments or decrees shall not have been satisfied, vacated, discharged or stayed or bonded pending appeal within 60 days after the entry thereof; or

 

11.11        Change of Control. A Change of Control shall occur.

 

11.12        Remedies Upon Event of Default. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, upon the written request of the Required Lenders, by written notice to Holdings, without prejudice to the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to enforce its claims against Holdings and the Borrower, except as otherwise specifically provided for in this Agreement, declare the principal of and any accrued interest and fees in respect of all Loans and all Obligations to be, whereupon the same shall become, forthwith due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law; provided that, if an Event of Default specified in Section 11.5 shall occur with respect to the Borrower or Holdings, the result that would occur upon the giving of written notice by the Administrative Agent shall occur automatically without the giving of any such notice..

 

11.13        Application of Proceeds. Subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement, any amount received by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent from any Credit Party (or from proceeds of any Collateral) following any acceleration of the Obligations under this Agreement or any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower under Section 11.5 shall be applied:

 

(i) first, to the payment of all reasonable and documented costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent in connection with any collection or sale of the Collateral or otherwise in connection with any Credit Document, including all court costs and the reasonable fees and expenses of its agents and legal counsel, the repayment of all advances made by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent hereunder or under any other Credit Document on behalf of any Credit Party and any other reasonable and documented costs or expenses incurred in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy hereunder or under any other Credit Document to the extent reimbursable hereunder or thereunder;

  

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(ii) second, to the Secured Parties, an amount equal to all Obligations owing to them on the date of any distribution; and

 

(iii) third, any surplus then remaining shall be paid to the applicable Credit Parties or their successors or assigns or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

Section 12.             The Agents

 

12.1         Appointment.

 

(a) Each Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Administrative Agent as the agent of such Lender under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents and irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent, in such capacity, to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Section 12 (other than Section 12.1(c) with respect to the Joint Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners and Sections 12.1, 12.9, 12.11 and 12.12 with respect to Holdings) are solely for the benefit of the Agents and the Lenders, none of Holdings, the Borrower or any other Credit Party shall have rights as third party beneficiary of any such provision. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Credit Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent. In performing its functions and duties hereunder, each Agent shall act solely as an agent of Lenders and does not assume and shall not be deemed to have assumed any obligation towards or relationship of agency or trust with or for Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries.

 

(b) The Administrative Agent and each Lender hereby irrevocably designate and appoint the Collateral Agent as the agent with respect to the Collateral, and each of the Administrative Agent and each Lender irrevocably authorizes the Collateral Agent, in such capacity, to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to the Collateral Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Collateral Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities except those expressly set forth herein, or any fiduciary relationship with any of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Credit Document or otherwise exist against the Collateral Agent.

 

(c) Each of the Joint Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners each in its capacity as such, shall not have any obligations, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement but shall be entitled to all benefits of this Section 12.

 

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12.2         Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may each execute any of its duties under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents by or through agents, sub-agents, employees or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. Neither the Administrative Agent nor the Collateral Agent shall be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents, subagents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it in the absence of its gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined in the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction).

 

12.3         Exculpatory Provisions. No Agent nor any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates shall be (a) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by any of them under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Credit Document (except for its or such Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined in the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein) or (b) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders or any participant for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Credit Party or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Credit Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by such Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Credit Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Credit Document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien or security interest created or purported to be created under the Security Documents, or for any failure of any Credit Party to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. No Agent shall be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Credit Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Credit Party or any Affiliate thereof. The Collateral Agent shall not be under any obligation to the Administrative Agent or any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Credit Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Credit Party.

 

12.4         Reliance by Agents. The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telecopy, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other document or instruction believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to Holdings and the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent. The Administrative Agent may deem and treat the Lender specified in the Register with respect to any amount owing hereunder as the owner thereof for all purposes unless a written notice of assignment, negotiation or transfer thereof shall have been filed with the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement or any other Credit Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders as it deems appropriate or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents in accordance with a request of the Required Lenders, and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders and all future holders of the Loans; provided that the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or in the opinion of its counsel, may expose it to liability or that is contrary to any Credit Document or applicable law.

 

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12.5         Notice of Default. Neither the Administrative Agent nor the Collateral Agent shall be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder unless the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent has received written notice from a Lender or Holdings or the Borrower referring to this Agreement, describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default.” In the event that the Administrative Agent receives such a notice, it shall give notice thereof to the Lenders and the Collateral Agent. The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Required Lenders; provided that unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders except to the extent that this Agreement requires that such action be taken only with the approval of the Required Lenders or each of the Lenders, as applicable.

 

12.6          Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Other Lenders. Each Lender expressly acknowledges that neither the Administrative Agent nor the Collateral Agent nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates has made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent hereinafter taken, including any review of the affairs of any Credit Party, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to any Lender. Each Lender represents to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and each other Credit Party and made its own decision to make its Loans hereunder and enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of any of the Credit Parties. Except for notices, reports, and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent hereunder, neither the Administrative Agent nor the Collateral Agent shall have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, assets, operations, properties, financial condition, prospects or creditworthiness of any Credit Party that may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates.

 

12.7          Indemnification. The Lenders agree to severally indemnify each Agent in its capacity as such (to the extent not reimbursed by the Credit Parties and without limiting the obligation of the Credit Parties to do so), ratably according to their respective portions of the Total Credit Exposure in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought (or, if indemnification is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with their respective portions of the Total Credit Exposure in effect immediately prior to such date), from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses, or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (including at any time following the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against an Agent in any way relating to or arising out of the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Credit Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that no Lender shall be liable to an Agent for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulting from such Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; provided, further, that no action taken by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the directions of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be required by the Credit Documents) shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct for purposes of this Section 12.7. In the case of any investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time occur (including at any time following the payment of the Loans), this Section 12.7 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Lender or any other Person. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse each Agent upon demand for its ratable share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by such Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice rendered in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Credit Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent that such Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of Holdings or the Borrower; provided that such reimbursement by the Lenders shall not affect Holdings’ or the Borrower’s continuing reimbursement obligations with respect thereto. If any indemnity furnished to any Agent for any purpose shall, in the opinion of such Agent, be insufficient or become impaired, such Agent may call for additional indemnity and cease, or not commence, to do the acts indemnified against until such additional indemnity is furnished; provided, in no event shall this sentence require any Lender to indemnify any Agent against any liability, obligation, loss, damage, penalty, action, judgment, suit, cost, expense or disbursement in excess of such Lender’s pro rata portion thereof; and provided, further, this sentence shall not be deemed to require any Lender to indemnify any Agent against any liability, obligation, loss, damage, penalty, action, judgment, suit, cost, expense or disbursement resulting from such Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction. The agreements in this Section 12.7 shall survive the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder. The indemnity provided to each Agent under this Section 12.7 shall also apply to such Agent’s respective Affiliates, directors, officers, members, controlling persons, employees, trustees, investment advisors and agents and successors.

 

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12.8         Agents in Their Individual Capacities. The agency hereby created shall in no way impair or affect any of the rights and powers of, or impose any duties or obligations upon, any Agent in its individual capacity as a Lender hereunder. Each Agent and its Affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with any Credit Party as though such Agent were not an Agent hereunder and under the other Credit Documents. With respect to the Loans made by it, each Agent shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents as any Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent, and the terms Lender and Lenders shall include each Agent in its individual capacity.

 

12.9         Successor Agents. (a) Each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and Holdings. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, subject to the consent of the Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) so long as no Event of Default under Sections 11.1 or 11.5 is continuing, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Agent may on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above (including receipt of the Borrower’s consent); provided that if the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice.

  

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(b) [reserved]

 

(c) With effect from the Resignation Effective Date, (1) the retiring or removed agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Credit Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Lenders under any of the Credit Documents, the retiring or removed Collateral Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security as nominee until such time as a successor Collateral Agent is appointed) and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Agent as provided for above in this paragraph. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, hereunder, and upon the execution and filing or recording of such financing statements, or amendments thereto, and such amendments or supplements to the Mortgages, and such other instruments or notices, as may be necessary or desirable, or as the Required Lenders may request, in order to continue the perfection of the Liens granted or purported to be granted by the Security Documents, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) or removed Agent, and the retiring or removed Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Credit Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section 12.9). Except as provided above, any resignation or removal of Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. as the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 12.9 shall also constitute the resignation or removal of Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. as the Collateral Agent. The fees payable by Holdings or the Borrower (following the effectiveness of such appointment) to such Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between Holdings or Borrower and such successor. After the retiring or removed Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Credit Documents, the provisions of this Section 12 (including Section 12.7) and Section 13.5 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Agent was acting as an Agent.

 

12.10        Withholding Tax. To the extent required by any applicable law, the Administrative Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender under any Credit Document an amount equivalent to any applicable withholding Tax. If the Internal Revenue Service or any authority of the United States or other jurisdiction asserts a claim that the Administrative Agent did not properly withhold Tax from amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender for any reason (including because the appropriate form was not delivered, was not properly executed, or because such Lender failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstances that rendered the exemption from, or reduction of, withholding Tax ineffective) or if the Administrative Agent reasonably determines that a payment was made to a Lender pursuant to this Agreement without deduction of applicable withholding Tax from such payment, such Lender shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (to the extent that the Administrative Agent has not already been reimbursed by any applicable Credit Party and without limiting the obligation of any applicable Credit Party to do so) fully for all amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by the Administrative Agent as Tax or otherwise, including penalties, additions to Tax and interest, together with all expenses incurred, including legal expenses, allocated staff costs and any out of pocket expenses. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Credit Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this Section 12.10. The agreements in Section 12.10 shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

12.11        Agents Under Security Documents and Guarantee. Each Secured Party hereby further authorizes the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable, on behalf of and for the benefit of the Secured Parties, to be the agent for and representative of the Secured Parties with respect to the Collateral and the Security Documents. Subject to Section 13.1, without further written consent or authorization from any Secured Party, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable, may execute any documents or instruments necessary to (a) release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) under any Credit Document (i) upon the Final Maturity Date and the payment in full of all Obligations (except for contingent indemnification obligations in respect of which a claim has not yet been made), (ii) that is sold or to be sold or transferred as part of or in connection with any sale or other transfer permitted hereunder or under any other Credit Document to a Person that is not a Credit Party or in connection with the designation of any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, (iii) if the property subject to such Lien is owned by a Credit Party, upon the release of such Credit Party from its Guarantee otherwise in accordance with the Credit Documents, (iv) as to the extent provided in the Security Documents, (v) that constitutes Excluded Property or Excluded Stock and Stock Equivalents or (vi) if approved, authorized or ratified in writing in accordance with Section 13.1; (b) release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guarantee if such Person ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary (or becomes an Excluded Subsidiary) as a result of a transaction or designation permitted hereunder; (c) subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Credit Document to the holder of any Lien permitted under clause (vi) (solely with respect to Section 10.1(d)), and (ix) of the definition of Permitted Lien; or (d) enter into subordination or intercreditor agreements with respect to Indebtedness to the extent the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent is otherwise contemplated herein as being a party to such intercreditor or subordination agreement, including the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

The Collateral Agent shall have its own independent right to demand payment of the amounts payable by the Borrower under this Section 12.11, irrespective of any discharge of the Borrower’s obligations to pay those amounts to the other Lenders resulting from failure by them to take appropriate steps in insolvency proceedings affecting the Borrower to preserve their entitlement to be paid those amounts.

 

Any amount due and payable by the Borrower to the Collateral Agent under this Section 12.11 shall be decreased to the extent that the other Lenders have received (and are able to retain) payment in full of the corresponding amount under the other provisions of the Credit Documents and any amount due and payable by the Borrower to the Collateral Agent under those provisions shall be decreased to the extent that the Collateral Agent has received (and is able to retain) payment in full of the corresponding amount under this Section 12.11.

 

12.12        Right to Realize on Collateral and Enforce Guarantee. Anything contained in any of the Credit Documents to the contrary notwithstanding, Holdings, the Agents, and each Secured Party hereby agree that (i) no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce the Guarantee, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights, and remedies hereunder may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms hereof and all powers, rights, and remedies under the Security Documents may be exercised solely by the Collateral Agent, and (ii) in the event of a foreclosure by the Collateral Agent on any of the Collateral pursuant to a public or private sale or other disposition, the Collateral Agent or any Lender may be the purchaser or licensor of any or all of such Collateral at any such sale or other disposition and the Collateral Agent, as agent for and representative of the Secured Parties (but not any Lender or Lenders in its or their respective individual capacities unless Required Lenders shall otherwise agree in writing) shall be entitled, for the purpose of bidding and making settlement or payment of the purchase price for all or any portion of the Collateral sold at any such public sale, to use and apply any of the Obligations as a credit on account of the purchase price for any collateral payable by the Collateral Agent at such sale or other disposition.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

12.13        Intercreditor Agreement Governs. The Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, and each Lender (a) hereby agrees that it will be bound by and will take no actions contrary to the provisions of any intercreditor agreement entered into pursuant to the terms hereof, (b) hereby authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent to enter into each intercreditor agreement entered into pursuant to the terms hereof and to subject the Liens securing the Secured Obligations to the provisions thereof, and (c) hereby authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent to enter into any intercreditor agreement that includes, or to amend any then existing intercreditor agreement to provide for, the terms described in the definition of Permitted Other Indebtedness.

 

Section 13.              Miscellaneous

 

13.1          Amendments, Waivers, and Releases. Neither this Agreement nor any other Credit Document, nor any terms hereof or thereof, may be amended, supplemented or modified except in accordance with the provisions of this Section 13.1. Except as provided to the contrary under Section 2.14 or 2.15 or the fifth and sixth paragraphs hereof in respect of Replacement Term Loans, and other than with respect to any amendment, modification or waiver contemplated in the proviso to clause (i) below, which shall only require the consent of the Lenders expressly set forth therein and not the Required Lenders, the Required Lenders may, or, with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and/or the Collateral Agent may, from time to time, (a) enter into with the relevant Credit Party or Credit Parties written amendments, supplements or modifications hereto and to the other Credit Documents for the purpose of adding any provisions to this Agreement or the other Credit Documents or changing in any manner the rights of the Lenders or of the Credit Parties hereunder or thereunder or (b) waive in writing, on such terms and conditions as the Required Lenders or the Administrative Agent and/or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, may specify in such instrument, any of the requirements of this Agreement or the other Credit Documents or any Default or Event of Default and its consequences; provided, however, that each such waiver and each such amendment, supplement or modification shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; and provided, further, that no such waiver and no such amendment, supplement or modification shall (x) (i) forgive or reduce any portion of any Loan or extend the final scheduled maturity date of any Loan or reduce the stated rate (it being understood that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the “default rate” or amend Section 2.8(c)), or forgive any portion thereof, or extend the date for the payment, of any interest or fee payable hereunder (other than as a result of waiving the applicability of any post-default increase in interest rates), or amend or modify any provisions of Sections 5.3(a) (with respect to the ratable allocation of any payments only) 13.8(a) or 13.20, or make any Loan, interest, Fee or other amount payable in any currency other than expressly provided herein, in each case without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby; provided that a waiver of any condition precedent in Section 6 or 7 of this Agreement, the waiver of any Default, Event of Default, default interest, mandatory prepayment or reductions, any modification, waiver or amendment to the financial definitions or financial ratios or any component thereof or the waiver of any other covenant shall not constitute an increase of any Commitment of a Lender, a reduction or forgiveness in the interest rates or the fees or premiums or a postponement of any date scheduled for the payment of principal, premium or interest or an extension of the final maturity of any Loan or the scheduled termination date of any Commitment, in each case for purposes of this clause (i), or (ii) consent to the assignment or transfer by the Borrower of its rights and obligations under any Credit Document to which it is a party (except as permitted pursuant to Section 10.3), in each case without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby, or (iii) amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 12 without the written consent of the then-current Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent in a manner that directly and adversely affects such Person, or (iv) release all or substantially all of the Guarantors under the Guarantees (except as expressly permitted by the Guarantees, the Intercreditor Agreement or this Agreement) or release all or substantially all of the Collateral under the Security Documents (except as expressly permitted by the Security Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or this Agreement) without the prior written consent of each Lender, or (v) reduce the percentages specified in the definitions of the terms Required Lenders or amend, modify or waive any provision of this Section 13.1 that has the effect of decreasing the number of Lenders that must approve any amendment, modification or waiver, without the written consent of each Lender, (y) notwithstanding anything to the contrary in clause (x), (i) extend the final expiration date of any Lender’s Commitment or (ii) increase the aggregate amount of the Commitments of any Lender, in each case, without the written consent of such Lender, or (z) in connection with an amendment that addresses solely a repricing transaction in which any Class of Term Loans is refinanced with a replacement Class of Term Loans bearing (or is modified in such a manner such that the resulting Term Loans bear) a lower Effective Yield (a “Permitted Repricing Amendment”), only the consent of the Lenders holding Term Loans subject to such permitted repricing transaction that will continue as a Lender in respect of the repriced tranche of Term Loans or modified Term Loans.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Any such waiver and any such amendment, supplement or modification shall apply equally to each of the affected Lenders and shall be binding upon Holdings, the Borrower, such Lenders, the Administrative Agent and all future holders of the affected Loans. In the case of any waiver, Holdings, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder and under the other Credit Documents, and any Default or Event of Default waived shall be deemed to be cured and not continuing, it being understood that no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. In connection with the foregoing provisions, the Administrative Agent may, but shall have no obligations to, with the concurrence of any Lender, execute amendments, modifications, waivers or consents on behalf of such Lender.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in addition to any credit extensions and related Joinder Agreement(s) effectuated without the consent of Lenders in accordance with Section 2.14, this Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent, Holdings and the Borrower (a) to add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents with the Term Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (b) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders and other definitions related to such new Term Loans.

 

In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended with the written consent of the Administrative Agent, Holdings, the Borrower and the Lenders providing the relevant Replacement Term Loans to permit the refinancing of all outstanding Term Loans of any Class (“Refinanced Term Loans”) with a replacement term loan tranche (“Replacement Term Loans”) hereunder; provided that (a) the aggregate principal amount of such Replacement Term Loans shall not exceed the aggregate principal amount of such Refinanced Term Loans (plus an amount equal to all accrued but unpaid interest, fees, premiums, and expenses incurred in connection therewith), (b) the Applicable Margin for such Replacement Term Loans shall not be higher than the Applicable Margin for such Refinanced Term Loans, unless any such Applicable Margin applies after the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, (c) the weighted average life to maturity of such Replacement Term Loans shall not be shorter than the weighted average life to maturity of such Refinanced Term Loans at the time of such refinancing (except to the extent of nominal amortization for periods where amortization has been eliminated as a result of prepayment of the applicable Term Loans), and (d) the covenants, events of default and guarantees shall be not materially more restrictive (taken as a whole) (as determined in good faith by the Borrower) to the Lenders providing such Replacement Term Loans than the covenants, events of default and guarantees applicable to such Refinanced Term Loans, except to the extent necessary to provide for covenants, events of default and guarantees applicable to any period after the maturity date in respect of the Refinanced Term Loans in effect immediately prior to such refinancing.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

The Lenders hereby irrevocably agree that the Liens granted to the Collateral Agent by the Credit Parties on any Collateral shall be automatically released (i) in full, upon the termination of this Agreement and the payment of all Obligations hereunder (except for contingent indemnification obligations in respect of which a claim has not yet been made), (ii) upon the sale or other disposition of such Collateral (including as part of or in connection with any other sale or other disposition permitted hereunder) to any Person other than another Credit Party, to the extent such sale or other disposition is made in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (and the Collateral Agent may rely conclusively on a certificate to that effect provided to it by any Credit Party upon its reasonable request without further inquiry), (iii) to the extent such Collateral is comprised of property leased to a Credit Party, upon termination or expiration of such lease, (iv) if the release of such Lien is approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other percentage of the Lenders whose consent may be required in accordance with this Section 13.1), (v) to the extent the property constituting such Collateral is owned by any Guarantor, upon the release of such Guarantor from its obligations under the applicable Guarantee (in accordance with the second following sentence), (vi) as required to effect any sale or other disposition of Collateral in connection with any exercise of remedies of the Collateral Agent pursuant to the Security Documents, and (vii) if such assets constitute Excluded Property or Excluded Stock or Stock Equivalents. Any such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect, or impair the Obligations or any Liens (other than those being released) upon (or obligations (other than those being released) of the Credit Parties in respect of) all interests retained by the Credit Parties, including the proceeds of any sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral except to the extent otherwise released in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Documents. Additionally, the Lenders hereby irrevocably agree that any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor shall be released from the Guarantees upon consummation of any transaction not prohibited hereunder resulting in such Subsidiary ceasing to constitute a Restricted Subsidiary. The Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, as applicable, to execute and deliver any instruments, documents, and agreements necessary or desirable to evidence and confirm the release of any Guarantor or Collateral pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, all without the further consent or joinder of any Lender.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Credit Documents may be amended to add syndication or documentation agents and make customary changes and references related thereto with the consent of only the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement (including, without limitation, this Section 13.1) or any other Credit Document to the contrary, (i) this Agreement and the other Credit Documents may be amended to effect an incremental facility or extension facility pursuant to Section 2.14 (and the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Credit Documents without the consent of any other party as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the terms of any such incremental facility or extension facility); (ii) no Lender consent is required to effect any amendment or supplement to the Intercreditor Agreement or other intercreditor agreement or arrangement permitted under this Agreement that is for the purpose of adding the holders of any Indebtedness as expressly contemplated by the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement or such other intercreditor agreement or arrangement permitted under this Agreement, as applicable (it being understood that any such amendment or supplement may make such other changes to the applicable intercreditor agreement as, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, are required to effectuate the foregoing; provided that such other changes are not adverse, in any material respect, to the interests of the Lenders taken as a whole); provided, further, that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise directly and adversely affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder or under any other Credit Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent; (iii) any provision of this Agreement or any other Credit Document may be amended by an agreement in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to (x) cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency (as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower) and (y) effect administrative changes of a technical or immaterial nature and such amendment shall be deemed approved by the Lenders if the Lenders shall have received at least five Business Days’ prior written notice of such change and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment; and (iv) guarantees, collateral documents and related documents executed by Credit Parties in connection with this Agreement may be in a form reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and may be, together with any other Credit Document, entered into, amended, supplemented or waived, without the consent of any other Person, by the applicable Credit Party or Credit Parties and the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent in its or their respective sole discretion, to (A) effect the granting, perfection, protection, expansion or enhancement of any security interest in any Collateral or additional property to become Collateral for the benefit of the Secured Parties, (B) as required by local law or advice of counsel to give effect to, or protect any security interest for the benefit of the Secured Parties, in any property or so that the security interests therein comply with applicable requirements of law, or (C) to cure ambiguities, omissions, mistakes or defects (as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower) or to cause such guarantee, collateral security document or other document to be consistent with this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any Security Document to the contrary, the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, grant extensions of time for the satisfaction of any of the requirements under Sections 9.12, 9.13 and 9.14 or any Security Documents in respect of any particular Collateral or any particular Subsidiary if it determines that the satisfaction thereof with respect to such Collateral or such Subsidiary cannot be accomplished without undue expense or unreasonable effort or due to factors beyond the control of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries by the time or times at which it would otherwise be required to be satisfied under this Agreement or any Security Document.

 

13.2         Notices. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices and other communications provided for hereunder or under any other Credit Document shall be in writing (including by facsimile transmission). All such written notices shall be mailed, faxed or delivered to the applicable address, facsimile number or electronic mail address, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

 

(a) if to Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 13.2 or to such other address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number as shall be designated by such party in a notice to the other parties; and

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire or to such other address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number as shall be designated by such party in a notice to Holdings and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent.

 

All such notices and other communications shall be deemed to be given or made upon the earlier to occur of (i) actual receipt by the relevant party hereto and (ii) (A) if delivered by hand or by courier, when signed for by or on behalf of the relevant party hereto; (B) if delivered by mail, three Business Days after deposit in the mails, postage prepaid; (C) if delivered by facsimile, when sent and receipt has been confirmed by telephone; and (D) if delivered by electronic mail, when delivered; provided that notices and other communications to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders pursuant to Sections 2.3, 2.6, 2.9, 4.2 and 5.1 shall not be effective until received.

 

13.3          No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any Lender, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under the other Credit Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers, and privileges provided by law.

 

13.4          Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder, in the other Credit Documents and in any document, certificate or statement delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of the Loans hereunder.

 

13.5          Payment of Expenses; Indemnification.

 

(a) Each of Holdings and the Borrower, jointly and severally, agree (i) to pay or reimburse each of the Agents for all their reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses (without duplication) incurred in connection with the development, preparation, execution and delivery of, and any amendment, supplement, modification to, waiver and/or enforcement this Agreement and the other Credit Documents and any other documents prepared in connection herewith or therewith, and the consummation and administration of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP (or such other counsel as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), one counsel in each relevant local jurisdiction with the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), (ii) to pay or reimburse each Agent for all their reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement or preservation of any rights under this Agreement, the other Credit Documents and any such other documents, including the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of one firm or counsel to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, and, to the extent required, one firm or local counsel in each relevant local jurisdiction with the Borrower’s consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed (which may include a single special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions), and (iii) to pay, indemnify and hold harmless each Lender, each Agent and their respective Related Parties (without duplication) (the “Indemnified Persons”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, obligations, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses, disbursements or penalties of any kind or nature whatsoever (and the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, expenses, disbursements and other charges of one firm of counsel for all Indemnified Persons, taken as a whole (and, in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest where the Indemnified Person affected by such conflict notifies the Borrower of any existence of such conflict and in connection with the investigating or defending any of the foregoing (including the reasonable fees) has retained its own counsel, of another firm of counsel for such affected Indemnified Person), and to the extent required, one firm or local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction (which may include a single special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions)) of any such Indemnified Person arising out of or relating to any action, claim, litigation, investigation or other proceeding (regardless of whether such Indemnified Person is a party thereto), arising out of, or with respect to the Transactions or to the execution, delivery, performance and administration of this Agreement, the other Credit Documents and any such other documents, including any of the foregoing relating to the violation of, noncompliance with or liability under, any Environmental Law or any actual or alleged presence, Release or threatened Release of Hazardous Materials attributable to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries (all the foregoing in this clause (iii), regardless of whether brought by Holdings, any of its subsidiaries or any other Person collectively, the “Indemnified Liabilities”); provided that Holdings and the Borrower shall have no obligation hereunder to any Indemnified Person with respect to indemnified liabilities to the extent arising from (i) the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Person or any of its Related Parties as determined in a final and non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, (ii) a material breach of the obligations of such Indemnified Person or any of its Related Parties under the terms of this Agreement by such Indemnified Person or any of its Related Parties as determined in a final and non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, or (iii) any proceeding between and among Indemnified Persons that does not involve an act or omission by Holdings, the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided the the Agents, to the extent acting in their capacity as such, shall remain indemnified in respect of such proceeding, to the extent that neither of the exceptions set forth in clause (i) or (ii) of the immediately preceding proviso applies to such person at such time. The agreements in this Section 13.5 shall survive repayment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder. This Section 13.5 shall not apply with respect to Taxes, other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, liabilities, obligations, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements arising from any non-Tax claim.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) No Credit Party nor any Indemnified Person shall have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages resulting from this Agreement or any other Credit Document or arising out of its activities in connection herewith or therewith (whether before or after the Closing Date); provided that the foregoing shall not limit Holdings’ and the Borrower’s indemnification obligations to the Indemnified Persons pursuant to Section 13.5(a) in respect of damages incurred or paid by an Indemnified Person to a third party. No Indemnified Person shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Credit Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, except to the extent that such damages have resulted from the willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence of any Indemnified Person or any of its Related Parties as determined by a final and non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

13.6          Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments.

 

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that (i) except as expressly permitted by Section 10.3, the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of their rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section 13.6. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants (to the extent provided in clause (c) of this Section 13.6) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Lenders and each other Person entitled to indemnification under Section 13.5) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(b) (1) Subject to the conditions set forth in clause (b)(ii) below and Section 13.7, any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed; it being understood that, without limitation, the Borrower shall have the right to withhold its consent to any assignment if, in order for such assignment to comply with applicable law, the Borrower would be required to obtain the consent of, or make any filing or registration with, any Governmental Authority) of:

 

(A) the Borrower; provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for (1) an assignment of Term Loans to (X) a Lender, (Y) an Affiliate of a Lender, or (Z) an Approved Fund or (2) an assignment of Loans or Commitments to any assignee if an Event of Default under Section 11.1 or Section 11.5 (with respect to Holdings or the Borrower) has occurred and is continuing; and

 

(B) the Administrative Agent (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of any Term Loan to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such assignment shall be made to a natural Person or a Disqualified Lender. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent shall bear no responsibility or liability for monitoring and enforcing the list of Persons who are Disqualified Lenders at any time.

 

(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

 

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $1,000,000, unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consents (which consents shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default under Section 11.1 or Section 11.5 has occurred and is continuing; provided, further, that contemporaneous assignments by a Lender and its Affiliates or Approved Funds shall be aggregated for purposes of meeting the minimum assignment amount requirements stated above (and simultaneous assignments to or by two or more Related Funds shall be treated as one assignment), if any;

 

(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement; provided that this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;

 

(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Acceptance via an electronic settlement system or other method reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment; provided, further, that such recordation fee shall not be payable in the case of assignments by any Affiliate of the Joint Bookrunners;

 

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(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an administrative questionnaire in a form approved by the Administrative Agent (the “AdministrativeQuestionnaire”) and applicable tax forms (as required under Section 5.4(e)); and

 

(E) any assignment to Holdings, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or an Affiliated Lender (other than an Affiliated Institutional Lender) shall also be subject  to the requirements of Section 13.6(h).

 

For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent bears no responsibility for tracking or monitoring assignments to or participations by any Affiliated Lender.

 

(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to clause (b)(v) of this Section 13.6, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance, the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.10, 2.11, 3.5, 5.4 and 13.5). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 13.6 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with clause (c) of this Section 13.6. For the avoidance of doubt, in case of an assignment to a new Lender pursuant to this Section 13.6, (i) the Administrative Agent, the new Lender and other Lenders shall acquire the same rights and assume the same obligations between themselves as they would have acquired and assumed had the new Lender been an original Lender signatory to this Agreement with the rights and/or obligations acquired or assumed by it as a result of the assignment and to the extent of the assignment the assigning Lender shall each be released from further obligations under the Credit Documents and (ii) the benefit of each Security Document shall be maintained in favor of the new Lender.

 

(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amount of the Loans (and stated interest amounts) owing to each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Collateral Agent, the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates and, with respect to itself, any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire and applicable tax forms (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in clause (b) of this Section 13.6 and any written consent to such assignment required by clause (b) of this Section 13.6, the Administrative Agent shall promptly accept such Assignment and Acceptance and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment, whether or not evidenced by a promissory note, shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this clause (b)(v).

 

(c) (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (other than (x) a natural person, (y) Holdings and its Subsidiaries and (z) any Disqualified Lender provided, however, that, notwithstanding clause (y) hereof, participations may be sold to Disqualified Lenders unless a list of Disqualified Lenders has been made available to all Lenders) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent shall bear no responsibility or liability for monitoring and enforcing the list of Disqualified Lenders or the sales of participations thereto at any time. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Credit Document; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in clauses (i) and (vii) of the second proviso to Section 13.1 that affects such Participant. Subject to clause (c)(ii) of this Section 13.6, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.10, 2.11 and 5.4 to the same extent as if it were a Lender (subject to the limitations and requirements of those Sections as though it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to clause (b) of this Section 13.6, including the requirements of clause (e) of Section 5.4) (it being agreed that any documentation required under Section 5.4(e) shall be provided to the participating Lender)). To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 13.8(b) as though it were a Lender; provided such Participant shall be subject to Section 13.8(a) as though it were a Lender.

 

(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.10, 2.11 or 5.4 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive absent the sale of such the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest amounts) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement (the “Participant Register”). The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. No Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register to any Person (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loan or its other obligations under any Credit Document) except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(d) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, or other central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender and this Section 13.6 shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

(e) Subject to Section 13.16, the Borrower authorizes each Lender to disclose to any Participant, secured creditor of such Lender or assignee (each, a “Transferee”) and any prospective Transferee any and all financial information in such Lender’s possession concerning the Borrower and their Affiliates that has been delivered to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrower and their Affiliates pursuant to this Agreement or that has been delivered to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrower and their Affiliates in connection with such Lender’s credit evaluation of the Borrower and their Affiliates prior to becoming a party to this Agreement.

 

(f) The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Acceptance shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

 

(g) SPV Lender. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle (an “SPV”), identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the option to provide to the Borrower all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPV to make any Loan and (ii) if an SPV elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to provide all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof. The making of a Loan by an SPV hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. Each party hereto hereby agrees that no SPV shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement (all liability for which shall remain with the Granting Lender). In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior indebtedness of any SPV, it shall not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPV any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.6, any SPV may (i) with notice to, but without the prior written consent of, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and without paying any processing fee therefor, assign all or a portion of its interests in any Loans to the Granting Lender or to any financial institutions (consented to by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent) other than a Disqualified Lender providing liquidity and/or credit support to or for the account of such SPV to support the funding or maintenance of Loans and (ii) subject to Section 13.16, disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety, guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPV. This Section 13.6(g) may not be amended without the written consent of the SPV. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement but subject to the following sentence, each SPV shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.10, 2.11 and 5.4 to the same extent as if it were a Lender (subject to the limitations and requirements of those Sections as though it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to clause (b) of this Section 13.6, including the requirements of clause (e) of Section 5.4 (it being agreed that any documentation required under Section 5.4(e) shall be provided to the Granting Lender)). Notwithstanding the prior sentence, an SPV shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.10, 2.11 or 5.4 than its Granting Lender would have been entitled to receive absent the grant to such SPV, unless such grant to such SPV is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld).

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(h) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (x) any Lender may, at any time, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement in respect of its Term Loans to Holdings, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or an Affiliated Lender and (y) Holdings, the Borrower and any Subsidiary may, from time to time, purchase or prepay Term Loans, in each case, on a non-pro rata basis through (x) Dutch auction procedures open to all applicable Lenders on a pro rata basis in accordance with customary procedures to be agreed between Holdings or the Borrower and the Auction Agent or (y) open market purchases; provided that:

 

(i) any Loans or Commitments acquired by Holdings, the Borrower, or any other Subsidiary shall be retired and cancelled promptly upon the acquisition thereof;

 

(ii) by its acquisition of Loans or Commitments, an Affiliated Lender shall be deemed to have acknowledged and agreed that:

 

		(A)	it shall not have any right to (i) attend or participate in (including, in each case, by telephone) any meeting (including “Lender only” meetings) or discussions (or portion thereof) among the Administrative Agent or any Lender to which representatives of the Borrower are not then present, (ii)receive any information or material prepared by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any communication by or among the Administrative Agent and one or more Lenders or any other material which is “Lender only”, except to the extent such information or materials have been made available to the Borrower or its representatives (and in any case, other than the right to receive notices of prepayments and other administrative notices in respect of its Loans required to be delivered to Lenders pursuant to Section 2) or receive any advice of counsel to the Administrative Agent or (iii) make any challenge to the Administrative Agent’s or any other Lender’s attorney-client privilege on the basis of its status as a Lender; and

 

		(B)	except with respect to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action (I) in Section 13.1 requiring the consent of all Lenders, all Lenders directly and adversely affected or specifically such Lender, (II) that alters an Affiliated Lender’s pro rata share of any payments given to all Lenders, or (III) affects the Affiliated Lender (in its capacity as a Lender) in a manner that is disproportionate to the effect on any Lender in the same Class, the Loans held by an Affiliated Lender shall be disregarded in both the numerator and denominator in the calculation of any Lender vote (and, in the case of a plan of reorganization that does not affect the Affiliated Lender in a manner that is materially adverse to such Affiliated Lender relative to other Lenders, shall be deemed to have voted its interest in the Term Loans in the same proportion as the other Lenders) (and shall be deemed to have been voted in the same percentage as all other applicable Lenders voted if necessary to give legal effect to this paragraph); and

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(iii) the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans held at any one time by Affiliated Lenders may not exceed 30% of the aggregate principal amount of all Term Loans outstanding at the time of such purchase; and

 

(iv) any such Loans acquired by an Affiliated Lender may, with the consent of the Borrower, be contributed to the Borrower and exchanged for debt or equity securities that are otherwise permitted to be issued at such time (and such Loans or Commitments shall be retired and cancelled promptly).

 

For avoidance of doubt, the foregoing limitations shall not be applicable to Affiliated Institutional Lenders. None of the Borrower, Holdings, any Subsidiary of Holdings or any Affiliated Lender shall be required to make any representation that it is not in possession of information which is not publicly available and/or material with respect to Holdings, the Borrower and their respective Subsidiaries or their respective securities for purposes of U.S. federal and state securities laws.

 

13.7          Replacements of Lenders Under Certain Circumstances.

 

(a) The Borrower shall be permitted (x) to replace any Lender or (y) terminate the Commitment of such Lender and repay all Obligations of the Borrower due and owing to such Lender relating to the Loans and participations held by such Lender as of such termination date that (a) requests reimbursement for amounts owing pursuant to Sections 2.10 or 5.4, (b) is affected in the manner described in Section 2.10(a)(iii) and as a result thereof any of the actions described in such Section is required to be taken, with a replacement bank or other financial institution; provided that (i) such replacement does not conflict with any Requirement of Law, (ii) no Event of Default under Sections 11.1 or 11.5 shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such replacement, (iii) the Borrower shall repay (or the replacement bank or institution shall purchase, at par) all Loans and other amounts pursuant to Sections 2.10, 2.11, or 5.4, as the case may be, owing to such replaced Lender prior to the date of replacement, (iv) the replacement bank or institution, if not already a Lender, an Affiliate of the Lender, an Affiliated Lender or Approved Fund, and the terms and conditions of such replacement, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (v) the replacement bank or institution, if not already a Lender shall be subject to the provisions of Section 13.6(b), (vi) the replaced Lender shall be obligated to make such replacement in accordance with the provisions of Section 13.6 (provided that unless otherwise agreed the Borrower shall be obligated to pay the registration and processing fee referred to therein), and (vii) any such replacement shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any rights that the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any other Lender shall have against the replaced Lender.

 

(b) If any Lender (such Lender, a “Non-Consenting Lender”) has failed to consent to a proposed amendment, waiver, discharge or termination that pursuant to the terms of Section 13.1 requires the consent of either (i) all of the Lenders directly and adversely affected or (ii) all of the Lenders, and, in each case, with respect to which the Required Lenders (or at least 50.1% of the directly and adversely affected Lenders) shall have granted their consent, then, the Borrower shall have the right (unless such Non-Consenting Lender grants such consent) to (x) replace such Non-Consenting Lender by requiring such Non-Consenting Lender to assign its Loans, and its Commitments hereunder to one or more assignees reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (to the extent such consent would be required under Section 13.6) and repay all Obligations of the Borrower due and owing to such Lender relating to the Loans and participations held by such Lender as of such termination date; provided that (a) all Obligations hereunder of the Borrower owing to such Non-Consenting Lender being replaced shall be paid in full to such Non-Consenting Lender concurrently with such assignment including any amounts that such Lender may be owed pursuant to Section 2.11, and (b) the replacement Lender shall purchase the foregoing by paying to such Non-Consenting Lender a price equal to the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, and (c) the Borrower shall pay to such Non-Consenting Lender the amount, if any, owing to such Lender pursuant to Section 5.1(b). In connection with any such assignment, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, such Non-Consenting Lender and the replacement Lender shall otherwise comply with Section 13.6.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

13.8          Adjustments; Set-off.

 

(a) Except as contemplated in Section 13.6 or elsewhere herein, if any Lender (a “Benefited Lender”) shall at any time receive any payment of all or part of its Loans, or interest thereon, or receive any collateral in respect thereof (whether voluntarily or involuntarily, by set-off, pursuant to events or proceedings of the nature referred to in Section 11.5, or otherwise), in a greater proportion than any such payment to or collateral received by any other Lender, if any, in respect of such other Lender’s Loans, or interest thereon, such Benefited Lender shall purchase for cash from the other Lenders a participating interest in such portion of each such other Lender’s Loan, or shall provide such other Lenders with the benefits of any such collateral, or the proceeds thereof, as shall be necessary to cause such Benefited Lender to share the excess payment or benefits of such collateral or proceeds ratably with each of the Lenders; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such excess payment or benefits is thereafter recovered from such Benefited Lender, such purchase shall be rescinded, and the purchase price and benefits returned, to the extent of such recovery, but without interest.

 

(b) After the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, in addition to any rights and remedies of the Lenders provided by law, each Lender shall have the right, without prior notice to the Credit Parties but with the prior consent of the Administrative Agent, any such notice being expressly waived by the Credit Parties to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon any amount becoming due and payable by the Credit Parties hereunder (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) to set-off and appropriate and apply against such amount any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) (other than payroll, trust, tax, fiduciary, and petty cash accounts), in any currency, and any other credits, indebtedness or claims, in any currency, in each case whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or owing by such Lender or any branch or agency thereof to or for the credit or the account of the Credit Parties. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the Credit Parties and the Administrative Agent after any such set-off and application made by such Lender; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application.

 

13.9          Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts (including by facsimile or other electronic transmission), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. A set of the copies of this Agreement signed by all the parties shall be lodged with the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

13.10        Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

13.11         Integration. This Agreement and the other Credit Documents represent the agreement of Holdings, the Borrower, the Collateral Agent, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof, and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent nor any Lender relative to subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Credit Documents.

 

13.12         GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

13.13         Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each party hereto irrevocably and unconditionally:

 

(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Credit Documents to which it is a party to the exclusive general jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York or the courts of the United States for the Southern District of New York, in each case sitting in New York City in the Borough of Manhattan, and appellate courts from any thereof;

 

(b) consents that any such action or proceeding shall be brought in such courts and waives (to the extent permitted by applicable law) any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same or to commence or support any such action or proceeding in any other courts;

 

(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding shall be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Person at its address set forth on Schedule 13.2 at such other address of which the Administrative Agent shall have been notified pursuant to Section 13.2;

 

(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or another Secured Party to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or to commence legal proceedings or otherwise proceed against Holdings or the Borrower or any other Credit Party in any other jurisdiction; and

 

(e) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section 13.13 any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages; provided that nothing in this clause (e) shall limit the Credit Parties’ indemnification obligations set forth in Section 13.5.

 

13.14         Acknowledgments. Each of Holdings and the Borrower hereby acknowledges that:

 

(a) it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution, and delivery of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents;

 

(b) 

 

(i) the credit facilities provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Credit Document) are an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Borrower and the other Credit Parties, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the other Agents on the other hand, and the Borrower and the other Credit Parties are capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Credit Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof);

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(ii) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, each of the Administrative Agent and the other Agents, is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower, any other Credit Parties or any of their respective Affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees, or any other Person;

 

(iii) neither the Administrative Agent nor any other Agent has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Borrower or any other Credit Party with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Credit Document (irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent or other Agent has advised or is currently advising the Borrower, the other Credit Parties or their respective Affiliates on other matters) and neither the Administrative Agent or other Agent has any obligation to the Borrower, the other Credit Parties or their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Credit Documents;

 

(iv) the Administrative Agent, each other Agent and each Affiliate of the foregoing may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and their Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent nor any other Agent has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and

 

(v) neither the Administrative Agent nor any other Agent has provided and none will provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Credit Document) and the Borrower have consulted their own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate. Each of Holdings and the Borrower hereby agrees that it will not claim that any Agent owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Credit Parties in connection with the Transactions contemplated hereby and waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent or any other Agent with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty; and

 

(c) no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Credit Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Lenders or among the Borrower, on the one hand, and any Lender, on the other hand.

 

13.15         WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE (TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW) TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

 

13.16         Confidentiality. The Administrative Agent, each other Agent and each Lender (collectively, the “Restricted Persons” and, each a “Restricted Person”) shall treat confidentially all non-public information provided to any Restricted Person by or on behalf of any Credit Party hereunder in connection with such Restricted Person’s evaluation of whether to become a Lender hereunder or obtained by such Restricted Person pursuant to the requirements of this Agreement (“Confidential Information”) and shall not publish, disclose or otherwise divulge such Confidential Information; provided that nothing herein shall prevent any Restricted Person from disclosing any such Confidential Information (a) pursuant to the order of any court or administrative agency or in any pending legal, judicial or administrative proceeding, or otherwise as required by applicable law, rule or regulation or compulsory legal process (in which case such Restricted Person agrees (except with respect to any routine or ordinary course audit or examination conducted by bank accountants or any governmental or bank regulatory authority exercising examination or regulatory authority), to the extent practicable and not prohibited by applicable law, rule or regulation, to inform the Borrower promptly thereof prior to disclosure), (b) upon the request or demand of any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over such Restricted Person or any of its Affiliates (in which case such Restricted Person agrees (except with respect to any routine or ordinary course audit or examination conducted by bank accountants or any governmental or bank regulatory authority exercising examination or regulatory authority) to the extent practicable and not prohibited by applicable law, rule or regulation, to inform the Borrower promptly thereof prior to disclosure), (c) to the extent that such Confidential Information becomes publicly available other than by reason of improper disclosure by such Restricted Person or any of its affiliates or any related parties thereto in violation of any confidentiality obligations owing under this Section 13.16, (d) to the extent that such Confidential Information is received by such Restricted Person from a third party that is not, to such Restricted Person’s knowledge, subject to confidentiality obligations owing to any Credit Party or any of their respective subsidiaries or affiliates, (e) to the extent that such Confidential Information was already in the possession of the Restricted Persons prior to any duty or other undertaking of confidentiality or is independently developed by the Restricted Persons without the use of such Confidential Information, (f) to such Restricted Person’s affiliates and to its and their respective officers, directors, partners, employees, legal counsel, independent auditors, and other experts or agents who need to know such Confidential Information in connection with providing the Loans or action as an Agent hereunder and who are informed of the confidential nature of such Confidential Information and who are subject to customary confidentiality obligations of professional practice or who agree to be bound by the terms of this Section 13.16 (or confidentiality provisions at least as restrictive as those set forth in this Section 13.16) (with each such Restricted Person, to the extent within its control, responsible for such person’s compliance with this paragraph), (g) to potential or prospective Lenders, hedge providers, participants or assignees, in each case who agree (pursuant to customary syndication practice) to be bound by the terms of this Section 13.16 (or confidentiality provisions at least as restrictive as those set forth in this Section 13.16); provided that (i) the disclosure of any such Confidential Information to any Lenders, hedge providers or prospective Lenders, hedge providers or participants or prospective participants referred to above shall be made subject to the acknowledgment and acceptance by such Lender, hedge provider or prospective Lender or participant or prospective participant that such Confidential Information is being disseminated on a confidential basis (on substantially the terms set forth in this Section 13.16 or confidentiality provisions at least as restrictive as those set forth in this Section 13.16) in accordance with the standard syndication processes of such Restricted Person or customary market standards for dissemination of such type of information, which shall in any event require “click through” or other affirmative actions on the part of recipient to access such Confidential Information and (ii) no such disclosure shall be made by such Restricted Person to any person that is at such time a Disqualified Lender, (h) for purposes of establishing a “due diligence” defense, or (i) to rating agencies in connection with obtaining ratings for the Borrower and the Facilities to the extent such rating agencies are subject to customary confidentiality obligations of professional practice or agree to be bound by the terms of this Section 13.16 (or confidentiality provisions at least as restrictive as those set forth in this Section 13.16). Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) Confidential Information shall not include, with respect to any Person, information available to it or its Affiliates on a non-confidential basis from a source other than Holdings, its Subsidiaries or their respective Affiliates, (ii) the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for compliance with this Section 13.16 by any other Restricted Person (other than its officers, directors or employees), (iii) in no event shall any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any other Agent be obligated or required to return any materials furnished by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries, and (iv) each Agent and each Lender may disclose the existence of this Agreement and the information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar services providers to the lending industry, and service providers to the Agents and the Lenders in connection with the administration, settlement and management of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

13.17         Direct Website Communications. Each of Holdings and the Borrower may, at its option, provide to the Administrative Agent any information, documents and other materials that it is obligated to furnish to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Credit Documents, including, without limitation, all notices, requests, financial statements, financial, and other reports, certificates, and other information materials, but excluding any such communication that (A) relates to a request for a new, or a conversion of an existing, borrowing or other extension of credit (including any election of an interest rate or interest period relating thereto, (B) relates to the payment of any principal or other amount due under this Agreement prior to the scheduled date therefor, (C) provides notice of any default or event of default under this Agreement or (D) is required to be delivered to satisfy any condition precedent to the effectiveness of this Agreement and/or any borrowing or other extension of credit thereunder (all such non-excluded communications being referred to herein collectively as “Communications”), by transmitting the Communications in an electronic/soft medium in a format reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent to the Administrative Agent at an email address provided by the Administrative Agent from time to time; provided that (i) upon written request by the Administrative Agent, Holdings or the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent for further distribution to each Lender until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent and (ii) Holdings or the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. Each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such documents from the Administrative Agent and maintaining its copies of such documents. Nothing in this Section 13.17 shall prejudice the right of Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or any Lender to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Credit Document in any other manner specified in such Credit Document.

 

The Administrative Agent agrees that the receipt of the Communications by the Administrative Agent at its e-mail address set forth above shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to the Administrative Agent for purposes of the Credit Documents. Each Lender agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that the Communications have been posted to the Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Credit Documents. Each Lender agrees (A) to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (including by electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender’s e-mail address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and (B) that the foregoing notice may be sent to such e-mail address.

 

(a) Each of Holdings and the Borrower further agrees that any Agent may make the Communications available to the Lenders by posting the Communications on Intralinks or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”), so long as the access to such Platform (i) is limited to the Agents, the Lenders and Transferees or prospective Transferees and (ii) remains subject to the confidentiality requirements set forth in Section 13.16.

 

(b) THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY MATERIALS OR INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE CREDIT PARTIES (THE “BORROWER MATERIALS”) OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”and each an “Agent Party”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the internet, except to the extent the liability of any Agent Party resulted from such Agent Party’s (or any of its Related Parties’ (other than any trustee or advisor)) gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct or material breach of the Credit Documents as determined in the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(c) Each of Holdings and the Borrower and each Lender acknowledge that certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (Lenders that do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to Holdings, the Borrower, the Subsidiaries or their securities) and, if documents or notices required to be delivered pursuant to the Credit Documents or otherwise are being distributed through the Platform, any document or notice that Holdings or the Borrower has indicated contains only publicly available information with respect to Holdings or the Borrower may be posted on that portion of the Platform designated for such public-side Lenders. If Holdings or the Borrower has not indicated whether a document or notice delivered contains only publicly available information, the Administrative Agent shall post such document or notice solely on that portion of the Platform designated for Lenders who wish to receive material nonpublic information with respect to Holdings, the Borrower, the Subsidiaries and their securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each of Holdings and the Borrower shall use commercially reasonable efforts to indicate whether any document or notice contains only publicly available information; provided however that, the following documents shall be deemed to be marked “PUBLIC,” unless the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent promptly that any such document contains material nonpublic information: (1) the Loan Documents, (2) any notification of changes in the terms of the Credit Facility and (3) all financial statements and certificates delivered pursuant to Sections 9.1(a),(b) and (d).

 

13.18         USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender hereby notifies each Credit Party that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Patriot Act”), it is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each Credit Party, which information includes the name and address of each Credit Party and other information that will allow such Lender to identify each Credit Party in accordance with the Patriot Act.

 

13.19         [Reserved].

 

13.20         Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of Holdings or the Borrower is made to any Agent or any Lender, or any Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by such Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver, or any other party, in connection with any proceeding or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share of any amount so recovered from or repaid by any Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect.

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

13.21         No Fiduciary Duty. Each Agent, each Lender and their Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of this paragraph, the “Lenders”), may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Credit Parties, their stockholders and/or their affiliates. Each Credit Party agrees that nothing in the Credit Documents or otherwise will be deemed to create an advisory, fiduciary or agency relationship or fiduciary or other implied duty between any Lender, on the one hand, and such Credit Party, its stockholders or its affiliates, on the other. The Credit Parties acknowledge and agree that (i) the transactions contemplated by the Credit Documents (including the exercise of rights and remedies hereunder and thereunder) are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Lenders, on the one hand, and the Credit Parties, on the other, and (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading thereto, (x) no Lender has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of any Credit Party, its stockholders or its affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby (or the exercise of rights or remedies with respect thereto) or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Lender has advised, is currently advising or will advise any Credit Party, its stockholders or its Affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to any Credit Party except the obligations expressly set forth in the Credit Documents and (y) each Lender is acting solely as principal and not as the agent or fiduciary of any Credit Party, its management, stockholders or creditors. Each Credit Party acknowledges and agrees that it has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate and that it is responsible for making its own independent judgment with respect to such transactions and the process leading thereto. Each Credit Party agrees that it will not claim that any Lender has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to such Credit Party, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

 

13.22         Intercreditor Agreement. Each Lender hereunder (a) acknowledges that it has received a copy of the Intercreditor Agreement, (b) agrees that it will be bound by and will take no actions contrary to the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement, (c) authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent to enter into the Intercreditor Agreement as Administrative Agent and on behalf of such Lender and (d) hereby consents to the subordination of the Liens securing the Obligations on the terms set forth in the Intercreditor Agreement.  The foregoing provisions are intended as an inducement to the lenders under the First Lien Credit Documents to extend credit to the Credit Parties and such lenders are intended third party beneficiaries of such provisions.  In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement and this Agreement, the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement shall control.

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused a counterpart of this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

 

	 	NAUTILUS ACQUISITION HOLDINGS, INC.

 as Holdings
	 	
	 	By:	/s/ Adam Waglay 
	 	 	Name: Adam Waglay
	 	 	Title:   Vice President 
	 	 	 

	 	NAUTILUS MERGER SUB, LLC, 

 as the Initial Borrower
	 	
	 	By:	/s/ Adam Waglay 
	 	 	Name: Adam Waglay 
	 	 	Title:   Vice President 

[signature page of Second Lien Credit Agreement]

	 

	 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

	 	VISION HOLDING CORP., 

 as the Surviving Borrower
	 	
	 	By:	/s/ L. Reade Fahs, Jr.
	 	 	Name: L. Reade Fahs, Jr. 
	 	 	Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

	 	NATIONAL VISION, INC., 

 as the Borrower
	 	
	 	By:	/s/ L. Reade Fahs, Jr. 
	 	 	Name: L. Reade Fahs, Jr. 
	 	 	Title:   Chief Executive Officer 

[signature page of Second Lien Credit Agreement]

	 

	 

 

National Vision Holdings, Inc. has requested confidential treatment of this registration statement and associated correspondence pursuant to Rule 83 of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

	 	MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.,

 as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Initial Term Loan Lender
	 	
	 	By:	/s/ Julie Lilienfeld
	 	 	Name: Julie Lilienfeld
	 	 	Title:  Authorized Signatory

 

[signature page of Second Lien Credit Agreement]

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