Form S-1
Table of Contents

As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on September 4, 2020.

Registration No. 333-                

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Mission Produce, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

California   0723   95-3847744
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

2500 E. Vineyard Avenue, Suite 300

Oxnard, California 93036

(805) 981-3650

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Stephen J. Barnard

President and Chief Executive Officer

2500 E. Vineyard Avenue, Suite 300

Oxnard, California 93036

(805) 981-3650

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

Steven B. Stokdyk, Esq.

Brent T. Epstein, Esq.

Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Boulevard, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, California 90067
(213) 485-1234

 

Richard D. Truesdell, Jr., Esq.

Yasin Keshvargar, Esq.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10017

(212) 450-4000

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:

As soon as practicable after this registration statement is declared effective.

 

 

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ☐

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
Emerging growth company       

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered  

Proposed

Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price(1)(2)

  Amount of
Registration Fee

Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share

  $100,000,000   $12,980

 

 

 

(1)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(2)

Includes the aggregate offering price of additional shares that the underwriters have the option to purchase from the registrant.

 

 

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


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LOGO

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 the jurisdiction PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS with Shares filed any in statement securities these Mission Produce, Inc. registration buy Common Stock the to until offer an This is the initial public offering of shares of common stock of Mission Produce, Inc. We are sold seek offering shares of our common stock and the selling stockholders are offering shares. We will be not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares by the selling stockholders. We estimate that the initial it not public offering price per share will be between $ and $ . For a detailed description of our may does common stock, see the section entitled “Description of Capital Stock”. nor Immediately prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. We have sell applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “AVO”. securities to offer Investing in our common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 17. These an . not Per Share Total is changed Initial Public Offering Price $ $ Underwriting Discount(1) $ $ be Proceeds Before Expenses to Us(1) $ $ may prospectus Proceeds Before Expenses to the Selling Stockholders(1) ... $ $ and (1) See “Underwriting” preliminary We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 30 days following the date of this complete prospectus to purchase up to an additional shares of common stock solely to cover over-allotments at This the initial public offering price, less the underwriting discount not is Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus Any effective representation to the contrary is a criminal offense prospectus is The underwriters expect to deliver the shares to purchasers on or about , 2020 through the permitted book-entry facilities of The Depository Trust Company preliminary Commission not is Active Bookrunners this sale BofA Securities J.P Morgan Citigroup in Exchange or Co-Managers and offer Roth Capital Partners Stephens Inc D A Davidson & Co information the The Securities where Prospectus dated , 2020


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LOGO

Mission world’s finest avocados


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LOGO

Mission world’s finest avocados $6 BILLION U.S. MARKET Y-2018 %9 CAGR Y-2008-2018 $14 BILLION GLOBAL AVOCADO MARKET Y-2018 OVER 35 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN OVER 25 COUNTRIES 4 PACKING HOUSES 11 DISTRIBUTION CENTERS AVOCADO PUREPLAY GLOBAL LEADER VERTICAL INTEGRATION WITH OVER 10,000 ACRES 2009-2019 CAGR (1)(2) Revenue 14%, Volume 12% Revenue ($mm) Volume (mm lbs.) Note: Fiscal year ends October 31. Revenue reflects Mission Produce only. (1) 2009 to 2012, revenues include asparagus sales (average of -$16mm of sales per year) (2) 2018, 2019, and LTM revenues include International Farming segment revenues $299 172 2009 $265 233 2010 $377 227 2011 $401 331 2012 $445 389 2013 $490 381 2014 $544 450 2015 $600 487 2016 $853 503 2017 $868 640 2018 $883 559 2019 $934 575 LTM Q2’20


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     1  

THE OFFERING

     11  

SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

     13  

RISK FACTORS

     17  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     34  

DIVIDEND POLICY

     35  

CAPITALIZATION

     36  

DILUTION

     37  

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

     39  

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

     40  

BUSINESS

     58  

MANAGEMENT

     70  

EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

     78  

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

     89  

PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

     91  

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     92  

SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

     96  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK

     98  

UNDERWRITING

     102  

LEGAL MATTERS

     110  

EXPERTS

     110  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     110  

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     F-i  

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. We and the underwriters have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectuses we have prepared. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of shares of our common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospectus may have changed since that date.

For investors outside the U.S., we have not, and the underwriters have not, done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus or any free writing prospectus we may provide to you in connection with this offering in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the U.S. Persons outside the U.S. who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares of common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside the U.S. See “Underwriting.”

Trademarks, Trade Names and Service Marks

This prospectus includes our trademarks, trade names and service marks, such as “Mission Produce,” which are protected under applicable intellectual property laws and are our property. This prospectus also contains trademarks, trade names and service marks of other companies, which are the property of their

 

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respective owners. Solely for convenience, trademarks, trade names and service marks referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ®, or SM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights to these trademarks, trade names and service marks. We do not intend our use or display of other parties’ trademarks, trade names or service marks to imply, and such use or display should not be construed to imply, a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other parties.

Explanatory Note

Mission Produce, Inc., the registrant whose name appears on the cover page of this registration statement, is a California corporation. Prior to the sale and issuance of any shares of our common stock subject to this registration statement, Mission Produce, Inc. will reincorporate as a Delaware corporation and will retain its current name, Mission Produce, Inc.

Market, Industry and Other Data

Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this prospectus concerning our industry and the markets in which we operate, including our general expectations and market position, market opportunity and market size, is based on reports from various sources, including those set forth below. Because this information involves a number of assumptions and limitations, you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such information.

 

   

Hass Avocado Board, 2018 Market Review: World (September / October 2018); Avocado Volume, Consumption and Production Area Analysis and Projection 2010-2025 (January 2020); Global Trade Reports; Hispanic Avocado Shopper Trends (2018); Millennial Avocado Shopper Trends (2019); Avocado Shopper Insights: Regional Demographics and Purchase Trends (2018)

 

   

United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (October 2019)

 

   

California Avocado Commission, Foodservice Represents a Golden Opportunity for California Avocados (Winter 2018)

 

   

Korea Customs Service, Import/export by Commodity (August 2020)

 

   

South African Avocado Growers Association, Overview of SA Avocado Industry (January 2019)

 

   

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States, Major Tropical Fruits Market Review 2018 (2018); Major Tropical Fruits Preliminary Market Results 2019 (2019), Major Tropical Fruits Preliminary Market Results 2019 (2019)

 

   

Transparency Market Research, Global Avocado Market to Reach US $21.56 bn by 2026, Increasing Health Consciousness Among People to Promote Growth (March 2019)

 

   

The World Bank, World Development Indicators (July 2020)

In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates of our future performance and the future performance of the industry in which we operate are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the section captioned “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by third parties and by us.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information that is presented in greater detail elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in our common stock. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus before making an investment decision. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Mission,” “the Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Mission Produce, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. Our fiscal year ends on October 31. Accordingly, references to fiscal 2019 refer to the year ended October 31, 2019.

Introduction

We are a world leader in sourcing, producing and distributing fresh avocados, serving retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in over 25 countries. We source, produce, pack and distribute avocados to our customers and provide value-added services including ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. In addition, we provide our customers with merchandising and promotional support, insights on market trends and training designed to increase their retail avocado sales. Our operations consist of four packing facilities in the United States, Mexico and Peru, 11 distribution and ripening centers across the U.S., Canada, China and the Netherlands, as well as three sales offices in the U.S., China and the Netherlands. We own over 10,000 acres in Peru, of which over 8,300 acres are currently producing primarily avocados, and the remaining are greenfields that we intend to plant and harvest over the next few years. Since our founding in 1983, we have focused on long-term growth, innovation and strategic investments in our business, and reliable execution in our commitments to suppliers and customers. We operate within a strong and growing avocado industry and have played a major role in many of the industry’s innovations over the last 30 years. For example, we believe we were the first U.S. company to import avocados from Mexico, Peru and Chile, and were the first to incorporate ripening centers in to the distribution process.

We source and pack avocados primarily from Mexico, California and Peru, in addition to Colombia, Guatemala and Chile. By utilizing our own land and our relationships with thousands of third-party growers, we have access to complementary growing seasons, and are thus able to provide our customers with year-round supply. Our diversified sourcing also mitigates the impact of periodic, geographically-specific disruptions. Our packing facilities are among the largest in the world, both in terms of square footage and volume processed, and have advanced systems such as optical grading and sorting technology that analyzes and grades each piece of fruit and enables us to select fruit for our customers based on specifications. These facilities also enable us to control local supply logistics in the areas from which we source avocados.

We have developed a sophisticated global distribution network to transport avocados efficiently from our packing facilities to our customers around the world. We have invested in and manage the cold chain and other key logistics to ensure the fruit arrives to the customer in the optimal condition and level of ripeness. The U.S. is our largest market, where our ripening and distribution centers enable us to store and ripen avocados in close proximity to our highest volume customers nationwide. As a result, we are able to quickly fill our customers’ orders and adapt to their volume and ripeness preferences. Our dependability in delivering high quality avocados has led to long-term relationships with retail and foodservice customers. All of our top 10 customers in fiscal 2019 have been customers for at least 10 years and the majority have been customers for over 20 years.

For over 35 years, we have invested in people, state-of-the-art technology and avocado-specific infrastructure to better serve our customers and suppliers. Throughout our history, we have focused on conducting our business with honesty, respect and loyalty. Whether it be through water conservation, increasing



 

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use of renewable energy sources, providing meals, transportation and on-site healthcare to our employees in Peru or sponsoring higher-level education for our employees in the U.S., we are committed to operating in a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable manner. Our corporate culture embodies these values and, as a result, we believe we have a highly motivated and skilled work force that is committed to our business.

We have experienced strong growth in volumes and sales over the last 10 years. The charts below show the increases in our volumes and revenues during that period. To continue our growth, we intend to expand our diversified sourcing across third-party growers and our own farms and enhance our distribution network, as we believe the demand for our avocados will continue to grow globally.

 

 

LOGO

Industry Overview

The avocado industry is comprised of several types of avocados that vary by size and shape of fruit, size of seed, texture of skin, color, taste and availability throughout the year. The Hass avocado dominates the market, representing approximately 95% of the consumed avocados in the U.S. and approximately 80% globally in 2019 according to Avocados from Mexico.

U.S. Avocado Industry

The U.S. Hass avocado industry had a total market value of $6.5 billion in 2019. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, total avocado consumption has steadily grown from 1.1 billion pounds in 2008 to 2.6 billion pounds in 2018, representing a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 9.4%. This growth has been driven in part by a significant increase in per capita consumption, growing from 3.5 pounds in 2008 to 8.0 pounds in 2018. In 2017, over half of U.S. households purchased avocados according to Hass Avocado Board. Most avocados sold in the U.S. are imported from other countries. In 2018, California accounted for 96% of U.S. production, however, 76% of national avocado consumption was imported from Mexico.

U.S. retail avocado prices tend to fluctuate over time. In 2019, the average retail price per pound of Hass avocados was $2.57, an increase of 6% from the 2018 average retail price per pound of $2.42. Fluctuations are primarily driven by supply dynamics, which can be impacted by adverse weather and growing conditions, pest and disease problems, government regulations and other supply chain factors.



 

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The following table sets forth historical U.S. Hass avocado volumes, retail prices and implied total market value for the indicated years:

 

U.S. Hass Avocado Industry—Historicals

  

2015

    

2016

    

2017

    

2018

    

2019

 

Volume (lbs in millions)

     2,142        2,189        2,074        2,477        2,509  

Retail Price

   $ 2.30      $ 2.45      $ 2.83      $ 2.42      $ 2.57  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Market Value ($ in millions)

   $ 4,927      $ 5,363      $ 5,869      $ 5,994      $ 6,458  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Source: Hass Avocado Board—Avocado volume, consumption and production area analysis and projection 2010-2025

The following table sets forth total U.S. avocado sales by product origin, in millions of pounds, for the years indicated:

 

U.S. Total Avocado Sales by Product Origin

  

2015

    

2016

    

2017

    

2018

 

Domestic Production

     346        458        265        371  

Imports

     1,912        1,895        1,985        2,289  

Less: Exports

     (18      (28      (17      (37
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     2,240        2,325        2,233        2,623  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Source: United States Department of Agriculture—Economic Research Service

The following table sets forth total U.S. imports of fresh avocados by country of origin, in millions of pounds, for the years indicated:

 

U.S. Avocado Imports by Country of Origin

  

2015

    

2016

    

2017

    

2018

 

Mexico

     1,773        1,731        1,708        1,993  

Peru

     102        70        142        181  

Chile

     17        58        82        57  

Dominican Republic

     21        37        53        58  

Colombia

     —          —          <1        1  

Other

     <1        <1        <1        <1  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     1,912        1,895        1,985        2,289  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Source: United States Department of Agriculture—Economic Research Service

The U.S. Hass avocado market is expected to continue at a 5.5% CAGR from 2019 to 2023, with the industry reaching more than $8.0 billion in revenues in 2023 according to Hass Avocado Board. There are multiple factors contributing to the industry growth. One driver is the growing interest in healthy eating and focus on nutrient-dense foods. Avocados contain nearly twenty vitamins and minerals as well as mono-unsaturated fats (commonly referred to as “good” fats), which can help the body absorb nutrients like Vitamin A, D, K and E. Avocado is also considered to be a superfood given its superior nutritional quality and functional benefits. In addition to health and wellness trends, the accessibility of year-round, ready-to-eat avocados has also been a significant growth driver, brought on by improvement in global sourcing and ripening programs. Finally, favorable demographic shifts have contributed to growth in U.S. avocado consumption. Within the growing Hispanic population in the U.S., avocado consumption is 45% higher than non-Hispanic household consumption. The millennial generation is also embracing foods from other countries and is open to new diets. In 2018, 60.1% of millennial households purchased avocados versus 51.3% of non-millennial households. The increasing consumption of avocados has also led restaurants to introduce avocado-focused items that are in high demand. In the past 10 years, the use of avocados in the foodservice channel has increased 26%.



 

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Global Avocado Industry

Similar to the U.S., global avocado consumption is exhibiting strong growth dynamics. Global production reached 13.9 billion pounds in 2018, representing a 6.7% increase from 2017. The overall market size reached $13.5 billion of revenues in 2018 and is expected to grow at a 5.9% CAGR between 2018 and 2026 according to Transparency Market Research. The U.S. and the EU hold the largest shares of the import markets, representing 52% and 28% of volumes in 2018. Key export countries include Mexico, Peru and Chile, representing 60%, 13% and 8% of volumes in 2018.

The following table sets forth per-capita avocado consumption in 2018, for the countries indicated:

 

    

Mexico

    

U.S.

    

Canada

    

EU

    

Japan

    

Korea

 

2018 Per-Capita Avocado Consumption (in lbs)

     14.9        8.0        5.5        2.3        1.1        0.5  

 

Source: Hass Avocado Board, Korea Customs Service, The World Bank, United States Department of Agriculture—Economic Research Service. Korea per capita consumption based on total imported volume over total population.

Avocado consumption in international markets has also grown, and we believe these markets are primed for continued expansion. The EU, the second largest import market globally, grew imports at a 16.5% CAGR from 2016 to 2018. Avocado consumption increased accordingly over that time period, reaching annual per capita consumption of 2.3 pounds in 2018. In 2019, extraordinary market disruptions led to a 26.1% decline in avocado imports to the EU. Peru, a key export market to the EU, experienced heavy rainfall in the first quarter of the year which damaged crops and hindered access to some farms. These supply constraints impacted the volume of fruit available and reduced overall exports from Peru by 35.8%, following record volumes in 2018. Although this dynamic had an outsized impact on EU imports, we believe that the EU avocado market will experience robust growth in the future. We also believe that the current low levels of consumption in China, Japan and Korea will drive future growth in these markets.

The following chart sets forth import volume of Hass avocados by top importing markets, in millions of pounds, in 2019:

 

 

LOGO

 

Source: Hass Avocado Board, Korea Customs Service

Several trends are contributing to the increased consumption of avocados globally. Similar to the U.S. market, the global market has been driven by an increased focus on healthy food consumption. In addition, a growing global middle class and higher disposable incomes enable healthier diets. The avocado is also a highly versatile product. There are several uses for avocados beyond guacamole, across cuisines and times of day for both savory and sweet dishes.



 

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Supply and Demand Dynamics

Due to the rapidly increasing demand for avocados globally, the overall market tends to be dictated by supply dynamics. A majority of global avocado supply comes from Latin America. Mexico’s production accounted for more than one-third of global output in 2018. Supply dynamics and seasonality for the avocado fruit has also changed significantly over time. While growing seasons vary widely by region, improvements in sourcing and distribution have led to a year-round availability of avocados. Each market has a highly fragmented grower base. We estimate that California has more than 5,000 growers while Mexico has over 25,000.

The following chart sets forth Hass avocado growing seasons for top exporting countries and export volume, as well as the California growing season and production, in millions of pounds, for 2019:

 

 

LOGO

 

Source: Hass Avocado Board, South African Avocado Growers Association, and United States Department of Agriculture—Economic Research Service. Given the lack of avocado exports from the U.S., California volume denotes 2018 production volume rather than export volume.

Technology and innovations to supply chain management have enabled distributors to extend and better maintain the fresh life cycle of the fruit. With these enhancements, distributors are able to more efficiently respond to changing needs of their customers in real time.

Ready-to-eat avocados have become a key market driver. This product requires capabilities in ripening, packing and distribution to ensure freshness, quality and consistency. Serving global customers across retail and foodservice channels also requires a strong distribution network. Due to these dynamics, avocado distribution is a fragmented market as very few companies have all of these capabilities. We believe we are well-positioned to benefit from industry characteristics and trends and build upon our leading market share in the U.S.

Competitive Strengths

Established Market Leader with Scale in Large and Growing Market

We produce, source and distribute avocados globally with leading market share in the highly fragmented U.S. market and an expanding presence in other countries. In fiscal 2019, we distributed 559 million pounds of avocados, which is 58% more than our closest competitor in terms of volume. We are well-positioned to continue to capture growth from the attractive U.S. market, which is projected to grow to over $8 billion of sales in 2023. We have a large and global footprint with locations in eight countries, which positions us to serve customers in a variety of markets. We supply national grocers and foodservice customers through our sourcing and distribution network, and with our global platform we are able to grow with our existing customer base as well as expand into



 

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new markets. Additionally, as a result of the large volumes we sell, we are able to achieve economies of scale throughout the value chain, including reduced transportation costs. We believe our leadership position built over the last four decades, in an otherwise fragmented market, will continue to drive sales.

Diverse Global Sourcing with Year-Round Supply and Well-Established Relationships with Growers

We source and pack from what we believe are the best avocado growing regions in North and South America. We source from thousands of growers, primarily in Mexico, California, and Peru, and have developed relationships with growers in other Latin American countries such as Colombia, Chile and Guatemala. We have a minimum of two countries of origin available throughout the year to meet demand. Throughout our history, we have found new locations around the world to source fruit in order to meet the growing global demand. For example, we were the first major avocado distributor in the U.S. to import from Mexico, Peru and Chile. The track record we have developed of delivering on our commitments to growers since our founding in 1983 has enabled us to develop additional sourcing relationships with new growers in diverse geographies. We believe our diverse sourcing capability will continue to drive sales growth by reducing potential interruptions in the supply of avocados to market and differentiating our reliability and reputation to our retail and foodservice customers.

Global Distribution Network Delivering Avocados to Diverse and Long-Standing Customer Base

The people, processes, facilities and relationships that allow us to source and deliver avocados to customers around the world to their specifications of ripeness and volume represent a competitive advantage that we have built over decades. Our global footprint of 18 facilities, including four packing facilities, 11 distribution and ripening centers and three sales offices, provides proximity to key growers and customers. Proximity to growers enables us to develop stronger relationships, control the logistics of the supply chain from tree to packing, and export fruit from the country of origin faster. Proximity to customers allows us to better provide the fruit on time and to specification, and to adapt to changing customer volume and ripeness needs. We have built high-quality, diverse and long-standing customer relationships due to our consistent execution across our global distribution network. All of our top 10 customers in fiscal 2019 have been customers for over 10 years and the majority have been customers for over 20 years. As customer demand changes, our distribution network is able to adapt quickly and efficiently to meet that demand through our full service capabilities. The strength of our global distribution network and relationships with customers enables us to be more competitive in obtaining additional supply from third-party growers, which in turn facilitates our ability to meet customer demand. Our distribution network and customer relationships are competitive advantages that we believe will be difficult for others to replicate.

Extensive Infrastructure With State-of-the-Art Facilities

We have state-of-the-art facilities and strive to be on the leading edge of industry innovations. For example, we introduced the use of hydrocoolers immediately after picking to extend shelf life and market reach. At the same time, we also use ripening centers to prepare avocados for tailored end-market consumption preferences. We have a dedicated research and development department whose sole focus is to optimize our operations through innovation. For example, we believe we were the first to incorporate the role of ripening centers into the distribution process, and we continuously review and analyze methods to extend shelf life after ripening. Our packing facilities provide the processing and storage capacity necessary to optimize the sourcing process and meet customer demand at scale. Our packing facility in Peru has approximately 250,000 square feet of space, which we believe is the largest in the world, and can pack three million pounds of avocados per day. Our two packing facilities in Mexico have leading technology and efficiency and can pack 1.9 million pounds of avocados per day. We also have the technology of advanced optical grading and sorting at our facilities that analyzes and grades each piece of fruit, allowing us to select fruit that is tailored to the customer’s specifications. The infrastructure investments that we have made across our distribution network enable us to meet the needs of customers and foster innovation, which we believe will continue to drive sales.



 

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International Farming and Vertical Integration

In addition to buying avocados from third-party growers, we grow avocados on the land we own or lease. This vertical integration results in greater control over our supply chain and product quality, and allows us to earn a higher gross margin relative to the third-party avocados we sell. We have made significant investments in Peru, which we expect to enhance our margins as trees mature and greenfields come online. In 2019, we produced approximately 11% of the avocados we sold, and we expect the volume of avocados that we grow to increase as our trees mature. Owning and farming our own avocado orchards also helps to mitigate potential disruptions across our third-party grower supply relationships. We forecast avocado sourcing costs for the season for our own production, which enables us to enter into fixed price contracts with customers for a season without bearing pricing risk from spot market purchases. We believe this is a significant competitive advantage. Fixed prices across a season provide our customers with accurate forecasts and inventory in a commodity-based industry. In fiscal 2019, approximately 65% of our total Peru volume, which was primarily sourced from Mission-grown orchards, was sold into fixed price contracts. This seasonal fixed price offering strengthens our relationships with customers and differentiates our products and services. We believe this vertical integration drives sales, increases margins, and positions us well to meet increasing demand across the industry.

Experienced Leadership Who Nurture a Culture of Innovation and Growth

We are led by an experienced management team with significant industry experience. Five members of our management team have each been with us for over thirty years. Our team has transformed a small business into a leading avocado sourcer, producer, and distributor with a global network and leading market share. Our founder, Steve Barnard, is a well-known industry pioneer and veteran, and he continues to lead us with an entrepreneurial culture that is focused on innovation and growth. Our operations management brings sophisticated experience across the regions we operate. In particular, our leaders in Peru and Mexico have extensive experience with expanding our operations in those countries. Our broader management team consists of a deep bench of experienced professionals with expertise in sales, finance, and other critical areas, which we believe positions us to execute on our long-term strategy.

Our Growth Strategies

Capitalize on strong growth trends in our core U.S. market by expanding our nationwide distribution network

We plan to capitalize on the continued strong growth trends in the U.S. by expanding our distribution network and overall supply chain capabilities. As the leading avocado company in the market, we believe we are well positioned to grow with our existing customer base and build relationships with new retailers and foodservice partners. We plan to supplement our current nationwide distribution capabilities and enhance our supply chain by opening new facilities to improve our throughput. For example, we currently have plans to open a new distribution and ripening center in Texas in 2021, which is an important entry point for channeling Mexican avocado supply into the U.S. and Canada. This facility will enable us not only to reduce our dependence on third parties for importing and distributing produce, but also to increase our ability to provide value-added services. We will continue to invest in our U.S. distribution capabilities and evaluate opportunities to capitalize on the growing U.S. demand for avocados. We are focused on deploying capital towards facilities and forward distribution centers in order to better service our customers and drive future sales.



 

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Leverage our global supply chain and distribution capabilities to continue developing international markets

We believe there is a significant opportunity to leverage our global supply chain and distribution capabilities to continue developing international markets and support growing global avocado consumption trends, particularly in Europe, Asia and other markets.

 

   

Europe: We plan to expand our distribution capabilities throughout Europe to support new direct retail relationships. We will also increase our exports from Peru, Guatemala, Colombia and other regions to provide balance to our year-round supply and to capitalize on the growing demand for avocados throughout Europe. In addition, we believe our seasonal customer programs will help us continue to build our existing relationships and attract new customers across Europe. As we continue to expand throughout the region, we believe our growing scale will enable us to make more direct, ripe and bulk deliveries of our avocado produce to retail customers.

 

   

Asia: We have a longstanding presence in Asia, with over 35 years in Japan, and over 5 years in China and Korea. We expect to maintain and strengthen our relationships with distributors in Japan and Korea and we believe our existing Chinese distribution facilities will serve as a platform upon which we can continue to build out our avocado distribution network.

 

   

Other markets: We will continue to evaluate opportunities to capitalize on growing demand in other international markets, with a focus to expand our operations in South America. We believe Chile represents an attractive opportunity for growth as one of the world’s top avocado consuming countries, and we believe we are well-positioned to be a long-term provider of avocados in the region.

Diversify sourcing to enhance our global market-leading position and year-round supply position

We plan to continue to expand our avocado supply relationships and build our global infrastructure in order to diversify our sourcing, strengthen our year-round supply and capitalize on the growing avocado demand. We currently have the ability to source our avocados across three primary countries to optimize our produce selection across various seasons and climates. We will continue to evaluate opportunities to build sourcing relationships in new growing regions such as Colombia, Guatemala and South Africa, which we believe will continue to drive growth and allow us to provide our customers with the best avocado supply across all seasons. Our strong relationships with growers provide us with continued access to avocado supply, which enables us to expand our footprint and strengthen our position as one of the world’s leading avocado sourcers, producers and distributors.

Continue to vertically integrate our supply chain

We believe there is an opportunity to strengthen our customer relationships and increase our overall profitability by vertically integrating our supply chain. We have deployed a significant amount of capital expenditures in recent years towards strategically integrating our operations. We plan on continuing to invest in new farming operations, and expect to increase the volume of Mission-grown avocados that we sell, which typically have a higher gross margin than avocados sourced from third-party growers. We also believe our vertically-integrated farming operations and recent avocado farm investments in Peru and other geographies will allow us to grow our global scale and market-leading position through season-long customer programs that provide our customers stable pricing and help ensure access to quality fruit throughout the season. As we continue our efforts to gain more control over and visibility into the quality of our fruit throughout our supply chain, we can continue to provide seasonal customer programs that we believe are a key differentiator compared to our competition.



 

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Summary Risk Factors

Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

   

Our ability to generate revenues is limited by the annual supply of avocados and our ability to purchase or grow additional avocados.

 

   

A significant portion of our revenues are derived from a relatively small number of customers.

 

   

Mexican and Peruvian economic, political and societal conditions may have an adverse impact on our business.

 

   

Our business and earnings are sensitive to seasonal factors and fluctuations in market prices of avocados.

 

   

We and our growers are subject to the risks that are inherent in farming, including weather and price fluctuations.

 

   

Food safety events, including instances of food-borne illness involving avocados, could create negative publicity for our customers and adversely affect sales and operating results.

 

   

We are subject to United States Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration regulations that govern the importation of foreign avocados into the United States.

 

   

Changes to U.S. trade policy, tariff and import/export regulations may adversely affect our operating results.

 

   

We are subject to domestic and international health and safety laws, which may restrict our operations, result in operational delays or increase our operating costs and adversely affect our financial results of operations.

 

   

Compliance with environmental laws and regulations, including laws pertaining to the use of herbicides, fertilizers and pesticides or climate change, or liabilities thereunder, could result in significant costs that adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial position, cash flows and reputation.

 

   

We depend on our infrastructure to have sufficient capacity to handle our business needs, and failure to optimize our supply chain or disruption of our supply chain could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Corporate Information

We are a California corporation and commenced our principal operations in 1983. Our principal executive offices are located at 2500 E. Vineyard Avenue, Suite 300, in Oxnard, California 93036, and our telephone number is (805) 981-3650. Our website address is www.worldsfinestavocados.com. The information on or that can be accessed through our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider any such information as part of this prospectus or in deciding whether to purchase our common stock.



 

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Implications of being an emerging growth company and smaller reporting company

As a company with less than $1.07 billion of revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. We may remain an emerging growth company for up to five years, or until such earlier time as we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue, the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is more than $700 million (and we have been a public company for at least 12 months and have filed one annual report on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC) or we issue more than $1 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period. For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we are permitted and intend to rely on exemptions from disclosure and other requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These provisions include:

 

   

reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements;

 

   

exemption from the non-binding stockholder advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements;

 

   

exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting; and

 

   

reduced disclosure of financial information in this prospectus, such as being permitted to include only two years of audited financial information and two years of selected financial information in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements, with correspondingly reduced “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure.

We have taken advantage of some reduced reporting burdens in this prospectus. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold stock. In addition, the JOBS Act permits an emerging growth company to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected to avail ourselves of this exemption and, as a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates.



 

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THE OFFERING

 

Common stock offered by us

              shares

Common stock outstanding after this offering

              shares

Common stock offered by the selling stockholders

              shares

Underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of common stock from us

              shares

Use of proceeds

  We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $             million based upon the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders.
  The principal purposes of this offering are to increase our capitalization and financial flexibility, create a public market for our common stock and thereby enable access to the public equity markets for us and our shareholders. We intend to use the net proceeds to us from this offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes and to fund future acquisitions (if any). See the section captioned “Use of Proceeds” for a more complete description of the intended use of proceeds from this offering.

Proposed trading symbol

  “AVO”.

Risk factors

  Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See the section titled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 17 and other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our common stock.

Reserved share program

  At our request, the underwriters have reserved for sale, at the initial public offering price, up to         % of the shares offered by this prospectus to some of our directors, officers, employees and related persons through a reserved share program. If these persons purchase reserved shares, this will reduce the number of shares available for sale to the general public. Any reserved shares that are not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same terms as the other shares offered by this prospectus. Shares purchased by our directors and officers in the reserved share program


 

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  will be subject to lock-up restrictions described in this prospectus. See the section titled “Underwriting—Reserved Share Program” for additional information.

The number of shares of our common stock that will be outstanding after this offering is based on              shares of our common stock outstanding as of                     , 2020 and excludes:

 

   

            shares authorized pursuant to our 2020 Incentive Award Plan (the “2020 Plan”), which number does not include any future annual evergreen increases pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Plan; and

 

   

outstanding options to purchase             shares under our Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2003 Plan”) at a weighted average price of $            .

Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus assumes:

 

   

a              -for-             stock split;

 

   

no exercise of outstanding options to purchase shares of common stock; and

 

   

no exercise by the underwriters of their right to purchase up to an additional              shares of common stock from us to cover overallotments, if any.



 

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SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

The following tables present consolidated financial and other data. The consolidated balance sheet, income, and cash flow data as of and for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2018 and October 31, 2019 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have derived the consolidated balance sheet, income, and cash flow data as of and for the six months ended April 30, 2019 and 2020 from our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have prepared the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and have included, in our opinion, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments that we consider necessary for a fair statement of the interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

You should read this data together with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes, as well as the information under the captions “Selected Consolidated Financial and Other Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of our future results, and results for any interim period below are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year.

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

   

Six Months Ended

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31, 2018

   

October 31, 2019

   

April 30, 2019

   

April 30, 2020

 

Statement of Comprehensive Income Data:

        

Net sales

   $ 859,887     $ 883,301     $ 368,040     $ 419,100  

Cost of sales

     805,931       728,626       305,611       378,240  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     53,956       154,675       62,429       40,860  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     35,235       48,168       25,296       25,862  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income

     18,721       106,507       37,133       14,998  

Interest expense

     (5,396     (10,320     (5,207     (4,397

Equity method income

     12,433       3,359       1       438  

Impairment of equity method investment

     —         —         —       (21,164

Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

     62,020       —         —       —  

Other income (expense), net

     908       (3,549     (880     950  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income tax expense

     88,686       95,997       31,047       (9,175

Income tax expense

     16,245       24,298       7,838       4,212  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 72,441     $ 71,699     $ 23,209     $ (13,387
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income per share

        

Basic

   $           $           $           $        

Diluted

   $           $           $           $        

 

                                                                                                           
    

Fiscal Year Ended

    

Six Months Ended

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31, 2018

    

October 31, 2019

    

April 30, 2019

    

April 30, 2020

 

Other Information:

           

Adjusted Net Income(1)

   $ 23,218      $ 75,384      $ 24,968      $ 8,653  

Combined Adjusted Net Income(1)

   $ 33,701      $ 75,384      $ 24,968      $ 8,653  

Adjusted EBITDA(2)

   $ 43,104      $ 122,973      $ 43,506      $ 22,816  

Combined Adjusted EBITDA(2)

   $ 58,038      $ 122,973      $ 43,506      $ 22,816  

Sales volume (million pounds)

     640        559        270        286  

Average sales price per pound(3)

   $ 1.34      $ 1.58      $ 1.36      $ 1.47  

Gross profit per pound(4)

   $ 0.08      $ 0.28      $ 0.23      $ 0.14  

Combined gross profit per pound(4)

   $ 0.14      $ 0.28      $ 0.23      $ 0.14  


 

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As of

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31, 2018

    

October 31, 2019

    

April 30, 2020

 

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

        

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 26,314      $ 64,008      $ 26,568  

Total assets

     621,773        689,449        663,823  

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     192,404        174,034        174,128  

Capital leases, net of current portion

     2,800        4,561        4,170  

Total shareholders’ equity

     313,451        379,033        354,900  

 

(1)

The following table presents a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted Net Income and Combined Adjusted Net Income:

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

   

Six Months Ended

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31, 2018

   

October 31, 2019

   

April 30, 2019

   

April 30, 2020

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 72,441     $ 71,699     $ 23,209     $ (13,387

Share-based compensation

     9       —         —       686  

Unrealized loss on derivative financial instruments

     —         3,669       1,006       3,445  

Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

     (62,020     —         —       —  

Impairment of equity method investment

     —         —         —       21,164  

Foreign currency gains and (losses)

     (1,452     1,273       1,418       (3,245

Debt extinguishment costs

     920       —         —       —  

Tax effects of pre-tax adjustments to net income(a)

     13,320       (1,257     (665     (10
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted Net Income

   $ 23,218     $ 75,384     $ 24,968     $ 8,653  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Pre-acquisition International Farming Segment Adjusted Net Income, net of tax effects(b)

   $ 10,483       —         —       —  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Combined Adjusted Net Income

   $ 33,701     $ 75,384     $ 24,968     $ 8,653  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a)

The adjustments to calculate Adjusted Net Income are pre-tax adjustments. As such, this adjustment is to eliminate the income tax expense or benefit included in net income related to the pre-tax adjustments and is calculated based on the rate that is applicable to the taxable jurisdiction that the adjustment relates to.

 

(b)

Represents the Adjusted Net Income of Grupo Arato Holdings SAC (“Grupo Arato”) from November 1, 2017 through September 20, 2018 that is not already included in Adjusted Net Income. The Adjusted Net Income for Grupo Arato for the period from November 1, 2017 through September 20, 2018 was calculated by taking 50% of Grupo Arato’s net income from the period from November 1, 2017 through September 20, 2018 which was $8,422 thousand, plus the foreign exchange loss, net of the related income tax benefit, included in Grupo Arato’s net income for the period of $124 thousand. This amount was further increased by $1,937 thousand to eliminate the income tax expense recorded by the Company on its outside basis difference in Grupo Arato while it was being accounted for as an equity method investee. Had the entity been combined as of November 1, 2017, the outside basis difference tax expense would have not been recognized.

Adjusted Net Income is calculated by adding share-based compensation expense, adding the unrealized loss on derivative financial instruments, subtracting remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investees, adding impairment of equity method investment, subtracting foreign currency gains, adding foreign currency losses, adding debt extinguishment costs, and adjusting for the tax effects of these items. Combined



 

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Adjusted Net Income represents Adjusted Net Income further adjusted to include 100% of Grupo Arato’s Adjusted Net Income.

Adjusted Net Income and Combined Adjusted Net Income is included in this prospectus because it is used by management and our board of directors to assess our financial performance. Adjusted Net Income is frequently used by analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry. Adjusted Net Income and Combined Adjusted Net Income are not a GAAP measure of our financial performance or liquidity and should not be considered as an alternative to net income, as measures of financial performance, or cash flows from operations as measures of liquidity, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted Net Income and Combined Adjusted Net Income should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Additionally, Adjusted Net Income and Combined Adjusted Net Income are not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for management’s discretionary use, as it does not reflect tax payments, debt service requirements, capital expenditures and other cash costs that may recur in the future, including, among other things, cash requirements for working capital needs and cash costs to replace assets being depreciated and amortized. Management compensates for these limitations by relying on our GAAP results in addition to using Adjusted Net Income and Combined Adjusted Net Income supplementally. Our measure of Adjusted Net Income and Combined Adjusted Net Income is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled captions of other companies due to different methods of calculation.

 

(2)

The following table presents a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA and Combined Adjusted EBITDA:

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

   

Six Months Ended

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31, 2018

   

October 31, 2019

   

April 30, 2019

   

April 30, 2020

 

Net income

   $ 72,441     $ 71,699     $ 23,209     $ (13,387

Interest expense

     5,396       10,320       5,207       4,397  

Income tax expense

     16,245       24,298       7,838       4,212  

Depreciation and amortization

     9,440       16,466       6,373       7,132  

Equity method income(a)

     (12,433     (3,359     (1     (438

Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

     (62,020     —         —       —  

Impairment of equity method investment

     —         —         —       21,164  

Other income (expense), net

     (908     3,549       880       (950

Share-based compensation

     9       —         —       686  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
     28,170       122,973       43,506       22,816  

International Farming Segment Adjusted EBITDA(a)

     14,934       —         —       —  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 43,104     $ 122,973     $ 43,506     $ 22,816  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Pre-acquisition International Farming Segment Adjusted EBITDA(b)

     14,934       —         —       —  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Combined Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 58,038     $ 122,973     $ 43,506     $ 22,816  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a)

Includes 50% of Grupo Arato’s Adjusted EBITDA from November 1, 2017 through September 20, 2018, prior to our acquisition of the remaining 50% of this subsidiary.

 

(b)

Represents the remaining 50% of Grupo Arato’s Adjusted EBITDA from November 1, 2017 through September 20, 2018 that is not already included in Adjusted EBITDA.



 

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Adjusted earnings before interest expense, income tax expense and depreciation and amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”) is calculated by adding interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, subtracting equity method income, subtracting remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee, adding impairment of equity method investment, subtracting or adding other income (expense), net, and adding share-based compensation to net income. Combined Adjusted EBITDA represents Adjusted EBITDA which is further adjusted to include 100% of Grupo Arato’s Adjusted EBITDA as if Grupo Arato was acquired on November 1, 2017. Adjusted EBITDA and Combined Adjusted EBITDA are included in this prospectus because these measures are used by management and our board of directors to assess our financial performance. Adjusted EBITDA is frequently used by analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry. Adjusted EBITDA and Combined Adjusted EBITDA are not a GAAP measures of our financial performance or liquidity and should not be considered as an alternative to net income as a measure of financial performance or cash flows from operations as measures of liquidity, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA and Combined Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Additionally, Adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for management’s discretionary use, as it does not reflect tax payments, debt service requirements, capital expenditures and other cash costs that may recur in the future, including, among other things, cash requirements for working capital needs and cash costs to replace assets being depreciated and amortized. Management compensates for these limitations by relying on our GAAP results in addition to using Adjusted EBITDA and Combined Adjusted EBITDA supplementally. Adjusted EBITDA and Combined Adjusted EBITDA are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled captions of other companies due to different methods of calculation.

 

(3)

Calculated by dividing net sales by the total sales volume in the stated period.

 

(4)

Gross profit per pound is calculated by dividing gross profit by the total sales volume in the stated period. Combined gross profit per pound is calculated by dividing gross profit plus the gross profit of Grupo Arato from the period from November 1, 2017 through September 20, 2018 that is not already included in gross profit per pound, divided by the total sales volume in the stated period.



 

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RISK FACTORS

Risks Related to Our Business

Our ability to generate revenues is limited by the annual supply of avocados and our ability to purchase or grow additional avocados.

Our ability to distribute avocados is currently limited by our ability to acquire supply from third-party growers and to produce on our own farms. With a limited number of avocado trees on our farms and on the farms from which we purchase, our ability to replace supply from third parties and adapt to any changes in demand of our product may be limited. If we are unable to purchase sufficient volumes from third-party growers or demand for our products were to increase in the future, we would need additional production capacity, which may take time, whether by purchasing additional products from third-party suppliers or by waiting for our younger avocado trees to bear fruit. These purchases may expose us to increases in short-term costs and additional production may expose us to additional long-term operating costs. If supply were to decrease dramatically in the future, whether as a result of damage to farms, inclement weather, drought or labor problems, we may not be able to purchase sufficient fruit or the prices would dramatically increase. The impact of the limited supply could decrease our revenues or increase our costs of goods sold, which would harm our business and financial results.

The loss of one or more of our largest customers, or a reduction in the level of purchases made by these customers, could negatively impact our sales and profits.

Sales to our top 10 largest customers amounted to approximately 65% of our total sales in the six months ended April 30, 2020, with our top customer, Kroger (including its affiliates), accounting for approximately 14% of our total sales in the same period. We expect that a significant portion of our revenues will continue to be derived from a relatively small number of customers. We believe these customers make purchase decisions based on a combination of price, product quality, consumer demand, customer service performance, desired inventory levels and other factors that may be important to them at the time the purchase decisions are made. Changes in our customers’ strategies or purchasing patterns, including a reduction in the number of suppliers from which they purchase, may adversely affect our sales. Additionally, our customers may face financial or other difficulties which may impact their operations and cause them to reduce their level of purchases from us, which could adversely affect our results of operations. Customers also may respond to any price increase that we may implement by reducing their purchases from us, resulting in reduced sales of our products. If sales of our products to one or more of our largest customers are reduced, this reduction may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Any bankruptcy or other business disruption involving one of our significant customers also could adversely affect our results of operations.

We are subject to the risks of doing business internationally.

We conduct a substantial amount of business with growers and customers who are located outside the United States. We purchase avocados from growers and packers in Mexico and other countries, own or lease thousands of acres and operate packing facilities in Peru, have farming joint ventures in Colombia and sell fresh avocados and processed avocado products to foreign customers. We are also subject to regulations and taxes imposed by governments of the countries in which we operate. Significant changes to these government regulations and to assessments by tax authorities can have a negative impact on our operations and operating results.

Our current international operations are subject to a number of inherent risks, including:

 

   

Local economic and political conditions, including local corruption or disruptions in supply, labor, transportation and trading;

 

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Restrictive U.S. and foreign governmental actions, such as restrictions on transfers of funds and trade protection measures, including import/export duties and quotas and customs duties and tariffs;

 

   

Changes in legal or regulatory requirements affecting foreign investment, taxes, imports and exports; and

 

   

Currency fluctuations that could affect our results of operations.

Moreover, our business is also impacted by the negotiation and implementation of free trade agreements between the United States and other countries, particularly in Mexico, which is the largest source of our supply of avocados. Such agreements can reduce barriers to international trade and thus the cost of conducting business internationally, including the cost of purchasing avocados. For instance, the United States recently ratified a new trilateral trade agreement with the governments of Canada and Mexico, known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”) to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”). If any of the three countries withdraws from the USMCA, our cost of doing business within the three countries could increase.

Mexican economic, political and societal conditions may have an adverse impact on our business.

Mexico is the largest source of our supply of avocados, and our business is affected by developments in that country. Shipments from Mexico to the United States are dependent on the border remaining open to imports, which has closed from time to time. In addition, security institutions in Mexico are under significant stress as a result of organized crime and gang and drug-related violence, which also could affect avocado production and shipments. This situation creates potential risks that could affect a large part of our sourcing in Mexico and would harm our operations if it impacts our facilities or personnel. In addition, Mexican growers strike from time to time to obtain higher prices for their avocados. We cannot provide any assurance that economic conditions or political developments, including any changes to economic policies or the adoption of other reforms proposed by existing or future administrations, in or affecting Mexico will not have a material adverse effect on market conditions or our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Peruvian economic and political conditions may have an adverse impact on our business.

A significant part of our operations are conducted in Peru. Accordingly, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be affected by changes in economic or other policies of the Peruvian government or other political, regulatory or economic developments in the country. During the past several decades, Peru has had a succession of regimes with differing policies and programs. Past governments have frequently intervened in the nation’s economy and social structure. Among other actions, past governments have imposed controls on prices, exchange rates and local and foreign investments, as well as limitations on imports, have restricted the ability of companies to dismiss employees and have prohibited the remittance of profits to foreign investors.

In 2018, Peru experienced heightened political instability derived from various currently ongoing investigations into allegations of money laundering and corruption linked to the “Operation Car Wash” investigation that was initiated by Brazilian authorities. Because we have significant operations in Peru, we cannot provide any assurance that political developments and economic conditions, including any changes to economic policies or the adoption of other reforms proposed by existing or future administrations, in Peru and/or other factors will not have a material adverse effect on market conditions, prices of our securities, our ability to obtain financing and our results of operations and financial condition.

Our earnings are sensitive to fluctuations in market prices of avocados.

The pricing of avocados depends on supply, and excess supply can lead to price competition in our industry. Growing conditions in various parts of the world, particularly weather conditions such as windstorms,

 

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floods, droughts, wildfires and freezes, as well as diseases and pests, are primary factors affecting market prices because of their influence on the supply and quality of product.

Pricing also depends on quality. Fresh produce is highly perishable and generally must be brought to market and sold soon after harvest. The selling price received depends on the availability and quality offered by us to customers and available in the market generally.

Pricing also depends on demand, and consumer preferences for particular food products are subject to fluctuations over time. Shifts in consumer preferences that can impact demand at any given time can result from a number of factors, including dietary trends, attention to particular nutritional aspects, concerns regarding the health effects of particular products, attention given to product sourcing practices and general public perception of food safety risks. Consumer demand for our products also may be impacted by any public commentary that consumers may make regarding our products, as well as by changes in the level of advertising or promotional support that we employ or that are employed by relevant industry groups or third parties. If consumer preferences trend negatively with respect to avocados, our sales volumes may decline as a result.

We are subject to increasing competition that may adversely affect our operating results.

The market for avocados and processed avocado products is highly competitive. Competition for the purchase of avocados from suppliers and the sale of avocados to distributors primarily comes from other avocado distributors. If we are unable to consistently pay growers a competitive price for their avocados, these growers may choose to have their avocados marketed by alternate distributors. If we are unable to offer attractive prices or consistent supply to retail and wholesale customers, they may choose to purchase from other companies. Such competition may adversely affect our volumes and prices, which would harm our business and results of operations.

We and our growers are subject to the risks that are inherent in farming.

Our results of operations may be adversely affected by numerous factors over which we have little or no control and that are inherent in farming, including reductions in the market prices for our products, adverse weather including drought, high winds, earthquakes and wildfires. Growing conditions, pest and disease problems and new government regulations regarding farming and the marketing of agricultural products.

Due to the seasonality of the business, our revenue and operating results may vary from quarter to quarter and year to year.

Our earnings may be affected by seasonal factors, including:

 

   

the availability, quality and price of fruit;

 

   

the timing and effects of ripening and perishability;

 

   

the ability to process perishable raw materials in a timely manner;

 

   

fixed overhead costs during off-season months at our farms; and

 

   

the slight impacts on consumer demand based on seasonal and holiday timing.

In particular, our farming operations in Peru are affected by seasonal factors, as the harvest in Peru is generally concentrated in the third and fourth fiscal quarters.

 

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Our performance may be impacted by general economic conditions or an economic downturn.

An overall decline in economic activity could adversely impact our business and financial results. Economic uncertainty may reduce consumer spending as consumers make decisions on what to include in their food budgets. This could also result in a shift in consumer preference. Shifts in consumer spending could result in increased pressure from competitors or customers that may require us to increase promotional spending or reduce the prices of some of our products and/or limit our ability to increase or maintain prices, which could lower our revenue and profitability. Instability in financial markets may impact our ability, or increase the cost, to enter into new credit agreements in the future. Additionally, it may weaken the ability of our customers, suppliers, third-party distributors, banks, insurance companies and other business partners to perform their obligations in the normal course of business, which could expose us to losses or disrupt the supply of inputs we rely upon to conduct our business. If one or more of our key business partners fail to perform as expected or contracted for any reason, our business could be negatively impacted.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions intended to prevent its spread and resulting worldwide economic conditions could adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and restrictions intended to prevent its spread, have already had a significant adverse impact on economic conditions around the world in the first half of 2020, including the United States and the geographic markets in which we operate or sell our products. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. While we have experienced minimal disruption to our overall business and have not experienced a significant loss of demand for our products during the pandemic, continued economic deterioration in the markets in which our products are sold, including unemployment, reductions in disposable income, declining consumer confidence, and perception of our products as non-essential, could result in future declines in the demand for our products. Going forward, the extent to which COVID-19 may impact our business will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, such as the ultimate geographic spread of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, travel restrictions and social distancing in the United States and other countries, business closures or business disruptions and the effectiveness of actions taken in the United States and other countries to contain and treat the disease.

Should the coronavirus continue to spread, our business operations could be delayed or interrupted. For instance, if COVID-19 spreads to our headquarters in Oxnard, California, the domestic or international farms from which we source or our shipping and packing facilities, we may experience a decrease in labor availability from our employees. Current and potential government-imposed travel restrictions could also affect our supply and distribution chain. The spread of COVID-19 throughout the world has also created global economic uncertainty, which may cause potential customers and avocado consumers to closely monitor their costs and reduce their spending budget. Any of the foregoing could materially adversely affect our results of operations.

Increases in costs of commodities or other products we use in our business, such as fuel, packing, and paper, could adversely affect our operating results.

The price of various products that we use in the growth, shipping or distribution of avocados can significantly affect our costs. Fuel and transportation cost is a significant component of the price of much of the produce that we purchase from growers, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to pass on to our customers the increased costs we incur in these respects.

The cost of paper is also significant to us because most of our products are packed in cardboard boxes. If the price of paper increases and we are not able to effectively pass these price increases along to our customers, then our operating income will decrease.

 

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Food safety events, including instances of food-borne illness involving avocados, could create negative publicity for our customers and adversely affect sales and operating results.

Food safety is a top priority, and we dedicate substantial resources to ensure that our customers enjoy safe, quality products. However, food safety events, including instances of food-borne illness, have occurred with avocados in the past, and could occur in the future. For example, in 2018, nearly 700 people became sick after eating at Chipotle due to bacteria from unsafe food practices affecting guacamole made from avocados. Food safety events at customers, whether or not they involve avocados, could adversely affect sales of those customers. In addition, customers who purchase our avocados for their food products could experience negative publicity, or experience a significant increase in food costs if there are food safety events. If such customers experience a decline in sales as a result of such food safety event, our results of operations may be adversely affected.

A recall of our products could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, we may be subject to significant liability claims should the consumption of any of our products cause injury, illness or death.

The sale of food products for human consumption involves the risk of injury to consumers. Such injuries may result from tampering by unauthorized third parties, product contamination or spoilage, including the presence of foreign objects, substances, chemicals, or residues introduced during the growing, storage, handling or transportation phases. While we are subject to governmental inspection and regulations and believe our facilities comply in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, we cannot be sure that consumption of our products will not cause a health-related illness in the future or that we will not be subject to claims or lawsuits relating to such matters. Even if a product liability claim is unsuccessful or is not fully pursued, the negative publicity surrounding any assertion that our products caused illness or injury could adversely affect our reputation with existing and potential customers and our corporate and brand image.

We are subject to possible changing United States Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration regulations that govern the importation of foreign avocados into the United States.

The USDA has established, and continues to modify, regulations governing the importation of avocados into the United States, and also limits the countries from which avocados may be imported. Our permits that allow us to import foreign-sourced avocados into the United States generally are contingent on our compliance with these regulations. Our results of operations may be adversely affected if we are unable to comply with existing and modified regulations and are unable to secure avocado import permits in the future.

The FDA establishes, and continues to modify, regulations governing the distribution of avocado products, such as the new Food Safety Modernization Act, which implements mandatory preventive controls for food facilities and compliance with mandatory produce safety standards. Our results of operations may be adversely affected if we are unable to comply with these existing and modified regulations.

Changes to U.S. trade policy, tariff and import/export regulations may adversely affect our operating results.

Changes in U.S. or international social, political, regulatory and economic conditions or in laws and policies governing foreign trade, development and investment in the territories or countries where we currently conduct our business, as well as any negative sentiment toward the U.S. as a result of such changes, could adversely affect our business. The U.S. presidential administration has instituted or proposed changes in trade policies that include the negotiation or termination of trade agreements, the imposition of higher tariffs on imports into the U.S., economic sanctions on individuals, corporations or countries, and other government regulations affecting trade between the U.S. and other countries where we conduct our business.

As a result of recent policy changes of the U.S. presidential administration and recent U.S. government proposals, there may be greater restrictions and economic disincentives on international trade. The new tariffs

 

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and other changes in U.S. trade policy could trigger retaliatory actions by affected countries, and foreign governments have instituted or are considering imposing trade sanctions on U.S. goods. Such changes have the potential to adversely impact the U.S. economy or sectors thereof, our industry and the global demand for our products, and as a result, could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to health and safety laws, which may restrict our operations, result in operational delays or increase our operating costs and adversely affect our financial results of operations.

We are required to comply with health and safety laws and regulations in the United States, Peru and Mexico where our operations are subject to periodic inspections by the relevant governmental authorities. These laws and regulations govern, among others, health and safety work place conditions, including high risk labor and the handling, storage and disposal of chemical and other hazardous substances. Compliance with these laws and regulations and new or existing regulations that may be applicable to us in the future could increase our operating costs and adversely affect our financial results of operations and cash flows.

Compliance with environmental laws and regulations, including laws pertaining to the use of herbicides, fertilizers and pesticides or climate change, or liabilities thereunder, could result in significant costs that adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial position, cash flows and reputation.

We are subject to a variety of federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to environmental matters. In particular, our business depends on the use of herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural products and the use and disposal of these products in some jurisdictions are subject to regulation by various agencies. These laws and regulations may require that only certified or professional users apply the product or that certain products only be used in certain types of locations. These laws and regulations may also require users to post notices on properties at which products have been or will be applied, notification to individuals in the vicinity that products will be applied in the future, or labeling of certain products or may restrict or ban the use of certain products. We can give no assurance that we can prevent violations of these or other laws and regulations from occurring. If we fail to comply with these laws and regulations, we could be subject to, among other things, substantial penalties or fines, partial or complete cessation of our operations or a ban on the sale of part or all of our products in a jurisdiction. Even if we are able to comply with all such laws and regulations and obtain all necessary registrations and licenses, we cannot assure you that the herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides or other products we apply, or the manner in which we apply them, will not be alleged to cause injury to the environment, people or animals, or that such products will not be restricted or banned in certain circumstances. A decision by a regulatory agency to significantly restrict the use of or ban such products that have traditionally been used in the cultivation of one of our principal products could have an adverse impact on us. Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, undertakes a series of regulatory actions relating to the evaluation and use of pesticides in the food industry. Similarly, in the EU, Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009, which became effective on June 14, 2011, fundamentally changed the pesticide approval process from the current risk base to hazard criteria based on the intrinsic properties of the substance. Actions regarding the availability and use of herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural products, the costs of compliance, consequences of non-compliance, remediation costs and liabilities, unfavorable public perceptions of such products or products liability lawsuits could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial position, cash flows and reputation.

There has been a broad range of proposed and promulgated state, national, local and international regulation aimed at reducing the effects of climate change. Such regulations apply or could apply in countries where we conduct operations or have interests or could conduct operations or have interests in the future. In the United States, there is a significant possibility that some form of regulation will be enacted at the federal level to address the effects of climate change. Such regulation could take several forms that could result in additional costs in the form of taxes, the restriction of output, investments of capital to maintain compliance with laws and

 

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regulations, or required acquisition or trading of emission allowances. Climate change regulation continues to evolve, and while it is not possible to accurately estimate either a timetable for implementation or our future compliance costs relating to implementation, such regulation could have a material effect on our business, results of operations, financial position or capital expenditures.

The acquisition of other businesses could pose risks to our operating income.

We intend to review acquisition prospects that would complement our business. While we are not currently a party to any definitive agreement with respect to any acquisitions, we may acquire other businesses in the future. Future acquisitions by us could result in accounting charges, potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities, and increased debt and contingent liabilities, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and the market price of our common stock. Acquisitions entail numerous risks, including the integration of the acquired operations, diversion of management’s attention to other business concerns, risks of entering markets in which we have limited prior experience, and the potential loss of key employees of acquired organizations. We may be unable to successfully integrate businesses or the personnel of any business that might be acquired in the future, and our failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business and on the market price of our common stock.

We depend on our infrastructure to have sufficient capacity to handle our business needs.

We have an infrastructure that supports our production and distribution, but if we lose machinery or facilities due to natural disasters or mechanical failure, we may not be able to operate at a sufficient capacity to meet our needs. Any loss or failure could have a material adverse effect on our business, which could impact our results of operations and our financial condition.

Failure to optimize our supply chain or disruption of our supply chain could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our ability to make, move and sell products in coordination with our suppliers is critical to our success. Our inability to maintain sufficient internal production capacity or our inability to enter into co-packing agreements on terms that are beneficial to the Company could have an adverse effect on our business. Failure to adequately handle increasing production costs and complexity, turnover of personnel, or production capability and efficiency issues could materially impact our ability to cost effectively produce our products and meet customer demand.

Additionally, damage or disruption to our collective production or distribution capabilities resulting from weather, any potential effects of climate change, natural disaster, disease, crop spoilage, fire or explosion, terrorism, pandemics, strikes, repairs or enhancements at our facilities, or other reasons, could impair our ability to produce or sell our products. Failure to take adequate steps to mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of such events, or to effectively manage such events if they occur, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and may require additional resources to restore our supply chain.

Our ability to serve our customers is a function of reliable and low cost transportation. Disruption of the supply of these services and/or significant increases in the cost of these services could impact our operating income.

We use multiple forms of transportation to bring our products to market. They include sea, truck and air-cargo. Transportation costs include ship and truck operating expenses, using chartered refrigerated ships and trucks and container equipment related costs. Disruption to the timely supply of these services or dramatic increases in the cost of these services for any reason including availability of fuel for such services, labor disputes, governmental regulation, or governmental restrictions limiting specific forms of transportation could have an adverse effect on our ability to serve our customers and consumers and could have an adverse effect on our financial performance.

 

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We depend on our key personnel and if we lose the services of any of these individuals, or fail to attract and retain additional key personnel, we may not be able to implement our business strategy or operate our business effectively.

Our future success largely depends on the contributions of our management team, including Stephen Barnard, our CEO. We believe that these individuals’ expertise and knowledge about our industry and their respective fields and their relationships with other individuals in our industry are critical factors to our continued growth and success. The loss of the services of any member of our senior management team could have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects. Our success also depends upon our ability to attract and retain additional qualified sales, marketing and other personnel.

The operation of our facilities depends on adequate supply of labor and good labor relations with our employees.

As of April 30, 2020, we had approximately 3,700 employees, 481 of whom are in the United States, 648 are at our facility in Mexico and 2,544 are at our facility in Peru. We also employ significant numbers of seasonal employees at our packing facilities and our farms in Peru. Our employees are essential to our operations and our ability to farm, package and/or deliver our products. If we are unable to attract and retain enough skilled personnel at a reasonable cost, our results may be negatively affected.

System security risks, data protection breaches, cyber-attacks and systems integration issues could disrupt our internal operations or services provided to customers, and any such disruption could reduce our expected revenue, increase our expenses, damage our reputation and adversely affect our stock price.

Our internal computer systems and those of our current and any future partners, contractors and consultants are vulnerable to damage from cyber-attacks, computer viruses, unauthorized access, natural disasters, terrorism, war and telecommunication and electrical failures. System failures, accidents or security breaches can cause interruptions in our operations and can result in a material disruption of our business operations. Experienced computer programmers and hackers may be able to penetrate our information technology security and misappropriate or compromise our confidential information or that of third parties, create system disruptions or cause shutdowns, or develop and deploy viruses, worms, and other malicious software programs that attack our programs or otherwise exploit any security vulnerabilities of our products. In addition, sophisticated hardware and operating system software and applications that we produce or procure from third parties may contain defects in design or manufacture, including “bugs” and other problems that could unexpectedly interfere with the operation of the system. The costs to us to eliminate or alleviate cyber or other security problems, bugs, viruses, worms, malicious software programs and security vulnerabilities could be significant, and our efforts to address these problems may not be successful and could result in interruptions, delays, cessation of service and loss of existing or potential customers that may impede our sales, production, distribution or other critical functions.

Portions of our information technology infrastructure may also experience interruptions, delays or cessations of service or produce errors in connection with systems integration or migration work that takes place from time to time. We may not be successful in implementing new systems and transitioning data, which could cause business disruptions and be more expensive, time consuming, disruptive and resource-intensive. Such disruptions could adversely impact our ability to fulfill orders and interrupt other processes. Any delayed sales, lower profit or lost customers resulting from these disruptions could adversely affect our financial results, stock price and reputation.

We are subject to stringent privacy laws, information security laws, regulations, policies and contractual obligations related to data privacy and security and changes in such laws, regulations, policies and contractual obligations could adversely affect our business.

In the ordinary course of business, we collect, store, process and transmit confidential business information and certain personal information relating to customers, employees and suppliers. We are subject to

 

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data privacy and protection laws and regulations that apply to the collection, transmission, storage and use of personally-identifying information, which among other things, impose certain requirements relating to the privacy, security and transmission of personal information. The legislative and regulatory landscape for privacy and data protection continues to evolve in jurisdictions worldwide, and there has been an increasing focus on privacy and data protection issues with the potential to affect our business. Failure to comply with any of these laws and regulations could result in enforcement action against us, including fines, imprisonment of company officials and public censure, claims for damages by affected individuals, damage to our reputation and loss of goodwill, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects. Ongoing efforts to comply with evolving laws and regulations may be costly and require ongoing modifications to our policies, procedures and systems.

Data privacy remains an evolving landscape at both the domestic and international level, with new regulations coming into effect. For example, in June 2018 the State of California enacted the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, or CCPA, which went into effect on January 1, 2020 and requires companies that process information on California residents to make new disclosures to consumers about their data collection, use and sharing practices, allow consumers to opt out of certain data sharing with third parties and provide a new cause of action for data breaches. In addition, in the European Economic Area, or EEA, and the United Kingdom we are subject to the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, which went into effect in May 2018 and which imposes stringent data privacy and security requirements on companies in relation to the processing of personal data. In particular, the GDPR includes obligations and restrictions concerning the consent and rights of individuals to whom the personal data relates, the transfer of personal data out of the EEA or the United Kingdom, security breach notifications and the security and confidentiality of personal data. If our or our partners’ or service providers’ privacy or data security measures fail to comply with the GDPR requirements, we may be subject to litigation, regulatory investigations, enforcement notices requiring us to change the way we use personal data and/or fines of up to 20 million Euros or up to 4% of the total worldwide annual turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher, as well as compensation claims by affected individuals, negative publicity, reputational harm and a potential loss of business and goodwill.

It is possible that these laws may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent with our practices and our efforts to comply with the evolving data protection rules may be unsuccessful. We must devote significant resources to understanding and complying with this changing landscape. Failure to comply with federal, state and international laws regarding privacy and security of personal information could expose us to penalties under such laws. Any such failure to comply with data protection and privacy laws could result in government-imposed fines or orders requiring that we change our practices, claims for damages or other liabilities, regulatory investigations and enforcement action, litigation and significant costs for remediation, any of which could adversely affect our business. Even if we are not determined to have violated these laws, government investigations into these issues typically require the expenditure of significant resources and generate negative publicity, which could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.

Our business depends on a strong and trusted brand, and any failure to maintain, protect, and enhance our brand would have an adverse impact on our business.

Consumer and institutional recognition of the Mission Produce trademark and related brands and the association of these brands with our sourcing, production and distribution of fresh avocados are an integral part of our business. The occurrence of any events or rumors that cause consumers and/or institutions to no longer associate these brands with our products and services may materially adversely affect the value of our brand names and demand for our products and services.

In addition, one registered trademark that we own has been opposed and the registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names that we own or may own in the future may be challenged, infringed, declared generic, or determined to be infringing on or dilutive of other marks. We may not be able to protect our rights in these

 

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trademarks and trade names, which we need in order to build name recognition with potential customers. Moreover, third parties may file for registration of trademarks similar or identical to our trademarks; if they succeed in registering or developing common law rights in such trademarks, and if we are not successful in challenging such third-party rights, we may not be able to use these trademarks to develop brand recognition of our technologies and products. Furthermore, there could be potential trade name or trademark infringement claims brought by owners of other registered trademarks or trademarks that incorporate variations of our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names. If we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, we may not be able to compete effectively, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We could be subject to changes in tax rates, the adoption of new U.S. or international tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities.

We are subject to taxes in the U.S., Mexico, Peru and other countries. Due to economic and political conditions, tax rates in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change. Our effective tax rates could be affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, or changes in tax laws or their interpretation.

We are also subject to the examination of our tax returns and other tax matters by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, the Servicio de Administracion Tributaria in Mexico (the SAT), the Superintendencia Nacional de Administración Tributaria in Peru (the SUNAT) and other tax authorities. We regularly assess the likelihood of an adverse outcome resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of its provision for taxes. There can be no assurance as to the outcome of these examinations. If our effective tax rates were to increase, or if the ultimate determination of our taxes owed is for an amount in excess of amounts previously accrued, our financial condition, operating results and cash flows could be adversely affected.

Risks Related to Our Common Stock and this Offering

There has been no prior public market for our common stock and an active trading market may never develop or be sustained.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. Although we have applied to have our common stock listed on the Nasdaq, an active trading market for our common stock may never develop following completion of this offering or, if developed, may not be sustained. The lack of an active trading market may impair the value of your shares and your ability to sell your shares at the time you wish to sell them. An inactive trading market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling shares of our common stock and enter into strategic partnerships or acquire other complementary products, technologies or businesses by using shares of our common stock as consideration. Furthermore, although we have applied to have our common stock listed on the Nasdaq, even if listed, there can be no guarantee that we will continue to satisfy the continued listing standards of the Nasdaq. If we fail to satisfy the continued listing standards, we could be de-listed, which would have a negative effect on the price of our common stock.

We expect that the price of our common stock will fluctuate substantially and you may not be able to sell the shares you purchase in this offering at or above the offering price.

The initial public offering price for the shares of our common stock sold in this offering is determined by negotiation between the representatives of the underwriters and us. This price may not reflect the market price of our common stock following this offering. In addition, the market price of our common stock is likely to be highly volatile and may fluctuate substantially due to many factors, including:

 

   

Our operating and financial performance and prospects;

 

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Announcements and public SEC filings we make about our business, financial performance and prospects;

 

   

Announcements our customers or competitors make regarding their business, financial performance and prospects;

 

   

Short-interest in our common stock, which may be significant from time-to-time;

 

   

The depth and liquidity of the market for our common stock;

 

   

Investor perception of us and the industry and markets in which we operate;

 

   

Our inclusion in, or removal from, any equity market indices;

 

   

Changes in earnings estimates or buy/sell recommendations by analysts;

 

   

Whether or not we meet earnings estimates of analysts who follow our company; and

 

   

General financial, domestic, international, economic, industry and other market trends or conditions.

In recent years, the stock markets generally have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. Broad market and industry factors may significantly affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. These fluctuations may be even more pronounced in the trading market for our common stock shortly following this offering. If the market price of shares of our common stock after this offering does not ever exceed the initial public offering price, you may not realize any return on your investment in us and may lose some or all of your investment.

In addition, in the past, class action litigation has often been instituted against companies whose securities have experienced periods of volatility in market price. Securities litigation brought against us following volatility in our stock price, regardless of the merit or ultimate results of such litigation, could result in substantial costs, which would hurt our financial condition and operating results and divert management’s attention and resources from our business.

We are an “emerging growth company” and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to “emerging growth companies” may make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of exemptions and relief from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies.” In particular, while we are an “emerging growth company” (1) we will not be required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes- Oxley Act, (2) we will be exempt from any rules that could be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board requiring mandatory audit firm rotations or a supplement to the auditor’s report on financial statements, (3) we will be subject to reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and (4) we will not be required to hold nonbinding advisory votes on executive compensation or stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

In addition, while we are an “emerging growth company” we will not be required to comply with any new financial accounting standard until such standard is generally applicable to private companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that are not “emerging growth companies” or elect not to avail themselves of this provision.

 

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We may remain an “emerging growth company” until as late as October 31, 2025, the fiscal year-end following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this initial public offering, though we may cease to be an “emerging growth company” earlier under certain circumstances, including if (1) we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue in any fiscal year, (2) the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any April 30 or (3) we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period.

The exact implications of the JOBS Act are still subject to interpretations and guidance by the SEC and other regulatory agencies, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to take advantage of all of the benefits of the JOBS Act. In addition, investors may find our common stock less attractive to the extent we rely on the exemptions and relief granted by the JOBS Act. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may decline or become more volatile.

If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution in the book value of your shares.

Investors purchasing shares of our common stock in this offering will pay a price per share that substantially exceeds the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock. As a result, investors purchasing common stock in this offering will incur immediate dilution of $             per share, representing the difference between our assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and our as adjusted net tangible book value per share as of October 31, 2019. To the extent outstanding options to purchase shares of our common stock are exercised, new investors may incur further dilution.

A significant portion of our total outstanding shares are restricted from immediate resale but may be sold into the market in the near future. This could cause the market price of our common stock to drop significantly, even if our business is doing well.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market could occur at any time. These sales, or the perception in the market that these sales may occur, could result in a decrease in the market price of our common stock. Immediately after this offering, we will have outstanding              shares of common stock, based on the number of shares common stock outstanding as of October 31, 2019. This includes the shares that we are selling in this offering, which may be resold in the public market immediately without restriction, unless purchased by our affiliates or existing stockholders. Of the remaining shares,              shares are currently restricted as a result of securities laws or 180-day lock-up agreements (which may be waived, with or without notice, by              but will be able to be sold beginning 180 days after this offering, unless held by one of our affiliates, in which case the resale of those securities will be subject to volume limitations under Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. We also intend to register all shares of common stock that we may issue under our equity compensation plans. Once we register these shares, they can be freely sold in the public market, subject to volume limitations applicable to affiliates and the lock-up agreements referred to above.

Our directors, officers and principal stockholders have significant voting power and may take actions that may not be in the best interests of our other stockholders.

After this offering, our officers, directors and principal stockholders each holding more than 5% of our common stock, collectively, will control approximately     % of our outstanding common stock. As a result, these stockholders, if they act together, will be able to control the management and affairs of our company and most matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions. The interests of these stockholders may not be the same as or may even conflict with your interests. For example, these stockholders could attempt to delay or prevent a change in control of us, even if such change in control would benefit our other stockholders, which could deprive our stockholders of an opportunity to

 

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receive a premium for their common stock as part of a sale of us or our assets, and might affect the prevailing market price of our common stock due to investors’ perceptions that conflicts of interest may exist or arise. As a result, this concentration of ownership may not be in the best interests of our other stockholders.

We will have broad discretion in the use of proceeds of this offering designated for working capital and general corporate purposes.

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, including acquisitions. Within those categories, we have not determined the specific allocation of the net proceeds of this offering. Our management will have broad discretion over the use and investment of the net proceeds of this offering within those categories. Accordingly, investors in this offering have only limited information concerning management’s specific intentions and will need to rely upon the judgment of our management with respect to the use of proceeds.

We expect to incur significant additional costs as a result of being a public company, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Upon completion of this offering, we expect to incur costs associated with corporate governance requirements that will become applicable to us as a public company, including rules and regulations of the SEC, under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, and the Exchange Act, as well as the rules of the Nasdaq. These rules and regulations are expected to significantly increase our accounting, legal and financial compliance costs and make some activities more time-consuming. We also expect these rules and regulations to make it more expensive for us to maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers. Accordingly, increases in costs incurred as a result of becoming a publicly traded company may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

As a result of becoming a public company, we will be obligated to develop and maintain proper and effective internal controls over financial reporting and any failure to maintain the adequacy of these internal controls may adversely affect investor confidence in our Company and, as a result, the value of our common stock.

To comply with the requirements of being a public company, we will need to undertake various actions, including implementing new internal controls and procedures and hiring new accounting or internal audit staff. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. We are continuing to develop and refine our disclosure controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file with the SEC is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms, and that information required to be disclosed in reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, is accumulated and communicated to our principal executive and financial officers. Our current controls and any new controls that we develop may become inadequate and weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting may be discovered in the future. Any failure to develop or maintain effective controls when we become subject to this requirement could negatively affect the results of periodic management evaluations and annual independent registered public accounting firm attestation reports regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting that we may be required to include in our periodic reports we will file with the SEC under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, harm our operating results, cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations or result in a restatement of our prior period financial statements. In the event that we are not able to demonstrate compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, that our internal control over financial reporting is perceived as inadequate or that we are unable to produce timely or accurate financial statements, investors may lose confidence in our operating results and the price of our common stock could decline. In addition, if we are unable to continue to meet these requirements, we may be unable to remain listed on the Nasdaq.

 

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Our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting until the later of our second annual report or the first annual report required to be filed with the SEC following the date we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, depending on whether we choose to rely on exemptions set forth in the JOBS Act.

We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. If we fail to develop and maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results in a timely manner, which may adversely affect investor confidence in our company.

In connection with the audit of our financial statements for fiscal year 2019 and 2018, we have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined in the standards established by the PCAOB. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

The material weakness identified relates to a lack of sufficient technical accounting resources. Control deficiencies that aggregate to the material weakness relating to a lack of sufficient technical accounting resources included controls related to (1) determination of the functional currency and foreign currency translation, (2) accounting for uncertain tax positions and income taxes, (3) purchase accounting, among others. Control deficiencies relating to a lack of sufficient technical accounting resources also included insufficient resources for the timely review of certain accounting analyses and associated journal entries, and of the financial statement and disclosure preparation process. In aggregate we have deemed these deficiencies to be a material weakness.

We are currently evaluating a number of steps to enhance our internal control over financial reporting and address this material weakness, including hiring of additional financial reporting personnel with technical accounting and financial reporting experience, and enhancing our internal review procedures related to the financial reporting process.

We cannot be certain that our remedial efforts will be sufficient enough to address the material weakness or that other material weaknesses and control deficiencies will not be discovered in the future. If our remediation efforts are not successful or other material weaknesses or control deficiencies occur in the future, we may be unable to report our financial results accurately on a timely basis, which could cause our reported financial results to be materially misstated and result in the loss of investor confidence or delisting and cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

Our disclosure controls and procedures may not prevent or detect all errors or acts of fraud.

Upon the closing of this offering, we will become subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. We designed our disclosure controls and procedures to provide reasonable assurance that information we must disclose in reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, and recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC. We believe that any disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well-conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met.

These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people or by an unauthorized override of the controls. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in our control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

 

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Provisions in our corporate charter documents and under Delaware law could make an acquisition of us more difficult and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.

Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws that will become effective upon the closing of this offering may discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control of us that stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions could also limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock, thereby depressing the market price of our common stock. In addition, these provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more difficult for stockholders to replace members of our board of directors. Because our board of directors is responsible for appointing the members of our management team, these provisions could in turn affect any attempt by our stockholders to replace current members of our management team. These provisions provide, among other things, that:

 

   

our board of directors has the exclusive right to expand the size of our board of directors and to elect directors to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of the board of directors or the resignation, death or removal of a director, which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on our board of directors;

 

   

our board of directors is divided into three classes, Class I, Class II and Class III, with each class serving staggered three-year terms, which may delay the ability of stockholders to change the membership of a majority of our board of directors;

 

   

our stockholders may not act by written consent, which forces stockholder action to be taken at an annual or special meeting of our stockholders;

 

   

a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by the chairperson of our board of directors, our chief executive officer, president or our board of directors, which may delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or to take action, including the removal of directors;

 

   

our amended and restated certificate of incorporation prohibits cumulative voting in the election of directors, which limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect director candidates;

 

   

our board of directors may alter provisions of our bylaws without obtaining stockholder approval;

 

   

the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares entitled to vote at an election of directors is required to adopt, amend or repeal our bylaws or repeal the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation regarding the election and removal of directors;

 

   

stockholders must provide advance notice and additional disclosures in order to nominate individuals for election to the board of directors or to propose matters that can be acted upon at a stockholders’ meeting, which may discourage or deter a potential acquiror from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquiror’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company; and

 

   

our board of directors is authorized to issue shares of preferred stock and to determine the terms of those shares, including preferences and voting rights, without stockholder approval, which could be used to significantly dilute the ownership of a hostile acquirer.

Moreover, because we will be incorporated in Delaware, we will be governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a person who owns in excess of 15% of

 

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our outstanding voting stock from merging or combining with us for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person acquired in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock, unless the merger or combination is approved in a prescribed manner.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative form, the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on our behalf; (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or stockholders owed to us or our stockholders; (iii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time); or (iv) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine. We believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law by chancellors particularly experienced in resolving corporate disputes, efficient administration of cases on a more expedited schedule relative to other forums and protection against the burdens of multi-forum litigation.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act, the Securities Act or any claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. If any such action is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “foreign action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder will be deemed to have consented to (a) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce such actions and (b) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such stockholder.

This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions.

Because we may not pay any cash dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable future, capital appreciation, if any, may be your sole source of gain.

We have paid cash dividends on our capital stock in the past but cannot guarantee that we will continue to do so in the future. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon results of operations, financial condition, any contractual restrictions, our indebtedness, restrictions imposed by applicable law and other factors our board of directors deems relevant. Consequently, investors may need to sell all or part of their holdings of our common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment. Investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our common stock.

 

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Securities analysts may not publish favorable research or reports about our business or may publish no information at all, which could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.

If a trading market for our common stock develops, the trading market will be influenced to some extent by the research and reports that industry or financial analysts publish about us and our business. We do not control these analysts. As a newly public company, we may be slow to attract research coverage and the analysts who publish information about our common stock will have had relatively little experience with us or our industry, which could affect their ability to accurately forecast our results and could make it more likely that we fail to meet their estimates. In the event we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage, if any of the analysts who cover us provide inaccurate or unfavorable research or issue an adverse opinion regarding our stock price, our stock price could decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports covering us regularly, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline and result in the loss of all or a part of your investment in us.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $            million, based upon the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, we estimate that the net proceeds to be received by us will be approximately $            million, after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders.

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share would increase (decrease) the net proceeds that we receive from this offering by approximately $             million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million in the number of shares offered by us would increase (decrease) the net proceeds that we receive from this offering by approximately $            million, assuming that the assumed initial public offering price remains the same and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The principal purposes of this offering are to increase our capitalization and financial flexibility, create a public market for our common stock and thereby enable access to the public equity markets for us and our shareholders. We intend to use the net proceeds for working capital and other general corporate purposes and to fund future acquisitions (if any).

We will have broad discretion over the uses of the net proceeds from this offering and investors will be relying on the judgement of our management regarding the application of the net proceeds from this offering.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We paid dividends of $             per share in fiscal 2018, $             per share in fiscal 2019 and $             per share in fiscal 2020. On September 2, 2020, our board of directors authorized a dividend of $             per share of outstanding common stock, to be paid on September 15, 2020 to stockholders of record on September 2, 2020. We intend to evaluate our dividend policy in future years depending on the cash position of our company and alternate uses for capital.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth cash and cash equivalents, as well as our capitalization, as of April 30, 2020:

 

   

on an actual basis; and

 

   

on an as adjusted basis to give effect to the issuance and sale by us of                  shares of common stock in this offering, the receipt of the net proceeds from our sale of these shares at an assumed initial public offering price of common stock of $                 per share, the midpoint of the price range on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

    

As of April 30, 2020

 
    

Actual

    

As Adjusted(1)

 
    

(U.S. dollars in thousands,
except share and per share
data)

 

Cash and cash equivalents(2)

   $ 26,568      $              
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long term debt, net of current portion(3)

   $ 174,128      $    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shareholders’ equity:

     

Common stock: $0.001 par value, 1,000,000,000 shares authorized,              shares issued and              shares outstanding, actual;              shares issued and              shares outstanding, as adjusted

     

Notes receivable from stockholders

     (50)     

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (138)     

Retained earnings

     214,598     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total shareholders’ equity

     354,900     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total capitalization

   $ 529,028      $              
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of our common stock of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted amount of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total shareholders’ equity and total capitalization by approximately $             million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We may also increase or decrease the number of shares we are offering. Each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million in the number of shares offered by us would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted amount of cash and cash equivalents, common stock and additional paid-in capital, total shareholders’ equity and total capitalization by approximately $             million, assuming that the assumed initial public offering price remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

(2)

Does not include $1.1 million of restricted cash and investments as of April 30, 2020.

(3)

As of April 30, 2020, long term debt, net of current portion includes $4.0 million of borrowings outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Debt”.

The table above does not include (i)            shares authorized pursuant to our 2020 Plan, which number does not include any future annual evergreen increases pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Plan or (ii) outstanding options to purchase             shares under our 2003 Plan at a weighted average price of $            .

The table above assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares of common stock from us to cover overallotments, if any.

 

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DILUTION

Dilution is the amount by which the offering price paid by the purchasers of our common stock in this offering exceeds the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering. Our net tangible book value as of April 30, 2020 was $            million. Net tangible book value per share is determined at any date by subtracting our total liabilities from the total book value of our tangible assets and dividing the difference by the number of shares of our common stock deemed to be outstanding at that date.

If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your ownership interest will be immediately diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering.

As adjusted net tangible book value per share is determined at any date by subtracting our total liabilities from the total book value of our tangible assets and dividing the difference by the number of shares of our common stock, after giving effect to this offering. Our as adjusted net tangible book value as of April 30, 2020 would have been approximately $            million, or $            per share of common stock. This amount represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book value of $            per share to our existing shareholders and an immediate dilution in pro forma net tangible book value of approximately $            per share to new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering. We determine dilution by subtracting the as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the amount of cash that a new investor paid for a share of our common stock. The following table illustrates this dilution:

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share

      $              

Net tangible book value per share as of April 30, 2020 before this offering

   $                 

Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors

   $                   
  

 

 

    

As adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering

      $                
     

 

 

 

Dilution per share to investors in this offering

      $                
     

 

 

 

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of common stock of $                 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease), our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by $            , and would increase (decrease) dilution per share to new investors in this offering by $            , assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares offered by us would increase (decrease) our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by approximately $             per share and decrease (increase) the dilution to new investors by approximately $             per share, assuming that the assumed initial public offering price remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

If the underwriters fully exercise their option to purchase additional shares and all such shares are sold by us, as adjusted net tangible book value after this offering would increase to approximately $             per share, and there would be an immediate dilution of approximately $             per share to investors in this offering.

In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. Furthermore, we may choose to issue common stock as part or all of the consideration in acquisitions of other companies and as part of our planned growth and acquisition strategy. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our shareholders.

 

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The following table shows, as of April 30, 2020, after giving effect to this offering, the number of shares of common stock purchased from us, the total consideration paid to us and the average price paid per share by existing shareholders and by new investors purchasing common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $                 per share, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us (in thousands, except per share amounts and percentages):

 

    

Shares Purchased

   

Total Consideration

   

Average Price

 
    

Number

    

Percent

   

Amount

    

Percent

   

Per Share

 

Existing shareholders

                                $                             $                
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

New investors

             $                
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

        100     $        100  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the total consideration paid by new investors and total consideration paid by all shareholders by approximately $             million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The above table and discussion excludes (i)             shares of common stock reserved for future grant or issuance under our 2020 Plan (which number does not include any future annual evergreen increases authorized pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Plan) or (ii) outstanding options to purchase              shares under our 2003 Plan at a weighted average price of $            .

Except as otherwise indicated, the above discussion and tables assume no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our common stock from us. If the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our common stock were exercised in full, our existing shareholders would own     % and the investors purchasing shares of our common stock in this offering would own     % of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after completion of this offering.

 

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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

The following tables present consolidated financial and other data. The consolidated balance sheet, income, and cash flow data as of and for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2018 and October 31, 2019 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have derived the consolidated balance sheet, income, and cash flow data as of and for the six months ended April 30, 2019 and 2020 from our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have prepared the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and have included, in our opinion, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments that we consider necessary for a fair statement of the interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

You should read this data together with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes, as well as the information under the caption “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of our future results, and results for any interim period below are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year.

 

   

Fiscal Year Ended

   

Six Months Ended

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

 

October 31, 2018

   

October 31, 2019

   

April 30, 2019

   

April 30, 2020

 

Statement of Comprehensive Income Data:

       

Net sales

  $ 859,887     $ 883,301     $ 368,040     $ 419,100  

Cost of sales

    805,931       728,626       305,611       378,240  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

    53,956       154,675       62,429       40,860  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    35,235       48,168       25,296       25,862  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income

    18,721       106,507       37,133       14,998  

Interest expense

    (5,396     (10,320     (5,207     (4,397

Equity method income

    12,433       3,359       1       438  

Impairment of equity method investment

        —       (21,164

Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

    62,020       —         —       —  

Other income (expense), net

    908       (3,549     (880     950  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income tax expense

    88,686       95,997       31,047       (9,175

Income tax expense

    16,245       24,298       7,838       4,212  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

  $ 72,441     $ 71,699     $ 23,209     $ (13,387
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income per share:

       

Basic

  $               $               $               $            

Diluted

  $               $               $               $            

 

    

As of

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31, 2018

    

October 31, 2019

    

April 30, 2020

 

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

        

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 26,314      $ 64,008      $ 26,568  

Total assets

     621,773        689,449        663,823  

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     192,404        174,034        174,128  

Capital leases, net of current portion

     2,800        4,561        4,170  

Total shareholders’ equity

     313,451        379,033        354,900  

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with “Selected Consolidated Financial and Other Data” and our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto that appear elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, those presented under “Risks related to our business” included in this prospectus.

Overview

We are a world leader in sourcing, producing and distributing fresh avocados, serving retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in over 25 countries. We source, produce, pack and distribute avocados to our customers and provide value-added services including ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. In addition, we provide our customers with merchandising and promotional support, insights on market trends and training designed to increase their retail avocado sales. Our operations consist of four packing facilities in the United States, Mexico and Peru, 11 distribution and ripening centers across the U.S., Canada, China and the Netherlands, as well as three sales offices in the U.S., China and the Netherlands. We own over 10,000 acres in Peru, of which over 8,300 acres are currently producing primarily avocados, and the remaining are greenfields that we intend to plant and harvest over the next few years. Since our founding in 1983, we have focused on long-term growth, innovation and strategic investments in our business, and reliable execution in our commitments to suppliers and customers.

We source and pack avocados primarily from Mexico, California and Peru, in addition to Colombia, Guatemala and Chile. By utilizing our own land and our relationships with thousands of third-party growers, we have access to complementary growing seasons, and are thus able to provide our customers with year-round supply. Our diversified sourcing also mitigates the impact of periodic, geographically-specific disruptions. Our packing facilities are among the largest in the world, both in terms of square footage and volume processed, and have advanced systems such as optical grading and sorting technology that analyzes and grades each piece of fruit and enables us to select fruit for our customers based on specifications. These facilities also enable us to control local supply logistics in the areas from which we source avocados.

We have developed a sophisticated global distribution network to transport avocados efficiently from our packing facilities to our customers around the world. We have invested in and manage the cold chain and other key logistics to ensure the fruit arrives to the customer in the optimal condition and level of ripeness. The U.S. is our largest market, where our ripening and distribution centers enable us to store and ripen avocados in close proximity to our highest volume customers nationwide. As a result, we are able to quickly fill our customers’ orders and adapt to their volume and ripeness preferences. Our dependability in delivering high quality avocados has led to long-term relationships with retail and foodservice customers.

The operating results of our businesses are significantly impacted by the price and volume of avocados we farm, source and distribute. In addition, our results have been, and will continue to be, affected by quarterly and annual fluctuations due to a number of factors, including but not limited to pests and disease, weather patterns, changes in demand by consumers, food safety advisories, the timing of the receipt, reduction, or cancellation of significant customer orders, the gain or loss of significant customers, the availability, quality and price of raw materials, the utilization of capacity at our various locations and general economic conditions.

We have two operating segments, which are also reporting segments. These reporting segments are Marketing and Distribution and International Farming. Our Marketing and Distribution reporting segment sources fruit from growers and then distributes the fruit through our global distribution network. Our International Farming segment owns and operates avocado orchards (principally located in Peru) that supply

 

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our Marketing and Distribution segment with a stable supply of avocados. Substantially all of the avocados produced by our International Farming segment are sold to our Marketing and Distribution segment. Our International Farming segment represents the operations of Grupo Arato, which was accounted for under the equity method of accounting until we consolidated the entity on September 20, 2018.

Factors Impacting our Results

Grupo Arato and Moruga, Inc. SAC

On September 20, 2018, we acquired the remaining 50% of the outstanding capital stock of Grupo Arato held by a third party and an additional 30% of outstanding capital stock of Moruga Inc. SAC (“Moruga”) held by the same third-party. Grupo Arato owns and operates avocado farms and processing facilities in Peru and Moruga operates blueberry farming and processing facilities in Peru. The total consideration paid by us amounted to $163.1 million to acquire the additional interests in Grupo Arato and Moruga, which included cash consideration of $11.1 million, a short-term note payable of $40.0 million, and the issuance of shares of common stock determined to be $112.0 million. Following the acquisition, the results of operations of Grupo Arato were consolidated and we ceased to record equity income for Grupo Arato. Subsequent to our acquisition of an additional 30% interest in Moruga, we continue to account for this investment in Moruga under the equity method of accounting because we do not have a controlling financial interest in the entity.

During the second quarter of fiscal 2020, industry wide production information regarding the 2019-2020 blueberry harvest in Peru became available, indicating that there is greater competition and expansion by competitors than what we were previously expecting. We believe that the increase in supply due to expansion will result in a reduction in pricing over the long-term. As a result of this factor, among others, we lowered our long-term revenue and profitability forecasts of Moruga during the second quarter of fiscal 2020, and concluded that the reduction in the forecasted revenues was an indicator of impairment. As a result, we tested our investment in Moruga for impairment and concluded that the estimated fair value of the investment in Moruga was less than the carrying value of the investment. Due to the change in long-term pricing and revenue expectations, we concluded that the impairment is other-than-temporary. We recorded an impairment charge of $21.2 million to reduce the carrying balance of the investment to its estimated fair value of $22.2 million during the second quarter of fiscal 2020.

Currency

Our financial reporting currency is the U.S. dollar and the functional currency of our subsidiaries is the U.S. Dollar and substantially all of our sales are denominated in U.S. dollars. A significant portion of our purchases of avocados are denominated in the Mexican Peso and a significant portion of our growing and harvesting costs are denominated in Peruvian Soles. Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. Dollar and these local currencies usually do not have a significant impact on our gross margin because the impact affects our pricing by comparable amounts. Our margin exposure to exchange rate fluctuations is short-term in nature, as our sales price commitments are generally limited to less than one month and orders can primarily be serviced with procured inventory. Over longer periods of time, we believe that the impact exchange rate fluctuations will have on our cost of goods sold will largely be passed on to our customers in the form of higher or lower prices.

Recent Developments

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the global economy, disrupted global supply chains and created significant volatility and disruption of financial markets. Government imposed closures and shelter-in-place orders across our key global markets have created volatility in supply and demand conditions. We have successfully implemented contingency plans throughout our operations in the U.S., Mexico and Peru in response to these dynamic market conditions. We believe that we are well positioned for the future as we continue to navigate the crisis and prepare for an eventual return to a more normal operating environment.

 

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The COVID-19 pandemic began to have an adverse impact on our operating results during March, resulting in cancelled orders and altered customer buying patterns. The effects of the pandemic were most pronounced with our foodservice customer base. However, we have managed the COVID-19 pandemic thus far with minimal disruption to our overall business. In response to the COVID-19 disruptions, we have implemented a number of measures to protect the health and safety of our workforce. These measures include restrictions on non-essential business travel, the institution of work-from-home policies wherever feasible and the implementation of strategies for workplace safety at our facilities. We are unsure of the degree to which the pandemic will impact our future performance. The extent of the impact will depend on numerous factors, including the duration and spread of the pandemic and related government restrictions, which are uncertain and cannot be predicted.

Results of Operations

Comparison of Six Months ended April 30, 2019 and 2020

Results of Operations

The following table sets forth our results of operations for the six months ended April 30, 2019 and 2020, and as a percentage of sales.

 

    

Six Months Ended

 
    

April 30, 2019

   

April 30, 2020

 
    

Dollar

    

Percent

   

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Net sales

   $ 368,040        100.0   $ 419,100        100.0

Cost of sales

     305,611        83.0       378,240        90.3  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Gross profit

     62,429        17.0       40,860        9.7  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     25,296        6.9       25,862        6.2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating income

     37,133        10.1       14,998        3.6  

Interest expense

     (5,207      (1.4     (4,397      (1.0

Equity method income

     1        0.0       438        0.1  

Impairment of equity method investment

     —        0.0       (21,164      (5.0

Other income (expense), net

     (880      (0.2     950        0.2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income tax expense

     31,047        8.4       (9,175      (2.2

Income tax expense

     7,838        2.1       4,212        1.0  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 23,209        6.3   $ (13,387      (3.2 )% 
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Sales

Our net sales are generated predominantly from the shipment of fresh avocados to retail, wholesale and foodservice customers worldwide. Our net sales are affected by numerous factors, including mainly the balance between the supply of and demand for our produce and competition from other fresh produce companies. Our net sales are also dependent on our ability to supply a consistent volume and quality of fresh produce to the markets we serve.

 

    

Six Months Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

April 30,
2019

    

April 30,
2020

    

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Net Sales:

           

Marketing & Distribution

   $ 363,106      $ 414,000      $ 50,894        14.0

International Farming

     4,934        5,100        166        3.4  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Net Sales

   $ 368,040      $ 419,100      $ 51,060        13.9
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

The increase in net sales for the six months ended April 30, 2020 as compared with the six months ended April 30, 2019 was due to an increase in the average per unit sales price of 8% combined with an increase in the volume of fresh avocados sold of 6%. Average price increases were concentrated in the second quarter of

 

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fiscal 2020 as our sales mix shifted from foodservice customers more towards retail customers that typically pay a premium for fruit of a specific size and quality. We believe that this shift was the result of the COVID-19 related stay-at-home order that significantly impacted the foodservice sector. The overall volume increase for the six-months ended April 30, 2020 when compared to the six-months ended April 30, 2019 was higher because volumes were abnormally depressed in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 due to supply interruptions in Mexico, which represents our primary source of avocados during this time of year.

Gross Profit

Costs of sales is composed primarily of avocado procurement costs from independent growers and packers, logistic costs, packaging costs, labor, costs associated with cultivation (the cost of growing crops), harvesting and depreciation. Avocado procurement costs from third-party suppliers can vary significantly between and within fiscal years and correlate closely with market prices for avocados. While we have long-standing relationships with our growers and packers, we predominantly purchase fruit on a daily basis at market rates. As such, the cost to procure products from independent growers can have a significant impact on our costs.

Logistics costs include land and sea transportation and expenses related to port facilities and distribution centers. Land transportation costs consist primarily of third-party trucking services to support North American distribution, while sea transportation cost consists primarily of third-party shipping of refrigerated containers from supply markets in South and Central America to demand markets in North America, Europe and Asia. Variations in containerboard prices, which affect the cost of boxes and other packaging materials, and fuel prices can have an impact on our product cost and our profit margins. Variations in the production yields, and other input costs also affect our cost of sales.

In general, changes in our volume of products sold can have a disproportionate effect on our gross profit. Within any particular year, a significant portion of our cost of products are fixed, particularly in our International Farming segment. Accordingly, higher volumes processed through packing and distribution facilities or produced on company-owned farms directly reduce the average cost per pound of fruit grown on company owned orchards, while lower volumes directly increase the average cost per pound of fruit grown on company owned orchards. While we experienced an increase in the volume of fresh avocados marketed in the first half of fiscal 2020, production from our International Farming segment was not a contributor to this increase due to the timing of the Peruvian harvest. As such, the higher volumes experienced during the six months ended April 30, 2020 did not benefit the gross profit percentage.

 

    

Six Months Ended

   

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

April 30,
2019

   

April 30,
2020

   

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Gross profit

   $ 62,429     $ 40,860     $ (21,569)        (34.5 )% 

Gross profit percentages

     17.0     9.7     

Gross profit decreased during the six months ended April 30, 2020 as a result of lower gross margin percentage partially offset by higher sales volumes. The decrease in gross margin percentage was due primarily to the benefit of abnormally low costs of acquiring fruit from third-parties experienced in the same period of fiscal 2019 when compared with third-party fruit costs incurred during fiscal 2020. The market conditions experienced during the early part of fiscal 2019 were non-recurring in nature, as customer prices remained steady despite significant declines in fruit costs incurred due to the instability of supply from Mexico. The abnormally low third-party fruit costs were concentrated in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and did not persist throughout the entire year. The International Farming segment generated gross losses during the first six months of each period as sales are limited to packing services, which do not fully absorb the fixed cost infrastructure of our Peru operations.

 

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Selling, general and administrative expenses

 

    

Six Months Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

   April 30,
2019
     April 30,
2020
     Dollar      Percent  

Selling, general and administrative expense

   $ 25,296      $ 25,862      $ 566        2.2

Selling, general and administrative expenses primarily include the costs associated with selling, advertising and promotional expenses, professional fees, general corporate overhead and other related administrative functions. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased during the six months ended April 30, 2020 due primarily to organizational costs associated with the establishment of farming operations in Guatemala, where we leased 1,235 acres during fiscal 2020. Increases in professional fees when compared to the same period prior year are being offset by lower salary and wage expenses that is attributed to lower accruals for management bonuses due to weaker operating performance.

Interest expense

 

    

Six Months Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

April 30,
2019

    

April 30,
2020

    

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Interest expense

   $ 5,207      $ 4,397      $ (810      (15.6 )% 

Interest expense consists primarily of interest on borrowings under working capital facilities that we maintain and interest on other long-term debt used to make capital and equity investments. Our interest expense decreased in fiscal 2020 due to a combination of lower interest rates and lower average debt balances. A substantial portion of our debt has variable interest rates that are based on LIBOR, which has declined significantly since fiscal 2019. Reduction in average debt balances is due to principal payments of existing long-term debt as well as prepayments of term debt that were made in fiscal 2019.

Equity method income and impairment of equity method investment

 

    

Six Months Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

April 30,
2019

    

April 30,
2020

    

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Equity method income

   $ 1      $ 438      $ 437        43700.0

Impairment of equity method investment

   $    $ (21,164    $ (21,164     

Equity method income is primarily generated by earnings or losses from our investments in Henry Avocados and Moruga. Due to the timing of the harvest, we do not expect our equity method income to be material during the first six months of any given fiscal year.

During the second quarter of fiscal 2020, industry wide production information regarding the 2019-2020 blueberry harvest in Peru became available, indicating that there is greater competition and expansion by competitors than what we were previously expecting. We believe that the increase in supply due to expansion will result in a reduction in pricing over the long-term. As a result of this factor, among others, we lowered our long-term revenue and profitability forecasts of Moruga during the second quarter of fiscal 2020, and concluded that the reduction in the forecasted revenues was an indicator of impairment. As a result, we tested our investment in Moruga for impairment and concluded that the estimated fair value of the investment in Moruga was less than the carrying value of the investment. Due to the change in long-term pricing and revenue expectations, we concluded that the impairment is other-than-temporary. We recorded an impairment charge of $21.2 million to reduce the carrying balance of the investment to its estimated fair value of $22.2 million during the second quarter of fiscal 2020.

 

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Other income (expense), net

 

    

Six Months Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

April 30,
2019

    

April 30,
2020

    

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Other income (expense), net

   $ (880    $ 950      $ 1,830        (208.0 )% 

Other income (expense), net, primarily consists of interest income, currency exchange gains or losses, interest rate derivative gains or losses and other miscellaneous income and expense items. Our other income (expense), net, increased during the six months ended April 30, 2020 when compared to the same period in the prior year primarily due to foreign currency gains resulting from the weakening of the Mexican peso exchange rate relative to the US dollar. These gains are partially offset by higher levels of unrealized losses on interest rate contracts driven by market movements in short-term interest rates during the fiscal 2020 period.

Income tax expense

 

    

Six Months Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

April 30,
2019

    

April 30,
2020

    

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Income tax expense

   $ 7,838      $ 4,212      $ (3,626      (46.3 )% 

The Company’s effective tax rate for the six months ended April 30, 2019 and 2020 was 25% and (46)%, respectively. The income tax rate for the comparative periods is different than the federal statutory rate primarily because income attributable to foreign jurisdictions is taxed at different rates than the federal statutory rate, changes in foreign exchange rates taxable in foreign jurisdictions, state taxes, nondeductible expense, and changes in uncertain tax positions. The Company recorded income tax expense during the six months ended April 30, 2020 even though the Company incurred a pre-tax loss. This is because a valuation allowance of $4.9 million was established against the deferred tax asset that was generated from the impairment of Moruga. In addition, we reported discrete tax expense of $2.3 million related to foreign exchange gains recorded in our Mexico subsidiary that are eliminated in consolidation. These expenses were partially offset by a discrete tax benefit of $1.2 million recorded related to net operating loss carrybacks that can be applied to higher tax rate years as a result of enactment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020.

Segment Results of Operations

We evaluate and monitor segment performance for our Marketing and Distribution segment and our International Farming segment primarily through Adjusted EBITDA. We believe that segment Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information for analyzing the underlying business results as well as allowing investors a means to evaluate the financial results of each reportable segment in relation to our company as a whole. Adjusted EBITDA is not defined under U.S. GAAP and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income or cash flow measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP or as a measure of our profitability. Additionally, our computation of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures computed by other companies, because not all companies calculate Adjusted EBITDA in the same manner.

 

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Net sales from each of our reportable segments were as follows:

 

    

Six Months Ended April 30, 2019

   

Six Months Ended April 30, 2020

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

Marketing &
Distribution

    

International
Farming

   

Total

   

Marketing &
Distribution

    

International
Farming

   

Total

 

Third party sales

   $ 363,106      $ 4,934     $ 368,040     $ 414,000      $ 5,100     $ 419,100  

Affiliated sales

     —          2,409       2,409       —          263       263  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total segment sales

   $ 363,106      $ 7,343     $ 370,449     $ 414,000      $ 5,363     $ 419,363  

Intercompany eliminations

     —          (2,409     (2,409     —          (263     (263
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total net sales

   $ 363,106      $ 4,934     $ 368,040     $ 414,000      $ 5,100     $ 419,100  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA for each of our reporting segments is as follows:

 

    

Six Months Ended

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

April 30,
2019

    

April 30,
2020

 

Marketing & Distribution Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 47,290      $ 27,827  

International Farming Adjusted EBITDA

     (3,784      (5,011
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Reportable Segment Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 43,506      $ 22,816  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Income

   $ 23,209      $ (13,387

Interest expense

     5,207        4,397  

Income taxes

     7,838        4,212  

Depreciation and amortization

     6,373        7,132  

Equity method income

     (1      (438

Impairment of equity method investment

     —        21,164  

Other income (expense), net

     880        (950

Share-based compensation

          686  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 43,506      $ 22,816  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Marketing and Distribution

The increase in net sales for Marketing and Distribution for the six months ended April 30, 2020 when compared to the six months ended April 30, 2019 is attributable to the same factors impacting the overall increase in net sales discussed above.

The decrease in Adjusted EBITDA for the six months ended April 30, 2020 when compared to the six months ended April 30, 2019 for Marketing and Distribution is primarily attributable to a lower gross profit per pound of avocados sold when compared to the comparable prior year period. The decrease in gross margin was due primarily to the benefit of abnormally low third-party fruit costs during the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The market conditions experienced in the prior year period were non-recurring in nature, as customer prices remained steady despite significant declines in fruit costs due to the instability of supply from Mexico.

International Farming

The increase in net sales for International Farming for the six months ended April 30, 2020 when compared to the six months ended April 30, 2019 is due to the introduction of sales from our initial crop of mangos in fiscal 2020 partially offset by lower avocado packing service revenues provided to third-party growers due to delays in the start of the harvest season. The delay in the timing of the avocado harvest in Peru by approximately two weeks from mid-April to late-April as compared to the same period prior year is also the

 

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primary driver of the reduction in affiliated sales. The avocado harvest season for our Peruvian farms typically runs from April through August of each year and, as such, the affiliated sales of International Farming are concentrated during this timeframe.

The decrease in Adjusted EBITDA for International Farming for the six months ended April 30, 2020 when compared to the six months ended April 30, 2019 is attributable to a combination of gross losses on the sales of our initial Peruvian mango crop and higher general and administrative costs, much of which is due to start-up costs associated with the establishment of initial farming operations in Guatemala, where we leased 1,235 acres. The losses on the mango harvest are due primarily to lower average sales prices, as the harvest window aligned with the onset of the COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders. International Farming generated gross losses during the first six months of each period as sales do not fully absorb the fixed cost infrastructure of our Peru operation. Adjusted EBITDA for International Farming is generally concentrated in the third and fourth quarters of our fiscal year in alignment with the harvest season for avocados in Peru.

Comparison of the Years Ended October 31, 2018 and 2019

The following table sets forth our results of operations for fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2019 and as a percentage of sales.

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

 
    

October 31, 2018

   

October 31, 2019

 
    

Dollar

   

Percent

   

Dollar

   

Percent

 

Net sales

   $ 859,887       100.0   $ 883,301       100.0

Cost of sales

     805,931       93.7       728,626       82.5  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     53,956       6.3       154,675       17.5  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     35,235       4.1       48,168       5.5  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income

     18,721       2.2       106,507       12.1  

Interest expense

     (5,396     (0.6     (10,320     (1.2

Equity method income

     12,433       1.4       3,359       0.4  

Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

     62,020       7.2       —       0.0  

Other income (expense), net

     908       0.1       (3,549     (0.4
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income before income tax expense

     88,686       10.3       95,997       10.9  

Income tax expense

     16,245       1.9       24,298       2.8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income

   $ 72,441       8.4   $ 71,699       8.1
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net Sales

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31,
2018

    

October 31,
2019

    

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Net sales:

           

Marketing and Distribution

   $ 858,529      $ 873,665      $ 15,136        1.8

International Farming

     1,358        9,636        8,278        609.6  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total net sales

   $ 859,887      $ 883,301      $ 23,414        2.7
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

The increase in net sales was primarily due to an increase in the average sales price per pound of 18% compared to fiscal 2018. The increase in average sales price per pound was partially offset by a 13% decrease in volume of avocados sold due primarily to lower industry supply conditions. We attribute much of the increase in price to the strong consumer demand throughout the year and limited industry supply. Industry supply was negatively impacted by weather-related events in Peru and California, while the percentage growth in exportable

 

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production from Mexico was lower than prior years. The increase in International Farming net sales is due to the full year impact of consolidating Grupo Arato. Grupo Arato sells virtually all of its fruit to our Marketing and Distribution segment, and its third-party revenues are primarily derived from packing services provided to avocado and blueberry growers in Peru.

Gross Profit

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

   

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31,
2018

   

October 31,
2019

   

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Gross profit

   $ 53,956     $ 154,675     $ 100,719        186.7

Gross profit as a percentage of net sales

     6.3     17.5     

Fiscal year 2019 performance benefited from increased profit on the sale of avocados sourced from third-party growers that was due to improved efficiency in several key areas across our product sourcing, production and distribution footprint, which helped to complement the favorable market supply conditions and continued strong consumer demand. Fiscal year 2019 gross margins and margin percentage also benefitted from growth in and the full year impact of consolidating Grupo Arato into our International Farming segment, which on average generates a significantly higher gross margin percentage than our historical Marketing and Distribution business.

Selling, general and administrative expenses

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31,
2018

    

October 31,
2019

    

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses

   $ 35,235      $ 48,168      $ 12,933        36.7

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased in fiscal 2019 primarily due to an increase in accrued management bonuses (approximately $5.5 million due to operating income growth), the full year impact of consolidating Grupo Arato (approximately $7.1 million) and higher professional fees.

Equity method income and remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31,
2018

    

October 31,
2019

    

Dollar

   

Percent

 

Equity method income

   $ 12,433      $ 3,359      $ (9,074     (73.0 )% 

Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

     62,020        —          (62,020     (100.0 )% 

In fiscal 2018, earnings from our investment in Grupo Arato were accounted for as equity method income through September 2018. In September 2018, we acquired the remaining outstanding capital stock of Grupo Arato, which resulted in a remeasurement gain of $62.0 million recorded during fiscal 2018. In fiscal 2019, our equity method income decreased due to the acquisition and subsequent consolidation of our investment in Grupo Arato (approximately $8.4 million).

Interest expense

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31,
2018

    

October 31,
2019

    

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Interest expense

   $ 5,396      $ 10,320      $ 4,924        91.3

Our interest expense increased in fiscal 2019 due to higher average debt balances, principally as a result of the full year impact of the additional borrowings that were used to finance the Grupo Arato acquisition in September 2018.

 

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Other income (expense), net

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31,
2018

    

October 31,
2019

    

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Other income (expense), net

   $ 908      $ (3,549    $ (4,457      (490.9 )% 

Our other income (expense), net, decreased in fiscal 2019 primarily due to unrealized losses on interest rate contracts intended to fix interest rates on long-term debt resulting from declining short-term interest rates as well as foreign currency exchange losses that resulted from a weaker US dollar relative to the Mexican peso over the course of the year. These impacts were partially offset by higher interest income resulting from higher bank balances and the non-recurrence of debt extinguishment costs incurred in fiscal 2018 in relation to debt refinancing performed subsequent to the Grupo Arato acquisition.

Income tax expense

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

    

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31,
2018

    

October 31,
2019

    

Dollar

    

Percent

 

Income tax expense

   $ 16,245      $ 24,298      $ 8,053        49.6

Income tax expense consist of the consolidation of the tax provisions, computed on a separate entity basis, in each country in which we have operations. We recognize the effects of tax legislation in the period in which the law is enacted. Our deferred tax assets and liabilities are remeasured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years we estimate the related temporary differences to reverse. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon future earnings, the timing and amount of which are uncertain.

We recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon settlement. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized within provision for income taxes.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”), enacted on December 22, 2017, among other things, permanently lowered the statutory federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, effective for tax years including or beginning January 1, 2018. Although in the normal course of business the Company is required to make estimates and assumptions for certain tax items which cannot be fully determined at period end, the Company did not identify items for which the income tax effects of the Tax Act have not been completed as of October 31, 2018 and, therefore, considers its accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act on its deferred tax assets and liabilities to be complete as of October 31, 2018.

Income tax expense increased in fiscal 2019 due to a combination of higher pre-tax income and a higher effective tax rate. The effective tax rate increased from 18.3% in fiscal 2018 to 25.3% in fiscal 2019 primarily due to the following non-recurring items in 2018: favorable impact of remeasuring net deferred tax assets and liabilities at newly enacted tax rates and the net tax benefit related to the application of the transition tax on accumulated foreign earnings due to the favorable impact of foreign tax credits.

 

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Segment Results of Operations

Net sales from each of our reportable segments were as follows:

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2018

   

Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2019

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

Marketing &
Distribution

    

International
Farming

   

Total

   

Marketing &
Distribution

    

International
Farming

   

Total

 

Third party sales

   $ 858,529      $ 1,358     $ 859,887     $ 873,665      $ 9,636     $ 883,301  

Affiliated sales

     —          —         —         —          80,676       80,676  

Equity method sales

     —          36,534       36,534       —          —         —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total segment sales

   $ 858,529      $ 37,892     $ 896,421     $ 873,665      $ 90,312     $ 963,977  

Intercompany eliminations

     —          —         —         —          (80,676     (80,676

Equity method eliminations

     —          (36,534     (36,534     —          —         —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total net sales

   $ 858,529      $ 1,358     $ 859,887     $ 873,665      $ 9,636     $ 883,301  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

The table above includes affiliated sales between the International Farming segment and the Marketing and Distribution segment, which are eliminated in the intercompany eliminations noted above. In addition, during the year ended October 31, 2018, the table above includes our proportionate 50% share of the International Farming segment sales while Grupo Arato was being accounted for as an equity method investment, which are identified as equity method sales in the table above.

Adjusted EBITDA for each of our reporting segments is as follows:

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

   

Variance

 

(U.S. dollars in thousands)

  

October 31,
2018

   

October 31,
2019

   

Dollar

   

Percent

 

Marketing and Distribution Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 28,279     $ 87,956     $ 59,677       211.0

International Farming Adjusted EBITDA

     14,825       35,017       20,192       136.2  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 43,104     $ 122,973     $ 79,869       185.3
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income

   $ 72,441     $ 71,699     $ (742     (1.0 )% 

Interest expense

     5,396       10,320       4,924       91.3  

Income tax expense

     16,245       24,298       8,053       49.6  

Depreciation and amortization

     9,440       16,466       7,026       74.4  

Equity method income(1)

     (12,433     (3,359     9,074       (73.0

Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

     (62,020     —         64,020       (100.0

Other income (expense), net

     (908     3,549       4,457       (490.9

Share-based compensation

     9       —         (9     (100.0
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
     28,170       122,973       94,803       336.5  

Pre-acquisition International Farming Segment Adjusted EBITDA(1)

     14,934       —         (14,934     (100.0
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 43,104     $ 122,973     $ 79,869       185.3
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Includes results of all of Grupo Arato from November 1, 2017 through September 20, 2018, when we acquired the remaining 50% of this subsidiary. This amount represents our 50% proportionate share of Grupo Arato’s Adjusted EBITDA through September 20, 2018.

During the year ended October 31, 2018, the table above includes our proportionate 50% share of the International Farming segment’s Adjusted EBITDA through September 20, 2018 while Grupo Arato was being accounted for as an equity method investment.

 

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Marketing and Distribution

The increase in net sales for Marketing and Distribution is attributable to the same factors impacting the overall increase in net sales discussed above.

The increase in Adjusted EBITDA for Marketing and Distribution is primarily attributable to a higher gross profit per pound of avocados sold. The higher margin per pound is due to improved efficiency in several key areas across our product sourcing, production and distribution footprint, which helped to complement the favorable market supply conditions and continued strong consumer demand. This increase was partially offset by higher selling, general and administrative expenses that were driven by increases in accrued management bonuses (approximately $5.5 million due to operating income growth).

International Farming

The increase in International Farming net sales is due in part to the full year impact of consolidating Grupo Arato, which was acquired on September 20, 2018. Substantially all of the sales of our International Farming reportable segment are to our Marketing and Distribution reportable segment, and sales to independent third parties are not significant. The International Farming sales prior to September 20, 2018 represent our proportionate 50% share of Grupo Arato’s sales prior to the consolidation of our investment in Grupo Arato. Overall, volumes from our International Farming reporting segment decreased 21% in fiscal 2019 over fiscal 2018 due primarily to weather conditions that negatively impacted production yields, while average sales prices increased by 33% as a result of industry supply shortages.

The increase in Adjusted EBITDA for International Farming is primarily attributable to the full year impact of consolidating the Grupo Arato farming operation. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA benefitted from higher sales prices experienced during fiscal 2019 due to tighter industry supply that more than offset volume reductions due to lower production yields that were caused by weather conditions. Within any particular year, a significant portion of our cost of international farming products are fixed. Accordingly, changes in volumes produced on company-owned farms or average sales prices will have a disproportionate effect on Adjusted EBITDA.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The following table summarizes our sources and uses of cash over the periods indicated:

 

    

Fiscal Year Ended

   

Six Months Ended

 

(In thousands)

  

October 31, 2018

   

October 31, 2019

   

April 30, 2019

   

April 30, 2020

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

   $ 32,669     $ 92,634     $ 4,210     $ (4,725

Net cash used in investing activities

     (64,459     (30,671     (13,750     (21,911

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     48,401       (26,791     5,709       (9,882

Six Months Ended April 30, 2020 versus 2019

Operating cash flows are seasonal in nature. We typically see increases in non-cash working capital during the first and second quarters of our fiscal year as our supply is predominantly sourced from Mexico under payment terms that are shorter than terms established for other source markets. In addition, we are building our growing crops inventory in our International Farming segment during the first half of our fiscal year for ultimate harvest and sale that will occur during the second half of the fiscal year. While these increases in non-cash working capital can cause operating cash flows to be negative in individual quarters, it is not indicative of operating cash performance that we expect to realize for the full year. This impact was not seen in the first half of fiscal 2019 as a result of the abnormally high gross margins that were non-recurring in nature, the favorable timing of value-added tax refunds in Peru and lower incentive bonus payouts correlated to operating performance in fiscal 2018 versus fiscal 2019.

 

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For the six months ended April 30, 2020, cash flows used in operating activities totaled $4.7 million. The use of cash was primarily driven by increases in accounts receivable, inventory and income tax receivables and decreases in accounts payable and income taxes payable. The increase in accounts receivables is primarily due to higher sales volumes in the preceding period. Increases in inventory are due to accumulated growing crop inventory in Peru during the off-season of harvest substantially offset by lower on-hand volumes of third-party Mexican fruit. Increases in income taxes receivable and decreases in income taxes payable are attributed to the timing of tax installment payments in our US and Peruvian operations. The decrease in accounts payable is due to changes in the timing of payments and the decrease in accrued expenses is primarily attributed to the timing of the payment of annual incentive bonus in January 2020.

For the six months ended April 30, 2020, cash flows used in investing activities include property, plant and equipment purchases of $19.7 million and investments in equity method investees of $1.9 million. Property, plant and equipment purchases primarily consist of farm development and packinghouse expansion in Peru, the purchase of farmland in California and initial site preparation costs for our new Texas distribution center. The equity method investments were made to our Copaltas S.A.S. joint venture to support the purchase of additional farmland in Colombia.

For the six months ended April 30, 2020, cash used in financing activities relates primarily to dividend payments to shareholders of $7.5 million, principal payments on debt and capital lease obligations of $3.5 million, stock repurchases totaling $1.8 million and payments for long-term supplier financing of $1.1 million. These activities were partially funded by net borrowings under our revolving credit facilities of $4.0 million.

Our principal sources of liquidity are our existing cash balances, cash generated from operations and amounts available for borrowing under our existing credit facilities. We believe that cash flows from operations and availability under our credit facility will be sufficient to satisfy our future capital expenditures, grower recruitment efforts, working capital and other financing requirements for the next twelve months. The credit facility requires us to comply with financial and other covenants, including limitations on investments, capital expenditures, dividend payments, amounts and types of liens and indebtedness, and material asset sales. As of April 30, 2020, we are required to comply with the following financial covenants: (a) a quarterly consolidated leverage ratio of not more than 3.25 to 1.00 and (b) a quarterly consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.50 to 1.00. As of April 30, 2020, we were in compliance with such covenants.

Fiscal 2019 versus 2018

Fiscal 2019 operating cash flows reflect our net income of $71.7 million, net increase of noncash charges driven primarily from depreciation and amortization, equity method income net of dividends received and unrealized losses on interest rate swaps of $19.1 million and a net increase from changes in the non-cash components of our working capital accounts of approximately $1.9 million. Fiscal 2019 increases in operating cash flows caused primarily by changes in non-cash components of working capital which include a decrease in miscellaneous receivables of $5.5 million, an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $5.2 million, an increase in grower payables of $4.3 million, an increase in income taxes payable of $2.9 million and an increase in other long-term liabilities of $3.1 million, partially offset by an increase in inventory of $12.2 million, an increase in accounts receivable of $2.7 million, an increase in fruit advances of $2.7 million and an increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets of $1.3 million.

Decreases in miscellaneous receivables are primarily attributed to the timing of Peruvian value-added tax refunds in fiscal 2019. The increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses is primarily due to higher incentive accruals driven by strong operating performance. The increase in grower payable primarily reflects an increase in our Mexican avocado grower payable due to higher inventory volumes and prices in October 2019 as compared to October 2018. The increase in income tax payable is attributed to the timing of tax installment

 

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payments in our U.S. and Peruvian operations. The increase in other liabilities is due to a long-term grower liability accrued in fiscal 2019 and due to additional accruals of interest and penalties on our uncertain tax positions. The increase in inventory is due to an increase in the volume of avocados on hand and higher average purchase prices as of October 31, 2019 as compared to the prior year combined with additional capitalized farming costs in Peru as a result of more acreage coming into production. The increase in accounts receivable when compared to prior year is primarily due to a shift in the sales mix during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 towards domestic customers with longer payment terms. In addition, net sales during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 included a larger percentage of sales of Peruvian fruit in Europe for which payment is received shortly after revenue is recognized. The increase in fruit advances is due primarily to seasonal advances provided in fiscal 2019 to suppliers of packed fruit in Mexico. The increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets is primarily attributed to an increase in non-grower supplier advances within our Peruvian operation related to material suppliers and fixed asset procurement.

Fiscal 2019 cash flows used in investing activities include property, plant and equipment purchases of $29.7 million and investments in equity method investees of $1.9 million. Property, plant and equipment purchases primarily consist of farm development and packinghouse expansion in Peru and expansion of distribution capacity in North America. In fiscal 2020, we expect our capital expenditures to be between $85 million and $90 million, primarily related to the acquisition of land and the building of a new distribution facility. Because avocado trees take up to five years to achieve full capacity, it takes several years for our investments to impact our results of operations. These investments are partially offset by repayments of notes receivable of $1.5 million, which is primarily due to the payoff of a related party note attributed to the sale of a former operating facility.

On September 20, 2018, we acquired the remaining 50% of the outstanding capital stock of Grupo Arato held by a third party and an additional 30% of outstanding capital stock of Moruga held by the same third-party. Grupo Arato owns and operates avocado farms and processing facilities in Peru, and Moruga operates blueberry farming and processing facilities in Peru. We acquired the remaining outstanding capital stock of Grupo Arato to gain control of significant volume of fruit at the source, which we can then allocate to global markets and customers in a manner consistent with our financial and strategic objectives. The total consideration paid by us amounted to $163.1 million, which included $158.7 million to acquire the additional interests in Grupo Arato and Moruga, and $4.4 million to settle a pre-existing liability with the existing shareholder. The consideration included cash of $11.1 million, a short-term note payable of $40.0 million and the issuance of shares of our common stock determined to be $112.0 million. The short-term note payable was paid by October 31, 2018.

Cash used in financing activities during fiscal 2019 relates primarily to principal payments on debt and capital lease obligations of $14.6 million, net payments on revolving credit facility of $6.0 million, our dividend payment to shareholders of $5.6 million and payments for the repurchase and retirement of common stock of $0.9 million.

Cash and cash equivalents as of October 31, 2018 was $26.3 million and as of October 31, 2019 was $64.0 million. Our working capital was $88.6 million at October 31, 2018 compared to $126.5 million at October 31, 2019.

In October 2018, we entered a $275 million syndicated credit facility with Bank of America, N.A. as administrative agent and lead bookrunner, proceeds of which were used to payoff existing bank debt and the short-term note payable generated from the acquisition of Grupo Arato. The credit facility is comprised of two term loans totaling $175 million and a revolving credit facility providing up to $100 million in borrowings that will expire in October 2023. The loans are secured by real property, personal property and the capital stock of our subsidiaries. Borrowings under the credit facility bear interest at a spread over LIBOR that varies with our leverage ratio. The credit facility also includes a swing line facility and an accordion feature which allows us to increase the borrowings by up to $125 million, with bank approval. Total credit available under revolving credit agreements was $94 million as of October 31, 2018 and $100 million as of October 31, 2019. The interest rate on

 

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the revolving credit facility was 4.29% as of October 31, 2018 and 3.54% as of October 31, 2019. Under this credit facility, we had $6 million outstanding as of October 31, 2018 and there was nothing outstanding as of October 31, 2019. We pay fees on unused commitments on the credit facility.

As of October 31, 2019, we were required to comply with the following financial covenants: (a) a quarterly consolidated leverage ratio of not more than 3.25 to 1.00 and (b) a quarterly consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.50 to 1.00. As of October 31, 2019, our consolidated leverage ratio was 1.16 to 1.00 and our consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio was 2.16 to 1.00 and we were in compliance with all such covenants of the credit facility.

The following table summarizes contractual obligations pursuant to which we are required to make cash payments. The information is presented as of October 31, 2019:

 

    

Total

    

Payments due by period

 

Contractual Obligations (in thousands)

  

< 1 year

    

2-3 years

    

4-5 years

    

> 5 years

 

Long-term debt(1)

   $ 180,955      $ 6,286      $ 16,908      $ 98,882      $ 58,879  

Interest on long-term debt(2)

     32,366        7,385        13,879        9,055        2,047  

Capital lease commitments

     6,695        1,384        2,960        2,269        82  

Operating lease commitments

     20,990        4,352        5,999        3,889        6,750  

Purchase commitments

     5,180        5,180                       
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 246,186      $ 24,587      $ 39,746      $ 114,095      $ 67,758  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

In October 2018, we entered into a $275.0 million credit facility, comprised of two term loans totaling $175.0 million and a revolving credit facility for up to $100.0 million.

(2)

Includes interest payments on our credit facility based on rates as of October 31, 2019. The impact of our outstanding floating-to-fixed interest rate swap on the variable rate debt interest payments has been reflected in the interest payments noted above. As a result, approximately $100 million of our variable rate debt under the credit facility has been treated as if it were 4.07% fixed rate debt.

In April 2020, we entered into an agreement with a general contractor to construct a new distribution facility in Laredo, Texas. This facility will support our distribution of Mexican sourced fruit into North American markets and will include border crossing, cold storage and value-added processing capabilities. The total estimated cost of the contract is $41.6 million, of which $1.1 million has been incurred as of April 30, 2020. The project is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of fiscal 2021.

Internal Control over Financial Reporting

In the course of preparing the consolidated financial statements that are included in this prospectus, we and our independent registered public accounting firm has determined that we have a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. This material weakness relates to a lack of sufficient technical accounting resources. Control deficiencies that aggregate to the material weakness relating to a lack of sufficient technical accounting resources included controls related to (1) determination of the functional currency and foreign currency translation, (2) accounting for uncertain tax positions and income taxes, and (3) purchase accounting, among others. Control deficiencies relating to a lack of sufficient technical accounting resources also included insufficient resources for the timely review of certain accounting analyses and associated journal entries, and of the financial statement and disclosure preparation process. In aggregate we have deemed these deficiencies to be a material weakness.

In order to remediate this material weakness, we plan to take the following actions:

 

   

the hiring and continued hiring of additional accounting and finance resources with technical accounting background and public company experience and supplementing our current resources, as necessary, with external technical accounting resources;

 

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implementation of additional review controls and processes; and

 

   

implementation of processes and controls to better identify and manage risks.

In accordance with the provisions of the JOBS Act, we and our independent registered public accounting firm were not required to, and did not, perform an evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting as of October 31, 2019 nor any period subsequent in accordance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that we have identified all, or that we will not in the future have additional, material weaknesses. Material weaknesses may still exist when we report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act after the completion of this offering.

Critical Accounting Estimates

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, sales and expenses. On an ongoing basis, we re-evaluate all of our estimates, including those related to the areas of customer and grower receivables, inventories, useful lives of property, plant and equipment, promotional allowances, equity income/losses and impairment analysis from unconsolidated entities, goodwill and acquired intangible assets, income taxes and commitments and contingencies. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Additionally, we frequently engage third party valuation experts to assist us with estimates described below. Actual results may materially differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions as additional information becomes available in future periods.

We believe the following are the more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.

Investments. We maintain investments in other growers, packers and distributors of avocados located in the United States, Colombia, Peru and China. We account for these non-marketable investments using the equity method of accounting if the investment gives us the ability to exercise significant influence over, but not control, an investee. Significant influence generally exists when we have an ownership interest representing between 20% and 50% of the voting stock of the investee. Under the equity method of accounting, investments are stated at initial cost and are adjusted for subsequent additional investments and our proportionate share of earnings or losses and distributions. We evaluate whether our equity method investments are impaired when certain indications of impairment are present. Although a current fair value below the recorded investment is an indicator of impairment, we recognize an impairment loss on our equity method investments only if the loss in value is deemed to be an other-than-temporary-impairment (“OTTI”). If an impairment of an equity method investment is determined to be other than temporary, we record an impairment charge sufficient to reduce the investment’s carrying value to its fair value, which results in a new cost basis in the investment. The primary factors we consider in our determination of whether declines in fair value are other than temporary are the length of time that the fair value of the investment is below our carrying value; the severity of the decline; and the financial condition, operating performance and near term prospects of the investee. In addition, we consider the reason for the decline in fair value, be it general market conditions, industry specific or investee specific; and our intent and ability to hold the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for a recovery in fair value. As our assessment of the fair value of our investments and any resulting impairment losses and the timing of when to recognize such charges requires judgment and includes estimates and assumptions, actual results could differ materially from our estimates and assumptions.

 

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During the second quarter of fiscal 2020, we determined that indicators of impairment existed in our Moruga equity method investment. As a result, we tested our investment in Moruga for impairment and concluded that the estimated fair value of the investment in Moruga was less than the carrying value of the investment and recorded an impairment charge. The fair value of the investment is a Level 3 measurement in the fair value hierarchy and we determined the fair value of the investment using a combination of the market approach and the income approach. Refer to Note 5 to the interim Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information on the key assumptions used to determine the fair value of the investment.

Goodwill. Our goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of business combinations over the fair value of the net assets acquired. We assess goodwill for impairment on an annual basis during the 4th quarter of each year, and between annual tests whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. An impairment exists by the amount the fair value of a reporting unit to which goodwill has been allocated is less than their respective carrying values. The impairment for goodwill is limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. Goodwill impairment testing requires significant judgment and management estimates, including, but not limited to, the determination of (i) the number of reporting units, (ii) the goodwill and other assets and liabilities to be allocated to the reporting units and (iii) the fair values of the reporting units. The estimates and assumptions described above, along with other factors such as discount rates, will significantly affect the outcome of the impairment tests and the amounts of any resulting impairment losses.

Income taxes. We account for deferred tax liabilities and assets for the future consequences of events that have been recognized in our consolidated financial statements or tax returns. Measurement of the deferred items is based on enacted tax laws. In the event the future consequences of differences between financial reporting bases and tax bases of our assets and liabilities result in a deferred tax asset, we perform an evaluation of the probability of being able to realize the future benefits indicated by such asset. A valuation allowance related to a deferred tax asset is recorded when it is more likely than not that all or some portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.

As a multinational corporation, we are subject to taxation in many jurisdictions, and the calculation of our tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws and regulations in various taxing jurisdictions. If we ultimately determine that the payment of these liabilities will be unnecessary, the liability will be reversed, and we will recognize a tax benefit during the period in which it is determined the liability no longer applies. Conversely, we record additional tax charges in a period in which it is determined that a recorded tax liability is less than the ultimate assessment is expected to be.

We recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon settlement. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized within provision for income taxes.

The application of tax laws and regulations is subject to legal and factual interpretation, judgment and uncertainty. Tax laws and regulations themselves are subject to change as a result of changes in fiscal policy, changes in legislation, the evolution of regulations and court rulings. Therefore, the actual liability for U.S. or foreign taxes may be materially different from management’s estimates, which could result in the need to record additional tax liabilities or potentially reverse previously recorded tax liabilities.

Stock-Based Compensation. We use the fair value recognition method for accounting for stock-based compensation. Under the fair value recognition method, cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense on the straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. Under the fair value recognition method, when vesting is based on the occurrence of certain defined liquidity events, expense relative to such awards is measured based on the grant date fair value of

 

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the award and is recorded when the event occurs. The most significant assumption used in the fair value recognition method is the fair value of the award on the date of grant. The fair value of the award is determined by management, with the assistance of a third-party firm, through a discounted cash flow analysis that is supported by a market approach.

On September 20, 2018, we determined the fair value of our common stock to be worth $159.90 per share, and as of October 29, 2019, we determined the fair value of our common stock to be $239.28 per share. The reason for the fair value increase from $159.90 per share to $239.28 per share is primarily due to certain changes in how we have been managed subsequent to September 2018 that resulted in increased profitability in fiscal 2019 and upward revisions to profit margin expectations in future years. Specifically, we made management and personnel changes in our sales and sourcing teams that improved our approach to managing customer requirements that enabled us to better manage volume and margin growth. Additionally, since September 2018, we began taking the necessary steps to prepare for an initial public offering, which included meeting with investment bankers and discussing timing expectations. Because our time to a liquidity event was shorter as of October 29, 2019, and the likelihood of an initial public offering became greater since September 20, 2018, a lower discount for lack of marketability was applied to the estimated fair value of the common stock as of October 29, 2019. The increase in fair value of the common stock considers these factors.

As of March 19, 2020, we determined the fair value of our common stock to be worth $214.70 per share, which represents a decrease in value when compared to the common stock value of $239.28 per share determined as of October 29, 2019. The reason for the decrease in fair value is due in part to the expected financial impact associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to COVID-19 and uncertain market conditions going forward, we revised our near-term projected financial information to reflect potential delays in harvest and consumption and reduced demand. More current farming data also caused us to revise our volume expectations from certain of our Peru operations. Lastly, timing and probability expectations related to an IPO were revised due to external market conditions at the time, causing a longer time to liquidity event and lower probability of IPO as compared to what was anticipated as of October 29, 2019. This resulted in a higher discount for lack of marketability being applied to estimate the fair value of the common stock as of March 19, 2020. The decrease in fair value of the common stock considers these factors.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Refer to Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements and the unaudited interim condensed financial statements included herein for information on recently issued accounting standards.

 

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BUSINESS

Introduction

We are a world leader in sourcing, producing and distributing fresh avocados, serving retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in over 25 countries. We source, produce, pack and distribute avocados to our customers and provide value-added services including ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. In addition, we provide our customers with merchandising and promotional support, insights on market trends and training designed to increase their retail avocado sales. Our operations consist of four packing facilities in the United States, Mexico and Peru, 11 distribution and ripening centers across the U.S., Canada, China and the Netherlands, as well as three sales offices in the U.S., China and the Netherlands. We own over 10,000 acres in Peru, of which over 8,300 acres are currently producing primarily avocados, and the remaining are greenfields that we intend to plant and harvest over the next few years. Since our founding in 1983, we have focused on long-term growth, innovation and strategic investments in our business, and reliable execution in our commitments to suppliers and customers. We operate within a strong and growing avocado industry and have played a major role in many of the industry’s innovations over the last 30 years. For example, we believe we were the first U.S. company to import avocados from Mexico, Peru and Chile, and were the first to incorporate ripening centers in to the distribution process.

We source and pack avocados primarily from Mexico, California and Peru, in addition to Colombia, Guatemala and Chile. By utilizing our own land and our relationships with thousands of third-party growers, we have access to complementary growing seasons, and are thus able to provide our customers with year-round supply. Our diversified sourcing also mitigates the impact of periodic, geographically-specific disruptions. Our packing facilities are among the largest in the world, both in terms of square footage and volume processed, and have advanced systems such as optical grading and sorting technology that analyzes and grades each piece of fruit and enables us to select fruit for our customers based on specifications. These facilities also enable us to control local supply logistics in the areas from which we source avocados.

We have developed a sophisticated global distribution network to transport avocados efficiently from our packing facilities to our customers around the world. We have invested in and manage the cold chain and other key logistics to ensure the fruit arrives to the customer in the optimal condition and level of ripeness. The U.S. is our largest market, where our ripening and distribution centers enable us to store and ripen avocados in close proximity to our highest volume customers nationwide. As a result, we are able to quickly fill our customers’ orders and adapt to their volume and ripeness preferences. Our dependability in delivering high quality avocados has led to long-term relationships with retail and foodservice customers. All of our top 10 customers in fiscal 2019 have been customers for at least 10 years and the majority have been customers for over 20 years.

For over 35 years, we have invested in people, state-of-the-art technology and avocado-specific infrastructure to better serve our customers and suppliers. Throughout our history, we have focused on conducting our business with honesty, respect and loyalty. Whether it be through water conservation, increasing use of renewable energy sources, providing meals, transportation and on-site healthcare to our employees in Peru or sponsoring higher-level education for our employees in the U.S., we are committed to operating in a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable manner. Our corporate culture embodies these values and, as a result, we believe we have a highly motivated and skilled work force that is committed to our business.

 

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We have experienced strong growth in volumes and sales over the last 10 years. The charts below show the increases in our volumes and revenues during that period. To continue our growth, we intend to expand our diversified sourcing across third-party growers and our own farms and enhance our distribution network, as we believe the demand for our avocados will continue to grow globally.

 

LOGO

Industry Overview

The avocado industry is comprised of several types of avocados that vary by size and shape of fruit, size of seed, texture of skin, color, taste and availability throughout the year. The Hass avocado dominates the market, representing approximately 95% of the consumed avocados in the U.S. and approximately 80% globally in 2019 according to Avocados from Mexico.

U.S. Avocado Industry

The U.S. Hass avocado industry had a total market value of $6.5 billion in 2019. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, total avocado consumption has steadily grown from 1.1 billion pounds in 2008 to 2.6 billion pounds in 2018, representing a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 9.4%. This growth has been driven in part by a significant increase in per capita consumption, growing from 3.5 pounds in 2008 to 8.0 pounds in 2018. In 2017, over half of U.S. households purchased avocados according to Hass Avocado Board. Most avocados sold in the U.S. are imported from other countries. In 2018, California accounted for 96% of U.S. production, however, 76% of national avocado consumption was imported from Mexico.

U.S. retail avocado prices tend to fluctuate over time. In 2019, the average retail price per pound of Hass avocados was $2.57, an increase of 6% from the 2018 average retail price per pound of $2.42. Fluctuations are primarily driven by supply dynamics, which can be impacted by adverse weather and growing conditions, pest and disease problems, government regulations and other supply chain factors.

The following table sets forth historical U.S. Hass avocado volumes, retail prices and implied total market value for the indicated years:

 

U.S. Hass Avocado Industry—Historicals

  

2015

    

2016

    

2017

    

2018

    

2019

 

Volume (lbs in millions)

     2,142        2,189        2,074        2,477        2,509  

Retail Price

   $ 2.30      $ 2.45      $ 2.83      $ 2.42      $ 2.57  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Market Value ($ in millions)

   $ 4,927      $ 5,363      $ 5,869      $ 5,994      $ 6,458  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Source: Hass Avocado Board—Avocado volume, consumption and production area analysis and projection 2010-2025

 

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The following table sets forth total U.S. avocado sales by product origin, in millions of pounds, for the years indicated:

 

U.S. Total Avocado Sales by Product Origin

  

2015

    

2016

    

2017

    

2018

 

Domestic Production

     346        458        265        371  

Imports

     1,912        1,895        1,985        2,289  

Less: Exports

     (18      (28      (17      (37
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     2,240        2,325        2,233        2,623  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Source: United States Department of Agriculture—Economic Research Service

The following table sets forth total U.S. imports of fresh avocados by country of origin, in millions of pounds, for the years indicated:

 

U.S. Avocado Imports by Country of Origin

  

2015

    

2016

    

2017

    

2018

 

Mexico

     1,773        1,731        1,708        1,993  

Peru

     102        70        142        181  

Chile

     17        58        82        57  

Dominican Republic

     21        37        53        58  

Colombia

     —          —          <1        1  

Other

     <1        <1        <1        <1  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     1,912        1,895        1,985        2,289  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Source: United States Department of Agriculture—Economic Research Service

The U.S. Hass avocado market is expected to continue at a 5.5% CAGR from 2019 to 2023, with the industry reaching more than $8.0 billion in revenues in 2023 according to Hass Avocado Board. There are multiple factors contributing to the industry growth. One driver is the growing interest in healthy eating and focus on nutrient-dense foods. Avocados contain nearly twenty vitamins and minerals as well as mono-unsaturated fats (commonly referred to as “good” fats), which can help the body absorb nutrients like Vitamin A, D, K and E. Avocado is also considered to be a superfood given its superior nutritional quality and functional benefits. In addition to health and wellness trends, the accessibility of year-round, ready-to-eat avocados has also been a significant growth driver, brought on by improvement in global sourcing and ripening programs. Finally, favorable demographic shifts have contributed to growth in U.S. avocado consumption. Within the growing Hispanic population in the U.S., avocado consumption is 45% higher than non-Hispanic household consumption. The millennial generation is also embracing foods from other countries and is open to new diets. In 2018, 60.1% of millennial households purchased avocados versus 51.3% of non-millennial households. The increasing consumption of avocados has also led restaurants to introduce avocado-focused items that are in high demand. In the past 10 years, the use of avocados in the foodservice channel has increased 26%.

Global Avocado Industry

Similar to the U.S., global avocado consumption is exhibiting strong growth dynamics. Global production reached 13.9 billion pounds in 2018, representing a 6.7% increase from 2017. The overall market size reached $13.5 billion of revenues in 2018 and is expected to grow at a 5.9% CAGR between 2018 and 2026 according to Transparency Market Research. The U.S. and the EU hold the largest shares of the import markets, representing 52% and 28% of volumes in 2018. Key export countries include Mexico, Peru and Chile, representing 60%, 13% and 8% of volumes in 2018.

 

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The following table sets forth per-capita avocado consumption in 2018, for the countries indicated:

 

    

Mexico

    

U.S.

    

Canada

    

EU

    

Japan

    

Korea

 

2018 Per-Capita Avocado Consumption (in lbs)

     14.9        8.0        5.5        2.3        1.1        0.5  

 

Source: Hass Avocado Board, Korea Customer Service, The World Bank, United States Department of Agriculture—Economic Research Service. Korea per capita consumption based on total imported volume over total population.

Avocado consumption in international markets has also grown, and we believe these markets are primed for continued expansion. The EU, the second largest import market globally, grew imports at a 16.5% CAGR from 2016 to 2018. Avocado consumption increased accordingly over that time period, reaching annual per capita consumption of 2.3 pounds in 2018. In 2019, extraordinary market disruptions led to a 26.1% decline in avocado imports to the EU. Peru, a key export market to the EU, experienced heavy rainfall in the first quarter of the year which damaged crops and hindered access to some farms. These supply constraints impacted the volume of fruit available and reduced overall exports from Peru by 35.8%, following record volumes in 2018. Although this dynamic had an outsized impact on EU imports, we believe that the EU avocado market will experience robust growth in the future. We also believe that the current low levels of consumption in China, Japan and Korea will drive future growth in these markets.

The following chart sets forth import volume of Hass avocados by top importing markets, in millions of pounds, in 2019:

 

LOGO

 

Source: Hass Avocado Board, Korea Customs Service

Several trends are contributing to the increased consumption of avocados globally. Similar to the U.S. market, the global market has been driven by an increased focus on healthy food consumption. In addition, a growing global middle class and higher disposable incomes enable healthier diets. The avocado is also a highly versatile product. There are several uses for avocados beyond guacamole, across cuisines and times of day for both savory and sweet dishes.

Supply and Demand Dynamics

Due to the rapidly increasing demand for avocados globally, the overall market tends to be dictated by supply dynamics. A majority of global avocado supply comes from Latin America. Mexico’s production accounted for more than one-third of global output in 2018. Supply dynamics and seasonality for the avocado fruit has also changed significantly over time. While growing seasons vary widely by region, improvements in sourcing and distribution have led to a year-round availability of avocados. Each market has a highly fragmented grower base. We estimate that California has more than 5,000 growers while Mexico has over 25,000.

 

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The following chart sets forth Hass avocado growing seasons for top exporting countries and export volume, as well as the California growing season and production, in millions of pounds, for 2019:

 

LOGO

 

Source: Hass Avocado Board, South African Avocado Growers Association, United States Department of Agriculture—Economic Research Service. Given the lack of avocado exports from the U.S., California volume denotes 2018 production volume rather than export volume.

Technology and innovations to supply chain management have enabled distributors to extend and better maintain the fresh life cycle of the fruit. With these enhancements, distributors are able to more efficiently respond to changing needs of their customers in real time.

Ready-to-eat avocados have become a key market driver. This product requires capabilities in ripening, packing and distribution to ensure freshness, quality and consistency. Serving global customers across retail and foodservice channels also requires a strong distribution network. Due to these dynamics, avocado distribution is a fragmented market as very few companies have all of these capabilities. We believe we are well-positioned to benefit from industry characteristics and trends and build upon our leading market share in the U.S.

Competitive Strengths

Established Market Leader with Scale in Large and Growing Market

We produce, source and distribute avocados globally with leading market share in the highly fragmented U.S. market and an expanding presence in other countries. In fiscal 2019, we distributed 559 million pounds of avocados, which is 58% more than our closest competitor in terms of volume. We are well-positioned to continue to capture growth from the attractive U.S. market, which is projected to grow to over $8 billion of sales in 2023. We have a large and global footprint with locations in eight countries, which positions us to serve customers in a variety of markets. We supply national grocers and foodservice customers through our sourcing and distribution network, and with our global platform we are able to grow with our existing customer base as well as expand into new markets. Additionally, as a result of the large volumes we sell, we are able to achieve economies of scale throughout the value chain, including reduced transportation costs. We believe our leadership position built over the last four decades, in an otherwise fragmented market, will continue to drive sales.

 

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Diverse Global Sourcing with Year-Round Supply and Well-Established Relationships with Growers

We source and pack from what we believe are the best avocado growing regions in North and South America. We source from thousands of growers, primarily in Mexico, California, and Peru, and have developed relationships with growers in other Latin American countries such as Colombia, Chile and Guatemala. We have a minimum of two countries of origin available throughout the year to meet demand. Throughout our history, we have found new locations around the world to source fruit in order to meet the growing global demand. For example, we were the first major avocado distributor in the U.S. to import from Mexico, Peru and Chile. The track record we have developed of delivering on our commitments to growers since our founding in 1983 has enabled us to develop additional sourcing relationships with new growers in diverse geographies. We believe our diverse sourcing capability will continue to drive sales growth by reducing potential interruptions in the supply of avocados to market and differentiating our reliability and reputation to our retail and foodservice customers.

Global Distribution Network Delivering Avocados to Diverse and Long-Standing Customer Base

The people, processes, facilities and relationships that allow us to source and deliver avocados to customers around the world to their specifications of ripeness and volume represent a competitive advantage that we have built over decades. Our global footprint of 18 facilities, including four packing facilities, 11 distribution and ripening centers and three sales offices, provides proximity to key growers and customers. Proximity to growers enables us to develop stronger relationships, control the logistics of the supply chain from tree to packing, and export fruit from the country of origin faster. Proximity to customers allows us to better provide the fruit on time and to specification, and to adapt to changing customer volume and ripeness needs. We have built high-quality, diverse and long-standing customer relationships due to our consistent execution across our global distribution network. All of our top 10 customers in fiscal 2019 have been customers for over 10 years and the majority have been customers for over 20 years. As customer demand changes, our distribution network is able to adapt quickly and efficiently to meet that demand through our full service capabilities. The strength of our global distribution network and relationships with customers enables us to be more competitive in obtaining additional supply from third-party growers, which in turn facilitates our ability to meet customer demand. Our distribution network and customer relationships are competitive advantages that we believe will be difficult for others to replicate.

Extensive Infrastructure With State-of-the-Art Facilities

We have state-of-the-art facilities and strive to be on the leading edge of industry innovations. For example, we introduced the use of hydrocoolers immediately after picking to extend shelf life and market reach. At the same time, we also use ripening centers to prepare avocados for tailored end-market consumption preferences. We have a dedicated research and development department whose sole focus is to optimize our operations through innovation. For example, we believe we were the first to incorporate the role of ripening centers into the distribution process, and we continuously review and analyze methods to extend shelf life after ripening. Our packing facilities provide the processing and storage capacity necessary to optimize the sourcing process and meet customer demand at scale. Our packing facility in Peru has approximately 250,000 square feet of space, which we believe is the largest in the world, and can pack three million pounds of avocados per day. Our two packing facilities in Mexico have leading technology and efficiency and can pack 1.9 million pounds of avocados per day. We also have the technology of advanced optical grading and sorting at our facilities that analyzes and grades each piece of fruit, allowing us to select fruit that is tailored to the customer’s specifications. The infrastructure investments that we have made across our distribution network enable us to meet the needs of customers and foster innovation, which we believe will continue to drive sales.

International Farming and Vertical Integration

In addition to buying avocados from third-party growers, we grow avocados on the land we own or lease. This vertical integration results in greater control over our supply chain and product quality, and allows us

 

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to earn a higher gross margin relative to the third-party avocados we sell. We have made significant investments in Peru, which we expect to enhance our margins as trees mature and greenfields come online. In 2019, we produced approximately 11% of the avocados we sold, and we expect the volume of avocados that we grow to increase as our trees mature. Owning and farming our own avocado orchards also helps to mitigate potential disruptions across our third-party grower supply relationships. We forecast avocado sourcing costs for the season for our own production, which enables us to enter into fixed price contracts with customers for a season without bearing pricing risk from spot market purchases. We believe this is a significant competitive advantage. Fixed prices across a season provide our customers with accurate forecasts and inventory in a commodity-based industry. In fiscal 2019, approximately 65% of our total Peru volume, which was primarily sourced from Mission-grown orchards, was sold into fixed price contracts. This seasonal fixed price offering strengthens our relationships with customers and differentiates our products and services. We believe this vertical integration drives sales, increases margins, and positions us well to meet increasing demand across the industry.

Experienced Leadership Who Nurture a Culture of Innovation and Growth

We are led by an experienced management team with significant industry experience. Five members of our management team have each been with us for over thirty years. Our team has transformed a small business into a leading avocado sourcer, producer, and distributor with a global network and leading market share. Our founder, Steve Barnard, is a well-known industry pioneer and veteran, and he continues to lead us with an entrepreneurial culture that is focused on innovation and growth. Our operations management brings sophisticated experience across the regions we operate. In particular, our leaders in Peru and Mexico have extensive experience with expanding our operations in those countries. Our broader management team consists of a deep bench of experienced professionals with expertise in sales, finance, and other critical areas, which we believe positions us to execute on our long-term strategy.

Our Growth Strategies

Capitalize on strong growth trends in our core U.S. market by expanding our nationwide distribution network

We plan to capitalize on the continued strong growth trends in the U.S. by expanding our distribution network and overall supply chain capabilities. As the leading avocado company in the market, we believe we are well positioned to grow with our existing customer base and build relationships with new retailers and foodservice partners. We plan to supplement our current nationwide distribution capabilities and enhance our supply chain by opening new facilities to improve our throughput. For example, we currently have plans to open a new distribution and ripening center in Texas in 2021, which is an important entry point for channeling Mexican avocado supply into the U.S. and Canada. This facility will enable us not only to reduce our dependence on third parties for importing and distributing produce, but also to increase our ability to provide value-added services. We will continue to invest in our U.S. distribution capabilities and evaluate opportunities to capitalize on the growing U.S. demand for avocados. We are focused on deploying capital towards facilities and forward distribution centers in order to better service our customers and drive future sales.

Leverage our global supply chain and distribution capabilities to continue developing international markets

We believe there is a significant opportunity to leverage our global supply chain and distribution capabilities to continue developing international markets and support growing global avocado consumption trends, particularly in Europe, Asia and other markets.

 

   

Europe: We plan to expand our distribution capabilities throughout Europe to support new direct retail relationships. We will also increase our exports from Peru, Guatemala, Colombia and other regions to provide balance to our year-round supply and to capitalize on the growing demand for avocados throughout Europe. In addition, we believe our seasonal customer programs will help us continue to build our existing relationships and attract new customers across Europe. As we

 

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continue to expand throughout the region, we believe our growing scale will enable us to make more direct, ripe and bulk deliveries of our avocado produce to retail customers.

 

   

Asia: We have a longstanding presence in Asia, with over 35 years in Japan, and over 5 years in China and Korea. We expect to maintain and strengthen our relationships with distributors in Japan and Korea and we believe our existing Chinese distribution facilities will serve as a platform upon which we can continue to build out our avocado distribution network.

 

   

Other markets: We will continue to evaluate opportunities to capitalize on growing demand in other international markets, with a focus to expand our operations in South America. We believe Chile represents an attractive opportunity for growth as one of the world’s top avocado consuming countries, and we believe we are well-positioned to be a long-term provider of avocados in the region.

Diversify sourcing to enhance our global market-leading position and year-round supply position

We plan to continue to expand our avocado supply relationships and build our global infrastructure in order to diversify our sourcing, strengthen our year-round supply and capitalize on the growing avocado demand. We currently have the ability to source our avocados across three primary countries to optimize our produce selection across various seasons and climates. We will continue to evaluate opportunities to build sourcing relationships in new growing regions such as Colombia, Guatemala and South Africa, which we believe will continue to drive growth and allow us to provide our customers with the best avocado supply across all seasons. Our strong relationships with growers provide us with continued access to avocado supply, which enables us to expand our footprint and strengthen our position as one of the world’s leading avocado sourcers, producers and distributors.

Continue to vertically integrate our supply chain

We believe there is an opportunity to strengthen our customer relationships and increase our overall profitability by vertically integrating our supply chain. We have deployed a significant amount of capital expenditures in recent years towards strategically integrating our operations. We plan on continuing to invest in new farming operations, and expect to increase the volume of Mission-grown avocados that we sell, which typically have a higher gross margin than avocados sourced from third-party growers. We also believe our vertically-integrated farming operations and recent avocado farm investments in Peru and other geographies will allow us to grow our global scale and market-leading position through season-long customer programs that provide our customers stable pricing and help ensure access to quality fruit throughout the season. As we continue our efforts to gain more control over and visibility into the quality of our fruit throughout our supply chain, we can continue to provide seasonal customer programs that we believe are a key differentiator compared to our competition.

Products and Services

We source, produce, pack and distribute avocados to our customers and provide value-added services including ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. In addition, we provide our customers with merchandising and promotional support, insights on market trends and hands-on training to assist with their retail sales of our avocados. For example, we operate category management, merchandising and packaging programs, such as our “Minis” and “Emeralds in the Rough” programs, to promote the sale of grade two avocados that might otherwise be underutilized.

The avocados we sell are primarily of the Hass variety. We sort and pack avocados and match their specifications to respective customer requirements. We sell both pre-ripe and ripened avocados, and with our network of ripening facilities, we can adjust the level of ripeness to the needs of our customers. We also sell

 

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avocados that have been squished during the farming or packing process to retailers and foodservice customers that use such avocados for other food products, such as guacamole. In fiscal 2019, we sold 559 million pounds of avocados.

Sourcing

We source primarily from Mexico, California, and Peru, and have developed relationships with thousands of growers. Our large scale and long track record of working with growers contributes to strong existing relationships and facilitates new relationships with third-party growers. Our diverse network enables us to mitigate the impact of potential geography or grower-specific supply disruptions and to optimize sourcing across various seasons and climates to fulfill year-round global demand. We do not have exclusive sourcing contracts with growers.

Farming Operations

In addition to buying avocados from third-party growers, we grow avocados on land we own or lease in Peru, Guatemala and through our joint venture in Colombia. Our farming operations help to further diversify our sourcing network and provide additional control over our supply. We currently own or lease over 10,000 acres of farmland in Peru, 1,450 acres in Colombia and 1,235 acres in Guatemala. Our farming operations supplement our supply chain, protect against risks related to disruptions across our third-party grower supply relationships and provide increased access to diversified avocado sources.

In Peru, over 8,300 of the acres we own or lease are developed as of December 31, 2019 and we plan to develop the remaining acreage in the coming years. After planting, our avocado trees begin to produce avocados in approximately three years and reach full production in approximately five to seven years. In Colombia, we have planted approximately 200 acres through a joint venture and expect our avocado trees to begin production in the next few years.

Our farming operations sell their fruit solely through our distribution business.

Supply Chain and Distribution Network

Most avocados we source, either from third-party growers or from our farming operations, are delivered to one of our four packing houses (two in Mexico, one in Peru, and one in California). At the packing houses, including our co-packers in Mexico, our avocados are sorted and packed for transportation to forward distribution centers globally. We manage the transportation logistics across truck, ocean, air and rail used during transportation.

Throughout our supply chain, we carefully monitor and manage the cold chain across the sourcing, packing, transportation and distribution process. For example, we use hydrocoolers to remove heat from our avocados shortly after harvesting. The avocados are sorted, packed, and transported to distribution centers globally in temperature controlled environments. If desired by customers, avocados are ripened to specification at one of our 11 ripening centers prior to delivery. Our careful heat management throughout the supply chain enables us to deliver avocados to customer specification in the United States, Europe and most of Asia. Within the United States, our largest market, our distribution network enables the delivery of avocados across the continental U.S. within approximately 8 hours or less.

Customers

We primarily serve retail, wholesale and foodservice customers, including Kroger, Wal-Mart, Costco, Aldi, Loblaws and Chipotle. We focus on delivering quality avocados on time and within customer specifications. We do not have long-term contracts with our customers and focus instead on building strong, long-term relationships. All of our top 10 customers in fiscal 2019 have been customers for over 10 years and the majority have been customers for over 20 years.

 

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Sales to our customers are made primarily through purchase orders. In addition, our integrated farming operations allow us to also offer our customers season-long fixed-price programs that enable accurate forecasts and inventory management. Our custom ripening programs provide customers with the option of ordering avocados at five different stages of ripeness – hard, preconditioned, breaking, firm-ripe and ripe – which are delivered on specifically tailored schedules according to stage of ripeness. We can deliver firm-ripe and ripe avocados with just 24 hours’ notice in most cases in the continental U.S.

Research and Development

We have a dedicated research and development department with the objective of finding new ways to innovate across our value chain. We were the first company to utilize ripening centers for avocados in the national distribution process, a practice that has since been adopted by others companies in the industry. More recently, we introduced the use of hydrocoolers early in the supply chain to quickly remove heat from avocados. This practice extends the shelf life of our avocados, enabling us to transport avocados longer distances. Innovations such as these are the result of dedicated resources focused on research and development.

We spent $0.5 million on research and development in fiscal 2019.

Backlog

Our customers generally do not place product orders significantly in advance of the requested product delivery dates. Customers typically order our products five to ten days in advance of shipment.

Competition

We compete based on a variety of factors, including the appearance, taste, size, shelf life and overall quality of our products, price and distribution terms, the timeliness of our deliveries to customers and the availability of our products. The avocado and fresh produce business is highly competitive, and the effect of competition is intensified because our products are perishable. Competition in the sale of avocados that we sell comes from competing producers and distributors. Our main competitors are other avocado and fresh produce growers and distributors including Calavo Growers, Inc., Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. and Westfalia. We also compete with smaller packers and marketers.

Seasonality

The total sales and sales price of avocados fluctuates throughout the year due to the supply of avocados differing based on geographic location as well as events, like the Super Bowl, Cinco de Mayo and Fourth of July. For example, in California and Peru, the production of avocados peaks between May and August, whereas in Mexico peak production peaks between December and March. Although these geographical differences may lead to fluctuations in the purchase price of avocados, our diverse geographical avocado growth and production capabilities help us mitigate volatility in our access to supply of avocados. We have historically realized a greater portion of our net sales and of our gross profit during the fourth quarter of the year. As a result of the volumes sourced from our farming operations in Peru, we have in recent years realized a greater portion of our net sales during the third and fourth quarters of the year.

Employees

As of April 30, 2020, we had approximately 3,700 employees, of whom 481 were located in the United States, 648 were located in Mexico and 2,544 were located in Peru. Due to the cyclical nature of avocado production, we hire temporary workers on our farms in Peru to meet our needs. As of April 30, 2020, we had less than ten employees governed by labor unions, which are located in our Illinois distribution and ripening center. We believe that our employee relations are good.

 

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Properties and Facilities

Our headquarters are located in Oxnard, California, where we lease approximately 20,000 square feet of space. We operate packing facilities in Oxnard, California, Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico, Zamora, Michoacan, Mexico, and Chao, Peru. Our packing facility in Peru has approximately 250,000 square feet of space, which we believe is the largest in the world, and can pack three million pounds of avocados per day. Our two packing facilities in Mexico have leading technology and efficiency and can pack 1.9 million pounds of avocados per day. We leverage co-packers to fulfill the balance of our daily volume requirements.

We operate 11 distribution and ripening centers, ranging from 5,000 square feet to 250,000 square feet, in the United States, Canada, China and the Netherlands, and have three sales offices in the United States, China and the Netherlands.

Intellectual Property

Our intellectual property includes the federally registered trademark Mission Produce and related brand names. We do not have any patents or other material intellectual property.

Regulation and Industry Associations

Our business is impacted by environmental, health and safety, government procurement, anti-bribery and other government regulations and requirements. Below is a summary of some of the significant regulations that impact our business.

As a manufacturer and marketer of consumable products, our operations are subject to extensive regulation by various federal government agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the USDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as well as state and local agencies, with respect to production processes, product attributes, packing, labeling, storage and distribution. Under various statutes and regulations, these agencies prescribe requirements and establish standards for safety, purity and labeling. In addition, advertising of our products is subject to regulation by the FTC, and our operations are subject to health and safety regulations, including those issued under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). Our manufacturing facilities and products are subject to periodic inspection by federal, state and local authorities, including the California State Department of Food and Agriculture (CFDA), which oversees weights & measures compliance at our California packing facilities. All of our US facilities are also in compliance the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). In addition, our operations in Mexico are subject to Mexican regulations and our operations in Peru are subject to Peruvian regulations.

The agricultural products sold by us are subject to additional specific government acts or regulations, including the Hass Avocado Promotion, Research and Information Act of 2000 for our avocados and the federal suspension agreement guidelines which govern tomato imports to the US.

We are subject to numerous federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws and regulations. These laws and regulations govern, among other matters, the treatment, handling, storage, use and disposal of, and exposure to, hazardous materials and waste, including herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural products, the remediation of contaminated properties and climate change.

In the United States, the Hass Avocado Board was established by the USDA to promote the sale of Hass variety avocados. This board provides a basis for a unified funding of promotional activities based on an assessment on all avocados sold in the U.S. marketplace. The California Avocado Commission, which receives its funding from California avocado growers, has historically shouldered the promotional and advertising costs supporting avocado sales. We believe that the incremental funding of promotional and advertising programs in the U.S. will, in the long term, positively impact average selling prices and will favorably impact our avocado

 

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businesses. Similarly, Avocados from Mexico (AFM) was formed in 2013 as the marketing arm of the Mexican Hass Avocados Importers Association (MHAIA) and the Association of Growers and Packers of Avocados From Mexico (APEAM).

We seek to comply at all times with all such laws and regulations and to obtain any necessary permits and licenses, and we are not aware of any instances of material non-compliance.

Legal Proceedings

Our performance under our contracts and our compliance with the terms of those contracts and applicable laws and regulations are subject to continuous audit, review and investigation by our customers, including the U.S. federal government. In addition, we are from time to time involved in legal proceedings and investigations arising in the ordinary course of business, including those relating to employment matters, relationships with clients and contractors, intellectual property disputes and other business matters.

On April 23, 2020, former Mission Produce, Inc. employees filed a class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles against us alleging violation of certain wage and labor laws in California, including failure to pay all overtime wages, minimum wage violations, and meal and rest period violations, among others. Additionally, on June 10, 2020, former Mission Produce, Inc. employees filed a class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Ventura against us alleging similar violations of certain wage and labor laws. The plaintiffs in both cases seek damages primarily consisting of class certification and payment of wages earned and owed, plus other consequential and special damages. We are currently seeking to consolidate the two cases and narrow the potential classes. We believe that we have not violated any wage or labor laws and are defending against the claims. At this time, it is too soon to determine the outcome of the litigation. As a result, the Company has not accrued for any loss contingencies related to these claims because the amount and range of loss, if any, cannot currently be reasonably estimated.

 

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MANAGEMENT

Executive Officers and Directors

The following table sets forth information regarding our executive officers and directors, as of August 31, 2020:

 

Name

  

Age

    

Position(s)

Executive Officers

     

Stephen J. Barnard

     68      President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Bryan E. Giles

     49      Chief Financial Officer

Michael A. Browne

     62      Chief Operating Officer

Juan R. Wiesner

     65      Director of Operations South America

Ross W. Wileman

     73      Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing

Non-Employee Directors

     

Stephen W. Bershad

     78      Chairman, Director

Steve A. Beebe(1)(2)(3)

     75      Director

Luis A. Gonzalez

     69      Director

Bonnie C. Lind(2)(3)

     61      Director

Jay A. Pack(1)(2)

     67      Director

Linda B. Segre(1)

     60      Director

Bruce C. Taylor(3)

     64      Director

 

(1)

Member of the compensation committee.

(2)

Member of the audit committee.

(3)

Member of the nominating and corporate governance committee.

Executive Officers

Stephen J. Barnard founded Mission Produce in 1983, and he currently serves as our President and Chief Executive Officer and is a director. Prior to founding Mission Produce, Mr. Barnard worked in the lettuce and avocado divisions of Santa Clara Produce, Inc. Mr. Barnard is the past Chairman of the Produce Marketing Association, past Chairman of the Western Growers Association, past Director of the California Avocado Commission and past Director of Sunkist. He currently serves as a Director for the Cal Poly Foundation. Mr. Barnard received a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Bryan E. Giles has served as our Chief Financial Officer since 2018. Prior to his role as Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Giles was the Vice President of Finance, a role he held since 2012. Mr. Giles is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of California. Mr. Giles received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, Northridge.

Michael A. Browne joined us in February 2020. Prior to joining Mission Produce, Mr. Browne served as the Vice President of fresh operations at Calavo Growers, Inc. Before he joined Calavo Growers, Inc., Mr. Browne served as the founder and co-owner of Fresh Directions International, a closely held multinational fresh produce company that he founded in 1997. Mr. Browne received a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Juan R. Wiesner has been an executive of Grupo Arato since 2014 and prior to that worked with Mr. Gonzalez on various real estate and other investments. Mr. Wiesner served as a manager of Camposol S.A., once of the largest agricultural companies in South America, until 2007. Mr. Wiesner received a civil engineering degree from Universidad Nacional de Colombia.

Ross W. Wileman has served as our Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing since November 2019, where he is in charge of sales, marketing and sourcing and growth. Mr. Wileman previously served as our Vice

 

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President, Head of Food Safety from January 2016 to October 2019. From August 1988 to December 2015, Mr. Wileman served as Vice President of Sales, where he led our marketing and growth efforts. Prior to that time, Mr. Wileman served in the United States military, where he was a Chief Warrant Officer II.

Non-Employee Directors

Stephen W. Bershad was appointed a director in 2012 and Chairman of our board of directors in 2020. Mr. Bershad currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Novanta Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVT), a manufacturer of highly engineered proprietary components sold to medical and advanced technology equipment manufacturers. Prior to his chairmanship with Novanta, Mr. Bershad was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Axsys Technologies, Inc., a manufacturer of surveillance and imaging equipment, from 1986 until 2009. Previously, he was a Managing Director of Lehman Brothers, Inc., an investment banking firm, and its predecessor firms, where he held a series of senior management positions in private equity and mergers and acquisitions. Until 2018, Mr. Bershad was Chairman of the Board of Directors of EMCOR Group, a Fortune 500 leader in mechanical and electrical construction, energy infrastructure and facilities services for a diverse range of businesses. Mr. Bershad is also an avocado grower in the Southern California area and has extensive experience in the avocado and lemon industry. Mr. Bershad received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern California and a Juris Doctorate from the University of California at Los Angeles. We believe Mr. Bershad is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his substantial business, investment banking and board and management experience with both public and private companies, including serving as Chairman of multiple public corporations.

Stephen A. Beebe was appointed a director of Mission in 1995 and served as Chairman of our board of directors from 2003 until 2020. From 1993 until his retirement in 2002, Mr. Beebe served as the President and CEO of the J.R. Simplot Company, one of the largest privately held diversified agribusiness companies in the United States. He guided the Simplot Company through expansions in Canada, Mexico, Australia, China and Europe. Mr. Beebe continues to serve as a director for the Simplot Company, where he is a member of the audit committee. Mr. Beebe is also a co-manager of JRS Properties 111, which is a Simplot family partnership. He is a member of the executive committee of the United States Golf Association, in which he chairs the audit committee and equipment standards committees. He received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho, is a member of the Idaho Bar Association (retired) and a graduate of the Stanford University Executive Program. In 2002, Mr. Beebe was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Agriculture Science from the University of Idaho. We believe Mr. Beebe is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his substantial business and leadership experience in the agriculture sector.

Luis A. Gonzalez was appointed a director in 2011. Mr. Gonzalez owns various real estate and other investments. Mr. Gonzalez founded Austral Group S.A., Peru, which was the second largest fishing and marine based food producer in Peru before it was sold in 2001. Mr. Gonzalez founded Camposol S.A., the leading agroindustrial company in Peru and the largest exporter of asparagus in the world and sold it in 2007. Mr. Gonzalez also co-founded Grupo Arato in 2011 and his family sold it to us in 2018. In 2007, Mr. Gonzalez was honored with the “Comendador por Servicios Distinguidos” medal by the President of Peru for his contributions to the country. Mr. Gonzalez studied mechanical engineering at Saarbrücken Fachhochschule in Germany. We believe Mr. Gonzalez is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his substantial business and leadership experience in the avocado and agroindustrial industries.

Bonnie C. Lind was appointed a director in 2020. Ms. Lind is the retired Senior Vice President, CFO and Treasurer of Neenah, Inc., (NYSE: NP), a publicly traded technical specialties and fine paper company, a position she held from June 2004 to May 2020. Prior to that, Ms. Lind held a variety of increasingly senior financial and operations positions with Kimberly-Clark Corporation, (NYSE: KMB) a manufacturer of personal care, consumer tissue and health care products, from 1982 until 2004. She has been a member of the board of directors of Hubbell Incorporated since January 2019, where she serves on the Audit and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees. She is also a member of the board of directors of U.S. Silica, Inc. where she serves on the Audit and

 

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Nominating and Corporate Governance committees. She was previously a director at Federal Signal Corporation from 2014 to 2018, where she served on the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Audit Committee. She was also previously a director of Empire District Electric Company from 2009 to 2017 and was a member of the Audit Committee and Chairman of its Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, until the company was acquired. Ms. Lind holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) with honors from the University of Georgia. We believe Ms. Lind is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her significant financial expertise and public and private company board experience, as well as her decades of senior financial and operations positions for public and private companies across a wide variety of industries.

Jay A. Pack was appointed a director in 2008. Mr. Pack is the former owner of Standard Fruit and Vegetable, an integrated re-packer, logistics and value-added produce company, which was sold to Del Monte in 2003. He currently serves on the boards of Coastal Sunbelt Produce, a foodservice distributor serving the Mid-Atlantic states, and Misionero, a leading vegetable grower. Previously, Mr. Pack was a director of Earthbound Farms and Combs Produce. He also served as a trustee of Sarah Lawrence College, board member of the Produce Marketing Association (“PMA”), Chairman of the PMA Foodservice Division, board member of the Dallas Jewish Federation and as President of the North Texas Food Bank. In 2019, he became a minority owner of the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. Mr. Pack received a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University. We believe Mr. Pack is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his substantial business and leadership experience with various companies in the produce industry.

Linda B. Segre was appointed a director in 2020 and is chairperson of the compensation committee. She is a member of the board of directors of Callaway Golf Company (NYSE:ELY) where she is chair of the compensation and management succession committee. She is also a member of the board of directors of Pecan Grove Farms and Schwab Charitable. From 2009 until 2016 she was with Diamond Foods where she served as Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and People Officer. Before joining Diamond Foods, Ms. Segre served as Managing Director of Google.org and prior to that as Vice President and Managing Director of The Boston Consulting Group’s San Francisco Office. Ms. Segre holds a degree in economics with academic distinction from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. We believe Ms. Segre is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her public and private company board experience and extensive management experience across a variety of sectors, including the food industry.

Bruce C. Taylor was appointed a director in 2001. Mr. Taylor founded Taylor Fresh Foods, a $4 billion producer of salads, fresh vegetables and healthy fresh food, in 1995 and serves as Chairman and CEO. Mr. Taylor received a Bachelor of Science degree (Business) and a Bachelor of Arts degree (Development Studies) from the University of California Berkeley and a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard University. We believe Mr. Taylor is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive business and management experience in the agriculture and farming sector at Taylor Fresh Foods.

Board Composition

Our bylaws that will become effective upon the closing of this offering provide that our board of directors shall consist of between seven and 12 members, with the exact number of directors to be determined by vote of our board of directors and currently set at eight members. Upon completion of this offering, our board of directors will consist of eight members.

 

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In accordance with our certificate of incorporation that will be in effect upon the closing of this offering, our board of directors will be divided into three classes with staggered three year terms. At each annual meeting of stockholders after the initial classification, the successors to the directors whose terms will then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following their election. Our directors will be divided among the three classes as follows:

 

   

the Class I directors will be Steve A. Beebe, Stephen W. Bershad and Jay A. Pack, and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2021;

 

   

the Class II directors will be Luis A. Gonzalez and Bruce C. Taylor, and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2022; and

 

   

the Class III directors will be Stephen J. Barnard, Bonnie C. Lind and Linda B. Segre, and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2023.

This classification of our board of directors may have the effect of delaying or preventing changes in control of our company.

Our board of directors has determined that upon completion of this offering, Mr. Beebe, Ms. Lind, Mr. Pack, Ms. Segre and Mr. Taylor will be independent directors. In making this determination, our board of directors applied the Nasdaq listing standards and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. In evaluating the independence of Mr. Beebe, Ms. Lind, Mr. Pack, Ms. Segre and Mr. Taylor, our board of directors considered their current and historical employment, any compensation we have given to them, any transactions we have with them, their beneficial ownership of our capital stock, their ability to exert control over us, all other material relationships they have had with us and the same facts with respect to their immediate family. The board of directors also considered all other relevant facts and circumstances known to it in making this independence determination. In addition, Mr. Beebe, Ms. Lind, Mr. Pack, Ms. Segre and Mr. Taylor are non-employee directors, as defined in Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act.

Although there is no specific policy regarding diversity in identifying director nominees, both the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the board of directors seek the talents and backgrounds that would be most helpful to Mission in selecting director nominees. In particular, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, when recommending director candidates to the full board of directors for nomination, may consider whether a director candidate, if elected, assists in achieving a mix of board members that represents a diversity of background and experience.

Board Leadership Structure

Our board of directors recognizes that one of its key responsibilities is to evaluate and determine its optimal leadership structure so as to provide effective oversight of management. Our bylaws and corporate governance guidelines provide our board of directors with flexibility to combine or separate the positions of chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer. Currently, Mr. Barnard serves as our Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Bershad serves as our Chairman. Our board of directors believes that our existing leadership structure is effective, provides the appropriate balance of authority between independent and non-independent directors, and achieves the optimal governance model for us and for our shareholders.

Board Oversight of Risk

Although management is responsible for the day-to-day management of the risks our company faces, our board of directors and its committees take an active role in overseeing the management of our risks and bear the ultimate responsibility for of risk management. The board of directors regularly reviews information

 

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regarding our operational, financial, legal and strategic risks. Specifically, senior management attends quarterly meetings of the board of directors, provides presentations on operations including significant risks, and is available to address any questions or concerns raised by our board of directors.

In addition, we expect that our four board of directors committees will assist the board of directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities in areas of risk. The Audit Committee will coordinate the board of directors’ oversight of our internal control over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures, related party transactions and code of conduct and corporate governance guidelines and management will regularly report to the Audit Committee on these areas. The Compensation Committee will assist the board of directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to the management of risks arising from our compensation policies and programs as well as succession planning as it relates to our Chief Executive Officer. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will assist the board of directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to the management of risks associated with board organization, membership and structure, succession planning for our directors and corporate governance. The Executive Committee will assist the board of directors in conducting its duties, including meeting with greater frequency than the board of directors in connection with key actions to be taken by us, such as major acquisitions, divestitures, mergers or changes in capital structure or ownership, in addition to meeting on an ad hoc basis in order to review major investments or divestitures outside of our normal investment plan. When any of the committees receives a report related to material risk oversight, the chairman of the relevant committee will report on the discussion to the full board of directors.

Codes of Business Conduct and Ethics

We have adopted written codes of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, and to third parties with whom we conduct business, including agents, representatives, joint venture partners, consultants and subcontractors. We have posted current copies of these codes on our website, www.worldsfinestavocados.com. In addition, we intend to post on our website all disclosures that are required by law or Nasdaq listing standards concerning any amendments to, or waivers from, any provision of the codes.

Board Committees

Following this offering, we anticipate that we will have the following board of directors committees: an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The anticipated composition and responsibilities of each committee are described below. Members will serve on these committees until their resignation or until otherwise determined by our board of directors.

Audit Committee

Our audit committee oversees our corporate accounting and financial reporting process. Among other matters, the audit committee:

 

   

appoints our independent registered public accounting firm;

 

   

evaluates the independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications, independence and performance;

 

   

determines the engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm;

 

   

reviews and approves the scope of the annual audit;

 

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provides us a report containing the results of the annual audit;

 

   

approves the retention of the independent registered public accounting firm to perform any proposed permissible non-audit services;

 

   

monitors the rotation of partners of the independent registered public accounting firm on our engagement team in accordance with requirements established by the SEC;

 

   

is responsible for reviewing our financial statements and our management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations to be included in our annual and quarterly reports to be filed with the SEC;

 

   

reviews our critical accounting policies and estimates; and

 

   

reviews the audit committee charter and the committee’s performance at least annually.

After this offering, we expect that the members of our audit committee will be Ms. Lind (chairperson), Mr. Beebe and Mr. Pack. All members of our audit committee meet the requirements for financial literacy under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and Nasdaq. Our board of directors has determined that                  is an audit committee financial expert as defined under the applicable rules of the SEC and has the requisite financial sophistication as defined under the applicable rules and regulations of Nasdaq. Under the rules of the SEC, members of the audit committee must also meet heightened independence standards. However, a minority of the members of the audit committee may be exempt from the heightened audit committee independence standards for one year from the date of effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Our board of directors has determined that each of Ms. Lind, Mr. Beebe and Mr. Pack are independent under the heightened audit committee independence standards of the SEC and Nasdaq. As allowed under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and Nasdaq, we intend to phase in compliance with the heightened audit committee independence requirements prior to the end of the one-year transition period. The audit committee operates under a written charter that satisfies the applicable standards of the SEC and Nasdaq.

Compensation Committee

Our compensation committee reviews and recommends policies relating to compensation and benefits of our officers and employees. Among other matters, the compensation committee:

 

   

reviews and recommends corporate goals and objectives relevant to compensation of our chief executive officer and other executive officers;

 

   

evaluates the performance of these officers in light of those goals and objectives recommends to our board of directors the compensation of these officers based on such evaluations;

 

   

makes recommendations to our board of directors regarding incentive compensation and equity-based plans and arrangements; and

 

   

reviews and evaluates, at least annually, the performance of the compensation committee and its members, including compliance by the compensation committee with its charter.

After this offering, we expect that the members of our compensation committee will be Ms. Segre (chairperson), Mr. Beebe and Mr. Pack. Each of the members of our compensation committee is independent under the applicable rules and regulations of Nasdaq and is a “non-employee director” as defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. The compensation committee operates under a written charter that satisfies the applicable standards of the SEC and Nasdaq.

 

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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for making recommendations to our board of directors regarding candidates for directorships of our board of directors. In addition, the nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for overseeing our corporate governance policies and reporting and making recommendations to our board of directors concerning governance matters. After this offering, we expect that the members of our nominating and corporate governance committee will be Mr. Beebe (chairperson), Ms. Lind and Mr. Taylor. Each of the members of our nominating and corporate governance committee is an independent director under the applicable rules and regulations of Nasdaq relating to nominating and corporate governance committee independence. The nominating and corporate governance committee operates under a written charter that satisfies the applicable standards of the SEC and Nasdaq.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

During fiscal 2019, the members of our compensation committee were Mr. Beebe (chair), Mr. Bershad and Mr. Taylor. No member of our compensation committee is or has been a current or former officer or employee of us. We have not had any related party transactions with Mr. Beebe or Mr. Taylor, but we have purchased avocados from Rancho Guacamole, LLC, which is an avocado grower in Southern California that is solely owned by Mr. Bershad; those purchases have totaled approximately $2.0 million in 2018 and $0.7 million in 2019. None of our executive officers served as a director or a member of a compensation committee (or other committee serving an equivalent function) of any other entity, one of whose executive officers served as a director or member of our compensation committee during fiscal 2019.

Limitation on Liability and Indemnification Matters

Our certificate of incorporation that will become effective immediately prior to the consummation of this offering, contains provisions that limit the liability of our directors for monetary damages to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Consequently, our directors will not be personally liable to us or our shareholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as directors, except liability for:

 

   

any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our shareholders;

 

   

any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

   

unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or

 

   

any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws that will become effective immediately prior to the consummation of this offering, provide that we are required to indemnify our directors and officers, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Our bylaws will also provide that we are obligated to advance expenses incurred by a director or officer in advance of the final disposition of any action or proceeding, and permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee or other agent for any liability arising out of his or her actions in that capacity regardless of whether we would otherwise be permitted to indemnify him or her under Delaware law. We have entered and expect to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors, executive officers and other employees as determined by our board of directors. With specified exceptions, these agreements provide for indemnification for related expenses including, among other things, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by any of these individuals in any action or proceeding. We believe that these bylaw provisions and indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers. We also maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

 

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The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and officers for breach of their fiduciary duty. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and our shareholders. Further, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage.

Director Compensation

See “Executive Compensation—Elements of Executive Compensation—Director Compensation” for information regarding compensation for members of our board of directors.

 

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EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Executive Compensation

This section discusses the material components of the executive compensation program for our executive officers who are named in the “2019 Summary Compensation Table” below. In fiscal year 2019, our “named executive officers” and their positions were as follows:

 

   

Stephen J. Barnard, President and Chief Executive Officer;

 

   

Bryan E. Giles, Chief Financial Officer; and

 

   

Ross W. Wileman, SVP, Sales and Marketing.

This discussion may contain forward-looking statements that are based on our current plans, considerations, expectations and determinations regarding future compensation programs. Actual compensation programs that we adopt following the completion of this offering may differ materially from the currently planned programs summarized in this discussion.

2019 Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of our named executive officers for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.

 

Name and Principal Position

 

Salary
($)

   

Bonus
($)(1)

   

Option
Awards
($)(2)

   

Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(3)

   

Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)

   

All Other
Compensation
($)(4)

   

Total

 

Stephen J. Barnard

    569,051       875,030       11,275,676       700,024       18,942       35,677       13,474,400  

President and Chief Executive Officer

             

Bryan E. Giles

    260,117       246,114       —         196,892       —         59,284       762,407  

Chief Financial Officer

             

Ross W. Wileman

    261,203       245,997       —         197,009       —         43,414       747,623  

SVP, Sales and Marketing

             

 

(1)

Amounts represent the discretionary portion of annual cash bonuses determined by the board, based on a subjective performance review of the Company’s overall financial performance for fiscal year 2019. See “Narrative to Summary Compensation Table—2019 Bonuses” for a detailed discussion of the 2019 fiscal year bonuses.

(2)

Amounts represent the full grant-date fair value of stock options granted during fiscal year 2019 computed in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, rather than the amounts paid to or realized by the named individual. We provide information regarding the assumptions used to calculate the value of all option awards made to executive officers in Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein.

(3)

Amounts represent the portion of the annual cash bonuses earned based on achievement of pre-approved performance criteria of the Company. See “Narrative to Summary Compensation Table—2019 Bonuses” for a detailed discussion of the 2019 fiscal year bonuses.

(4)

Amounts represent medical insurance premiums, life insurance premiums and the Company’s 401(k) matching contributions, and for Messrs. Giles and Wileman, a car allowance.

 

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NARRATIVE TO SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

2019 Salaries

The named executive officers receive their respective base salaries to compensate them for services rendered to our company. The base salary payable to each named executive officer is intended to provide a fixed component of compensation reflecting the executive’s skill set, experience, role and responsibilities.

The 2019 base salaries for Messrs. Giles and Wileman were $262,522 and $262,678, respectively. Mr. Barnard’s 2019 base salary was $515,008, which was increased to $700,024 effective July 1, 2019, to better align Mr. Barnard’s base salary to that of other similarly-situated executives in our market.

Additionally, effective January 1, 2020, the base salaries for Messrs. Giles and Wileman were each increased to $350,000 to maintain their base salaries to that of other similarly-situated executives in our market.

2019 Bonuses

In 2019, Messrs. Barnard, Giles and Wileman were each eligible to receive an annual cash incentive bonus based on an operating income objective, with the amount of each bonus subject to downward or upward adjustment at the discretion of the board based on the board’s assessment of the Company’s overall financial performance for the fiscal year, including adjustments based on industry conditions, as well as the executive’s individual performance. For 2019, Mr. Barnard’s target cash incentive opportunity was 100% of his base salary, Mr. Giles’ target was 75% of his base salary and Mr. Wileman’s target was 75% of his base salary. 2019 Annual bonuses were based on a target budgeted operating income with respect to the Marketing and Distribution segment of the business and, for 2019, this target was exceeded.

The annual cash bonuses awarded to Messrs. Barnard, Giles and Wileman were $1,575,054, $443,006 and $443,006, respectively.

Equity Compensation

Generally, the stock options we grant to our key employees vest in equal annual installments over the five-year period from the applicable employee’s start date.

In July 2019, our board of directors approved a stock option grant to Mr. Barnard covering 100,000 shares of our common stock at an exercise price determined at that time to equal the fair market value of our common stock on the grant date, and set at that time to vest upon an initial public offering of our common stock. In October 2019, our board of directors, with the consent of Mr. Barnard, amended the vesting schedule of the stock option such that the option currently vests (i) as to 50% of the shares underlying the option, on the seven-year anniversary of the grant date, subject to continued employment through such date; except that this portion of the option will vest in full immediately prior to the consummation of a change in control (as defined in the 2003 Plan) or upon the closing of an initial public offering of our common stock, in each case, subject to Mr. Barnard’s continued employment until such event, and (ii) as to 50% of the shares underlying the option, in five substantially equal installments on each anniversary of the grant date over a five-year period, subject to Mr. Barnard’s continued employment through the applicable vesting date.

Additionally, in December 2019, based on new, retrospective valuation information that became available to our board of directors at that time, we revised Mr. Barnard’s stock option to increase the exercise price to $233.57 per share, which our board of directors determined at that time to represent the fair market value of a share of our common stock as of July 31, 2019 based on the information provided by our independent valuation firm.    

Other than the stock option granted to Mr. Barnard, none of our named executive officers received any stock options or other incentive equity awards in fiscal year 2019.

 

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Executive IPO Grants

Our board of directors approved grants of stock options pursuant to the 2020 Plan (as further described below) to certain of our employees, including our named executive officers, in connection with this offering, effective as of immediately following the determination of the initial public offering price per share of our common stock. These stock options cover an aggregate of             shares of our common stock. Of these, the stock options granted to our named executive officers, Messrs. Giles and Wileman, cover             and             shares of our common stock, respectively.

The stock options granted to our named executive officers will vest as to 1/4th of the shares underlying the option on each of the first four anniversaries of the grant date, subject to the executive’s continued service through the applicable vesting date. Additionally, the stock options will vest in full upon the executive’s termination due to death or disability to the extent outstanding at such time.

Equity Compensation Plans

2003 Stock Incentive Plan

We currently maintain the Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time, or the 2003 Plan, in order to provide additional incentives for our employees, directors and consultants, and to provide incentives to attract, retain and motivate eligible persons whose present and potential contributions are important to our success. We offer stock options to our employees, including our named executive officers, as the long-term incentive component of our compensation program.

For additional information about the 2003 Plan, please see the section titled “Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Incentive Plan” below. As mentioned below, in connection with the completion of this offering, no further awards will be granted under the 2003 Plan.

2020 Incentive Award Plan

In connection with this offering, our board of directors has adopted, subject to approval by our stockholders, the 2020 Incentive Award Plan, referred to in this prospectus as the 2020 Plan, in order to facilitate the grant of cash and equity incentives to directors, employees (including our named executive officers) and consultants of our company and certain of our affiliates and to enable our company and certain of our affiliates to obtain and retain services of these individuals, which is essential to our long-term success. Upon the effectiveness of the 2020 Plan, no further grants will be made under the 2003 Plan. However, the 2003 Plan will continue to govern the terms and conditions of the outstanding awards granted under it. In addition, shares of our common stock subject to awards granted under the 2003 Plan that expire, lapse or are terminated, exchanged for or settled in cash, surrendered, repurchased, canceled without having been fully exercised or forfeited following the effective date of the 2020 Plan will become available for issuance under the 2020 Plan in accordance with its terms. For additional information about the 2020 Plan, please see the section titled “2020 Incentive Award Plan” below.

Other Elements of Compensation

Retirement Plans

401(k) Plan

We currently maintain a 401(k) retirement savings plan for our employees, including our named executive officers, who satisfy certain eligibility requirements. Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in the 401(k) plan on the same terms as other full-time employees. The Internal Revenue Code allows

 

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eligible employees to defer a portion of their compensation, within prescribed limits, on a pre-tax basis through contributions to the 401(k) plan. Currently, we match contributions made by participants in the 401(k) plan up to a specified percentage of the employee contributions, and these matching contributions are fully vested as of the date on which the contribution is made. In 2019, we matched a portion of the contributions to the 401(k) plan on behalf of eligible employees. The discretionary employer match for 2019 was 100% on deferrals up to 3%, and 50% on deferrals over 3% up to 5%. We believe that providing a vehicle for tax-deferred retirement savings through our 401(k) plan, and making fully vested matching contributions, adds to the overall desirability of our executive compensation package and further incentivizes our employees, including our named executive officers, in accordance with our compensation policies.

Deferred Compensation Plan

We currently maintain the Mission Produce Deferred Compensation Plan, as may be amended from time to time, for certain of our employees, including our named executive officers. This plan provides our employees an opportunity to save for retirement and other purposes. Employees may defer a portion of their pre-tax base salary and annual bonus, which contribution amounts may be matched by Mission at our discretion. Matching contributions, if any, are immediately vested. Participants have an opportunity to earn returns (positive or negative) based on notional investment alternatives offered under the plan, but may only earn such returns with respect to any portion of the deferral account based on a single investment option at a time (i.e., no “greater of” returns apply to any amounts deferred under the Deferred Compensation Plan), and any changes to notional investments may only be made prospectively). Participants may elect that account balances be distributed upon any or all of the following payment events: a date specified by the participant with a minimum deferral period of two years, upon a separation from service, retirement or death. In 2019, Mr. Barnard was the only named executive officer to participate in our Deferred Compensation Plan and Mission did not provide Mr. Barnard with any matching contributions.

Employee Benefits and Perquisites

Health/Welfare Plans. All of our full-time employees, including our named executive officers, are eligible to participate in our health and welfare plans, including:

 

   

medical, dental and vision benefits;

 

   

medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts;

 

   

short-term and long-term disability insurance; and

 

   

life insurance.

We also provide Mr. Giles and Mr. Wileman with a monthly car allowance and Mr. Barnard with the use of a Company-paid car. We believe the perquisites described above are necessary and appropriate to provide a competitive compensation package to our named executive officers.

No Tax Gross-Ups

We do not make gross-up payments to cover our named executive officers’ personal income taxes that may pertain to any of the compensation or perquisites paid or provided by our company.

 

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OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL YEAR-END

The following table summarizes the number of shares of common stock underlying outstanding equity incentive plan awards for each named executive officer as of October 31, 2019.

 

    

Grant Date

    

Option Awards

 

Name

  

Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Exercisable

    

Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable

   

Option
Exercise
Price
($)

   

Option
Expiration
Date

 

Stephen J. Barnard

     07/09/2019        —          100,000 (1)      160.00 (2)      07/09/2029  

Bryan E. Giles

     03/27/2013        2,000        —         30.70       03/26/2023  

Ross W. Wileman

     —          —          —         —         —    

 

(1)

The option vests: (i) as to 50% of the shares underlying the option, in full on the seven-year anniversary of the grant date, subject to continued employment; provided, that notwithstanding the foregoing, this portion of the option shall vest in full immediately prior to the consummation of a change in control (as defined in the 2003 Plan) or upon the closing of an initial public offering of the Company’s common stock, in each case, subject to continued employment, and (ii) as to 50% of the shares underlying the option, in five substantially equal installments on each anniversary of the grant date over a five-year period, subject to continued employment.

(2)

As discussed under the header “Equity Compensation” above, this award was amended in December 2019 to increase the exercise price to $233.57, which, as our board of directors then determined based on the information provided by our independent valuation firm, represents the fair market value of a share of our common stock as of July 31, 2019.

Executive Compensation Arrangements

In fiscal year 2019, none of our executive officers were parties to employment agreements or other similar arrangements with us. Each of our executive officers’ employment is “at will” and may be terminated at any time.

 

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DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

The following table sets forth information for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019 regarding the compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our non-employee directors who served on our board of directors during fiscal year 2019.

 

Name

   Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
($)
     All Other
Compensation
($)
    Total
($)
 

Steven A. Beebe

     21,000        —         21,000  

Stephen W. Bershad

     21,000        —         21,000  

Luis A. Gonzalez

     20,000        250,000 (1)      270,000  

Jay A. Pack

     20,000        —         20,000  

Bruce C. Taylor

     20,000        —         20,000  

 

(1)

Amount represents consulting fees paid by the Company to Mr. Gonzalez for consulting services in fiscal year 2019.

In 2018, we entered into a consulting services agreement with Mr. Gonzalez, pursuant to which he receives $250,000 per year, payable monthly, for consulting services related to our business operations in Latin America. We expect that the compensation Mr. Gonzalez is eligible to receive under his consulting services agreement will be superseded by our new non-employee director compensation program, as described below, once implemented.

Post-IPO Director Compensation Program

In April 2020, our board of directors adopted and our stockholders approved a non-employee director compensation program, or the Director Compensation Program, which provides for annual retainer fees and long-term equity awards for our non-employee directors, or an Eligible Director. The material terms of the Director Compensation Program are summarized below.

The Director Compensation Program consists of the following components:

Cash Compensation

 

   

Annual Retainer: $60,000

 

   

Annual Committee Chair Retainer:

 

   

Audit: $15,000

 

   

Compensation: $10,000

 

   

Nominating and Corporate Governance: $10,000

 

   

Annual Committee Member (Non-Chair) Retainer:

 

   

Audit: $7,500

 

   

Compensation: $5,000

 

   

Nominating and Corporate Governance: $5,000

 

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Annual cash retainers will be paid in quarterly installments in arrears and will be pro-rated for any partial calendar quarter of service.

Equity Compensation

 

   

Initial Grant: Each Eligible Director who is initially elected or appointed to serve on the Board after the effective date of this offering automatically shall be granted a restricted stock unit award with a value of approximately $50,000 on the date on which such Eligible Director is appointed or elected to serve on the Board, and shall vest in full on the date of the annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders following the grant date, subject to such Eligible Director’s continued service through the vesting date.

 

   

Annual Grant: An Eligible Director who is serving on the Board as of the date of the annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders each calendar year beginning with calendar year 2021 shall be granted, on such annual meeting date, a restricted stock unit award with a value of approximately $100,000, which shall vest in full on the earlier to occur of (i) the one-year anniversary of the applicable grant date and (ii) the date of the next annual meeting following the grant date, subject to continued service through the applicable vesting date.

In addition, each such award will vest in full upon a change in control of our company (as defined in the 2020 Plan).

Compensation under our Director Compensation Program will be subject to the annual limits on non-employee director compensation set forth in the 2020 Plan, as described below.

Director IPO Grants

Pursuant to our Director Compensation Program, each Eligible Director who is serving on the Board as of the closing of this offering shall be granted a restricted stock unit award with a value of approximately $100,000, which shall vest in full on the date of the annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders following the grant date, subject to such Eligible Director’s continued service through the vesting date. In accordance with our Director Compensation Program, each such award will vest in full upon a change in control of our company (as defined in the 2020 Plan).

Equity Incentive Award Plans

The following summarizes the material terms of the 2003 Plan, under which we have previously made periodic grants of equity and equity-based awards to our named executive officers and other key employees, and the 2020 Plan.

Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Incentive Plan

Our board of directors and our stockholders representing the holders of a majority of our outstanding shares approved the 2003 Plan, which became effective in December 2003.

In July 2019, our board of directors approved, and in March 2020, our shareholders approved, an amendment and restatement of our 2003 Plan which increased the share reserve to 600,000. As of April 30, 2020, 101,500 shares of our common stock were subject to outstanding option awards and 77,724 shares of our common stock remained available for future issuance. The 2003 Plan will expire in July 2029 unless earlier terminated by our board of directors. However, in connection with this offering, following the effectiveness of the 2020 Plan, the 2003 Plan will terminate and we will not make any further awards under the 2003 Plan. Any outstanding awards granted under the 2003 Plan will remain outstanding, subject to the terms of the 2003 Plan and applicable award agreement.

 

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Administration. The board of directors administers the 2003 Plan. Subject to the terms and conditions of the 2003 Plan, the administrator has the authority to select the persons to whom option awards are to be made, determine the number of option awards to grant, determine the number of shares to be subject to such option awards, and the terms, the exercise price of such option awards, subject to the limits established in the 2003 Plan, conditions and restrictions of such awards, and make all other determinations and decisions and to take all other actions necessary or advisable for the administration of the 2003 Plan. The plan administrator is also authorized to establish, adopt, amend or revise rules relating to administration of the 2003 Plan, subject to certain restrictions.

Eligibility. Options may be granted to individuals who are then our employees, consultants and members of our board of directors. Only employees (including directors who are also employees) may be granted ISOs.

Awards. The 2003 Plan permits the award of stock options and stock awards. Each award is set forth in a separate agreement with the person receiving the award and indicates the type, terms and conditions of the award.

 

   

Nonqualified stock options. Nonqualified stock options, or NSOs, provide for the right to purchase shares of our common stock at a specified price which may not be less than the fair market value of a share of stock on the date of grant, and usually will become exercisable (at the discretion of our board of directors) in one or more installments after the grant date, subject to the participant’s continued employment or service with us and/or subject to the satisfaction of performance targets established by our compensation committee (or the board of directors, in the case of awards to non-employee directors). NSOs may be granted for any term specified by our compensation committee (or the board of directors, in the case of awards to non-employee directors), but the term may not exceed ten years.

 

   

Incentive Stock Options. Incentive Stock Options, or ISOs, are intended to comply with the provisions of the Code and are subject to specified restrictions contained in the Code applicable to ISOs. Among such restrictions, ISOs must have an exercise price of not less than the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of grant, may only be granted to employees, must expire within a specified period of time following the optionee’s termination of employment (to maintain ISO status), and must be exercised within ten years after the date of grant. In the case of an ISO granted to an individual who owns (or is deemed to own) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of our capital stock on the date of grant, the 2003 Plan provides that the exercise price must be at least 110% of the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of grant and the ISO must expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of its grant.

 

   

Stock Awards. Stock awards are awards of fully vested shares of our common stock. Stock awards are subject to the applicable terms and conditions of the 2003 Plan and may be subject to any other terms and conditions as determined by our board of directors.

Certain Transactions. In the event of certain transactions and events affecting our common stock, such as a dissolution or liquidation, or any corporate separation or division, including, but not limited to, a split-up, a split-off or a spin-off, or a sale of substantially all of our assets, certain mergers or consolidations, or certain reverse mergers, then, the plan administrator, to the extent permitted by applicable law, but otherwise in its sole discretion may provide for: (i) the continuation of outstanding rights (if the Company is the surviving entity); (ii) the assumption of the 2003 Plan and such outstanding rights by the surviving entity or its parent; (iii) the substitution by the surviving entity or its parent of rights with substantially the same terms for such outstanding rights; or (iv) the cancellation of such outstanding rights without payment of any consideration, provided that if such rights would be canceled in accordance with the foregoing, the participant shall have the right, exercisable during the later of the ten-day period ending on the fifth day prior to such merger or consolidation or ten days after the administrator provides the rights holder a notice of cancellation, to exercise such rights in whole or in part without regard to any installment exercise provisions in the rights agreement.

 

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Amendment or Termination of the 2003 Plan. Our board of directors may amend, suspend or terminate the 2003 Plan at any time for any reason. However, the board of directors will determine whether stockholder approval of any amendment to the 2003 Plan must be obtained to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with any applicable law, regulation or stock exchange rule. As described above, the 2003 Plan will terminate as of the effective date of the 2020 Plan.

2020 Incentive Award Plan

Our board of directors has adopted the 2020 Incentive Award Plan, or the 2020 Plan, subject to approval by our stockholders, which will become effective in connection with this offering. Under the 2020 Plan, we may grant cash and equity incentive awards to eligible service providers in order to attract, motivate and retain the talent for which we compete. The material terms of the 2020 Plan are summarized below.

Eligibility and Administration. Our employees, consultants and directors, and employees, consultants and directors of our subsidiaries are eligible to receive awards under the 2020 Plan. Following our initial public offering, the 2020 Plan will be administered by our board of directors with respect to awards to non-employee directors and by our compensation committee with respect to other participants, each of which may delegate its duties and responsibilities to committees of our directors and/or officers (referred to collectively as the plan administrator below), subject to certain limitations that may be imposed under the 2020 Plan, Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and/or stock exchange rules, as applicable. The plan administrator has the authority to make all determinations and interpretations under, prescribe all forms for use with, and adopt rules for the administration of, the 2020 Plan, subject to its express terms and conditions. The plan administrator may also set the terms and conditions of all awards under the 2020 Plan, including any vesting and vesting acceleration conditions.

Shares Available. An aggregate of                  shares of our common stock are reserved for issuance under awards granted pursuant to the 2020 Plan, which shares may be authorized but unissued shares, shares purchased in the open market or treasury shares. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the 2020 Plan, no more than 5,000,000 shares of our common stock may be issued pursuant to the exercise of ISOs under the 2020 Plan.

The number of shares available for issuance will be increased by the number of shares of common stock that remain available for issuance under the 2003 Plan as of the effective date of the 2020 Plan (with the maximum number of such shares to equal 77,724 shares).

If an award under the 2020 Plan expires, lapses or is terminated, exchanged for or settled for cash, surrendered, repurchased, cancelled without having been fully exercised or forfeited any shares subject to such award may, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement, be used again for new grants under the 2020 Plan. Further, shares delivered to us to satisfy the applicable exercise or purchase price of an award under the 2020 Plan and/or to satisfy any applicable tax withholding obligations (including shares retained by us from the award under the 2020 Plan being exercised or purchased and/or creating the tax obligation) will become or again be available for award grants under the 2020 Plan. The payment of dividend equivalents in cash in conjunction with any awards under the 2020 Plan will not reduce the shares available for grant under the 2020 Plan. However, the following shares may not be used again for grant under the 2020 Plan: (i) shares subject to stock appreciation rights, or SARs, that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the SAR on exercise, and (ii) shares purchased on the open market with the cash proceeds from the exercise of options.

Awards granted under the 2020 Plan upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, awards authorized or outstanding under a qualifying equity plan maintained by an entity with which we enter into a merger or similar corporate transaction will not reduce the shares available for grant under the 2020 Plan but will count against the maximum number of shares that may be issued upon the exercise of ISOs.

 

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The 2020 Plan provides that the sum of any cash compensation and the aggregate grant date fair value (determined as of the date of the grant under ASC Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of all awards granted to a non-employee director as compensation for services as a non-employee director during any calendar year may not exceed the amount equal to $500,000, increased to $750,000, in the fiscal year of a non-employee director’s initial service as a non-employee director.

Awards. The 2020 Plan provides for the grant of stock options, including ISOs and NSOs, SARs, restricted stock, dividend equivalents, restricted stock units, or RSUs, and other stock or cash based awards. Certain awards under the 2020 Plan may constitute or provide for a deferral of compensation, subject to Section 409A of the Code, which may impose additional requirements on the terms and conditions of such awards. All awards under the 2020 Plan will be evidenced by award agreements, which will detail all terms and conditions of the awards, including any applicable vesting and payment terms and post-termination exercise limitations. Awards other than cash awards generally will be settled in shares of our common stock, but the plan administrator may provide for cash settlement of any award. A brief description of each award type follows.

 

   

Stock Options and SARs. Stock options provide for the purchase of shares of our common stock in the future at an exercise price set on the grant date. ISOs, in contrast to NSOs, may provide tax deferral beyond exercise and favorable capital gains tax treatment to their holders if certain holding period and other requirements of the Code are satisfied. SARs entitle their holder, upon exercise, to receive from us an amount equal to the appreciation of the shares subject to the award between the grant date and the exercise date. The exercise price of a stock option or SAR may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying share on the grant date (or 110% in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders), except with respect to certain substitute awards granted in connection with a corporate transaction. The term of a stock option or SAR may not be longer than ten years (or five years in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders).

 

   

Restricted Stock. Restricted stock is an award of nontransferable shares of our common stock that are subject to certain vesting conditions and other restrictions.

 

   

RSUs. RSUs are contractual promises to deliver shares of our common stock in the future, which may also remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met and may be accompanied by the right to receive the equivalent value of dividends paid on shares of common stock prior to the delivery of the underlying shares (i.e., dividend equivalent rights). The plan administrator may provide that the delivery of the shares underlying RSUs will be deferred on a mandatory basis or at the election of the participant. The terms and conditions applicable to RSUs will be determined by the plan administrator, subject to the conditions and limitations contained in the 2020 Plan.

 

   

Other Stock or Cash Based Awards. Other stock or cash based awards are awards of cash, fully vested shares of our common stock and other awards valued wholly or partially by referring to, or otherwise based on, shares of our common stock. Other stock or cash based awards may be granted to participants and may also be available as a payment form in the settlement of other awards, as standalone payments and as payment in lieu of compensation to which a participant is otherwise entitled.

 

   

Dividend Equivalents. Dividend equivalents represent the right to receive the equivalent value of dividends paid on shares of our common stock and may be granted alone or in tandem with awards other than stock options or SARs. Dividend equivalents are credited as of the dividend record dates during the period between the date an award is granted and the date such award vests, is exercised, is distributed or expires, as determined by the plan administrator.

Certain Transactions. The plan administrator has broad discretion to take action under the 2020 Plan, as well as make adjustments to the terms and conditions of existing and future awards, to prevent the dilution or

 

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enlargement of intended benefits and facilitate necessary or desirable changes in the event of certain transactions and events affecting our common stock, such as stock dividends, stock splits, mergers, acquisitions, consolidations and other corporate transactions. In addition, in the event of certain non-reciprocal transactions with our stockholders known as “equity restructurings,” the plan administrator will make equitable adjustments to the 2020 Plan and outstanding awards. In the event of a change in control of our company (as defined in the 2020 Plan), to the extent that the surviving entity declines to continue, convert, assume or replace outstanding awards, then all such awards will become fully vested and exercisable in connection with the transaction. Awards under the 2020 Plan are generally non-transferrable, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or, subject to the plan administrator’s consent, pursuant to a domestic relations order, and are generally exercisable only by the participant.

Foreign Participants, Claw-Back Provisions, Transferability, and Participant Payments. The plan administrator may modify award terms, establish subplans and/or adjust other terms and conditions of awards, subject to the share limits described above, in order to facilitate grants of awards subject to the laws and/or stock exchange rules of countries outside of the United States. All awards will be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by our company to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable award agreement. With regard to tax withholding, exercise price and purchase price obligations arising in connection with awards under the 2020 Plan, the plan administrator may, in its discretion, accept cash or check, shares of our common stock that meet specified conditions, a “market sell order” or such other consideration as it deems suitable.

Plan Amendment and Termination. Our board of directors may amend or terminate the 2020 Plan at any time; however, no amendment, other than an amendment that increases the number of shares available under the 2020 Plan, may materially and adversely affect an award outstanding under the 2020 Plan without the consent of the affected participant, and stockholder approval will be obtained for any amendment to the extent necessary to comply with applicable laws or to increase the director limit. The plan administrator will not have the authority, without the approval of our stockholders, to “reprice” any stock option or SAR, or cancel any stock option or SAR in exchange for cash or another award when the option or SAR price per share exceeds the fair market value of the underlying shares. The 2020 Plan will remain in effect until the tenth anniversary of the effective date of the 2020 Plan, unless earlier terminated.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The following is a description of transactions since November 1, 2016, to which we have been a party, in which the amount involved exceeds or will exceed $120,000 and in which any of our directors, executive officers or holders of more than 5% of our capital stock, or an affiliate or immediate family member thereof, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

Transactions with Companies in which We Own an Equity Interest

We purchase from and sell avocados to Henry Avocado Corporation (“HAC”), in which we own a 49% interest. Sales to HAC totaled $6.4 million in fiscal 2018 and $0.5 million in fiscal 2019, while accounts receivable totaled $3.0 million as of October 31, 2018 and $0.0 as of October 31, 2019. Purchases from HAC totaled $0.4 million in fiscal 2018 and $3.3 million in fiscal 2019, while payables to HAC totaled $0.04 million as of October 31, 2018 and $0.0 as of October 31, 2019. In January 2017, we sold packing equipment to HAC for $500,000. We recorded a loss on the disposal of the asset of $182,000 in fiscal 2017.

We purchase avocados from Agricola y Comercial Cabilfrut S.A. (“Cabilfrut”), in which we held a 50% interest until April 2018, for sale within the U.S. and export markets and we sell avocados to Cabilfrut for sale within Chile. Sales to Cabilfrut while we held a 50% equity interest totaled $0.5 million in fiscal 2018, while purchases from Cabilfrut totaled $9.6 million in fiscal 2018.

We purchase packaged Peruvian avocados from Grupo Arato for sale within domestic and international markets. We accounted for our ownership in Grupo Arato as an equity method investment until September 2018, at which time we acquired the remaining outstanding shares of capital stock of Grupo Arato from its stockholders, including Rosario Vallejos, who is married to Luis Gonzalez, a member of our board of directors, and began consolidating operations. Purchases from Grupo Arato totaled $70.6 million in fiscal 2018 during the time that Grupo Arato was an equity method investment.

We provide packing and cooling services for blueberries within Peru to Moruga, in which we own a 60% equity interest. We recorded sales of $0.6 million in in the year ended October 31, 2018 and $3.4 million during the year ended October 31, 2019, and we had amounts receivable from Moruga totaling $0.9 million as of October 31, 2018 and $2.1 million as of October 31, 2019.

We have provided loans to Moruga to support growth and expansion projects. Loans have been contributed by all shareholders in proportion with their ownership interests in the investee. The outstanding balance of loans to our equity method investees was $3.9 million as of October 31, 2019 and 2018.

We sell packaged avocados to Shanghai Mr. Avocado Limited (“Mr. Avocado”), in which we own a 33% equity interest through our subsidiary Mission Produce Asia Ltd., for resale within the Chinese market. We recorded fruit sales of $5.6 million in fiscal 2018 and $4.5 million in fiscal 2019, and had amounts receivable from Mr. Avocado totaling $1.7 million as of October 31, 2018 and $1.6 million as of October 31, 2019.

During fiscal 2019, we sourced packaged fruit from Cartama, a Colombian avocado grower in which we own a 50% interest. Purchases from Cartama totaled $1.1 million during fiscal 2019 and had outstanding payables of $0.2 million as of October 31, 2019.

Relationships with Directors and Management

In October 2017, we sold a cold storage and packing facility to a group of limited liability companies whose ownership includes Keith Barnard and Ben Barnard, each a Vice President of the Company and sons of our President and Chief Executive Officer, Steve Barnard, who received total compensation of approximately $263,000 and $246,000, respectively, in fiscal 2019. The sale price was $7,000,000. We recorded a gain on the disposal of the asset of $2,541,000 during the year ended October 31, 2017, and hold a note receivable from

 

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the buyers that is classified within Other Assets totaling $1,400,000 as of October 31, 2018 and 2017. Principal balance was paid in full in fiscal 2019. Interest on the note was payable in quarterly installments at 4.2%. We reported interest income from this group in the amount of $0.06 million during each of fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2019 years.

In connection with our Peru farming operations, we entered into a consulting agreement in 2018 with Luis Gonzalez. Pursuant to the agreement, we pay Mr. Gonzalez $250,000 per year, payable monthly, for his consulting services.

We sell avocados to AvoPacific Oils, an entity whose ownership consists of our CEO and two of his sons who are also employed by us. We recorded fruit sales of $1.2 million in fiscal 2018 and $0.9 million in fiscal 2019, while accounts receivable totaled $0.7 million as of October 31, 2018 and $0.1 million as of October 31, 2019.

Stephen J. Barnard, Stephen W. Bershad and Ross W. Wileman, or companies owned by them, market California avocados through us pursuant to arrangements substantially similar to the marketing agreements that we enter into with other growers. The aggregate amount of avocados procured from entities owned or controlled by those three members of our board and management was $4.2 million in fiscal 2018 and $1.8 million in fiscal 2019. We did not have any amounts due to members of our board or management as of October 31, 2018 and 2019.

Indemnification Agreements and Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. These agreements, among other things, require us to indemnify each director and executive officer to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, including indemnification of expenses such as attorneys’ fees, judgments, penalties fines and settlement amounts incurred by the director or executive officer in any action or proceeding, including any action or proceeding by or in right of us, arising out of the person’s services as a director or executive officer.

Other Transactions

See “Executive and Director Compensation” for a description of certain arrangements with our executive officers and directors.

Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions

Our board of directors has adopted a written related person transaction policy, to be effective upon the consummation of this offering, setting forth the policies and procedures for the review and approval or ratification of related person transactions. This policy will cover, with exceptions set forth in Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, any transaction, arrangement or relationship, or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships in which we were or are to be a participant, where the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and a related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, including, without limitation, purchases of goods or services by or from the related person or entities in which the related person has a material interest, indebtedness, guarantees of indebtedness and employment by us of a related person. In reviewing and approving any such transactions, our audit committee is tasked to consider all relevant facts and circumstances, including, but not limited to, whether the transaction is on terms comparable to those that could be obtained in an arm’s length transaction with an unrelated third-party and the extent of the related person’s interest in the transaction. All of the transactions described in this section occurred prior to the adoption of this policy.

 

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PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of                 , 2020, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of our common stock offered by us in this offering, for:

 

   

each of our named executive officers;

 

   

each of our directors;

 

   

all of our current directors and executive officers as a group; and

 

   

each person, or group of affiliated persons, known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding shares common stock.

We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC, which generally means that a person has beneficial ownership of a security if he or she possesses sole or shared voting or investment power of that security. The information in the table below does not necessarily indicate beneficial ownership for any other purpose, including for purposes of Sections 13(d) and 13(g) of the Securities Act.

We have based our calculation of the percentage of beneficial ownership prior to this offering on                  shares of common stock outstanding as of                 , 2020. We have based our calculation of the percentage of beneficial ownership after this offering on                  shares of common stock outstanding immediately after the completion of this offering. The table below excludes any shares of our common stock that may be purchased in this offering pursuant to the reserved share program. See “Underwriting—Reserved Share Program.”

Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner listed in the table below is c/o Mission Produce, Inc., 2500 E. Vineyard Avenue, Suite 300, in Oxnard, California 93036 and our telephone number is (805) 981-3650.

 

    

Shares Beneficially
Owned Prior to

this Offering

    

Shares Being

Offered(1)

    

Shares Beneficially

Owned After this
Offering(1)

 
    

Shares

    

%

    

 

    

Shares

    

%

 

Named Executive Officers and Directors:

                                                                                                   

Stephen J. Barnard(4)

              

Bryan E. Giles(4)

              

Juan R. Wiesner

              

Michael A. Browne

              

Steve A. Beebe

              

Stephen W. Bershad

              

Luis A. Gonzalez(2)

              

Jay A. Pack

              

Bruce C. Taylor(3)

              

Ross W. Wileman

              

All executive officers and directors as a group (10 persons)

              

Other 5% Shareholders:

              

Rosario del Pilar Vallejos(2)

              

Taylor Family Investments LLC(3)

              

Other Selling Stockholders:

              

 

*

less than 1%.

(1)

Does not include any shares that may be issued pursuant to the underwriters’ overallotment option.

(2)

Mrs. Vallejos is a former owner of Grupo Arato and is married to Mr. Gonzalez.

(3)

Mr. Taylor is the managing member of Taylor Family Investments LLC.

(4)

Includes                  shares of stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options exercisable within 60 days of                 , 2020.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

General

As of the closing of this offering, our authorized capital stock will consist of 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share.

The following description of our capital stock and provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws are summaries and are qualified by reference to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws that will become effective upon the closing of this offering. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws will be approved by our pre-IPO shareholders prior to this offering. Copies of these documents will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as exhibits to our registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part. The description of our capital stock reflects changes to our capital structure that will occur upon the closing of this offering.

Common Stock

Upon completion of this offering, there will be                 shares of our common stock outstanding.

Voting Rights

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share of common stock. Holders of shares of common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters (including the election of directors) submitted to a vote of shareholders. We have not provided for cumulative voting for the election of directors in our certificate of incorporation.

Economic Rights

Dividends. Subject to preferences that may apply to shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, the holders of outstanding shares of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends out of funds legally available if our board of directors, in its discretion, determines to issue dividends and only then at the times and in the amounts that our board of directors may determine. See “Dividend Policy” for more information. Any dividend or distributions paid or payable to the holders of shares of common stock shall be paid pro rata, on an equal priority, pari passu basis.

Right to Receive Liquidation Distributions. Upon our dissolution, liquidation or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our shareholders shall be distributable ratably among the holders of our common stock, subject to prior satisfaction of all outstanding debt and liabilities and the preferential rights and payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Choice of Forum

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative form, the Chancery Court (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for: (1) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on our behalf; (2) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or stockholders owed to us or our stockholders; (3) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time); or (4) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

 

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Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. If any such foreign action is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (a) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce such actions and (b) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such stockholder. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will also provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our securities shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this choice of forum provision. It is possible that a court of law could rule that the choice of forum provision contained in our certificate of incorporation is inapplicable or unenforceable if it is challenged in a proceeding or otherwise. This choice of forum provision has important consequences for our shareholders. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock—Our certificate of incorporation will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between us and our shareholders, which could limit our shareholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.”

Preferred Stock

Under the terms of our certificate of incorporation that will become effective upon the closing of this offering, our board of directors is authorized to direct us to issue shares of preferred stock in one or more series without shareholder approval. Our board of directors has the discretion to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, of each series of preferred stock.

The purpose of authorizing our board of directors to issue preferred stock and determine its rights and preferences is to eliminate delays associated with a shareholder vote on specific issuances. The issuance of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions, future financings and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third-party to acquire, or could discourage a third-party from seeking to acquire, a majority of our outstanding voting stock. Upon the closing of this offering, there will be no shares of preferred stock outstanding, and we have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock

Anti-takeover Provisions

Classified Board of Directors and Removal of Directors

Our certificate of incorporation will provide that our board of directors will be divided into three classes, with each class serving three-year staggered terms. The classification of directors will have the effect of making it more difficult for shareholders to change the composition of our board.

Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws will provide that a director may be removed only for cause. Any vacancy on our board of directors, including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of our board of directors, may be filled only by vote of a majority of our directors then in office.

Shareholder Action; Special Meeting of Shareholders

Our bylaws provide that any action required or permitted to be taken by our shareholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such shareholders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such shareholders. Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws also provide that, except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of our shareholders can only be called by our board of directors.

 

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Authorized But Unissued Shares

The authorized but unissued shares of our common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuance without shareholder approval, subject to any limitations imposed by the listing standards of Nasdaq. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate finance transactions, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock could make more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

The foregoing provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change in control. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors and in the policies formulated by our board of directors and to discourage transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change of control. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our management or delaying or preventing a transaction that might benefit you or other minority shareholders.

In addition, upon the closing of this offering, we will be subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Subject to exceptions, Section 203 prevents a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with any “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that the person became an interested shareholder, unless the interested shareholder attained such status with the approval of our board of directors or unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. A “business combination” includes, among other things, a merger or consolidation involving us and the “interested shareholder” and the sale of more than 10% of our assets. In general, an “interested shareholder” is any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.

Stockholders’ Agreement

Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will enter into an amended and restated stockholders agreement with our existing holders of common stock to which such holders will be entitled to rights and subject to obligations described below.

Registration Rights

Beginning six months following the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, the holders of at least a majority of registrable securities outstanding prior to this offering can request in writing that we register the offer and sale of all or a portion of their shares on a maximum of one effective registration statement, provided that the anticipated aggregate price to the public is at least $50.0 million.

In addition, following this offering, if we determine to register any of our securities under the Securities Act (subject to certain exceptions), either for our own account or for the account of other security holders, the holders of registrable securities will be entitled to certain “piggyback” registration rights allowing the holders to include their shares in one such registration, subject to certain marketing and other limitations. As a result, if we propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act, other than with respect to a registration related to employee benefit plans, convertible debt securities, or certain other transactions, the holders of these shares are entitled to notice of the registration and have the right, subject to limitations that the underwriters may impose on the number of shares included in the registration, to include their shares in the registration. In an underwritten offering, the managing underwriter, if any, has the right to limit the number of shares such holders may include.

 

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Transfer Agent and Registrar

Upon completion of this offering, the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock will be American Stock Transfer & Trust, LLC. The address of the transfer agent and registrar is 59 Maiden Lane, Plaza Level, New York NY 10038.

Limitations of Liability and Indemnification

See the section captioned “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions— Indemnification Agreements and Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance.”

Listing

We have applied to list our common stock on Nasdaq under the symbol “AVO.”

 

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Immediately prior to this offering, there was no public market for our common stock, and we cannot predict the effect, if any, that market sales of shares of our common stock or the availability of shares of our common stock for sale will have on the market price of our common stock prevailing from time to time. Future sales of our common stock in the public market, or the availability of such shares for sale in the public market, could adversely affect market prices prevailing from time to time. As described below, only a limited number of shares of our common stock will be available for sale shortly after this offering due to contractual and legal restrictions on resale. Nevertheless, sales of our common stock in the public market after such restrictions lapse, or the perception that those sales may occur, could adversely affect the prevailing market price at such time and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.

Following the completion of this offering,                  shares of our common stock will be outstanding, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares. Of these outstanding shares, all of the shares of our common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradable, except that any shares purchased in this offering by our affiliates, as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, would only be able to be sold in compliance with the Rule 144 limitations described below.

The remaining outstanding shares of our common stock not sold in this offering will be deemed “restricted securities” as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if they are registered or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rule 144 or Rule 701 under the Securities Act, which rules are summarized below. All of our executive officers, directors, the selling stockholders and beneficial holders of substantially all of our capital stock and securities exchangeable or exercisable for our capital stock have entered into market standoff agreements with us or lock-up agreements with the underwriters under which they have agreed, subject to specific exceptions, not to sell any of our stock for 180 days following the date of this prospectus. As a result of these agreements and subject to the provisions of Rule 144 or Rule 701, shares of our common stock will be available for sale in the public market as follows:

 

   

beginning on the date of this prospectus, all                  shares of our common stock sold in this offering will be immediately available for sale in the public market; and

 

   

beginning 181 days after the date of this prospectus, the remaining                  shares of our common stock will be eligible for sale in the public market from time to time thereafter, subject in some cases to the volume and other restrictions of Rule 144, as described below.

Lock-Up Agreements

We, our officers, directors, the selling stockholders and beneficial holders of substantially all of our capital stock and securities convertible into or exchangeable for our capital stock have agreed that, subject to exceptions, for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, we and they will not, without the prior written consent of BofA Securities, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, dispose of or hedge any shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our capital stock. BofA Securities, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC may, in their discretion, release any of the securities subject to lock-up agreements at any time. When determining whether or not to release our common stock and other securities from lock-up agreements, BofA Securities, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC will consider, among other factors, the holder’s reasons for requesting the release, the number of shares for which the release is being requested and market conditions at the time of the request. In the event of such a release or waiver for one of our directors or officers, BofA Securities, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC shall provide us with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of such release or waiver and we will announce the impending release or waiver by issuing a press release at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

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Rule 144

In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, once we have been subject to the public company reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act for at least 90 days, a person who is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates for purposes of the Securities Act at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale and who has beneficially owned the shares of our common stock proposed to be sold for at least six months is entitled to sell those shares without complying with the manner of sale, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144, subject to compliance with the public information requirements of Rule 144. If such a person has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least one year, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, then that person would be entitled to sell those shares without complying with any of the requirements of Rule 144.

In general, under Rule 144, as currently in effect, our affiliates or persons selling shares of our common stock on behalf of our affiliates are entitled to sell upon expiration of the market standoff agreements and lock-up agreements described above, within any three-month period, a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:

 

   

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

 

   

the average weekly trading volume of our common stock during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to that sale.

Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates or persons selling shares of our common stock on behalf of our affiliates are also subject to manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.

Registration Statement

We intend to file a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act promptly after the completion of this offering to register shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our equity compensation plans. The registration statement on Form S-8 is expected to become effective immediately upon filing, and shares of our common stock covered by the registration statement will then become eligible for sale in the public market, subject to the Rule 144 limitations applicable to affiliates, vesting restrictions and any applicable market standoff agreements and lock-up agreements. See the section captioned “Executive Compensation—Equity Compensation Plans” for a description of our equity compensation plans.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK

The following discussion is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock issued pursuant to this offering, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all potential tax effects. The effects of other U.S. federal tax laws, such as estate and gift tax laws, and any applicable state, local or non-U.S. tax laws are not discussed. This discussion is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial decisions, and published rulings and administrative pronouncements of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), in each case in effect as of the date hereof. These authorities may change or be subject to differing interpretations. Any such change or differing interpretation may be applied retroactively in a manner that could adversely affect a Non-U.S. Holder of our common stock. We have not sought and will not seek any rulings from the IRS regarding the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance the IRS or a court will not take a contrary position to that discussed below regarding the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock.

This discussion is limited to Non-U.S. Holders that hold our common stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address all U.S. federal income tax consequences relevant to a Non-U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, including the impact of the alternative minimum tax or the Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. In addition, it does not address consequences relevant to Non-U.S. Holders subject to special rules, including, without limitation:

 

   

U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States;

 

   

persons holding our common stock as part of a hedge, straddle or other risk reduction strategy or as part of a conversion transaction or other integrated investment;

 

   

banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions;

 

   

brokers, dealers or traders in securities;

 

   

“controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax;

 

   

partnerships or other entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and investors therein);

 

   

tax-exempt organizations or governmental organizations;

 

   

persons deemed to sell our common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code;

 

   

persons who hold or receive our common stock pursuant to the exercise of any employee stock option or otherwise as compensation;

 

   

tax-qualified retirement plans;

 

   

“qualified foreign pension funds” as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds; and

 

   

persons subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of any item of gross income with respect to the stock being taken into account in an “applicable financial statement” (as defined in the Code).

 

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If an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, partnerships holding our common stock and the partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them.

THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE. INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK ARISING UNDER THE U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

Definition of a Non-U.S. Holder

For purposes of this discussion, a “Non-U.S. Holder” is any beneficial owner of our common stock that is neither a “U.S. person” nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. person is any person that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is or is treated as any of the following:

 

   

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

 

   

a corporation created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia;

 

   

an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or

 

   

a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and the control of one or more “United States persons” (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code), or (2) has a valid election in effect to be treated as a United States person for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Distributions

If we do make distributions of cash or property on our common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Amounts not treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes will constitute a return of capital and first be applied against and reduce a Non-U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its common stock, but not below zero. Any excess will be treated as capital gain and will be treated as described below under “—Sale or Other Taxable Disposition.”

Subject to the discussion below on effectively connected income, dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder of our common stock will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the dividends (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty, provided the Non-U.S. Holder furnishes a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable documentation) certifying qualification for the lower treaty rate). If a Non-U.S. Holder holds the stock through a financial institution or other intermediary, the Non-U.S. Holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the intermediary, which then will be required to provide certification to the applicable withholding agent, either directly or through intermediaries. A Non-U.S. Holder that does not timely furnish the required documentation, but that qualifies for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under any applicable income tax treaty.

 

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If dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the Non-U.S. Holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such dividends are attributable), the Non-U.S. Holder will be exempt from the U.S. federal withholding tax described above. To claim the exemption, the Non-U.S. Holder must furnish to the applicable withholding agent a valid IRS Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

Any such effectively connected dividends will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular rates. A Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected dividends, as adjusted for certain items. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

Sale or Other Taxable Disposition

A Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock unless:

 

   

the gain is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the Non-U.S. Holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such gain is attributable);

 

   

the Non-U.S. Holder is a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the disposition and certain other requirements are met; or

 

   

our common stock constitutes a U.S. real property interest (“USRPI”) by reason of our status as a U.S. real property holding corporation (“USRPHC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Gain described in the first bullet point above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular rates. A Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected gain, as adjusted for certain items.

Gain described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of the Non-U.S. Holder (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided the Non-U.S. Holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

With respect to the third bullet point above, we believe we currently are not, and do not anticipate becoming, a USRPHC. Because the determination of whether we are a USRPHC depends, however, on the fair market value of our USRPIs relative to the fair market value of our non-U.S. real property interests and our other business assets, there can be no assurance we currently are not a USRPHC or will not become one in the future. Even if we are or were to become a USRPHC, gain arising from the sale or other taxable disposition by a Non-U.S. Holder of our common stock will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if our common stock is “regularly traded,” as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market, and such Non-U.S. Holder owned, actually and constructively, 5% or less of our common stock throughout the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the sale or other taxable disposition or the Non-U.S. Holder’s holding period.

Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding potentially applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

 

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Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Payments of dividends on our common stock will not be subject to backup withholding, provided the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know the holder is a United States person and the holder either certifies its non-U.S. status, such as by furnishing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or W-8ECI, or otherwise establishes an exemption. However, information returns are required to be filed with the IRS in connection with any distributions on our common stock paid to the Non-U.S. Holder, regardless of whether such distributions constitute dividends or whether any tax was actually withheld. In addition, proceeds of the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock within the United States or conducted through certain U.S.-related brokers generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting, if the applicable withholding agent receives the certification described above and does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a United States person, or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption. Proceeds of a disposition of our common stock conducted through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting.

Copies of information returns that are filed with the IRS may also be made available under the provisions of an applicable treaty or agreement to the tax authorities of the country in which the Non-U.S. Holder resides or is established.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Additional Withholding Tax on Payments Made to Foreign Accounts

Withholding taxes may be imposed under Sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or “FATCA”) on certain types of payments made to non-U.S. financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on dividends on, or (subject to the proposed Treasury Regulations discussed below) gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our common stock paid to a “foreign financial institution” or a “non-financial foreign entity” (each as defined in the Code), unless (1) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations, (2) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any “substantial United States owners” (as defined in the Code) or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial United States owner, or (3) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in (1) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain “specified United States persons” or “United States owned foreign entities” (each as defined in the Code), annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on certain payments to non-compliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules.

Under the applicable Treasury Regulations and administrative guidance, withholding under FATCA generally applies to payments of dividends on our common stock. While withholding under FATCA would have applied also to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of stock on or after January 1, 2019, proposed Treasury Regulations eliminate FATCA withholding on payments of gross proceeds entirely. Taxpayers generally may rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued.

Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of withholding under FATCA to their investment in our common stock.

 

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UNDERWRITING

BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. are acting as representatives of each of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an underwriting agreement among us and the underwriters, we and the selling shareholders have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us and the selling shareholders, the number of shares of common stock set forth opposite its name below.

 

                         Underwriter   

Number of
Shares

 

BofA Securities, Inc.

                   

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

  

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

  

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

  

Stephens Inc.

  

D. A. Davidson & Co.

  
  

 

 

 

Total

  
  

 

 

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, the underwriters have agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase all of the shares sold under the underwriting agreement if any of these shares are purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the nondefaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated.

We and the selling shareholders have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

The underwriters are offering the shares, subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel, including the validity of the shares, and other conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, such as the receipt by the underwriters of officer’s certificates and legal opinions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.

Commissions and Discounts

The representatives have advised us that the underwriters propose initially to offer the shares to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $                 per share. After the initial offering, the public offering price, concession or any other term of the offering may be changed.

The following table shows the public offering price, underwriting discount and proceeds before expenses to us and the selling shareholders. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares.

 

    

Per Share

    

Without Option

    

With Option

 

Public offering price

   $      $        $  

Underwriting discount

   $        $          $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to Mission Produce, Inc.

   $        $          $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to the selling shareholders

   $        $          —  

The expenses of the offering, not including the underwriting discount, are estimated at $                 and are payable by us.

 

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Option to Purchase Additional Shares

We have granted an option to the underwriters, exercisable for 30 days after the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to                  additional shares at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount. If the underwriters exercise this option, each will be obligated, subject to conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, to purchase a number of additional shares proportionate to that underwriter’s initial amount reflected in the above table.

Reserved Share Program

At our request, the underwriters have has reserved for sale, at the initial public offering price, up to         % of the shares offered by this prospectus to some of our directors, officers, employees and related persons through a reserved share program through a reserved share program. If these persons purchase reserved shares, this will reduce the number of shares available for sale to the general public. Any reserved shares that are not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same terms as the other shares offered by this prospectus. If these persons purchase reserved shares, this will reduce the number of shares available for sale to the general public. Any reserved shares that are not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same terms as the other shares offered by this prospectus. If these persons purchase reserved shares it will reduce the number of shares available for sale to the general public. Any reserved shares that are not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same terms as the other shares offered by this prospectus. Shares purchased by our directors and officers in the reserved share program will be subject to lock-up restrictions described in this prospectus.

No Sales of Similar Securities

We, our executive officers and directors and our other existing security holders have agreed not to sell or transfer any common stock or securities convertible into, exchangeable for, exercisable for, or repayable with common stock, for 180 days after the date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of BofA Securities, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. Specifically, we and these other persons have agreed, with certain limited exceptions, not to directly or indirectly

 

   

offer, pledge, sell or contract to sell any common stock,

 

   

sell any option or contract to purchase any common stock,

 

   

purchase any option or contract to sell any common stock,

 

   

grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of any common stock,

 

   

lend or otherwise dispose of or transfer any common stock,

 

   

request or demand that we file or make a confidential submission of a registration statement related to the common stock, or

 

   

enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequence of ownership of any common stock whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise.

This lock-up provision applies to common stock and to securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with common stock. It also applies to common stock owned now or acquired later by the person executing the agreement or for which the person executing the agreement later acquires the power of disposition.

 

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Listing

We expect the shares to be approved for listing on the Nasdaq under the symbol “AVO.” In order to meet the requirements for listing on that exchange, the underwriters have undertaken to sell a minimum number of shares to a minimum number of beneficial owners as required by that exchange.

Determination of Offering Price

Before this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price will be determined through negotiations between us and the representatives. In addition to prevailing market conditions, the factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price are

 

   

the valuation multiples of publicly traded companies that the representatives believe to be comparable to us,

 

   

our financial information,

 

   

the history of, and the prospects for, our company and the industry in which we compete,

 

   

an assessment of our management, its past and present operations, and the prospects for, and timing of, our future revenues,

 

   

the present state of our development, and

 

   

the above factors in relation to market values and various valuation measures of other companies engaged in activities similar to ours.

An active trading market for the shares may not develop. It is also possible that after the offering the shares will not trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.

The underwriters do not expect to sell more than 5% of the shares in the aggregate to accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.

Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

Until the distribution of the shares is completed, SEC rules may limit underwriters and selling group members from bidding for and purchasing our common stock. However, the representatives may engage in transactions that stabilize the price of the common stock, such as bids or purchases to peg, fix or maintain that price.

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell our common stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, purchases on the open market to cover positions created by short sales and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering. “Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares described above. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the option granted to them. “Naked” short sales are sales in excess of such option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of our common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of shares of common stock made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.

 

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The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased shares sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters’ purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. The underwriters may conduct these transactions on the Nasdaq, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our common stock. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the representatives will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Electronic Distribution

In connection with the offering, certain of the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses by electronic means, such as e-mail.

Other Relationships

Some of the underwriters and their affiliates have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates. They have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions. For example, Bank of America, N.A., an affiliate of BofA Securities, Inc., and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., an affiliate of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, are lenders under our revolving credit facility. To the extent that we use any proceeds from this offering to repay outstanding indebtedness under our revolving credit facility, Bank of America, N.A. and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. will receive proceeds from this offering through the repayment of that indebtedness.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

European Economic Area and the United Kingdom

In relation to each Relevant State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each a “Relevant State”), no offer of shares which are the subject of this offering has been, or will be, made to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation), except that offers of shares may be made to the public in that Relevant State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:

 

  a.

to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation;

 

  b.

to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

 

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  c.

in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of shares shall require the Issuer or any representative to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.

Each person in a Relevant State who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with the Company and the representatives that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation.

In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant State to qualified investors, in circumstances in which the prior consent of the representatives has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.

The Company, the representatives and their affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

References to the Prospectus Regulation includes, in relation to the UK, the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

The above selling restriction is in addition to any other selling restrictions set out below.

In connection with the offering, BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. are not acting for anyone other than the issuer and will not be responsible to anyone other than the issuer for providing the protections afforded to their clients nor for providing advice in relation to the offering.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

This document is for distribution only to persons who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments and who qualify as investment professionals within the meaning of Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the “Financial Promotion Order”), (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (“high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.”) of the Financial Promotion Order, (iii) are outside the United Kingdom, or (iv) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (“FSMA”)) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). This document is directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.

 

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Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

The shares may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company, the shares have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FINMA), and the offer of shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (“CISA”). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre

This prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”). This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the prospectus. The shares to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the shares offered should conduct their own due diligence on the shares. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia

No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”), in relation to the offering. This prospectus does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001 (the “Corporations Act”), and does not purport to include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.

Any offer in Australia of the shares may only be made to persons (the “Exempt Investors”) who are “sophisticated investors” (within the meaning of section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), “professional investors” (within the meaning of section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the shares without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.

The shares applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12 months after the date of allotment under the offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring shares must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.

This prospectus contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities

 

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recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this prospectus is appropriate to their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong

The shares have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that Ordinance.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan

The shares have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended) and, accordingly, will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan, or for the benefit of any Japanese Person or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to any Japanese Person, except in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines promulgated by relevant Japanese governmental or regulatory authorities in effect at the relevant time. For the purposes of this paragraph, “Japanese Person” shall mean any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore

This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, the shares were not offered or sold or caused to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not be offered or sold or caused to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and this prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares, has not been circulated or distributed, nor will it be circulated or distributed, whether directly or indirectly, to any person in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289) of Singapore, as modified or amended from time to time (the “SFA”)) pursuant to Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

 

  (a)

a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

 

  (b)

a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor,

 

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securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each term as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

 

  (a)

to an institutional investor or to a relevant person, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;

 

  (b)

where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

 

  (c)

where the transfer is by operation of law; or

 

  (d)

as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada

The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 (or, in the case of securities issued or guaranteed by the government of a non-Canadian jurisdiction, section 3A.4) of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Latham & Watkins LLP, Los Angeles, California will pass upon the validity of the shares of our common stock being offered by this prospectus. Davis Polk  & Wardwell LLP, New York, New York is acting as counsel to the underwriters.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements as of October 31, 2019 and 2018, and for each of the years ended October 31, 2019 and 2018, included in this prospectus have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report appearing herein. Such consolidated financial statements have been so included in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, some of which is contained in exhibits to the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and our common stock, we refer you to the registration statement, including the exhibits filed as a part of the registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus concerning the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete. If a contract or document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, please see the copy of the contract or document that has been filed. Each statement in this prospectus relating to a contract or document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information about issuers, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov.

As a result of this offering, we will become subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance with this law, will file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These periodic reports, proxy statements and other information will be available for inspection and copying at the public reference facilities and website of the SEC referred to above. We also maintain a website at www.worldsfinestavocados.com where, upon completion of this offering, you may access these materials free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information on or that can be accessed through our website is not a part of this prospectus and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.

 

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INDEX TO THE UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

As of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020 and for the Six Months Ended April 30, 2019 and 2020

  

Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements:

  

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

     F-1  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

     F-2  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity

     F-3  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

     F-4  

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-5  

INDEX TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

As of and for the Years Ended October 31, 2018 and 2019

  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-18  

Consolidated Financial Statements:

  

Consolidated Balance Sheets

     F-19  

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

     F-20  

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity

     F-21  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

     F-22  

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-24  

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)

(in thousands, except for share amounts)

 

    

October 31,
2019

   

April 30,
2020

 

Assets

    

Current Assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 64,008     $ 26,568  

Restricted cash

     1,628       1,092  

Accounts receivable

    

Trade, net of allowances of $199 (2019) and $201 (2020)

     67,857       75,740  

Grower and fruit advances

     3,824       1,868  

Miscellaneous receivables

     12,876       10,665  

Inventory

     44,902       48,194  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     8,423       6,832  

Income taxes receivable

     2,521       5,165  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     206,039       176,124  

Property, plant and equipment, net

     330,316       346,166  

Equity method investees

     62,702       42,017  

Loans to equity method investees

     3,900       3,900  

Deferred income taxes

     3,011       2,736  

Goodwill

     76,376       76,376  

Other assets

     7,105       16,504  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Assets

   $ 689,449     $ 663,823  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

    

Liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

     19,714       23,269  

Accrued expenses

     21,184       19,981  

Income taxes payable

     4,083       649  

Grower payables

     27,216       27,153  

Long-term debt—current portion

     6,286       7,105  

Capital leases—current portion

     1,030       1,145  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     79,513       79,302  

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     174,034       174,128  

Capital leases, net of current portion

     4,561       4,170  

Income taxes payable

     3,432       3,885  

Deferred income taxes

     27,347       26,691  

Other long-term liabilities

     21,529       20,747  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     310,416       308,923  

Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)

    

Shareholders’ equity:

    

Common stock (no par value, 7,500,000 shares authorized; 3,728,603 and 3,711,603 shares issued and outstanding as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively)

     139,773       140,490  

Notes receivable from shareholders

     (128     (50

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

     79       (138

Retained earnings

     239,309       214,598  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total shareholders’ equity

     379,033       354,900  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

   $ 689,449     $ 663,823  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) (UNAUDITED)

(in thousands, except for per share amounts)

 

    

Six months ended
April 30,

 
    

2019

   

2020

 

Net sales

   $ 368,040     $ 419,100  

Cost of sales

     305,611       378,240  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     62,429       40,860  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     25,296       25,862  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income

     37,133       14,998  

Interest expense

     (5,207     (4,397

Equity method income

     1       438  

Impairment of equity method investment

     —         (21,164

Other income (expense), net

     (880     950  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income tax expense

     31,047       (9,175

Income tax expense

     7,838       4,212  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 23,209     $ (13,387
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss) per share:

    

Basic

   $ 6.22     $ (3.59
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Diluted

   $ 6.21     $ (3.59
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:

    

Foreign currency translation adjustments

     13       (217
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

   $ 23,222     $ (13,604
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (UNAUDITED)

(in thousands, except for shares and per share data)

 

    

Common Stock

    

Notes
Receivable
from
Stockholders

   

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income

    

Retained
Earnings

   

Total

Stockholders’
Equity

 
    

Shares

   

Amount

 

Balance at October 31, 2018

     3,734,803     $ 139,773      ($ 428   $ 30      $ 174,076     $ 313,451  

Dividends Declared ($1.00 per share)

     —         —          —         —          (3,735     (3,735

Purchase and Retirement of Stock

     (4,200     —          —         —          (546     (546

Payment of Stock Option Notes Receivable

     —         —          170       —          —         170  

Net Income

     —         —          —         —          23,209       23,209  

Other Comprehensive Income

     —         —          —         13        —         13  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at April 30, 2019

     3,730,603     $ 139,773      ($ 258   $ 43      $ 193,004     $ 332,562  

 

    


Common Stock

    

Notes
Receivable
from
Stockholders

   

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)

   

Retained
Earnings

   

Total

Stockholders’
Equity

 
    

Shares

   

Amount

 

Balance at October 31, 2019

     3,728,603     $ 139,773      ($ 128   $ 79     $ 239,309     $ 379,033  

Dividends Declared ($2.00 per share)

     —         —          —         —         (7,459     (7,459

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

     —         364        —         —         —         364  

Reclassification of Liability-based Awards

     —         322        —         —         —         322  

Exercise of Stock Options

     1,000       31        —         —         —         31  

Purchase and Retirement of Stock

     (18,000     —          —         —         (3,865     (3,865

Payment of Stock Option Notes Receivable

     —         —          78       —         —         78  

Net Loss

     —         —          —         —         (13,387     (13,387

Other Comprehensive Loss

     —         —          —         (217     —         (217
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at April 30, 2020

     3,711,603     $ 140,490      ($ 50   ($ 138   $ 214,598     $ 354,900  

 

 

See accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)

(in thousands)

 

   

Six months ended
April 30,

 
   

2019

   

2020

 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities:

   

Net Income (Loss)

  $ 23,209     $ (13,387

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:

   

Provision for losses on accounts receivable

    85       38  

Depreciation and amortization

    6,373       7,132  

Amortization of debt issuance costs

    85       168  

Equity method income

    (1     (438

Impairment of equity method investment

    —         21,164  

Stock-based compensation expense

    —         686  

Dividends received

    1,372       1,715  

Loss on sale of equipment

    46       103  

Deferred income taxes

    (45     (497

Other

    —         (2,020

Unrealized losses on interest rate swaps

    1,011       3,445  

Effect on cash of changes in operating assets and liabilities:

   

Trade accounts receivable

    (18,947     (7,973

Grower fruit advances

    (4,663     1,955  

Miscellaneous receivables

    6,596       (1,632

Inventory

    (28,207     (1,651

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

    232       (1,236

Income taxes receivable

    (1,645     (2,646

Other assets

    136       (1,572

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    2,640       (2,121

Income taxes payable

    (1,472     (2,980

Grower payables

    16,007       (7

Other long-term liabilities

    1,398       (2,971
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

    4,210       (4,725

Cash Flows from Investing Activities:

   

Purchases of property and equipment

    (11,994     (19,745

Proceeds from sale of property and equipment

    84       25  

Investment in equity method investees

    (1,342     (1,864

Investment in notes receivable

    (60     (154

Proceeds from notes receivable

    26       12  

Supplier deposits, net

    (171     86  

Change in short term investments, net

    (293     (271
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

    (13,750     (21,911

Cash Flows from Financing Activities:

   

Borrowings on revolving credit facility

    25,000       10,000  

Payments on revolving credit facility

    (11,000     (6,000

Principal payments on long-term debt obligations

    (4,025     (3,128

Principal payments on capital lease obligations

    (155     (347

Payments for long-term supplier financing

    —         (1,110

Dividends paid

    (3,735     (7,459

Exercise of stock options

    —         31  

Repayment of stock option notes receivable

    170       78  

Debt issuance costs

    —         (102

Purchase and retirement of common stock

    (546     (1,845
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    5,709       (9,882

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

    (32     (50
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

    (3,863     (36,568

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period

    30,495       65,636  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

  $ 26,632     $ 29,068  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 
    As of April 30,  
    2019     2020  

Supplemental Information:

   

Summary of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the condensed consolidated balance sheets:

   

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 24,327     $ 26,568  

Restricted cash

    2,305       1,092  

Restricted cash included in other assets

    —         1,408  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash shown in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows

  $ 26,632     $ 29,068  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

1. Nature of Business

Mission Produce, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries (Mission, the Company, we, us or our), is a global leader in the avocado industry. The Company’s expertise lies in the farming, packaging, marketing and distribution of avocados to food retailers, distributors and produce wholesalers worldwide. The Company procures avocados principally from California, Mexico and Peru. Through our various operating facilities, we grow, sort, pack, bag and ripen avocados for distribution to domestic and international markets. We distribute our products both domestically and internationally and report our operations in two different business segments: Marketing & Distribution and International Farming (see Note 13).

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation and Consolidation

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated Financial Statements are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and include the Company’s consolidated domestic and international subsidiaries. Certain information and disclosures normally included in annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted. Accordingly, these unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying footnotes should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended October 31, 2019. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, of a normal recurring nature, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included in the condensed consolidated financial statements. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for a full fiscal year.

Concentrations of Risk

Accounts receivable from one customer represented 15% of trade accounts receivable, net of allowance, as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020. This customer is current with its payments.

Sales to our top 10 largest customers amounted to approximately 60% and approximately 65% of our total sales in each of the six-month periods ended April 30, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively. Sales to our largest customer accounted for approximately 15% in the six-month period ended April 30, 2019 and approximately 14% in the six-month period ended April 30, 2020. Sales to our next largest customer accounted for approximately 10% of sales in each of the six-month periods ended April 30, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively. Sales to one other customer accounted for approximately 9% and 10% of sales in the six-month periods ended April 30, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively.

Deferred Offering Costs

Offering costs, consisting primarily of legal, accounting, printing and filing services and other direct fees and costs related to the planned Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) have been capitalized in other current assets and are expected to be offset against proceeds upon the consummation of the IPO. IPO issuance costs capitalized as of April 30, 2020 total $1.6 million, all of which was incurred in the six-month period ending April 30, 2020.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which is a comprehensive new recognition

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

standard that supersedes previous existing revenue recognition guidance. The standard is intended to clarify the principles of recognizing revenue and create common revenue recognition guidance between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The new standard consists of a comprehensive model which requires the recognition of revenue when control of promised goods are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled. It also requires expanded disclosures surrounding revenue recognition. During calendar year 2017, the FASB issued additional clarification guidance on the new revenue recognition standard which also included certain scope improvements and practical expedients. The standard (including clarification guidance issued) is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company adopted the new standard at the beginning of fiscal 2020 using the modified retrospective transition method, under which the cumulative effect of initially applying the new guidance is recognized as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings on the first day of our 2020 fiscal year. The adoption of the amendment did not have an impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. See Note 3 for further information.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

As a company with less than $1.07 billion of revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or the JOBS Act. This classification allows the Company to delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies until such pronouncements are made applicable to private companies. The Company has elected to use the adoption dates applicable to private companies. As a result, the Company’s financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of issuers who are required to comply with the effective date for new or revised accounting standards that are applicable to public companies.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform, which provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP principles to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The amendments in this ASU apply only to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued as a result of reference rate reform. The optional expedients in this ASU are available for adoption as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. The Company is evaluating the impact of the adoption of this ASU on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, as part of its Simplification Initiative to reduce the cost and complexity in accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 removes certain exceptions related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. ASU 2019-12 also amends other aspects of the guidance to help simplify and promote consistent application of GAAP. This ASU will be effective for us beginning November 1, 2022. The Company is continuing to assess the impact of the adoption of this ASU on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In September 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40), Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract. This ASU requires implementation costs incurred by customers in cloud computing arrangements (i.e., hosting arrangements) to be capitalized under the same premises of authoritative guidance for internal-use software and deferred over the non-cancellable term of the cloud computing arrangements plus any option renewal periods that are reasonably certain to be exercised by the customer or for which the exercise is controlled by the service provider. This ASU will be effective for us beginning November 1, 2021. The Company is continuing to assess the impact of the adoption of this ASU on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. This guidance requires financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. It also requires credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities to be presented as an allowance, rather than reducing the carrying amount. The amendments should be applied on either a prospective transition or modified-retrospective approach depending on the subtopic. This ASU will be effective for us beginning November 1, 2023. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of the adoption of this ASU on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires a dual approach for lessee accounting under which a lessee would account for leases as finance leases or operating leases. Both finance leases and operating leases will result in the lessee recognizing a right-of use asset (ROU) and a corresponding lease liability. For finance leases, the lessee would recognize interest expense and amortization of the right-of-use asset, and for operating leases, the lessee would recognize a straight-line total lease expense. The guidance also requires qualitative and specific quantitative disclosures to supplement the amounts recorded in the financial statements so that users can understand more about the nature of an entity’s leasing activities, including significant judgments and changes in judgments. In June 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-05 which defers the effective date of Topic 842 for private companies. Under the amendments, Topic 842 is effective for our fiscal year beginning November 1, 2022 and interim periods within our fiscal year beginning November 1, 2023. We are evaluating the impact of the adoption of this ASU on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and we expect to report increased assets and liabilities as a result of recording right-of-use assets and lease liabilities.

3. Revenue Recognition

The Company adopted ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and all related amendments in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 606 at the beginning of our 2020 fiscal year using the modified retrospective transition method. ASC 606 is comprised of a comprehensive revenue recognition standard, which requires the recognition of revenue when performance obligations to customers have been satisfied in amounts equal to the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled.

For our customer contracts, we identify the performance obligations (products or services), determine the transaction price, allocate the contract transaction price to the performance obligations, and recognize the revenue when the performance obligation is fulfilled, which is when the product is shipped to or received by the customer, depending on the specific terms of the arrangement. Our revenues are recorded at a point in time. Revenue recognized from product sales is based primarily on purchase orders issued by customers which specify shipping terms and details of the transaction. The performance obligations in a given transaction are determined by the individual purchase orders with revenue recognized at the time that the performance obligations have been satisfied. The Company’s customers have an implicit and explicit right to return products that do not conform to the specifications generally agreed upon or detailed in the individual purchase orders. The Company evaluates the need for provisions related to product return allowances based on estimates and records such provisions as a reduction in revenue in the same period that revenue for the related transactions is recognized.

We offer rebate programs to certain customers. These programs are not significant, and the amounts paid to customers related to rebate programs are recorded as a reduction of the sales price and revenue recognized as a result of the transaction. The Company maintains liabilities for the rebate amounts that remain unremitted to customers as of each period end and are included in accrued expenses.

The Company routinely enters into consignment arrangements to purchase avocados from foreign suppliers in which we do not take legal title of the good prior to selling those goods to customers. The Company

 

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has evaluated its role in such transactions and has concluded that it has control of the products due to our ability to determine the sales price and our role as the primary obligor in the transactions with the end customer. As a result, the Company is deemed to act as the principle rather than the agent and recognizes and reports revenue on a gross basis for its consignment arrangements.

The Company elected the following practical expedients upon its adoption of ASC 606. The Company elected to account for shipping and handling activities that occur prior to the transfer of control of goods to the customer as fulfillment activities related to the promise to transfer goods rather than as a promised service. The Company elected to exclude amounts collected from customers for sales and other similar taxes from the transaction price.

The adoption of ASC 606 did not have an impact on our results as of and for the six months ended April 30, 2020.

4. Details of Certain Account Balances

Included in other income (expense), net in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss) are the following items (in thousands):

 

    

Six months ended
April 30

 
    

2019

    

2020

 

Loss on derivative financial instruments

   $ (1,006    $ (3,445

Foreign currency gains and (losses)

     (1,418      3,245  

Interest income

     1,045        1,278  

Other

     499        (128
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Other income (expense), net

   $ (880    $ 950  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

5. Equity Method Investees

Moruga Impairment

During the second quarter of 2020, industry wide production information regarding the 2019-2020 blueberry harvest in Peru became available, indicating that there is greater competition and expansion by competitors than what we were previously expecting. We believe that the increase in supply due to expansion will result in a reduction in pricing over the long-term. As a result of this factor, among others, management lowered its long-term revenue and profitability forecasts of Moruga during the second quarter of 2020 and concluded that the reduction in the forecasted revenues was an indicator of impairment. As a result, management tested its investment in Moruga for impairment and concluded that the estimated fair value of the investment in Moruga was less than the carrying value of the investment. Due to the change in long-term pricing and revenue expectations, management concluded that the impairment is other-than-temporary.

The Company recorded an impairment charge of $21.2 million to reduce the carrying balance of the investment to its estimated fair value of $22.2 million during the second quarter of 2020. The fair value of the investment is a Level 3 measurement in the fair value hierarchy and management estimated the fair value of the investment, with the assistance of a third-party valuation specialist, using a combination of the guideline publicly-traded companies (“GPC”) method under the market approach and the discounted cash flow (“DCF”) method under the income approach. We applied an equal weighting to the value conclusions resulting from the two employed approaches, because there was sufficient information available to estimate the fair value of the investment under both methods.

 

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Under the GPC method, valuation multiples are calculated from the operating data and market metrics of the guideline publicly-traded companies and the selected multiples are evaluated and adjusted based on the strengths and weaknesses of the entity relative to the comparable guideline publicly-traded companies. The most significant input used to estimate the fair value of the investment under the GPC method is the selected Business Enterprise Value (“BEV”) to EBITDA multiple. We utilized the derived BEV to EBITDA multiples of the guideline publicly-traded companies to select a multiple of 10.5x for the first forecast year and 10.0x for the second forecast year. The median and mean BEV to EBITDA multiple of the comparable publicly traded entities that we evaluated was 12.3x and 12.8x, respectively.

Under the DCF method, the most significant inputs used to estimate the fair value of the investment are the cash flow projections, which are most sensitive to the revenue projections, and the weighted average cost of capital (or discount rate) which is used to discount and present value the projected cash flows. For our revenue projections, we assumed a compounded annual growth rate of 4.8% for the discrete forecast period from 2020 to 2030, prior to reaching the terminal period. The weighted average cost of capital was estimated using a Capital Asset Pricing Model (“CAPM”) and the discount rate used to present value the future cash flows was 9.0%.

6. Inventories

Inventories consist of the following (in thousands):

 

    

October 31,
2019

    

April 30,
2020

 

Finished goods

   $ 24,056      $ 15,006  

Crop growing costs

     9,231        21,437  

Packaging and supplies

     11,615        11,751  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 44,902      $ 48,194  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Inventories are recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in, first-out method for finished goods and packaging and supplies. Crop growing costs are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value and are deferred and charged to cost of goods sold when the related crop is harvested and sold.

 

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7. Notes Payable and Long-Term Debt

Notes payable and long-term debt consist of the following (in thousands):

 

    

October 31,
2019

    

April 30,
2020

 

Revolving line of credit with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The interest rate is variable, based on LIBOR plus a spread that varies with the Company’s leverage ratio. As of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, the interest rate was 3.54% and 2.32%, respectively. Interest is payable monthly and principal is due in full in October 2023

   $ —      $ 4,000  

Senior term loan (A-1) with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The interest rate is variable, based on LIBOR plus a spread that varies with the Company’s leverage ratio. As of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, the interest rate was 3.54% and 2.15%, respectively. Interest is payable monthly and principal is due October 2023

     97,500        96,250  

Senior term loan (A-2) with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The interest rate is variable, based on LIBOR plus a spread that varies with the Company’s leverage ratio. As of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, the interest rate was 4.04% and 2.65%, respectively. Interest is payable monthly and principal is due October 2025

     74,250        73,875  

Notes payable to Bank of America. Payable in monthly installments including interest at a weighted average rate of 4.33% and 4.40% as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively. Final principal payment is due September 2025. These notes are secured by real property and equipment

     9,205        7,702  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total debt

     180,955        181,827  

Less debt issuance costs

     635        594  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total debt, net of debt issuance costs

   $ 180,320      $ 181,233  

Less current portion of long-term debt

     6,286        7,105  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total long-term debt

   $ 174,034      $ 174,128  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Revolving Credit Facilities and Senior Term Loans

In October 2018 the Company entered into a new $275 million syndicated credit facility with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The credit facility is comprised of two senior term loans totaling $175 million (Term A-1 and Term A-2) and a revolving credit agreement providing up to $100 million in borrowings. The loans are secured by real property, personal property and the capital stock of the Company’s subsidiaries. Borrowings under the credit facility bear interest at a spread over LIBOR ranging from 1.50% to 2.75% depending on the Company’s leverage ratio. The credit facility also includes a swing line facility and an accordion feature which allows the Company to increase the borrowings by up to $125 million, with bank approval. The Company pays fees on unused commitments on the new credit facility that accrue at rates ranging from .175% to .3% depending upon the Company’s leverage ratio.

The credit facility requires the Company to comply with financial and other covenants, including limitations on investments, capital expenditures, dividend payments, amounts and types of liens and indebtedness and material asset sales. The Company is also required to maintain certain leverage and fixed charge coverage ratios. As of April 30, 2020, the Company was in compliance with all covenants of the credit facility.

 

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NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Interest Rate Swaps

During the six months ended April 30, 2019 the Company entered three separate interest rate swaps, each with an outstanding notional amount of $25 million, then during the quarter ended July 31, 2019, the company entered into a fourth swap for an additional notional amount of $25 million. The Company executed the interest rate swaps to hedge changes in the variable interest rate on $100 million of principal value of the Company’s term loans. The Company has not designated the interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges, and as a result, changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps have been recorded in other income (expense), net in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). As of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020 the interest rate swap was a liability of $3.7 million and $7.1 million, respectively, which has been included in accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The realized gains and losses recorded for the interest rate swap recorded during the six-month periods ended April 30, 2019 and April 30, 2020 were not material.

Supplier Financing Arrangements

The Company has entered into a financing arrangement with a vendor that the Company acquires equipment from. Under the terms of the arrangement, the Company has extended payment terms and the outstanding balance accrues interest at 6.50% to 10.00%. Approximately $3.8 million of this balance has been included in accounts payable and $0.9 million has been included in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets, respectively, as of April 30, 2020.

8. Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation

On April 23, 2020, former Mission Produce, Inc. employees filed a class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles against us alleging violation of certain wage and labor laws in California, including failure to pay all overtime wages, minimum wage violations, and meal and rest period violations, among others. Additionally, on June 10, 2020, former Mission Produce, Inc. employees filed a class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Ventura against us alleging similar violations of certain wage and labor laws. The plaintiffs in both cases seek damages primarily consisting of class certification and payment of wages earned and owed, plus other consequential and special damages. We are currently seeking to consolidate the two cases and narrow the potential classes. We believe that we have not violated any wage or labor laws and are defending against the claims. At this time, it is too soon to determine the outcome of the litigation. As a result, the Company has not accrued for any loss contingencies related to these claims because the amount and range of loss, if any, cannot currently be reasonably estimated.

Commitments

In April 2020, we entered into an agreement with a general contractor to construct a new distribution facility in Laredo, Texas. This facility will support our distribution of Mexican sourced fruit into North American markets and will include border crossing, cold storage and value-added processing capabilities. The total estimated cost of the contract is $41.6 million, of which $1.1 million has been incurred as of April 30, 2020. The project is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of fiscal 2021.

9. Income Tax

The income tax expense recorded for the six-month periods ended April 30, 2019 and April 30, 2020 differs from the income taxes expected at the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21.0% due primarily to income

 

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attributable to foreign jurisdictions which is taxed at different rates, changes in foreign exchange rates taxable in foreign jurisdictions, state taxes, nondeductible tax items, and changes in uncertain tax positions. In addition, during the six-month period ended April 30, 2020, we recorded a valuation allowance of $4.9 million against the deferred tax asset that was generated from the impairment of Moruga. The deferred tax asset represents a capital loss carryforward and the Company currently has no source of income that will allow it to utilize the capital loss carryforward.

As of April 30, 2020, the Company had $11.7 million in uncertain tax positions accrued, of which $5.3 million relates to interest and penalties, inclusive of inflationary adjustments. The period for assessing interest and penalties has expired. However, the company continues to record certain statutory adjustments related to inflation. In the six-month period ended April 30, 2020 the company recognized $0.1 million as income tax expense related to these inflationary adjustments. The remaining decrease of $3.5 million in the uncertain tax position was related to changes in foreign exchange rates during the period which has been included in other income (expense), net in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss).

On March 27, 2020, P.L. 116-136, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act allows net operating losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2021 to be carried back to each of the five preceding taxable years to generate a refund of previously paid income taxes. The Company recorded a $1.2 million benefit during the period ended April 30, 2020 as a result of the CARES Act.

10. Shareholders’ Equity

2003 Stock Incentive Plan

In the fiscal year 2004, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the Mission Produce, Inc. 2003 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), a non-qualified stock option plan. The Plan allows for the granting of stock options to key employees and directors and is administered by a committee appointed by the Company’s Board of Directors. A combined maximum of 450,000 stock option awards may be granted under the Plan and all of the Company’s previous stock plans. In July 2019, the Board of Directors approved a modification to the Plan (the “modified Plan”) to allow for a combined maximum of 600,000 stock option awards that may be granted under the modified Plan and all of the Company’s previous stock plans, subject to the approval of 100% of the shareholders. Subsequent to October 31, 2019, the Company’s shareholder agreement was amended to reduce the shareholder approval requirement to a two-thirds majority to increase the number of authorized awards. The modified Plan was approved by shareholders in March 2020. As of April 30, 2020, there were 77,724 shares available for future issuance under the Plan.

During the six-month periods ended April 30, 2019 and April 30, 2020 the Company recognized in selling, general and administrative expenses $0 and $0.7 million of stock-based compensation expense related to stock options.

As of April 30, 2020, all stock options outstanding have either vested or are expected to vest. The unrecognized stock-based compensation expense for stock option awards is $7.4 million as of April 30, 2020 and is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 5.2 years.

CEO Awards

On July 9, 2019 our board of directors approved a stock option grant to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Steve Barnard, covering 100,000 shares of our common stock (“CEO Award”). The CEO Award had a strike price of $160 per share, which the board of directors assumed to be the then current fair market value of

 

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NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

the Company’s common stock on the grant date. The terms of the grant were such that the vesting of the stock option was contingent upon a successful initial public offering of the Company’s common stock. There were 27,724 shares available under the Plan as of the date the CEO Award was granted. We accounted for 27,724 shares of the CEO Award that are subject to share settlement as equity-classified awards and 72,276 shares as liability-classified awards. The liability-classified portion of the CEO Award represented that portion of the CEO Award that was in excess of the shareholder-approved share limit authorized under the original Plan as of October 31, 2019 and thus were classified as liability awards. In the event the modified Plan was not approved by the shareholders, the liability-classified portion of the CEO Award would have been subject to cash settlement. The Company has not recognized any stock-based compensation expense prior to the modification of the CEO Award discussed below because the vesting of the award was dependent upon the occurrence of an initial public offering. At the date of grant, based on a subsequent valuation performed, the estimated fair market value of the CEO award was determined to be $9.1 million.

October 2019 Modification

On October 29, 2019, our board of directors, with the consent of Mr. Barnard, modified the CEO Award to amend the vesting schedule. As a result of this amendment, 50,000 shares subject to the CEO Award were modified to vest at the earlier of (i) the seventh year anniversary of the grant date, (ii) immediately prior to the consummation of a change in control (as defined in the Plan) or, (iii) upon the closing of an initial public offering of our common stock, in each case, subject to Mr. Barnard’s continued service with the Company as of the applicable vesting date. Of these CEO Award shares, we accounted for 13,862 shares as equity-classified awards and 36,138 CEO Award shares (i.e., the allocable portion of those CEO Award shares that were in excess of the shareholder-approved share limit authorized under the original Plan as of October 31, 2019) as liability-classified awards. The remaining 50,000 CEO Award shares were modified to vest in five equal installments on the first five anniversaries of the grant date, subject to Mr. Barnard’s continued service with the Company as of the applicable vesting date. Of these shares, we accounted for 13,862 shares as equity-classified awards and 36,138 shares as liability-classified awards (i.e., the allocable portion of those CEO Award shares that were in excess of the shareholder-approved share limit authorized under the original Plan as of October 31, 2019).

Prior to the October 2019 modification, the Company determined that it was not probable that the CEO awards would vest because of the contingent nature of the CEO Awards. Upon modification of the vesting terms, during October 2019, the Company determined that it was probable that the CEO Awards would vest. The Company determined the fair value of the CEO Awards on the date of modification to be $11.3 million, which will be recognized as stock-based compensation expense over a weighted average period of 5.7 years from October 31, 2019 as service is provided. All of the CEO Awards are expected to vest.

December 2019 Modification

During December 2019, management determined the fair value of our common stock with the support of a third-party valuation specialist as of the July 9, 2019 stock option grant date. As a result of this independent valuation, the Company determined the fair value of our common stock on the stock option grant date to be $233.57 per share. As a result, the board of directors, with the consent of Mr. Barnard, modified the CEO Awards to increase the strike price to $233.57 per share. As of the modification date, the fair value of liability-classified awards was $5.6 million.

March 2020 Plan Amendment

On March 19, 2020, shareholders approved an amendment to the Plan that added an additional 150,000 shares available to be issued. Upon the approval of the amendment, the 72,276 awards previously accounted for as liability-classified awards were reclassified to shareholders’ equity and accounted for prospectively as equity

 

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NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

awards because of the increase in shares available to be issued under the Plan. On the date of reclassification, management determined the fair value of our common stock, with the assistance of a third-party valuation specialist, to be $214.70 per share, resulting in an estimated fair value of $4.6 million for the reclassified awards. As of March 19, 2020, the Company had accrued $0.3 million in accrued expenses related to the liability-classified awards, which was reclassified to shareholders’ equity as of March 19, 2020.

Dividends

The Company declared and paid dividends of $1.00 per share in the aggregate amount of $3.7 million, and $2.00 per share in the aggregate amount of $7.5 million during the six-month periods ending April 30, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively. If we do not comply with certain covenants under our credit facility, our ability to pay dividends in the future could be limited.

11. Fair Value Measurements

Financial assets and liabilities measured and recorded at fair value on a recurring basis were presented within the Company’s balance sheets as follows (in thousands):

 

   

Fair Value as of October 31, 2019

   

Fair Value as of April 30, 2020

 
   

Total

   

Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)

   

Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)

   

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)

   

Total

   

Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)

   

Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)

   

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)

 

Financial liabilities:

               

Interest rate swap agreements

  $ 3,669       —         3,669       —       $ 7,114       —         7,114       —    

The fair value of interest rate swaps is determined using widely accepted valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow analysis, on the expected cash flows of each derivative. The analysis reflects the contractual terms of the swaps, including the period to maturity, and uses observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves (“significant other observable inputs”). The fair value calculation also includes an amount for risk of non-performance using “significant unobservable inputs” such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default. The Company has concluded, as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, that the fair value associated with the “significant unobservable inputs” relating to the Company’s risk of non-performance was insignificant to the overall fair value of the interest rate swap agreements and, as a result, the Company has determined that the relevant inputs for purposes of calculating the fair value of the interest rate swap agreements, in their entirety, were based upon “significant other observable inputs”. The liabilities associated with the interest rate swaps have been included in accrued expenses and other long-term liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

12. Related Party Transactions

Operating Transactions with Equity Method Investees

The Company purchases from and sells to Henry Avocado Corporation (“HAC”), of which we hold a 49% equity interest. The Company sold less than $0.1 million fruit to HAC during six-month periods ended April 30, 2019 and 2020, respectively, and did not have an accounts receivable balance as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020. Purchases from HAC totaled $2.3 million and $0.2 million for the six months ended April 30, 2019 and 2020, respectively. We did not have an accounts payable balance as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020.

 

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NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

The Company sells packaged avocados to Mr. Avocado for resale within the Chinese market, of which we hold a 33% equity interest. The Company recorded fruit sales of $1.2 million and $0.7 million during the six months ended April 30, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Accounts receivable from Mr. Avocado totaled $1.6 million and $0.7 million as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively.

The Company provides packing and cooling services for blueberries within Peru to Moruga, of which we hold a 60% equity interest. The Company recorded sales of $1.4 million and $2.1 million during the six months ended April 30, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Accounts receivable from Moruga totaled $2.1 million and $0.2 million as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively.

Purchases from our equity method investees are included in inventories and then recognized as costs of sales in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss), and sales to our equity method investees are included in net sales in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss).

Loans to Equity Method Investees

The Company has provided loans to its equity-method investee, Moruga, to support growth and expansion projects. The loans have been made by all shareholders in proportion with their ownership interests in the investee. The outstanding balance of loans to Moruga was $3.9 million as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020. These loans bear interest at 6.5% and are due on December 31, 2022, and have been included in loans to equity method investees in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Other Related Party Transactions

The Company sells avocados to AvoPacific Oils, an entity whose ownership consists of shareholders and key management personnel of the Company. The Company recorded sales of $0.5 million and $1.3 million during the six months ended April 30, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Accounts receivable totaled $0.1 million and $0.8 million as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively.

The Company sources packaged avocados from Cartama, an entity whose founding members are partners with the Company in Copaltas (our 50% equity method investee in Colombia). Inventory purchases from Cartama totaled $0 and $0.7 million during the six months ended April 30, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Grower payables totaled $0.2 million and $0 as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively.

Certain members of our Board of Directors market California avocados through Mission Produce, Inc. pursuant to marketing agreements substantially similar to the marketing agreements that we enter into with other growers. The aggregate value of avocados purchased from entities owned or controlled by members of our Board of Directors was $0.5 million and $2.4 million for the six-month periods ended April 30, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively. Amounts payable to board members totaled $0 and $1.0 million as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020, respectively.

We currently have a member of our Board of Directors, Luis Gonzalez, that has a consulting agreement with the Company. Pursuant to the agreement, total paid were $0.1 million during the six-month periods ended April 30, 2019 and 2020, which have been included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss).

13. Segment Information

We have two operating segments which are also reporting segments. Our reporting segments are presented based on how information is used by our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), who is the chief operating decision maker, to measure performance and allocate resources. These reporting segments are Marketing and

 

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NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Distribution and International Farming. Our Marketing and Distribution reporting segment sources fruit from growers and then distributes the fruit through our global distribution network. Our International Farming segment owns and operates avocado orchards (principally located in Peru) that supplies our Marketing and Distribution segment with a stable supply of avocados. Substantially all of the avocados produced by our International Farming segment are sold to our Marketing and Distribution segment.

The CEO evaluates and monitors segment performance primarily through segment sales and segment adjusted earnings before interest expense, income taxes and depreciation and amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”). Adjusted EBIDTA is calculated by adding interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization expense, share-based compensation expense, impairment of equity method investment, adding or subtracting other income (expense) and subtracting equity method income to or from net income (loss). Management believes that segment Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information for analyzing the underlying business results as well as allowing investors a means to evaluate the financial results of each reportable segment in relation to the Company as a whole. The Company’s computation of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures computed by other companies, because not all companies calculate Adjusted EBITDA in the same manner.

Net sales from each of our reportable segments is as follows:

 

    

Six Months Ended April 30, 2019

   

Six Months Ended April 30, 2020

 
(U.S. dollars in thousands)   

Marketing &
Distribution

    

International
Farming

   

Total

   

Marketing &
Distribution

    

International
Farming

   

Total

 

Third party sales

   $ 363,106      $ 4,934     $ 368,040     $ 414,000      $ 5,100     $ 419,100  

Affiliated sales

     —          2,409       2,409       —          263       263  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total segment sales

   $ 363,106      $ 7,343     $ 370,449     $ 414,000      $ 5,363     $ 419,363  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Intercompany eliminations

     —          (2,409     (2,409     —          (263     (263
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total net sales

   $ 363,106      $ 4,934     $ 368,040     $ 414,000      $ 5,100     $ 419,100  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA for each of our reportable segments is as follows:

 

    

Six Months Ended

 
(U.S. dollars in thousands)   

April 30,
2019

    

April 30,
2020

 

Marketing & Distribution Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 47,290      $ 27,827  

International Farming Adjusted EBITDA

     (3,784      (5,011
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total reportable segment Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 43,506      $ 22,816  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 23,209      $ (13,387

Interest expense

     5,207        4,397  

Income taxes

     7,838        4,212  

Depreciation and amortization

     6,373        7,132  

Equity method income

     (1      (438

Impairment of equity method investment

     —          21,164  

Other income (expense), net

     880        (950

Share-based compensation

     —          686  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 43,506      $ 22,816  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net sales to customers outside the U.S. were approximately $84.7 million and $88.7 million for the six-month periods ended April 30, 2019 and 2020, respectively. The Marketing and Distribution segment had

 

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Table of Contents

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

two customers that represented 15% and 10%, respectively, of total consolidated sales for the six-month period ended April 30, 2019, and three customers that represented 14%, 10%, and 10%, respectively, of total consolidated sales for the six-month period ended April 30, 2020. Substantially all of the International Farming operating segment sales are to the Marketing and Distribution operating segment.

Our goodwill balance of $76.4 million is wholly attributed to the International Farming segment as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020.

Long-lived assets attributed to geographic areas as of October 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020 are as follows (in thousands):

 

    

October 31,
2019

    

April 30,
2020

 

North America

   $ 115,537      $ 115,643  

South America

     213,731        229,632  

Europe

     1,048        891  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 330,316      $ 346,166  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

14. Earnings per Share

Basic and diluted net income (loss) per share is calculated as follows (in thousands, except for shares and per share amounts):

 

    

Six months ended
April 30

 
    

2019

    

2020

 

Numerator:

     

Net income (loss) available to common shareholders

   $ 23,209      $ (13,387
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Denominator:

     

Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding, used in computing basic earnings per share

     3,734,004        3,725,290  

Effect of dilutive stock options

     2,020        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding, used in computing diluted earnings per share

     3,736,024        3,725,290  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income (loss) per share, attributable to common shareholders

     

Basic

   $ 6.22      $ (3.59
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Diluted

   $ 6.21      $ (3.59
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

There were 102,500 stock options representing shares of common stock outstanding at April 30, 2020 that were excluded in the computation of diluted EPS because their effect would be anti-dilutive as a result of applying the treasury stock method.

15. Subsequent Events

The Company evaluated subsequent events through July 31, 2020, the date on which the condensed consolidated financial statements were originally issued and through the re-issuance date of September 4, 2020, for events requiring recording or disclosure in the condensed consolidated financial statements for the interim period ended April 30, 2020. The Company has identified the following subsequent event:

On September 2, 2020, the board of directors declared a dividend of $1.50 per share, totaling $5.6 million in the aggregate. The dividend is expected to be paid on September 15, 2020.

 

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Table of Contents

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Mission Produce, Inc.

Oxnard, California

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Mission Produce, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of October 31, 2019 and 2018, the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows, for each of the two years in the period ended October 31, 2019, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of October 31, 2019 and 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended October 31, 2019, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Los Angeles, California

February 13, 2020

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019.

 

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Table of Contents

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except for shares)

 

    

October 31,

 
    

2018

   

2019

 

Assets

    

Current Assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 26,314     $ 64,008  

Restricted cash

     4,181       1,628  

Accounts receivable

    

Trade, net of allowances of $289 and $199, respectively

     65,352       67,857  

Grower and fruit advances

     1,142       3,824  

Miscellaneous receivables

     18,195       12,876  

Inventory

     32,319       44,902  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     7,354       8,423  

Income taxes receivable

     2,047       2,521  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     156,904       206,039  

Property, plant and equipment, net

     314,708       330,316  

Equity method investees

     58,751       62,702  

Loans to equity method investees

     3,900       3,900  

Deferred income taxes

     2,919       3,011  

Goodwill

     76,376       76,376  

Other assets

     8,215       7,105  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Assets

   $ 621,773     $ 689,449  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

    

Liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

   $ 16,071     $ 19,714  

Accrued expenses

     19,263       21,184  

Income taxes payable

     1,503       4,083  

Grower payables

     23,016       27,216  

Long-term debt—current portion

     8,050       6,286  

Capital leases—current portion

     403       1,030  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     68,306       79,513  

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     192,404       174,034  

Capital leases, net of current portion

     2,800       4,561  

Income taxes payable

     3,117       3,432  

Deferred income taxes

     27,097       27,347  

Other long-term liabilities

     14,598       21,529  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     308,322       310,416  

Commitments and contingencies (Note 9)

    

Shareholders’ equity:

    

Common stock (no par value, 7,500,000 shares authorized; 3,734,803 and 3,728,603 shares issued and outstanding as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively)

     139,773       139,773  

Notes receivable from shareholders

     (428     (128

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     30       79  

Retained earnings

     174,076       239,309  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total shareholders’ equity

     313,451       379,033  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

   $ 621,773     $ 689,449  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(in thousands, except for per share data)

 

    

Years Ended October 31,

 
    

2018

   

2019

 

Net sales

   $ 859,887     $ 883,301  

Cost of sales

     805,931       728,626  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     53,956       154,675  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     35,235       48,168  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income

     18,721       106,507  

Interest expense

     (5,396     (10,320

Equity method income

     12,433       3,359  

Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

     62,020       —    

Other income (expense), net

     908       (3,549
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income before income tax expense

     88,686       95,997  

Income tax expense

     16,245       24,298  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income

   $ 72,441     $ 71,699  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income per share:

    

Basic

   $ 23.27     $ 19.21  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Diluted

   $ 23.23     $ 19.20  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax:

    

Foreign currency translation adjustments

     (2     49  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income

   $ 72,439     $ 71,748  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(in thousands, except for shares and per share data)

 

    

Common Stock

    

Notes

Receivable

from
Shareholders

   

Accumulated

Other
Comprehensive
Income

   

Retained
Earnings

   

Total
Shareholders’
Equity

 
    

Shares

   

Amount

 

Balance at October 31, 2017

     3,024,776     $ 27,321      ($ 358   $ 32     $ 106,181     $ 133,176  

Dividends paid ($1.50 per share)

     —         —          —         —         (4,546     (4,546

Stock-based compensation

     —         9        —         —         —         9  

Exercise of stock options

     6,400       196        (153     —         —         43  

Payment of notes receivable from shareholders

     —         —          83       —         —         83  

Issuance of common stock

     703,627       112,247        —         —         —         112,247  

Net income

     —         —          —         —         72,441       72,441  

Other comprehensive loss

     —         —          —         (2     —         (2
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at October 31, 2018

     3,734,803     $ 139,773      ($ 428   $ 30     $ 174,076     $ 313,451  

Dividends paid ($1.50 per share)

     —         —          —         —         (5,600     (5,600

Payment of notes receivable from shareholders

     —         —          300       —         —         300  

Purchase and retirement of stock

     (6,200     —          —         —         (866     (866

Net income

     —         —          —         —         71,699       71,699  

Other comprehensive income

     —         —          —         49       —         49  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at October 31, 2019

     3,728,603     $ 139,773      ($ 128   $ 79     $ 239,309     $ 379,033  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

 

    

Years Ended October 31,

 
    

2018

   

2019

 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities:

    

Net Income

   $ 72,441     $ 71,699  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

    

Provision for losses on accounts receivable

     142       85  

Depreciation and amortization

     9,440       16,466  

Amortization of debt issuance costs

     77       222  

Equity method income

     (12,433     (3,359

Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

     (62,020     —    

Stock-based compensation expense

     9       —    

Dividends received from equity method investees

     4,186       1,372  

Loss on sale of equipment

     232       26  

Deferred income taxes

     6,272       594  

Debt refinancing charges

     1,041       —    

Unrealized losses on interest rate swaps

     —         3,669  

Effect on cash of changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Trade accounts receivable

     5,960       (2,661

Grower fruit advances

     (901     (2,690

Miscellaneous receivables

     (1,277     5,498  

Inventory

     4,094       (12,229

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (2,121     (1,304

Income taxes receivable

     (220     (438

Other assets

     29       254  

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

     (1,527     5,216  

Income taxes payable

     1,337       2,859  

Grower payables

     7,283       4,304  

Other long-term liabilities

     625       3,051  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

     32,669       92,634  

Cash Flows from Investing Activities:

    

Purchases of property and equipment

     (27,205     (29,711

Proceeds of from sale of property and equipment

     5       128  

Purchase of Grupo Arato Holdings SAC, net of acquired cash

     (37,291     —    

Investment in equity method investees

     (353     (1,912

Loans to equity method investees

     (5,200     —    

Proceeds from sale of Mission Asparagus assets

     480       —    

Proceeds from sale of Cabilfrut

     6,089       —    

Investment in notes receivable

     (347     (175

Proceeds from notes receivable

     —         1,512  

Supplier deposits, net

     (364     (588

Change in short term investments, net

     (273     75  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

     (64,459     (30,671

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

 

    

Years Ended October 31,

 
    

2018

   

2019

 

Cash Flows from Financing Activities:

    

Borrowings on revolving credit facility

     95,000       45,000  

Payments on revolving credit facility

     (107,000     (51,000

Borrowings under long-term debt obligations

     185,371       —    

Principal payments on long-term debt obligations

     (118,241     (14,256

Principal payments on capital lease obligations

     —         (369

Payment for debt extinguishment costs

     (920     —    

Dividends paid

     (4,546     (5,600

Exercise of stock options

     43       —    

Repayment of stock option notes receivable

     83       300  

Debt issuance costs

     (1,389     —    

Purchase and retirement of stock

     —         (866
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     48,401       (26,791

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

     9       (31
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

     16,620       35,141  

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period

     13,875       30,495  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

   $ 30,495     $ 65,636  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental Information:

    

Cash paid during the year for:

    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Interest

   $ 5,510     $ 10,515  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income Taxes

   $ 8,369     $ 21,513  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Non-cash Investing and Financing Activities:

    

Construction-in-progress included in accounts payable and accrued expenses

   $ 176     $ 282  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Capital leases for equipment and machinery

   $ 2,206     $ 2,758  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Common stock issued as consideration (700,182 shares issued) (see Note 4)

   $ 111,960     $ —  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Common stock issued in lieu of bonus payment (3,445 shares issued)

   $ 287     $ —  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Non-cash contribution from equity method investee (See Note 4)

   $ 4,366     $ —  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

 

F-23


Table of Contents

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Nature of Business

Mission Produce, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries (Mission, the Company, we, us or our), is a global leader in the avocado industry. The Company’s expertise lies in the farming, packaging, marketing and distribution of avocados to food retailers, distributors and produce wholesalers worldwide. The Company procures avocados principally from California, Mexico and Peru. Through our various operating facilities, we grow, sort, pack, bag and ripen avocados for distribution to domestic and international markets. We distribute our products both domestically and internationally and report our operations in two different business segments: Marketing & Distribution and International Farming (see Note 14).

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation and Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP). All intercompany balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Grupo Arato Holdings SAC (Grupo Arato) was consolidated on September 20, 2018 (see Note 4). The Company’s fiscal year ends on October 31st each year.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates and judgments including those related to accounts receivable, goodwill, grower advances, inventories, long-lived assets, stock-based compensation, and income taxes. On an ongoing basis, management reviews its estimates based upon currently available information. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

The Company considers all highly liquid instruments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents approximate their fair values.

Restricted cash represents cash and cash equivalents that are restricted to withdrawal or use as of the reporting date under certain contractual agreements and is related to certain debt covenants applicable to Grupo Arato’s debt (see Note 4). The Company settled Grupo Arato’s debt in October 2018 and the restrictions on withdrawal and use were lifted during the first quarter of fiscal 2019. At October 31, 2019, the restricted cash balance was related to statutory requirements to support various programs at the Company’s farms. Restricted cash is included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statements of cash flows.

Accounts Receivable and Concentrations of Credit Risk

Trade accounts receivable are reported at amounts due from customers, net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Receivables are considered past due based on the contractual terms of the sale. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts to reflect its estimate of the uncollectability of the trade accounts receivable based on past collection history and the identification of specific potential customer risks. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers was to deteriorate beyond the Company’s estimate, resulting in

 

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Table of Contents

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

an impairment of their ability to make payments, the Company may charge off receivables from such customers. Accounts receivable from one customer represented 12% and 15% of trade accounts receivable, net of allowance, as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively. This customer is current with its payments.

Grower and Fruit Advances

The Company makes advances to growers and foreign suppliers who supply fruit to the Company. Such advances reduce amounts otherwise due to the growers or suppliers for fruit sales.

Miscellaneous Receivables

Miscellaneous receivables represent non-trade receivables and primarily consist of value-added taxes collected on behalf of the tax authorities. Value added taxes included in miscellaneous receivables were $18.1 million and $12.2 million as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Inventories

Inventories are recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in, first-out method for finished goods and raw materials. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation.

Crop growing costs are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value and are deferred and charged to cost of goods sold when the related crop is harvested and sold. The deferred crop growing costs included in inventory consist primarily of orchard maintenance costs such as cultivation, irrigation, fertilization, soil amendments, pest control and pruning.

We assess the recoverability of inventories through an ongoing review of inventory levels in relation to sales and forecasts and product marketing plans. When the inventory on hand, at the time of review, exceeds the foreseeable demand, the value of inventory that is not expected to be sold is written down. The amount of the write-down is the excess of historical cost over estimated net realizable value. Once established, these write-downs are considered permanent adjustments to the cost basis of the excess inventory.

The assessment of the recoverability of inventories and the amounts of any write-downs are based on currently available information and assumptions about future demand and market conditions. Demand for avocado products may fluctuate significantly over time, and actual demand and market conditions may be more or less favorable than our projections. In the event that actual demand is lower than originally projected, additional inventory write-downs may be required.

As of October 31, 2018, inventories included a $2.0 million purchase accounting adjustment that was recorded to increase inventories to estimated fair value as of September 20, 2018 (see Note 4). These inventories, including the fair value adjustments, were recognized in cost of sales during the year ended October 31, 2019 as the underlying inventories were sold.

Property, Plant and Equipment, net

Property, plant and equipment, net are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method using rates based upon the estimated useful lives of the related assets. Property, plant and equipment includes the costs of planting and developing orchards that are capitalized until the orchards become commercially productive. Net proceeds from the sales of fruit before commercial production

 

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Table of Contents

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

begins is applied to the capitalized cost of the trees. Planting costs consist primarily of the costs to purchase and plant nursery stock. Orchard development costs consist primarily of maintenance costs of orchards such as cultivation, pruning, irrigation, labor, spraying and fertilization, and interest costs during the development period. The Company ceases the capitalization of costs and commences depreciation when the orchards become commercially productive and once productive, the orchard maintenance costs are accounted for as crop growing costs.

Useful lives are as follows: orchards—20 years; buildings and improvements—5 to 40 years; plant and office equipment—3 to 20 years. Leased equipment and leasehold improvements meeting certain criteria are capitalized and amortized over the shorter of the lease term or the useful life of the asset using the straight-line method.

Equity Method Investees

The Company maintains investments in other growers, packers and distributors of avocados located in the United States, Colombia, Peru and China. These investments are accounted for under the equity method of accounting when we have the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over the investee. Significant influence generally exists when we have an ownership interest representing between 20% and 50% of the voting stock of the investee. Under the equity method of accounting, investments are stated at initial cost and are adjusted for subsequent additional investments and our proportionate share of earnings or losses and distributions.

We evaluate whether our equity method investments are impaired when certain indications of impairment are present. Although a current fair value below the recorded investment is an indicator of impairment, we recognize an impairment loss on our equity method investments only if the loss in value is deemed to be an other-than-temporary-impairment (“OTTI”). If an impairment of an equity method investment is determined to be other than temporary, we would record an OTTI sufficient to reduce the investment’s carrying value to its fair value, which results in a new cost basis in the investment. During fiscal 2018 and 2019, there were no indicators of impairment that required us to test any of our equity method investments for impairment.    

Long-Lived Assets

The Company evaluates its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of any such asset may not be recoverable. Long-lived assets are assessed for impairment by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. If the future undiscounted net cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the asset being tested, an impairment is recorded for the difference between the carrying amount of the asset and the estimated fair value of the asset. The estimate of undiscounted cash flows is based upon, among other things, certain assumptions about future operating performance, growth rates and other factors. Estimates of undiscounted cash flows may differ from actual cash flows due to, among other things, technological changes, economic conditions, changes to the business model or changes in operating performance. For fiscal years 2018 and 2019, we did not identify any indicators of impairment that would have required the Company to test its long-lived assets for impairment.

Goodwill

Our goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of business combinations over the fair value of the net assets acquired. We assess goodwill for impairment on an annual basis during the 4th quarter of each year, and between annual tests whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not

 

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

be recoverable. An impairment exists by the amount the fair value of a reporting unit to which goodwill has been allocated is less than their respective carrying values. The impairment for goodwill is limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. Goodwill impairment testing requires significant judgment and management estimates, including, but not limited to, the determination of (i) the number of reporting units, (ii) the goodwill and other assets and liabilities to be allocated to the reporting units and (iii) the fair values of the reporting units. The estimates and assumptions described above, along with other factors such as discount rates, will significantly affect the outcome of the impairment tests and the amounts of any resulting impairment losses.

As of October 31, 2018 and 2019 we have goodwill of $76.4 million which is entirely attributable to our acquisition of Grupo Arato on September 20, 2018 (see Note 4). The goodwill has been allocated to our International Farming reportable segment (see Note 14), which is an operating segment and reporting unit. The results of our annual goodwill impairment assessments indicated that it was more likely than not that the fair value of our reporting unit’s goodwill had exceeded its carrying value. As a result, we concluded that there were no impairments for the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes sales once they are realizable and earned. Sales of products and related costs of products sold are recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, shipment has been made, title passes, the price is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. Sales value attributed to shipping and handling fees is not segregated in the sale price charged to the customer. The Company records shipping and handling costs incurred in cost of sales.

We sell to retail grocery, foodservice, club stores, mass merchandisers, food distributors and wholesale customers. Our top ten customers accounted for approximately 57% and 60% of our consolidated net sales in the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively. Sales to our largest customer, (including its affiliates), represented approximately 12% and 15% of net sales in each of the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively. Sales to our next largest customer represented approximately 11% of net sales in the fiscal year ended October 31, 2018. No other single customer accounted for more than 10% of our net sales in any of the last two fiscal years.

Income Taxes

The Company uses the liability method to account for income taxes as prescribed by Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 740. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities as measured by the enacted tax rates which will be in effect when these differences reverse. Deferred tax expense (benefit) is the result of changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are adjusted to recognize the effects of changes in tax laws or enacted tax rates in the period during which they are signed into law. The factors used to assess the Company’s ability to realize its deferred tax assets are the Company’s forecast of future taxable income and available tax planning strategies that could be implemented. Under ASC 740 a valuation allowance is required when it is more likely than not that all or some portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized due to the inability to generate sufficient future taxable income of the correct character. Failure to achieve previous forecasted taxable income could affect the ultimate realization of deferred tax assets and could negatively impact the Company’s effective tax rate on future earnings.

We recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position should be measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement.

 

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

As a multinational corporation, we are subject to taxation in many jurisdictions, and the calculation of our tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws and regulations in various taxing jurisdictions. If we ultimately determine that the payment of these liabilities will be unnecessary, the liability will be reversed, and we will recognize a tax benefit during the period in which it is determined the liability no longer applies. Conversely, we record additional tax charges in a period in which it is determined that a recorded tax liability is less than the ultimate assessment is expected to be.

The application of tax laws and regulations is subject to legal and factual interpretation, judgment and uncertainty. Tax laws and regulations themselves are subject to change as a result of changes in fiscal policy, changes in legislation, the evolution of regulations and court rulings. Therefore, the actual liability for U.S. or foreign taxes may be materially different from management’s estimates, which could result in the need to record additional tax liabilities or potentially reverse previously recorded tax liabilities.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company uses the fair value recognition method for accounting for stock-based compensation. Under the fair value recognition method, cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense on the straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. Under the fair value recognition method, when vesting is based on the occurrence of certain defined liquidity events, expense relative to such awards is measured based on the grant date fair value of the award and is recorded when the event occurs. The Company recognizes forfeitures in the period that they occur. For the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, stock-based compensation expense was not material.

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs are expensed when incurred and are included as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses. Such costs were approximately $0.4 million and $0.3 million for the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Employee Benefits

Employees of the Company may participate in a 401(k)-retirement plan, whereby the employees may elect to make contributions pursuant to a salary reduction agreement upon meeting age and length-of-service requirements. Employees can defer up to 60% of their compensation subject to fixed annual limits. The Company makes a 100% matching contribution on deferrals up to 3%, and 50% on deferrals over 3% up to 5%. Total contributions made by the Company for each of the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019 were $0.7 million.

Earnings per Share

The Company computes earnings per share (“EPS”) in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings Per Share. ASC 260 requires companies with complex capital structures to present basic and diluted EPS. Basic EPS is measured as net income divided by the weighted average common shares outstanding during the period.

Diluted EPS is similar to basic EPS but presents the dilutive effect on a per share basis of contracts to issue ordinary common shares (e.g., convertible securities, options and warrants) as if they had been converted at the beginning of the periods presented, or issuance date, if later. The computation of diluted EPS includes the estimated impact of the exercise of contracts to purchase common stock using the treasury stock method. Potential common shares that have an anti-dilutive effect (i.e., those that increase earnings per share or decrease loss per share) are excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS.

 

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Basic and diluted earnings per share is calculated as follows (in thousands, except for shares and per share amounts):

 

    

Year Ended October 31,

 
    

2018

    

2019

 

Numerator:

     

Net income available to common shareholders

   $ 72,441      $ 71,699  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Denominator:

     

Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding, used in computing basic earnings per share

     3,112,698        3,731,928  

Effect of dilutive stock options

     5,586        2,069  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding, used in computing diluted earnings per share

     3,118,284        3,733,997  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Earnings per share, attributable to common shareholders

     

Basic

   $ 23.27      $ 19.21  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Diluted

   $ 23.23      $ 19.20  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

During the year ended October 31, 2018 there were no stock options outstanding that were anti-dilutive. There were 100,000 stock options representing shares of common stock outstanding for the year ended October 31, 2019 that were excluded in the computation of diluted EPS because their effect would be anti-dilutive as a result of applying the treasury stock method.

Foreign Currency Translation and Remeasurement

The Company’s foreign operations are subject to exchange rate fluctuations and foreign currency transaction costs. The functional currency for substantially all of our foreign subsidiaries is the United States dollar. When remeasuring from a local currency to the functional currency, monetary assets and liabilities are remeasured into U.S. dollars at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet dates and non-monetary assets, liabilities and equity are remeasured at historical rates when remeasuring from a local currency to the functional currency. Sales and expenses are remeasured using weighted-average exchange rates for each period. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are recognized in other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. Foreign currency gains and (losses) for 2018 and 2019 were $1.5 million and ($1.3) million, respectively.

Fair Values of Financial Instruments

The Company applies the provisions of ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements, for fair value measurements of financial assets and financial liabilities and for fair value measurements of nonfinancial items that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements. ASC 820 establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements.

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received when selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In determining the fair value for the assets and liabilities required or permitted to be recorded, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact, and it considers assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability.

 

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. ASC 820 establishes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to measurements involving significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;

Level 2: Quoted prices, other than those in Level 1, in markets that are not active or for similar assets and liabilities, or inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability;

Level 3: Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (supported by little or no market activity).

There were no transfers between level 1, level 2 or level 3 measurements during the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019.

We believe that the carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued expenses and short-term borrowings approximates fair value based on either their short-term nature or on terms currently available to the Company in financial markets. Due to current market rates, we believe that our long-term obligations have fair values that approximate carrying values.

Derivatives

From time to time we enter into interest rate swaps to limit our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates with respect to long-term debt. We determine at inception whether the derivative instruments will be designated as cash flow hedges.

We account for derivatives and hedging activities in accordance with ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, as amended. ASC 815 establishes accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments, including certain derivative instruments embedded in other contracts and hedging activities. It requires the recognition of all derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets and measurement of those instruments at fair value. The accounting treatment of changes in fair value depends upon whether or not a derivative instrument is designated as a hedge and, if so, the type of hedge. We record all derivative instruments at fair value in our consolidated balance sheets. For derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, to the extent effective, we recognize the changes in fair value in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) until the hedged item is recognized in income. Any ineffectiveness in the hedge is recognized immediately in income in the line item that is consistent with the nature of the hedged risk. We formally document all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as risk management objectives and strategies for undertaking various hedge transactions, at the inception of the transactions. During the year ended October 31, 2019, the Company entered into four interest rate swap agreements, and these interest rate swaps have not been designated as cash flow hedges (see Note 8).

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

As an “emerging growth company,” the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or the JOBS Act, allows the Company to delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies

 

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until such pronouncements are made applicable to private companies. The Company has elected to use the adoption dates applicable to private companies. As a result, the Company’s financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of issuers who are required to comply with the effective date for new or revised accounting standards that are applicable to public companies.

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2019-12, Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, as part of its Simplification Initiative to reduce the cost and complexity in accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 removes certain exceptions related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. ASU 2019-12 also amends other aspects of the guidance to help simplify and promote consistent application of GAAP. This ASU will be effective for us beginning November 1, 2022. We are evaluating the impact of the adoption of this ASU on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and, as such, we are not able to estimate the effect the adoption of the new standard will have on our financial statements.

In September 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40), Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract. This ASU requires implementation costs incurred by customers in cloud computing arrangements (i.e., hosting arrangements) to be capitalized under the same premises of authoritative guidance for internal-use software and deferred over the non-cancellable term of the cloud computing arrangements plus any option renewal periods that are reasonably certain to be exercised by the customer or for which the exercise is controlled by the service provider. This ASU will be effective for us beginning November 1, 2021. We are evaluating the impact of the adoption of this ASU on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and, as such, we are not able to estimate the effect the adoption of the new standard will have on our financial statements.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting. The FASB is issuing this update to simplify the accounting for share-based payments to nonemployees by aligning it with the accounting for share-based payments to employees, with certain exceptions. For public business entities, the new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. This ASU will be effective for us beginning November 1, 2020. We do not expect that the adoption of this ASU to have an impact on our financial statements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects From Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, which amends Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 220, Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income, to allow a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, (the “Act”). In addition, under the ASU, an entity will be required to provide certain disclosures regarding stranded tax effects. We will adopt this ASU effective November 1, 2019, and we do not expect the adoption to have an impact on our financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which removes the requirement to compare the implied fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount as part of step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. The ASU permits an entity to perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and to recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. This ASU will be effective for us beginning November 1, 2021 and is not expected to have a significant impact upon adoption.

 

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In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, and subsequent amendments to the guidance; ASU 2019-10 in November 2019; ASU 2018-19 in November 2018; and ASU 2019-05 in May 2019, including codification improvements to Topic 326 in ASU 2019-04. The standard significantly changes how entities will measure credit losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments that aren’t measured at fair value through net income. The standard will replace today’s “incurred loss” approach with an “expected loss” model for instruments measured at amortized cost. For available-for-sale debt securities, entities will be required to record allowances rather than reduce the carrying amount, as they do today under the other-than-temporary impairment model. It also simplifies the accounting model for purchased credit-impaired debt securities and loans. The amendment will affect loans, debt securities, trade receivables, net investments in leases, off balance sheet credit exposures, reinsurance receivables, and any other financial assets not excluded from the scope that have the contractual right to receive cash. ASU 2018-19 clarifies that receivables arising from operating leases are accounted for using lease guidance and not as financial instruments. ASU 2019-05 provides entities that have certain instruments with an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option. The amendments should be applied on either a prospective transition or modified-retrospective approach depending on the subtopic. This ASU will be effective for us beginning November 1, 2023. Early adoption is permitted. We are evaluating the impact of the adoption of this ASU on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and, as such, we are not currently able to estimate the effect the adoption of the new standard will have on our financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases, which requires a dual approach for lessee accounting under which a lessee would account for leases as finance leases or operating leases. Both finance leases and operating leases will result in the lessee recognizing a right-of use asset (ROU) and a corresponding lease liability. For finance leases, the lessee would recognize interest expense and amortization of the right-of-use asset, and for operating leases, the lessee would recognize a straight-line total lease expense. The guidance also requires qualitative and specific quantitative disclosures to supplement the amounts recorded in the financial statements so that users can understand more about the nature of an entity’s leasing activities, including significant judgments and changes in judgments. This ASU will be effective for us beginning November 1, 2021. We are evaluating the impact of the adoption of this ASU on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and we expect to report increased assets and liabilities as a result of recording right-of-use assets and lease liabilities.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which is a comprehensive new recognition standard that will supersede previous existing revenue recognition guidance. The standard is intended to clarify the principles of recognizing revenue and create common revenue recognition guidance between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The new standard consists of a comprehensive model which requires the recognition of revenue when control of promised goods are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled. It also requires expended disclosures surrounding revenue recognition. During calendar year 2017, the FASB issued additional clarification guidance on the new revenue recognition standard which also included certain scope improvements and practical expedients. The standard (including clarification guidance issued) is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We will adopt the new standard using the modified retrospective transition method, under which the cumulative effect of initially applying the new guidance will be recognized as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings on the first day of our 2020 fiscal year. We do not expect this standard to have a material impact on our results of operations or financial position.

 

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

3. Details of Certain Account Balances

Included in other income (expense), net in the Company’s consolidated statements of comprehensive income are the following items (in thousands):

 

    

Year Ended October 31,

 
    

2018

    

2019

 

Unrealized loss on derivative financial instruments

   $ —        $ (3,669

Foreign currency gains and (losses)

     1,452        (1,273

Interest income

     701        1,701  

Debt extinguishment costs

     (920      —    

Other

     (325      (308
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Other income (expense), net

   $ 908      $ (3,549
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Accrued expenses consist of the following (in thousands):

 

    

October 31,

 
    

2018

    

2019

 

Employee compensation

   $ 8,329      $ 14,395  

Freight

     4,361        3,550  

Other

     6,573        3,239  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Accrued expenses

   $ 19,263      $ 21,184  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

4. Acquisitions

Prior to September 20, 2018, the Company owned 50% of the outstanding capital stock of Grupo Arato and 30% of the outstanding capital stock of Moruga Inc. SAC (“Moruga”). The Company has historically accounted for these investments under the equity method of accounting.

Grupo Arato owns, farms, packs and sells avocados to the Company, with the Company marketing and distributing substantially all of the supply produced by Grupo Arato. Prior to September 20, 2018 the Company owned 50% of Grupo Arato, and the remaining 50% was owned by a third party (Shareholder B) who was a pre-existing shareholder of the Company.

Moruga is an entity that develops and operates blueberry orchards on land owned by Grupo Arato as well as land leased from third parties. The fruit is marketed for sale in domestic and foreign markets by a third-party. Moruga predominantly farms blueberries on land that cannot grow avocados due to the conditions of the land (i.e. the altitude and slope of the land) and allows the Company to utilize its hourly labor force during the time in which the harvests have been completed for the avocados. The blueberry operation is not a core business of the Company, and the Company does not plan on changing its strategy and further expanding into blueberries. Prior to September 20, 2018, the Company owned 30% of the capital stock of Moruga, Shareholder B owned 30% of the capital stock and another independent third party (Shareholder C) owned 40% of the capital stock.

On September 20, 2018, the Company concurrently acquired all of Shareholder B’s interests in Grupo Arato and Moruga. Because the Company increased its ownership interest in Grupo Arato to 100%, the acquisition of Grupo Arato was accounted for in accordance with ASC 805, Business Combinations, by using the acquisition method of accounting. The Company evaluated the accounting treatment of its post-acquisition 60% ownership interest in Moruga in accordance with ASC 810, Consolidation, and concluded that the investment

 

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should continue to be accounted for under the equity method of accounting because the Company does not have a controlling financial interest in Moruga.

The Company acquired the remaining outstanding capital stock of Grupo Arato to gain control of a significant volume of fruit at the source which the Company can then allocate to global markets and customers in a manner consistent with its financial and strategic objectives. The total consideration paid by the Company amounted to $163.1 million, which included $158.7 million to acquire the additional interests in Grupo Arato and Moruga, and $4.4 million to settle a pre-existing liability with Shareholder B. The consideration included cash consideration of $11.1 million, a short-term note payable to Shareholder B of $40.0 million, and the issuance of shares of common stock of the Company determined to have a fair value of $112.0 million. The short-term note payable was paid in full by October 31, 2018.

A valuation analysis was performed by management, with the assistance of a third-party valuation specialist, to determine the fair value of the equity instruments issued by the Company as consideration, the fair value of Grupo Arato, and the fair value of the 30% interest acquired in Moruga. These values were determined by using discounted cash flows under the income approach, with the resulting values supported by using a market approach. The fair value of the common stock issued by the Company as purchase consideration was determined to be $107.6 million, the fair value of the 50% interest acquired in Grupo Arato was determined to be $121.8 million, and the fair value of the 30% interest acquired in Moruga was determined to be $36.9 million. The acquisition of Grupo Arato represents a business combination in stages. Accordingly, the Company recognized a $62.0 million remeasurement gain on the step-up of its non-controlling pre-acquisition interest in Grupo Arato which has been included in remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. The remeasurement gain was calculated by subtracting the carrying balance of our investment in Grupo Arato of $59.7 million from the estimated fair value of our 50% interest in Grupo Arato determined just prior to our acquisition of the remaining 50% interest which was estimated to be $121.7 million.

Determining fair values using the discounted cash flow method is based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market, which are defined as Level 3 inputs in accordance with ASC 820-10-35. Key assumptions used in determining the fair value of the common stock issued, the acquired interest in Grupo Arato, and the 30% acquired interest in Moruga using the discounted cash flows include the determination of the weighted average cost of capital used to discount the cash flows, assumptions around future revenue growth, profitability, and capital expenditures. The weighted average discount rate used to determine the fair value of the common stock issued, the 50% acquired interest in Grupo Arato and the 30% acquired interest in Moruga was 10%, 15% and 15%, respectively.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The following table summarizes the consideration paid for Grupo Arato and the amounts of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed recognized at the acquisition date (in thousands except for shares):

 

Consideration

  

Cash

   $ 11,125  

Short-term notes

     40,000  

Equity Instruments (700,182 shares of the Company’s common stock)

     111,960  
  

 

 

 

Fair value of consideration issued

   $ 163,085  

Less: Fair value of the consideration issued to settle liability to Shareholder B

     (4,366

Less: Fair value of the consideration issued allocated to Moruga

     (36,960
  

 

 

 

Fair value consideration issued to acquire a 50% interest in Grupo Arato

   $ 121,759  
  

 

 

 

Fair value of Grupo Arato at 100%

   $ 243,518  
  

 

 

 

Recognized amounts of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed

 

Current assets

   $ 48,029  

Property, Plant and Equipment

     196,492  

Goodwill

     76,376  

Other assets

     6,151  

Current liabilities

     (29,843

Long-term debt

     (53,687
  

 

 

 

Total identifiable assets

   $ 243,518  
  

 

 

 

The $76.4 million allocated to goodwill on our consolidated balance sheets represents the excess of the purchase price over the values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed and is attributable to improved coordination of the supply chain resulting from vertical integration. The goodwill is not tax deductible. We recognized $0.3 million of acquisition related costs in which have been included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. The unaudited, pro forma consolidated statement of comprehensive income as if Grupo Arato had been included in the consolidated results of the Company as of the beginning of the year ended October 31, 2018 would have resulted in revenues of $862.3 million and net income of $82.7 million for the year ended October 31, 2018. Included in the unaudited pro forma net income for the year ended October 31, 2018 is the remeasurement gain of $62.0 million, which has been reduced by income taxes of $13.0 million.

5. Equity Method Investees

Henry Avocado

The Company owns a 49% interest in Henry Avocado Corporation (“HAC”), based in Escondido, California. A co-owner of HAC is on the Company’s board of directors. HAC packs, distributes and sells fresh avocados in the domestic market from California growers and also imports packed Chilean and Mexican avocados. HAC also operates a farm management and orchard leasing business where it performs various farming functions on behalf of growers. There is a basis difference between the Company’s historical investment in HAC and the amount recorded in members’ capital by the investee of $4.0 million as of October 31, 2018 and 2019. This basis difference is solely comprised of goodwill at October 31, 2018 and 2019.

Shanghai Mr. Avocado Ltd.

The Company owns a 33% interest in Shanghai Mr. Avocado Limited (“Mr. Avocado”), a Chinese joint venture enterprise, through its Mission Produce Asia Ltd. subsidiary. The primary business operations include

 

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

the marketing, ripening and distribution of fresh avocados within China. The entity was established in April 2017 to begin distribution through a single cold-storage and distribution facility.

Moruga

The Company owns a 60% interest in Moruga. Moruga’s primary business activity is to develop and operate blueberry farms. The entity was established in August 2014 to begin small-scale plantings, and additional acreage has been planted each subsequent year. Refer to Note 4 for additional information. There is a basis difference between the Company’s historical investment in Moruga and the amount of underlying equity in net assets of $32.5 million and $31.9 million as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively. The basis difference is primarily comprised of goodwill and customer relationships. The basis difference related to customer relationships is being amortized over the estimated useful life.

Grupo Arato

As noted in Note 4, the Company acquired the remaining 50% interest in Grupo Arato on September 20, 2018, and ceased accounting for its investment under the equity method on this date. Refer to Note 4 for additional information regarding Grupo Arato.

Copaltas

The Company owns a 50% interest in Copaltas S.A.S. (“Copaltas”), a Colombian joint venture enterprise. The primary business operations include the development and operation of avocado farms within Colombia. The entity was established in December 2017.

Cabilfrut S.A.

The Company owned a 50% interest in Agricola y Comercial Cabilfrut S.A. (“Cabilfrut”), organized and incorporated in Chile with its primary operations located in Cabildo, Valparaiso Region, Chile. The primary business operations included the packing, marketing and distribution of fresh avocados and citrus. In April 2018, the Company finalized an agreement to sell its entire interest in Cabilfrut for $6.1 million in cash. The Company recognized a gain of $0.1 million that was included in equity method income in the statements of comprehensive income during the year ended October 31, 2018. Transaction costs were not material.

 

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Table of Contents

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The following is financial information of the equity method investees as of October 31, 2018 and 2019 (in thousands):

 

    

HAC

    

Mr

Avocado

   

Moruga

    

Copaltas

   

Grupo

Arato

 

2018

            

Current assets

   $ 36,820      $ 1,853     $ 14,698      $ 721     $ —  

Long-term assets

     16,993        1,077       16,317        392       —    

Current liabilities

     20,207        2,303       8,007        1       —    

Long-term liabilities

     10,556        —         5,858        32       —    

Sales

     269,761        7,806       15,464        —         73,067  

Gross profit

     21,484        914       7,517        (6     37,430  

Net income (loss)

     4,720        (831     4,223        (156     16,844  

2019

            

Current assets

   $ 45,206      $ 2,614     $ 15,804      $ 725     $ —  

Long-term assets

     16,948        658       18,477        3,195       —    

Current liabilities

     24,397        1,677       8,220        781       —    

Long-term liabilities

     10,382        —         7,299        —         —    

Sales

     286,654        9,068       19,666        —         —    

Gross profit

     26,892        479       4,034        (1     —    

Net income (loss)

     7,125        (1,328     1,613        (82     —    

The Company’s investment in its equity method investees have been impacted by the following (in thousands):

 

    

HAC

   

Mr
Avocado

   

Moruga

   

Copaltas

   

Cabilfrut

   

Grupo
Arato

   

Total

 

Investment balance October 31, 2017

   $ 14,195     $ 478     $ 3,878     $ 202     $ 6,000     $ 58,693     $ 83,446  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Equity method income (losses)

     2,313       (274     1,961       (78     89       8,422       12,433  

Translation adjustment gain (loss)

     —         5       —         (38     —         —         (33

Dividends received

     (1,176     —         —         —         —         (3,010     (4,186

Non-cash distributions

     —         —         —         —         —         (4,366     (4,366

Investment contributions

     —         —         —         325       —         —         325  

Remeasurement gain

               62,020 (1)      62,020  

Acquisition of additional interests

     —         —         36,960       —         —         (121,759 )(1)      (84,799

Sale of investment

     —         —         —         —         (6,089     —         (6,089
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investment balance October 31, 2018

   $ 15,332     $ 209     $ 42,799     $ 411     $ —     $ —     $ 58,751  

Equity method income (losses)

     3,491       (442     351 (2)       (41     —         —         3,359  

Translation adjustment gain

     —         25       —         27       —         —         52  

Dividends received

     (1,372     —         —         —         —         —         (1,372

Investment contributions

     —         739       —         1,173       —         —         1,912  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investment balance October 31, 2019

   $ 17,451     $ 531     $ 43,150     $ 1,570     $ —     $ —     $ 62,702  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

 

(1)

In connection with the acquisition of Grupo Arato on September 20, 2018, the Company consolidated Grupo Arato and eliminated the equity method investment. The transaction resulted in the recording of a remeasurement gain of $62,020.

(2)

Equity earnings for Moruga include amortization of customer relationship intangible of $617.

6. Inventories

Inventories consist of the following (in thousands):

 

    

October 31,

 
    

2018

    

2019

 

Finished goods

   $ 13,761      $ 24,056  

Crop growing costs

     10,658        9,231  

Packaging and supplies

     7,900        11,615  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 32,319      $ 44,902  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

7. Property, Plant and Equipment, net

Property, plant and equipment, net consist of the following (in thousands):

 

    

October 31,

 
    

2018

    

2019

 

Land

   $ 124,010      $ 124,086  

Orchard costs

     39,574        44,721  

Buildings and improvements

     68,638        71,154  

Plant and office equipment

     119,662        137,195  

Construction in progress

     10,595        16,693  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 362,479      $ 393,849  

Less accumulated depreciation and amortization

     (47,771      (63,533
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 314,708      $ 330,316  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Property, plant, and equipment, net includes various capital leases which total $3.2 million and $5.6 million, less accumulated depreciation of $0 and $0.3 million as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Depreciation expense was $9.4 million and $16.5 million for the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively, of which $0 and $0.3 million was related to depreciation on capital leases, respectively. As of October 31, 2019, the Company had outstanding commitments for the purchase of property, plant and equipment totaling $5.2 million.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

8. Long-Term Debt

Long-term debt consist of the following (in thousands):

 

    

October 31,

 
    

2018

    

2019

 

Revolving line of credit with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The interest rate is variable, based on LIBOR plus a spread that varies with the Company’s leverage ratio. As of October 31, 2018 and 2019, the interest rate was 4.29% and 3.54%, respectively. Interest is payable monthly and principal is due in full in October 2023.

   $ 6,000      $ —  

Senior term loan (A-1) with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The interest rate is variable, based on LIBOR plus a spread that varies with the Company’s leverage ratio. As of October 31, 2018 and 2019, the interest rate was 4.28% and 3.54%, respectively. Interest is payable monthly and principal is due October 2023.

     100,000        97,500  

Senior term loan (A-2) with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The interest rate is variable, based on LIBOR plus a spread that varies with the Company’s leverage ratio. As of October 31, 2018 and 2019, the interest rate was 4.78% and 4.04%, respectively. Interest is payable monthly and principal is due October 2025.

   $ 75,000      $ 74,250  

Notes payable to Bank of America. Payable in monthly installments including interest at a weighted average rate of 4.24% and 4.33% as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively. Interest is payable monthly and principal is due September 2025. Note is secured by real property and equipment.

     12,173        9,205  

Notes Payable to Farm Credit West. Notes were secured by personal property located in Oxnard, CA. Notes were repaid in August 2019.

     8,038        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total long-term debt

     201,211        180,955  

Less debt issuance costs

     757        635  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long-term debt, net of debt issuance costs

     200,454        180,320  

Less current portion of long-term debt

     8,050        6,286  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long-term portion of long-term debt

   $ 192,404      $ 174,034  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Credit Facilities

In October 2018 the Company entered into a new $275 million syndicated credit facility with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The credit facility is comprised of two senior term loans totaling $175 million (Term A-1 and Term A-2) and a revolving credit agreement providing up to $100 million in borrowings. The loans are secured by real property, personal property and the capital stock of the Company’s subsidiaries. Borrowings under the credit facility bear interest at a spread over LIBOR ranging from 1.50% to 2.75% depending on the Company’s leverage ratio. The credit facility also includes a swing line facility and an accordion feature which allows the Company to increase the borrowings by up to $125 million, with bank approval. The proceeds from the syndicated credit facility were used in part, to repay the outstanding principal of $59.5 million of notes payable assumed by the Company in connection with the acquisition of Grupo Arato (See Note 4). The credit facility’s revolving credit agreement replaced a pre-existing revolving credit agreement with Farm Credit West. The Company pays fees on unused commitments on the new credit facility that accrue at rates ranging from 0.18% to 0.30% depending upon the Company’s leverage ratio.

With respect to Term Loan A-1, the Company is required to make quarterly principal payments of $0.6 million beginning December 31, 2018. These payments are scheduled to increase to $1.3 million beginning December 31, 2020, and increase to $1.9 million beginning December 31, 2021, with a final payment of

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

$76.9 million due on October 11, 2023. With respect to the Term Loan A-2, the Company is required to make quarterly principal payments of $0.2 million beginning on December 31, 2018. These payments are scheduled to increase to $3.3 million beginning on December 31, 2023, with a final payment of $58.1 million due on October 10, 2025.

The credit facility requires the Company to comply with financial and other covenants, including limitations on investments, capital expenditures, dividend payments, amounts and types of liens and indebtedness, and material asset sales. The Company is also required to maintain certain leverage and fixed charge coverage ratios. As of October 31, 2019, the Company was in compliance with all covenants of the credit facility.

Debt Issuance Costs

In connection with the new $275 million syndicated credit facility during 2018, the Company capitalized debt issuance costs of $1.3 million and expensed $0.1 million of refinancing charges. In addition, the Company paid $0.9 million of debt extinguishment costs, which has been included in other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. Debt issuance costs are reflected as a reduction of long-term debt and amortized using the effective interest method over the term of the underlying debt.

Maturities of notes payable and long-term debt is as follows (in thousands):

 

Years Ending October 31,

 

2020

   $ 6,286  

2021

     7,420  

2022

     9,488  

2023

     84,546  

2024

     14,336  

Thereafter

     58,879  
  

 

 

 
   $ 180,955  
  

 

 

 

Interest Rate Swaps

During 2019, the Company entered into four separate interest rate swaps, each with an outstanding notional amount of $25 million. The Company executed the interest rate swaps to hedge changes in the variable interest rate on $100 million of principal value of the Company’s term loans. The Company has not designated the interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges, and as a result, changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps have been recorded in other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. As of October 31, 2019, the interest rate swap was a liability of $3.7 million, which has been included in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. The Company recorded an unrealized loss of $3.7 million on the interest rate swap during the year ended October 31, 2019. The realized gains and losses recorded for the interest rate swap recorded during the year ended October 31, 2019 was not material.

9. Commitments and Contingencies

Leases

We lease facilities and certain equipment under non-cancelable leases expiring at various dates through 2029. During the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, the Company entered into new capital leases for

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

equipment and machinery in the amount of $2.2 million and $2.8 million, respectively. In addition, the Company assumed capital leases as part of its acquisition of Grupo Arato that totaled $1.0 million as of the acquisition date in 2018. Capital lease obligations vary in amount and interest rates range from 6.00% to 8.40%. Amortization of assets under capital leases is included within cost of sales in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Additionally, the Company leases certain property under operating leases. Certain of these leases have stipulated escalation provisions and require the payment of property taxes, insurance, maintenance and other costs. Rent expenses for operating leases for the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019 was $4.0 million and $4.6 million, respectively.

Future minimum lease payments under the operating and capital leases are as follows (in thousands):

 

Years Ending October 31,

  

Operating Leases

    

Capital Leases

 

2020

   $ 4,352      $ 1,384  

2021

     3,379        1,566  

2022

     2,620        1,394  

2023

     2,038        1,211  

2024

     1,851        1,058  

Thereafter

     6,750        82  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Minimum lease payments

   $ 20,990      $ 6,695  

Less interest

        1,104  
     

 

 

 

Present value of future lease payments

      $ 5,591  
     

 

 

 

Litigation

From time to time, the Company is subject to various legal proceedings and claims, either asserted or unasserted, that arise in the ordinary course of business. Although the outcome of the various legal proceedings and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, management does not believe that any of these proceedings or claims will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

10. Income Tax

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“the Act”) was signed into law. The Act significantly revised the U.S. corporate income tax by, among other things, lowering of the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, imposing a mandatory one-time tax on accumulated earnings of foreign subsidiaries, eliminating certain deductions, and changing how foreign earnings are subject to U.S. tax. Due to the Company’s October 31 fiscal year-end, the lower U.S. federal corporate income tax rate was phased in, resulting in a 23.3% tax rate in fiscal year 2018 and 21% for subsequent fiscal years. In fiscal 2018, the Company recognized a $6.5 million tax benefit for the remeasurement of the federal net deferred tax liabilities resulting from the permanent reduction in the U.S. federal corporate tax rate and a $3.7 million tax benefit related to the transition tax on the accumulated foreign earnings. The transition tax resulted in a tax benefit due to the recognition of foreign tax credits against outside basis differences of foreign equity method investments previously recorded as deferred tax liabilities.

In fiscal 2019, the Company recognized a tax liability of $0.7 million, net of foreign tax credits on global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”), a new requirement of the Act. The Company has elected to treat GILTI as a period expense.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The components of the provision for income tax expense, net are as follows (in thousands):

 

    

Year Ended October 31,

 
    

2018

    

2019

 

Current

     

Federal

   $ 4,778      $ 11,819  

State

     139        2,612  

Foreign

     5,056        9,273  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Current

     9,973        23,704  

Deferred

     

Federal

     3,673        (635

State

     2,321        203  

Foreign

     278        1,026  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Deferred

     6,272        594  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 16,245      $ 24,298  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

U.S. and foreign components of income before income tax expense are as following (in thousands):

 

    

Year Ended October 31,

 
    

2018

    

2019

 

U.S.

   $ 73,228      $ 51,684  

Foreign

     15,458        44,313  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 88,686      $ 95,997  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

A reconciliation of income tax expense (benefit) computed at the federal statutory tax rate to income taxes as reflected in the financial statements is as follows:

 

    

Year Ended October 31,

 
    

2018

   

2019

 

Federal statutory rate

     23.3     21.0

State income taxes, net of federal tax benefit

     2.1     1.9

GILTI

     0.0     3.1

Withholding taxes

     1.9     0.0

Transition tax

     6.0     0.0

Foreign tax credits

     -10.1     -2.4

Tax Act federal rate change

     -7.3     0.0

Unrecognized tax benefits increase

     0.8     1.5

Other, net

     1.6     0.2
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
     18.3     25.3
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Deferred taxes are recognized for temporary differences between the basis of assets and liabilities for financial statement and income tax purposes. The significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets (liabilities) are as follows (in thousands):

 

    

October 31, 2018

    

October 31, 2019

 

Accrued expenses

   $ 1,622      $ 2,963  

Net operating loss carryforward

     3,784        1,365  

Inventory

     582        815  

Interest rate swaps

     0        875  

Allowances, reserves, and other

     227        302  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total deferred tax assets

     6,215        6,320  

Less: valuation allowance

     (982      (1,410
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total net deferred tax assets

   $ 5,233      $ 4,910  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Equity interest in unconsolidated subsidiaries

     (14,592      (15,190

Property, plant and equipment

     (13,291      (12,504

Repatriation of foreign earnings

     (1,528      (1,552
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total deferred tax liabilities

     (29,411      (29,246
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total net deferred tax assets/(liabilities)

   $ (24,178    $ (24,336
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

As of October 31, 2019, the Company had foreign operating loss carryforwards in Peru of $8.5 million which can be carried forward indefinitely.

The net increase in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets was $0.1 million and $0.4 million for the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively. The valuation allowance as of October 31, 2019 primarily relates to deferred tax assets with U.S. capital treatment which can only be realizable upon the generation of future capital gains.

The Company has provided for a deferred tax liability on accumulated foreign earnings for its International Farming operations in Peru, as we expect to repatriate funds generated from this operation to the United States in future years. The Company has determined all other accumulated foreign earnings to be indefinitely reinvested, as it is our intent is to permanently reinvest these funds outside of the United States and our current plans do not demonstrate a need to repatriate the cash to fund our U.S. operations.

The Company may recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position claimed on a tax return only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position should be measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement.

A reconciliation of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits (exclusive of interest and penalties) is as follows (in thousands):

 

    

October 31, 2018

    

October 31, 2019

 

Unrecognized tax benefits beginning of year

   $ 6,187      $ 5,982  

Foreign currency remeasurement

     (205      215  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Unrecognized tax benefits end of year

   $ 5,982      $ 6,197  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The total amount of tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate was $5.9 million and $6.2 million at October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively. We do not anticipate any significant changes to unrecognized tax benefits by the end of fiscal year 2020.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. The Company recorded $0.7 million and $1.4 million of interest and penalties in the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, and had $7.0 million and $8.7 million for interest and penalties accrued at October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively which have been included in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.

We conduct business both domestically and internationally and, as a result, one or more of our subsidiaries files income tax returns in U.S. federal, U.S. state and certain foreign jurisdictions. Accordingly, in the normal course of business, we are subject to examination by taxing authorities, primarily in the United States, Mexico and Peru. The Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal tax examinations for the fiscal years prior to and including October 31, 2014. The statute of limitations for the tax years ended October 31, 2015 and forward are still open as of October 31, 2019.

The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary in Mexico is currently under audit for the fiscal year 2013 and received certain proposed adjustments during fiscal year 2018 from the Mexican taxing authorities. During June 2018, the Company filed an administrative appeal challenging the 2013 tax assessment. The Company is currently waiting for the resolution of the appeal to be issued. The Company believes that is has adequately provided for this matter.

 

11.

Shareholders’ Equity

2003 Stock Incentive Plan

In the fiscal year 2004, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the Mission Produce, Inc. 2003 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), a stock option plan. The Plan allows for the granting of stock options to key employees and directors and is administered by a committee appointed by the Company’s Board of Directors. A combined maximum of 450,000 stock option awards may be granted under the Plan. In July 2019, the Board of Directors approved a modification to the Plan (the “modified Plan”) to allow for a combined maximum of 600,000 stock option awards that may be granted under the modified Plan and all of the Company’s previous stock plans, subject to the approval of 100% of the shareholders. Subsequent to October 31, 2019, the Company’s shareholder agreement was amended to reduce the shareholder approval requirement to a two-thirds majority to increase the number of authorized awards. Shareholder approval for the increase in the authorized number of shares has not yet been received. The modified Plan requires approval by shareholders by July 9, 2020 and was not approved by shareholders as of October 31, 2019.

For each option granted, the committee determines the option type, exercise price, vesting schedule, and exercise period. The committee may issue full recourse promissory notes for the payment of the option exercise price and any required tax payments due on exercise. Shares of the Company’s common stock obtained through the modified Plan are non-restricted but are subject to the existing Shareholder Agreement.

The Company uses the fair value method of accounting for new option grants and recognizes the associated expense in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income over the vesting period. The value of each option grant is determined using the Black-Scholes option valuation model, which considers various components to calculate the fair value of the option. To the extent the fair value of the option exceeds the exercise price, the difference is recorded as compensation expense in the Company’s consolidated statements of comprehensive income and amortized over the vesting period. The most significant assumption used in the

 

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Table of Contents

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Black-Scholes option valuation model is the fair value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The fair value of the common stock is determined by management, with the assistance of a third-party valuation firm, through a discounted cash flow analysis that is supported by a market approach.

Stock options are generally granted with exercise prices of not less than the fair market value at grant date, vest based on tenure of employment or other specific events and expire ten years after the grant date. The Company recognized an immaterial amount of stock-based compensation expense during the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019.

The following table summarizes the stock option activity under the plan (in thousands, except per share amounts):

 

    

Subject to
Share
Settlement

    

Subject to
Cash
Settlement

    

Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price

    

Weighted-
Average
Remaining
Life (in
years)

    

Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value

 

Outstanding at October 31, 2017

     19        —        $ 40.91        6.48      $ 361  

Granted

     —          —          —          

Exercised

     6        —          30.70        

Canceled/ Forfeited

     10        —          50.00        
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

Outstanding at October 31, 2018

     3        —        $ 30.70        4.40      $ 323  

Granted

     28        72        160.00        

Exercised

     —          —          —          

Forfeited

     —          —          —          
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

Outstanding at October 31, 2019

     31        72      $ 156.85        9.54      $ 8,449  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

Exercisable at October 31, 2019

     3        —        $ 30.70        3.40      $ 521  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

As of October 31, 2019, all stock options outstanding have either vested or are expected to vest. The unrecognized stock-based compensation expense for equity-classified awards is $3.1 million as of October 31, 2019 and is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 5.7 years. The unrecognized stock-based compensation expense for liability-classified awards is $8.2 million as of October 31, 2019 and is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 5.7 years. The remeasurement of the stock options classified as liability awards to their fair value was not material at October 31, 2019.

CEO Award

On July 9, 2019 our board of directors approved a stock option grant to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Steve Barnard, covering 100,000 shares of our common stock (“CEO Award”). The CEO Award had a strike price of $160 per share, which the board of directors assumed to be the then current fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. The terms of the grant were such that the vesting of the stock option was contingent upon a successful initial public offering of the Company’s common stock. There were 27,724 shares available under the Plan as of the date the CEO Award was granted. We accounted for 27,724 shares of the CEO Award that are subject to share settlement as equity-classified awards and 72,276 shares as liability-classified awards. The liability-classified portion of the CEO Award represents that portion of the CEO Award that was in excess of the shareholder-approved share limit authorized under the original Plan as of October 31, 2019, and are thus classified as liability awards. In the event the modified Plan is not approved by the shareholders, the liability-classified portion of the CEO Award is subject to cash settlement. The Company has not recognized any stock-based compensation expense prior to the modification of the CEO Award discussed

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

below because the vesting of these awards was dependent upon the occurrence of an initial public offering. At the date of grant, based on a subsequent valuation performed (see below), the estimated fair market value of the CEO award was determined to be $9.1 million at the option grant date.

October 2019 Modification

On October 29, 2019, our board of directors, with the consent of Mr. Barnard, modified the CEO Award to amend the vesting schedule. As a result of this amendment, 50,000 shares subject to the CEO Award were modified to vest at the earlier of (i) the seventh year anniversary of the grant date, (ii) immediately prior to the consummation of a change in control (as defined in the Plan) or, (iii) upon the closing of an initial public offering of our common stock, in each case, subject to Mr. Barnard’s continued service with the Company as of the applicable vesting date. Of these CEO Award shares, we accounted for 13,862 shares as equity-classified awards and 36,138 CEO Award shares (i.e., the allocable portion of those CEO Award shares that were in excess of the shareholder-approved share limit authorized under the original Plan as of October 31, 2019) as liability-classified awards. The remaining 50,000 CEO Award shares were modified to vest in five equal installments on the first five anniversaries of the grant date, subject to Mr. Barnard’s continued service with the Company as of the applicable vesting date. Of these shares, we accounted for 13,862 shares as equity-classified awards and 36,138 shares as liability-classified awards (i.e., the allocable portion of those CEO Award shares that were in excess of the shareholder-approved share limit authorized under the original Plan as of October 31, 2019).

Prior to the October 2019 modification, the Company determined that it was not probable that the CEO awards would vest because of the contingent nature of the CEO Awards. Upon modification of the vesting terms, during October 2019, the Company determined that it was probable that the CEO Awards would vest. The Company determined the fair value of the CEO Awards on the date of modification to be $11.3 million, which will be recognized as stock-based compensation expense over a weighted average period of 5.7 years from October 31, 2019 as service is provided. All of the CEO Awards are expected to vest. The fair value assumptions used to determine the fair value of the stock option as of the modification date is as follows:

 

Fair value of common stock

   $ 239.28  

Exercise price

   $ 160.00  

Volatility

     25.0

Risk free rate

     1.7

Forfeiture rate

     —    

Expected life (in years)

     7.2  

Dividend rate

     —    

December 2019 Modification

During December 2019, management determined the fair value of our common stock with the support of a third-party valuation specialist as of the July 9, 2019 stock option grant date. As a result of this independent valuation, the Company determined the fair value of our common stock on the stock option grant date to be $233.57 per share. As a result, the board of directors, with the consent of Mr. Barnard, modified the CEO Awards to increase the strike price to $233.57 per share.

Promissory Notes Issued for Exercising Stock Options

As of the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, the Company had outstanding stock option notes totaling $0.4 million and $0.1 million, respectively. These promissory notes have been issued by the Company to various employees (the “stock option notes”) to finance option exercises. The stock option notes provide recourse

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

for the full amount of the outstanding principal and accrued interest and are secured by the Company’s security interest in the stock and all stock dividends, cash dividends, liquidating dividends, new securities and all other property, moneys and rights to which the employees may become entitled on account thereof. Due to the fact that the stock option notes are recourse notes and the Company’s intent is to seek full recourse in the event of non-payment by the employee, the Company has presented these notes as a separate component of shareholders’ equity.

Dividends

On January 18, 2018, the Company paid a $1.50 per share dividend in the aggregate amount of $4.5 million to shareholders of record on that date. On February 5, 2019, the Company paid a $1.00 per share dividend in the aggregate amount of $3.7 million to shareholders of record on that date. On July 31, 2019, the Company paid a $0.50 per share dividend in the aggregate amount of $1.9 million to shareholders of record on that date. If we do not comply with certain covenants under our credit facility, our ability to pay dividends in the future could be limited.

12. Fair Value Measurements

Financial assets and liabilities measured and recorded at fair value on a recurring basis were presented within the Company’s balance sheets as follows (in thousands):

 

   

Fair Value as of October 31, 2018

   

Fair Value as of October 31, 2019

 
   

Total

   

Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)

   

Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)

   

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)

   

Total

   

Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)

   

Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)

   

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)

 

Financial liabilities:

               

Interest rate swap agreements

  $ —         —         —         —       $ 3,669       —         3,669       —    

The fair value of interest rate swaps are determined using widely accepted valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow analysis, on the expected cash flows of each derivative. The analysis reflects the contractual terms of the swaps, including the period to maturity, and uses observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves (“significant other observable inputs”). The fair value calculation also includes an amount for risk of non-performance using “significant unobservable inputs” such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default. The Company has concluded, as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, that the fair value associated with the “significant unobservable inputs” relating to the Company’s risk of non-performance was insignificant to the overall fair value of the interest rate swap agreements and, as a result, the Company has determined that the relevant inputs for purposes of calculating the fair value of the interest rate swap agreements, in their entirety, were based upon “significant other observable inputs”. The liabilities associated with the interest rate swaps have been included in accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheet.

13. Related Party Transactions

Operating Transactions with Equity Method Investees

The Company purchases from and sells to HAC, of which we hold a 49% equity interest. Sales to HAC totaled $6.4 million and $0.5 million for the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively, while accounts receivable totaled $3.0 million and $0 as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively. Purchases from HAC totaled $0.4 million and $3.3 million for the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The Company sells packaged avocados to Mr. Avocado for resale within the Chinese market, of which we hold a 33% equity interest. The Company recorded fruit sales of $5.6 million and $4.5 million during the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively, and had accounts receivable from Mr. Avocado totaling $1.7 million and $1.6 million as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The Company purchases packaged Peruvian avocados from Grupo Arato for sale within U.S. and export markets. The Company accounted for its ownership in Grupo Arato as an equity method investment until September 20, 2018, at which time the Company acquired the remaining outstanding shares of capital stock. Grupo Arato’s operations are consolidated with the Company subsequent to this date. Purchases from Grupo Arato totaled $70.6 million for the year ended October 31, 2018 during the time that Grupo Arato was an equity method investment.

The Company provides packing and cooling services for blueberries within Peru to Moruga, of which we hold a 60% equity interest. The Company recorded sales of $0.6 million and $3.4 million during the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively, and had accounts receivable from Moruga totaling $0.9 million and $2.1 million as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The Company purchases avocados from Cabilfrut for sale within the U.S. and export markets and sells avocados to Cabilfrut for sale within Chile. The Company held a 50% equity interest in Cabilfrut until April 2018. Sales to Cabilfrut while the Company held a 50% equity interest totaled $0.5 million for the year ended October 31, 2018, while purchases from Cabilfrut totaled $9.6 million for the years ended October 31, 2018.

Purchases from our equity method investees are included in inventories and then recognized as costs of sales in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, and sales to our equity method investees are included in net sales in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Loans to Equity Method Investees

The Company has provided loans to its equity method investee, Moruga, to support growth and expansion projects. The loans have been made by all shareholders in proportion with their ownership interests in the investee. The outstanding balance of loans to Moruga was $3.9 million as of October 31, 2018 and 2019. These loans bear interest at 6.5% and are due on December 31, 2022, and have been included in loans to equity method investees in the consolidated balance sheets.

Other Related Party Transactions

The Company sells avocados to AvoPacific Oils, an entity whose ownership consists of shareholders and key management personnel of the Company. The Company recorded sales of $1.2 million and $0.9 million during the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively, while accounts receivable totaled $0.7 million and $0.1 million as of October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively.

During fiscal 2019, the Company sourced packaged fruit from Cartama, an entity whose founding members are partners with the Company in Copaltas (our 50% equity method investee in Colombia). Inventory purchases from Cartama totaled $1.1 million during the year ended October 31, 2019 and had outstanding payables of $0.2 million as of October 31, 2019.

Certain members of our Board of Directors market California avocados through Mission Produce, Inc. pursuant to marketing agreements substantially similar to the marketing agreements that we enter into with other growers. During the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, the aggregate value of avocados purchased from entities owned or controlled by members of our Board of Directors was $4.2 million and $1.8 million, respectively. We did not have any amounts due to board members as of October 31, 2018 and 2019.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

We entered into a consulting agreement during 2018 with Luis Gonzalez, a director of the Company. Pursuant to the agreement, total fees paid were $250,000 during 2019 and $0 during 2018, which have been included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income.

In October 2017, we sold a cold storage and packing facility to a group of limited liability companies whose ownership includes key management personnel of us for $7.0 million. We recorded a gain on the disposal of the asset during fiscal 2017, and hold a note receivable from the buyers that is classified within other assets in the consolidated balance sheets totaling $1.4 million as of October 31, 2018. Principal balance was paid in full during the year ended October 31, 2019. Interest on the note was payable in quarterly installments at 4.2%. We reported interest income from this group in the amount of $0.1 million during each of the years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019.

14. Segment Information

We have two operating segments which are also reporting segments. Our reporting segments are presented based on how information is used by our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), who is the chief operating decision maker, to measure performance and allocate resources. These reporting segments are Marketing and Distribution and International Farming. Our Marketing and Distribution reporting segment sources fruit from growers and then distributes the fruit through our global distribution network. Our International Farming segment owns and operates avocado orchards (principally located in Peru) that supplies our Marketing and Distribution business with a stable supply of avocados. Substantially all of the avocados produced by our International Farming segment are sold to our marketing and distribution segment. Our International Farming segment represents the operations of Grupo Arato, which was accounted for under the equity method of accounting until we consolidated the entity on September 20, 2018 (see Note 4).

The CEO evaluates and monitors segment performance primarily through segment sales and segment adjusted earnings before interest expense, income taxes and depreciation and amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”). Adjusted EBIDTA is calculated by adding interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization expense, other income (expense), share-based compensation expense, international farming Adjusted EBITDA subtracting equity income, remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee to net income. Management believes that segment Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information for analyzing the underlying business results as well as allowing investors a means to evaluate the financial results of each reportable segment in relation to the Company as a whole. The Company’s computation of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures computed by other companies, because not all companies calculate Adjusted EBITDA in the same manner.

Net sales from each of our reportable segments is as follows (in thousands):

 

    

Year Ended October 31, 2018

   

Year Ended October 31, 2019

 
    

Marketing &
Distribution

    

International
Farming

   

Total

   

Marketing &
Distribution

    

International
Farming

   

Total

 

Third party sales

   $ 858,529      $ 1,358     $ 859,887     $ 873,665      $ 9,636     $ 883,301  

Affiliated sales

     —          —         —         —          80,676       80,676  

Equity method sales

     —          36,534       36,534       —          —         —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total segment sales

   $ 858,529      $ 37,892     $ 896,421     $ 873,665      $ 90,312     $ 963,977  

Intercompany eliminations

     —          —         —         —          (80,676     (80,676

Equity method eliminations

     —          (36,534     (36,534     —          —         —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total net sales

   $ 858,529      $ 1,358     $ 859,887     $ 873,665      $ 9,636     $ 883,301  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The table above includes affiliated sales between the International Farming segment and the Marketing and Distribution segment, which are eliminated in the intercompany eliminations noted above. In addition, during the year ended October 31, 2018, the table above includes our proportionate 50% share of the International Farming segment sales while Grupo Arato was being accounted for as an equity method investment which are identified as equity method sales in the table above.

Adjusted EBITDA for each of our reporting segments is as follows (in thousands):

 

    

Year Ended

 
    

October 31,
2018

    

October 31,
2019

 

Marketing & Distribution Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 28,279      $ 87,956  

International Farming Adjusted EBITDA

     14,825        35,017  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Reportable Segment Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 43,104      $ 122,973  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income

   $ 72,441      $ 71,699  

Interest expense

     5,396        10,320  

Income taxes

     16,245        24,298  

Depreciation and amortization

     9,440        16,466  

Equity method income

     (12,433      (3,359

Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity method investee

     (62,020      —    

Other income (expense), net

     (908      3,549  

Share-based compensation

     9        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 28,170      $ 122,973  

Pre-acquisition International Farming Adjusted EBITDA

     14,934        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 43,104      $ 122,973  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The pre-acquisition International Farming Adjusted EBITDA represents our proportionate 50% share of the International Farming segment’s Adjusted EBITDA through September 20, 2018 while Grupo Arato was being accounted for as an equity method investment.

Net sales to customers outside the U.S. were approximately $209.1 million and $194.2 million for fiscal years ended October 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively. The Marketing and Distribution segment had two customers that represented more than 10% of total consolidated sales for the year ended October 31, 2018, and one customer that represented more than 10% of total consolidated sales for the year ended October 31, 2019. The two customers accounted for 23% of consolidated sales for the year ended October 31, 2018. The one customer accounted for 15% of consolidated sales for the year ended October 31, 2019. Substantially all of the International Farming operating segment sales are to the Marketing and Distribution operating segment.

Our goodwill balance of $76.4 million is wholly attributed to the International Farming segment as of October 31, 2018 and 2019.

 

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MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Long-lived assets attributed to geographic areas as of October 31, 2018 and 2019 are as follows (in thousands):

 

    

October 31,

 
    

2018

    

2019

 

North America

   $ 114,356      $ 115,537  

South America

     199,151        213,731  

Europe

     1,201        1,048  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 314,708      $ 330,316  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

15. Subsequent Events

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through February 13, 2020 which is the date the consolidated financial statements were available to be issued.

Dividends Paid

During January 2020, the Company paid a $2.00 per share dividend in the aggregate amount of $7.5 million to shareholders of record on that date.

 

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LOGO

Mission world’s finest avocados Mission USA


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LOGO

Mission world’s finest avocados


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LOGO

Active Bookrunners B of A Securities J.P. Morgan Citigroup Co-Managers Roth Capital Partners Stephens Inc. D. A. Davidson & Co. Through and including , 2020 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in our common stock, whether or not participating in our initial public offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This delivery requirement is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.


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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 13. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.

The following table sets forth all expenses to be paid by us, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, upon completion of this offering. All amounts shown are estimates except for the SEC registration fee and the FINRA filing fee.

 

SEC registration fee

   $              

FINRA filing fee

                 

Exchange listing fee

                 

Printing and engraving expenses

                 

Legal fees and expenses

                 

Accounting fees and expenses

                 

Transfer agent and registrar fees

                 

Miscellaneous expenses

                 
  

 

 

 

Total

   $              
  

 

 

 

 

*

To be provided by amendment.

ITEM 14. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes the board of directors of a corporation to grant, and authorizes a court to award, indemnity to officers, directors and other corporate agents.

We expect to adopt a certificate of incorporation, which will become effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering, and which will contain provisions that limit the liability of our directors for monetary damages to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Consequently, our directors will not be personally liable to us or our shareholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as directors, except liability for the following:

 

   

any breach of their duty of loyalty to our company or our shareholders;

 

   

any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

   

unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or

 

   

any transaction from which they derived an improper personal benefit.

Any amendment to, or repeal of, these provisions will not eliminate or reduce the effect of these provisions in respect of any act, omission or claim that occurred or arose prior to that amendment or repeal. If the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to provide for further limitations on the personal liability of directors of corporations, then the personal liability of our directors will be further limited to the greatest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

In addition, we expect to adopt bylaws, which will become effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering, and which will provide that we will indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any person who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or

 

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proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the corporation or, while a director or officer of the corporation, is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred. Our bylaws will also provide that we must pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a director or officer in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, subject to limited exceptions.

Further, we have entered into or will enter into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that may be broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained in the Delaware General Corporation Law. These indemnification agreements require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors and executive officers against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service. These indemnification agreements also require us to advance all expenses incurred by the directors and executive officers prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in any such action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding. We believe that these agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve as directors and executive officers.

The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions that are expected to be included in our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and in indemnification agreements that we have entered into or will enter into with our directors and executive officers may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and executive officers for breach of their fiduciary duties. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and executive officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and other shareholders. Further, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and executive officers as required by these indemnification provisions. At present, we are not aware of any pending litigation or proceeding involving any person who is or was one of our directors, officers, employees or other agents or is or was serving at our request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, for which indemnification is sought, and we are not aware of any threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification.

We have obtained insurance policies under which, subject to the limitations of the policies, coverage is provided to our directors and executive officers against loss arising from claims made by reason of breach of fiduciary duty or other wrongful acts as a director or executive officer, including claims relating to public securities matters, and to us with respect to payments that may be made by us to these directors and executive officers pursuant to our indemnification obligations or otherwise as a matter of law.

Some of our non-employee directors may, through their relationships with their employers, be insured and/or indemnified against liabilities incurred in their capacity as members of our board of directors.

The underwriting agreement to be filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this registration statement will provide for indemnification by the underwriters of us and our officers and directors for liabilities arising under the Securities Act or otherwise.

ITEM 15. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.

Since January 1, 2017, we have not issued any securities other than option grants and a single grant of 3,445 shares of stock in lieu of a cash bonus to employees, in each case, in reliance upon the Rule 701 exemption from registration or another exemption from registration. In addition, on September 20, 2018, we issued a total of 700,182 shares of common stock valued at $112.0 million in connection with the acquisition of Arato and Moruga, in reliance upon the Section 4(a)(2) exemption from registration.

 

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ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.

 

  (a)

Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement:

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Exhibit Description

  1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  3.1    Form of Certificate of Incorporation, effective upon the consummation this offering.
  3.2    Form of Bylaws, effective upon the consummation of this offering.
  4.1*    Form of Common Stock Certificate
  5.1*    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.
10.1+*    Mission Produce, Inc. Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Incentive Plan.
10.2+    Form of Stock Option Agreement pursuant to the Mission Produce, Inc. Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Incentive Plan.
10.3+    Mission Produce, Inc. 2020 Incentive Award Plan.
10.4+    Non-Employee Director Compensation Program.
10.5+    Form of Stock Option Agreement pursuant to the Mission Produce, Inc. 2020 Incentive Award Plan.
10.6+    Form of RSU Agreement pursuant to the Mission Produce, Inc. 2020 Incentive Award Plan.
10.7    Form of Indemnification Agreement between Mission Produce, Inc. and certain of its directors and officers.
10.8    Credit Agreement, dated as of October  11, 2018, by and among Mission Produce, Inc., as Borrower, certain subsidiaries of the Borrower party thereto as guarantors, Bank of America, N.A. as administrative agent, Swingline Lender and L/C Issuer, Farm Credit West, PCA as Syndication Agent, City National Bank and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. as co-documentation agents, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Farm Credit West, PCA as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners, and other lenders party thereto.
21.1    List of Subsidiaries of the Registrant.
23.1    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
23.2*    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1    Power of Attorney (see page II-5).

 

*

To be filed by amendment.

+

Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

 

  (b)

Financial Statement Schedules. All financial statement schedules are omitted because the information called for is not required or is shown either in the consolidated financial statements or in the notes thereto.

ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against

 

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public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

  (1)

For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

  (2)

For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement on Form S-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Oxnard, California, on the 4th day of September, 2020.

 

Mission Produce, Inc.
By:  

/s/ Stephen J. Barnard

 

Stephen J. Barnard

Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Stephen J. Barnard, Bryan E. Giles and Jeremy B. Warren, jointly and severally, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign the Registration Statement on Form S-1 of Mission Produce, Inc. and any or all amendments (including post-effective amendments) thereto and any new registration statement with respect to the offering contemplated thereby filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement on Form S-1 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Stephen J. Barnard

Stephen J. Barnard

   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)   September 4, 2020

/s/ Bryan E. Giles

Bryan E. Giles

  

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  September 4, 2020

/s/ Steve A. Beebe

Steve A. Beebe

   Director   September 4, 2020

/s/ Stephen W. Bershad

Stephen W. Bershad

   Director   September 4, 2020

/s/ Luis A. Gonzalez

Luis A. Gonzalez

   Director   September 4, 2020

/s/ Bonnie C. Lind

Bonnie C. Lind

   Director   September 4, 2020

 

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Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Jay A. Pack

Jay A. Pack

   Director   September 4, 2020

/s/ Bruce C. Taylor

Bruce C. Taylor

   Director   September 4, 2020

/s/ Linda B. Segre

Linda B. Segre

   Director   September 4, 2020

 

II-6

EX-3.1

Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

Mission Produce, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), does hereby certify as follows:

1. The name of the Corporation is Mission Produce, Inc. The Corporation was incorporated by the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February 11, 2020.

2. On [ • ], 2020, the Corporation merged with Mission Produce, Inc., a California corporation, with the Corporation surviving the merger.

3. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Restated Certificate”), which amends, restates and further integrates the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation as heretofore in effect, has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL, and has been adopted by the written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.

4. The text of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as heretofore amended, is hereby amended and restated by this Restated Certificate to read in its entirety as set forth in EXHIBIT A attached hereto.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Mission Produce, Inc. has caused this Restated Certificate to be signed by a duly authorized officer of the Corporation, on [ • ], 2020.

 

Mission Produce, Inc., a Delaware corporation
    By:  

                 

    Name:  
    Title:  

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]


EXHIBIT A

ARTICLE I

The name of the corporation is Mission Produce, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware, 19801, and the name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) as it now exists or may hereafter be amended and supplemented.

ARTICLE IV

The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and “Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 1,100,000,000. The total number of shares of Common Stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 1,000,000,000, having a par value of $0.001 per share, and the total number of shares of Preferred Stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 100,000,000, having a par value of $0.001 per share.

ARTICLE V

The designations and the powers, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation are as follows:

A. COMMON STOCK.

1. General. The voting, dividend, liquidation, and other rights and powers of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) and outstanding from time to time.

2. Voting. Except as otherwise provided herein or expressly required by law, each holder of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to vote on each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders and shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote on such matter. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation (as defined below)) that relates solely to the rights, powers, preferences (or the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof) or other terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation) or pursuant to the DGCL.

 

2


Subject to the rights of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

3. Dividends. Subject to applicable law and the rights and preferences of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to the payment of dividends on the Common Stock when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors in accordance with applicable law.

4. Liquidation. Subject to the rights and preferences of any holders of any shares of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Corporation that may be legally distributed to the Corporation’s stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of the then outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder.

B. PREFERRED STOCK

Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of such series adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided.

Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designation relating thereto in accordance with the DGCL (a “Certificate of Designation”), to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, and to increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any series as shall be stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law and this Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation). Except as otherwise required by law, holders of any series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled only to such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation).

 

3


The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

ARTICLE VI

For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation it is further provided that:

A. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the directors of the Corporation shall be classified with respect to the time for which they severally hold office into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. The initial Class I directors shall serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the initial registration of the Corporation’s Common Stock pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; the initial Class II directors shall serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of the stockholders following such registration; and the initial Class III directors shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting following such registration. At each annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation beginning with the first annual meeting of stockholders following the Effective Time, subject to any special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the successors of the class of directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election. Each director shall hold office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to Class I, Class II and Class III.

B. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the DGCL or this Restated Certificate, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. The number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors.

C. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors.

D. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, except as otherwise provided by law, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, retirement, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall be filled exclusively by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (other than any directors elected by the separate vote of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock), and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class to which such director shall have been appointed or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal.

 

4


E. Whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VI, the number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the number fixed pursuant to paragraph B of this Article VI, and the total number of directors constituting the whole Board of Directors shall be automatically adjusted accordingly. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Designation(s) in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such Certificate of Designation(s), the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate (in which case each such director thereupon shall cease to be qualified as, and shall cease to be, a director) and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be reduced accordingly.

F. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws of the Corporation. In addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by applicable law or by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock) or the Bylaws of the Corporation, the adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the stockholders of the Corporation shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in an election of directors.

G. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.

ARTICLE VII

A. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, and shall not be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable Certificate of Designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock, if a consent or

 

5


consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant series of Preferred Stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of the DGCL.

B. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, at any time only by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or President, and shall not be called by any other person or persons.

C. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of other business proposed to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

ARTICLE VIII

No director of the Corporation shall have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article VIII, or the adoption of any provision of the Restated Certificate inconsistent with this Article VIII, shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption. If the DGCL is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VIII to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended.

ARTICLE IX

The Corporation shall have the power to provide rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses to its current and former officers, directors, employees and agents and to any person who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

ARTICLE X

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action, suit or proceeding arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the bylaws of the Corporation or this Restated Certificate (as either may be

 

6


amended from time to time) or (iv) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine; and (b) subject to the preceding provisions of this Article X, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the provisions of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence and (y) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article X. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Article X shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

ARTICLE XI

A. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Restated Certificate to the contrary, in addition to any vote required by applicable law, the following provisions in this Restated Certificate may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded, in whole or in part, or any provision inconsistent therewith or herewith may be adopted, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class: Part B of Article V, Article VI, Article VII, Article VIII, Article IX, Article X, and this Article XI.

B. If any provision or provisions of this Restated Certificate shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the provisions of this Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

7

EX-3.2

Exhibit 3.2

Amended and Restated Bylaws of

Mission Produce, Inc.

(a Delaware corporation)


Table of Contents

 

         Page  

Article I - Corporate Offices

     1  

1.1

  Registered Office      1  

1.2

  Other Offices      1  

Article II - Meetings of Stockholders

     1  

2.1

  Place of Meetings      1  

2.2

  Annual Meeting      1  

2.3

  Special Meeting      1  

2.4

  Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting      2  

2.5

  Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board of Directors      5  

2.6

  Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director and, if Elected, to be Seated as Directors      7  

2.7

  Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings      8  

2.8

  Quorum      9  

2.9

  Adjourned Meeting; Notice      9  

2.10

  Conduct of Business      9  

2.11

  Voting      10  

2.12

  Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes      10  

2.13

  Proxies      11  

2.14

  List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote      11  

2.15

  Inspectors of Election      11  

2.16

  Delivery to the Corporation      12  

Article III - Directors

     12  

3.1

  Powers      12  

3.2

  Number of Directors      12  

3.3

  Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors      13  

3.4

  Resignation and Vacancies      13  

3.5

  Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone      13  

3.6

  Regular Meetings      13  

3.7

  Special Meetings; Notice      14  

3.8

  Quorum      14  

3.9

  Board Action without a Meeting      14  

3.10

  Fees and Compensation of Directors      15  

Article IV - Committees

     15  

4.1

  Committees of Directors      15  

4.2

  Committee Minutes      15  

4.3

  Meetings and Actions of Committees      15  

4.4

  Subcommittees      16  

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

Article V - Officers

     16  

5.1

  Officers      16  

5.2

  Appointment of Officers      16  

5.3

  Subordinate Officers      16  

5.4

  Removal and Resignation of Officers      16  

5.5

  Vacancies in Offices      17  

5.6

  Representation of Shares of Other Corporations      17  

5.7

  Authority and Duties of Officers      17  

5.8

  Compensation      17  

Article VI - Records

     17  

Article VII - General Matters

     18  

7.1

  Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments      18  

7.2

  Stock Certificates      18  

7.3

  Special Designation of Certificates      18  

7.4

  Lost Certificates      19  

7.5

  Shares Without Certificates      19  

7.6

  Construction; Definitions      19  

7.7

  Dividends      19  

7.8

  Fiscal Year      19  

7.9

  Seal      19  

7.10

  Transfer of Stock      20  

7.11

  Stock Transfer Agreements      20  

7.12

  Registered Stockholders      20  

7.13

  Waiver of Notice      20  

Article VIII - Notice

     20  

8.1

  Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission      20  

Article IX - Indemnification

     21  

9.1

  Indemnification of Directors and Officers      21  

9.2

  Indemnification of Others      22  

9.3

  Prepayment of Expenses      22  

9.4

  Determination; Claim      22  

9.5

  Non-Exclusivity of Rights      22  

9.6

  Insurance      22  

9.7

  Other Indemnification      23  

9.8

  Continuation of Indemnification      23  

9.9

  Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation      23  

Article X - Amendments

     24  

Article XI - Definitions

     24  

 

 

ii


Amended and Restated Bylaws of

Mission Produce, Inc.

 

 

Article I - Corporate Offices

1.1 Registered Office.

The address of the registered office of Mission Produce, Inc. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware, and the name of its registered agent at such address, shall be as set forth in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).

1.2 Other Offices.

The Corporation may have additional offices at any place or places, within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Corporation’s board of directors (the “Board”) may from time to time establish or as the business of the Corporation may require.

Article II - Meetings of Stockholders

2.1 Place of Meetings.

Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office.

2.2 Annual Meeting.

The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and other proper business properly brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4 of these bylaws may be transacted. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled annual meeting of stockholders.

2.3 Special Meeting.

Special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by such persons and only in such manner as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.

No business may be transacted at any special meeting of stockholders other than the business specified in the notice of such meeting. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special meeting of stockholders.


2.4 Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting.

(a) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (i) specified in a notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, (ii) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by the Board or the Chairman of the Board or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder present in person who (A) (1) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (3) has complied with this Section 2.4 in all applicable respects or (B) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “Exchange Act”). The foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. The only matters that may be brought before a special meeting are the matters specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation and Section 2.3 of these bylaws, and stockholders shall not be permitted to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2.4, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder, appear at such annual meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board of Directors must comply with Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 2.5 and Section 2.6.

(b) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting which, in the case of the first annual meeting of stockholders following the closing of the Corporation’s initial underwritten public offering of common stock, the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting shall be deemed to be April 1; provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by the Corporation (such notice within such time periods, “Timely Notice”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.

 

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(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

(i) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporation’s books and records); and (B) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) are referred to as “Stockholder Information”);

(ii) As to each Proposing Person, (A) the full notional amount of any securities that, directly or indirectly, underlie any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) (“Synthetic Equity Position”) and that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Proposing Person with respect to any shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation; provided that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided, further, that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to hold or maintain the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Person’s business as a derivatives dealer, (B) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (C) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (D) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation, on the other hand, (E) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (F) a representation that such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal and (G) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (G) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and

 

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(iii) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), and (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder; and (D) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this paragraph (iii) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.

For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term “Proposing Personshall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, and (iii) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation.

(d) A Proposing Person shall update and supplement its notice to the Corporation of its intent to propose business at an annual meeting, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding officer of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.

 

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(f) This Section 2.4 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than any proposal made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s proxy statement. In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

(g) For purposes of these Bylaws, “public disclosure” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

2.5 Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board of Directors.

(a) Nominations of any person for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but only if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting) may be made at such meeting only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, including by any committee or persons authorized to do so by the Board of Directors or these bylaws, or (ii) by a stockholder present in person (A) who was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (C) has complied with this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 as to such notice and nomination. For purposes of this Section 2.5, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such stockholder, appear at such meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. The foregoing clause (ii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting or special meeting.

(b) (i) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (1) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation, (2) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required to be set forth by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 and (3) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6.

(ii) Without qualification, if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling a special meeting, then for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board of Directors at a special meeting, the stockholder must (i) provide timely notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (ii) provide the information with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 and (iii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4) of the date of such special meeting was first made.

 

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(iii) In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(iv) In no event may a Nominating Person provide Timely Notice with respect to a greater number of director candidates than are subject to election by shareholders at the applicable meeting. If the Corporation shall, subsequent to such notice, increase the number of directors subject to election at the meeting, such notice as to any additional nominees shall be due on the later of (i) the conclusion of the time period for Timely Notice, (ii) the date set forth in Section 2.5(b)(ii) or (iii) the tenth day following the date of public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4) of such increase.

(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

(i) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(c)(i), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(c)(i));

(ii) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(c)(ii), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(c)(ii) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(c)(ii) shall be made with respect to the election of directors at the meeting); and

(iii) As to each candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such candidate for nomination that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 if such candidate for nomination were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such candidate for nomination that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such candidate’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (C) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each candidate for nomination or his or her respective associates or any other participants in such solicitation, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the candidate for nomination were a director or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (C) are referred to as “Nominee Information”), and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.6(a).

For purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made, and (iii) any other participant in such solicitation.

 

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(d) A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination.

(e) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.

2.6 Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director and, if Elected, to be Seated as Directors.

(a) To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in Section 2.5 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such candidate given by or on behalf of the Board), to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (i) a completed written questionnaire (in a form provided by the Corporation) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee and (ii) a written representation and agreement (in form provided by the Corporation) that such candidate for nomination (A) is not and, if elected as a director during his or her term of office, will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given and will not give any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director that has not been disclosed therein or to the Corporation, (C) if elected as a director of the Corporation, will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to directors and in effect during such person’s term in office as a director (and, if requested by any candidate for nomination, the Secretary of the Corporation shall provide to such candidate for nomination all such policies and guidelines then in effect) and (D) if elected as director of the Corporation, intends to serve the entire term until the next meeting at which such candidate would face re-election.

 

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(b) The Board may also require any proposed candidate for nomination as a Director to furnish such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Board in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidate’s nomination is to be acted upon in order for the Board to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation in accordance with the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines.

(c) A candidate for nomination as a director shall further update and supplement the materials delivered pursuant to this Section 2.6, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided pursuant to this Section 2.6 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (or any other office specified by the Corporation in any public announcement) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

(d) No candidate shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless such candidate for nomination and the Nominating Person seeking to place such candidate’s name in nomination has complied with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6, as applicable. The presiding officer at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the candidate in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots cast for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no candidate for nomination shall be eligible to be seated as a director of the Corporation unless nominated and elected in accordance with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6.

2.7 Notice of Stockholders Meetings.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with Section 8.1 of these bylaws not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.

 

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2.8 Quorum.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the person presiding over the meeting or (ii) a majority in voting power of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to recess the meeting or adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.9 of these bylaws until a quorum is present or represented. At any recessed or adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.

2.9 Adjourned Meeting; Notice.

When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At any adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

2.10 Conduct of Business.

The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the person presiding over the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the person presiding over any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures (which need not be in writing) and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present (including, without limitation, rules and procedures for removal of disruptive persons from the meeting); (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the person presiding over the meeting shall determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. The presiding person at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to

 

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making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting (including, without limitation, determinations with respect to the administration and/or interpretation of any of the rules, regulations or procedures of the meeting, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting), shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter of business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

2.11 Voting.

Except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the DGCL, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, at all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, each other matter presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter.

2.12 Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes.

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the next day preceding the day on which notice is first given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting; and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of capital stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

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2.13 Proxies.

Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of an electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the transmission was authorized by the stockholder.

2.14 List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote.

The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the Corporation’s principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 2.14 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

2.15 Inspectors of Election.

Before any meeting of stockholders, the Corporation shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If any person appointed as inspector or any alternate fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the person presiding over the meeting shall appoint a person to fill that vacancy.

 

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Such inspectors shall:

(i) determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting and the validity of any proxies and ballots;

(ii) count all votes or ballots;

(iii) count and tabulate all votes;

(iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspector(s); and

(v) certify its or their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and its or their count of all votes and ballots.

Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspection with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The inspectors of election may appoint such persons to assist them in performing their duties as they determine.

2.16 Delivery to the Corporation.

Whenever this Article II requires one or more persons (including a record or beneficial owner of stock) to deliver a document or information to the Corporation or any officer, employee or agent thereof (including any notice, request, questionnaire, revocation, representation or other document or agreement), such document or information shall be in writing exclusively (and not in an electronic transmission) and shall be delivered exclusively by hand (including, without limitation, overnight courier service) or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and the Corporation shall not be required to accept delivery of any document not in such written form or so delivered. For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation expressly opts out of Section 116 of the DGCL with respect to the delivery of information and documents to the Corporation required by this Article II.

Article III - Directors

3.1 Powers.

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.

3.2 Number of Directors.

Subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, the total number of directors constituting the Board shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires.

 

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3.3 Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors.

Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, and subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship, shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class, if any, for which elected and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Directors need not be stockholders. The Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe qualifications for directors. The election of directors is subject to any provisions contained in the Certificate of Incorporation relating thereto, including any provision for a classified board.

3.4 Resignation and Vacancies.

Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or upon the happening of an event specified therein, and if no time or event is specified, at the time of its receipt. When one or more directors so resigns and the resignation is effective at a future date or upon the happening of an event to occur on a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office as provided in Section 3.3.

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the term of the class, if any, to which the director is appointed and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified.

3.5 Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone.

The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

3.6 Regular Meetings.

Regular meetings of the Board may be held within or outside the State of Delaware and at such time and at such place as which has been designated by the Board and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice-messaging system or other system designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other means of electronic transmission. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board.

 

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3.7 Special Meetings; Notice.

Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a majority of the total number of directors constituting the Board.

Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:

(i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;

(ii) sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;

(iii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail; or

(iv) sent by other means of electronic transmission,

directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, or other address for electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records.

If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail, or (iii) sent by other means of electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be deposited in the U.S. mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.

3.8 Quorum.

At all meetings of the Board, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

3.9 Board Action without a Meeting.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, or the committee thereof, in the same paper or electronic form as the minutes are maintained. Such action by written consent or consent by electronic transmission shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the Board.

 

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3.10 Fees and Compensation of Directors.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity.

Article IV - Committees

4.1 Committees of Directors.

The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist, of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.

4.2 Committee Minutes.

Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.

4.3 Meetings and Actions of Committees.

Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:

(i) Section 3.5 (place of meetings; meetings by telephone);

(ii) Section 3.6 (regular meetings);

(iii) Section 3.7 (special meetings; notice);

(iv) Section 3.9 (board action without a meeting); and

(v) Section 7.13 (waiver of notice),

 

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with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members. However:

(i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;

(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board or the chairperson of the applicable committee; and

(iii) the Board may adopt rules for the governance of any committee to override the provisions that would otherwise apply to the committee pursuant to this Section 4.3, provided that such rules do not violate the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law.

4.4 Subcommittees.

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the resolutions of the Board designating the committee, a committee may create one (1) or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one (1) or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.

Article V - Officers

5.1 Officers.

The officers of the Corporation shall include a President and a Secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a Chairperson of the Board, a Vice Chairperson of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, a Treasurer, one (1) or more Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Treasurers, one (1) or more Assistant Secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. No officer need be a stockholder or director of the Corporation.

5.2 Appointment of Officers.

The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws.

5.3 Subordinate Officers.

The Board may appoint, or empower the Chief Executive Officer or, in the absence of a Chief Executive Officer, the President, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board may from time to time determine.

5.4 Removal and Resignation of Officers.

Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the Board, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board.

 

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Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

5.5 Vacancies in Offices.

Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Section 5.2.

5.6 Representation of Shares of Other Corporations.

The Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President of this Corporation, or any other person authorized by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares or voting securities of any other corporation or other person standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.

5.7 Authority and Duties of Officers.

All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be provided herein or designated from time to time by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.

5.8 Compensation.

The compensation of the officers of the Corporation for their services as such shall be fixed from time to time by or at the direction of the Board. An officer of the Corporation shall not be prevented from receiving compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a director of the Corporation.

Article VI - Records

A stock ledger consisting of one or more records in which the names of all of the Corporation’s stockholders of record, the address and number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder, and all issuances and transfers of stock of the corporation are recorded in accordance with Section 224 of the DGCL shall be administered by or on behalf of the Corporation. Any records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device, or method, or one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time and, with respect to the stock ledger, that the records so kept (i) can be used to prepare the list of stockholders specified in Sections 219 and 220 of the DGCL, (ii) record the information specified in Sections 156, 159, 217(a) and 218 of the DGCL, and (iii) record transfers of stock as governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in the State of Delaware.    

 

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Article VII - General Matters

7.1 Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments.

The Board, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

7.2 Stock Certificates.

The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board by resolution may provide that some or all of the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, any two officers authorized to sign stock certificates representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. The Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Board, the President, Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall be specifically authorized to sign stock certificates. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

The Corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly paid shares, or upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of uncertificated partly paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully paid shares, the Corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.

7.3 Special Designation of Certificates.

If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or on the back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of uncertificated shares, set forth in a notice provided pursuant to Section 151 of the DGCL); provided, however, that except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face of back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of any uncertificated shares, included in the aforementioned notice) a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.

 

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7.4 Lost Certificates.

Except as provided in this Section 7.4, no new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace a previously issued certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the Corporation and cancelled at the same time. The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.

7.5 Shares Without Certificates

The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.

7.6 Construction; Definitions.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular.

7.7 Dividends.

The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (i) the DGCL or (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock.

The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.

7.8 Fiscal Year.

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.

7.9 Seal.

The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

 

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7.10 Transfer of Stock.

Shares of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these bylaws. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the persons from and to whom it was transferred.

7.11 Stock Transfer Agreements.

The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes or series of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.

7.12 Registered Stockholders.

The Corporation:

(i) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner; and

(ii) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

7.13 Waiver of Notice.

Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws.

Article VIII - Notice

8.1 Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission.

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these bylaws may be given in writing directed to the stockholder’s mailing address (or by electronic transmission directed to the stockholder’s electronic mail address, as applicable) as it appears on the records of the Corporation and shall be given (1) if mailed, when the notice is deposited in the U.S. mail, postage

 

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prepaid, (2) if delivered by courier service, the earlier of when the notice is received or left at such stockholder’s address or (3) if given by electronic mail, when directed to such stockholder’s electronic mail address unless the stockholder has notified the Corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail. A notice by electronic mail must include a prominent legend that the communication is an important notice regarding the Corporation.

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice or electronic transmission to the Corporation. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the Corporation may give a notice by electronic mail in accordance with the first paragraph of this section without obtaining the consent required by this paragraph.

Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:

 

  (i)

if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;

 

  (ii)

if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and

 

  (iii)

if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a notice may not be given by an electronic transmission from and after the time that (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by such electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation and (2) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice, provided, however, the inadvertent failure to discover such inability shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

Article IX - Indemnification

9.1 Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any director or officer of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership (a “covered person”), joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and

 

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loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.4, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a person in connection with a Proceeding initiated by such person only if the Proceeding was authorized in the specific case by the Board.

9.2 Indemnification of Others.

The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding.

9.3 Prepayment of Expenses.

The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any covered person, and may pay the expenses incurred by any employee or agent of the Corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article IX or otherwise.

9.4 Determination; Claim.

If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such Proceeding) under this Article IX is not paid in full within sixty (60) days, or a claim for advancement of expenses under this Article IX is not paid in full within thirty (30) days, after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation the claimant may thereafter (but not before) file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under applicable law.

9.5 Non-Exclusivity of Rights.

The rights conferred on any person by this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

9.6 Insurance.

The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust enterprise or non-profit entity against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

 

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9.7 Other Indemnification.

The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or advance expenses to any person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity shall be reduced by any amount such person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.

9.8 Continuation of Indemnification.

The rights to indemnification and to prepayment of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article IX shall continue notwithstanding that the person has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors, administrators, legatees and distributees of such person.    

9.9 Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation.

The provisions of this Article IX shall constitute a contract between the Corporation, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, each individual who serves or has served as a director or officer of the Corporation (whether before or after the adoption of these bylaws), in consideration of such person’s performance of such services, and pursuant to this Article IX the Corporation intends to be legally bound to each such current or former director or officer of the Corporation. With respect to current and former directors and officers of the Corporation, the rights conferred under this Article IX are present contractual rights and such rights are fully vested, and shall be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon adoption of theses bylaws. With respect to any directors or officers of the Corporation who commence service following adoption of these bylaws, the rights conferred under this provision shall be present contractual rights and such rights shall fully vest, and be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon such director or officer commencing service as a director or officer of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the Corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this Article IX shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the Chief Executive Officer, President, and Secretary, or other officer of the Corporation appointed by (x) the Board pursuant to Article V of these bylaws or (y) an officer to whom the Board has delegated the power to appoint officers pursuant to Article V of these bylaws, and any reference to an officer of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or equivalent organizational documents) of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The fact that any person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise has been given or has used the title of “Vice President” or any other title that could be construed to suggest or imply that such person is or may be an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not result in such person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for purposes of this Article IX.

 

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Article X - Amendments

The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that such action by stockholders shall require, in addition to any other vote required by the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation with the power to vote generally in an election of directors, voting together as a single class.

Article XI - Definitions

As used in these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, including the use of, or participation in, one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

An “electronic mail” means an electronic transmission directed to a unique electronic mail address (which electronic mail shall be deemed to include any files attached thereto and any information hyperlinked to a website if such electronic mail includes the contact information of an officer or agent of the Corporation who is available to assist with accessing such files and information).

An “electronic mail address” means a destination, commonly expressed as a string of characters, consisting of a unique user name or mailbox (commonly referred to as the “local part” of the address) and a reference to an internet domain (commonly referred to as the “domain part” of the address), whether or not displayed, to which electronic mail can be sent or delivered.

The term “person” means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

 

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Mission Produce, Inc.

Certificate of Amendment and Restatement of Bylaws

 

 

The undersigned hereby certifies that he is the duly elected, qualified, and acting Secretary of Mission Produce, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), and that the foregoing bylaws were approved on ___________, 2020, effective as of ___________, 2020 by the Corporation’s board of directors.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this ___ day of [September], 2020.

 

 

[Name]
General Counsel and Secretary
EX-10.2

Exhibit 10.2

Option Grant Issued (#) ___

MISSION PRODUCE, INC. 2003 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT

You have been granted the following option to purchase common stock of Mission Produce, Inc. (the “Company”):

Name of Optionee:

Total Number of Shares Granted:

Type of Option:

Exercise Price Per Share:

Date of Grant:

Vesting Commencement Date:

Vesting Schedule:

Expiration Date:

By your signature and the signature of the Company’s representative below, you and the Company agree that this option is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the Mission Produce, Inc. 2003 Stock Incentive Plan and the Stock Option Agreement, both of which are attached to and made a part of this document. You hereby represent that both the option and any shares issued upon exercise of the option have been or will be acquired for investment for your own account and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution or resale of the security.

 

Optionee:            Mission Produce, Inc.
By:   

 

      By:   

 

Name:   

 

      Name:   

 


ANNEX I

THE OPTION GRANTED PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT IS NOT TRANSFERABLE

OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT.

MISSION PRODUCE, INC. 2003 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

Section 1 Grant Of Option

1.1 Option. On the terms and conditions set forth in the notice of stock option grant to which this agreement (the “Agreement”) is attached (the “Notice of Stock Option Grant”) and this agreement, the Company grants to the individual named in the Notice of Stock Option Grant (the “Optionee”) the option to purchase at the exercise price specified in the Notice of Stock Option Grant (the “Exercise Price”) the number of shares of Stock set forth in the Notice of Stock Option Grant. This option is intended to be either an ISO or a Non-Qualified Stock Option, as provided in the Notice of Stock Option Grant.

1.2 Stock Plan and Defined Terms. This option is granted pursuant to and subject to the terms of the Mission Produce, Inc. 2003 Stock Incentive Plan, as in effect on the date specified in the Notice of Stock Option Grant (which date shall be the later of (i) the date on which the Board resolved to grant this option or (ii) the first day of the Optionee’s Service) and as amended from time to time (the “Plan”), a copy of which is attached hereto and which the Optionee acknowledges having received. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Agreement have the definitions ascribed to them in the Plan.

Section 2 Right To Exercise

2.1 Exercisability. Subject to Sections 2.2 and 2.3 below and the other conditions set forth in this Agreement, all or part of this option may be exercised prior to its expiration at the time or times set forth in the Notice of Stock Option Grant. Shares of Stock purchased by exercising this option may be subject to the Right of Repurchase under Section 7. In addition, if (i) there is a Change in Control before the Optionee’s Service terminates and (ii) the option is cancelled without substitution of a successor option or payment of any consideration, Optionee shall have the right, exercisable during the later of the ten-day period ending on the fifth day prior to the Change in Control or ten days after the Administrator provides the Optionee with a notice of cancellation, to exercise this option in whole or in part without regard to any installment exercise provisions in this Agreement.

2.2 $100,000 Limitation. Under Code Section 422(d), the aggregate fair market value (determined at the time the option is granted) of the shares of Stock with respect to which ISOs are exercisable for the first time during any calendar year (under all ISO plans of the Company, Parent and Subsidiaries) shall not exceed $100,000 (the “$100,000 Annual Limitation”). If this option is designated as an ISO in the Notice of Stock Option Grant, then to the extent (and only to the extent) the Optionee’s right to exercise this option causes this option (in whole or in part) to not be treated as an ISO by reason of the $100,000 Annual Limitation, such options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options, but shall be exercisable by their terms. If the Optionee has more than one option that has been designated as an ISO, the determination as to which of such options are to be treated as ISOs shall be based on the order in which such options were granted. If the $100,000 Annual Limitation is first exceeded as the result of the option covered by this Agreement, upon each exercise of this option, that fraction of shares of Common Stock covered by such exercise, equal to (i) the amount by which the grant of this option causes the $100,000 Annual Limitation to be exceeded, divided by (ii) the aggregate Fair Market Value of this option, determined as provided above, shall be treated as shares acquired upon exercise of a Non-Qualified Stock Option, and the balance shall be treated as shares acquired upon exercise of an ISO.


2.3 Shareholder Approval. Any other provision of this Agreement notwithstanding, no portion of this option shall be exercisable at any time prior to the approval of the Plan by the Company’s shareholders.

Section 3 No Transfer Or Assignment

3.1 Transfer of Option.

3.1.1 Transfer of Option. Except as provided herein, an Optionee may not assign, sell or transfer the option, in whole or in part, other than by will or by operation of the laws of descent and distribution. The Administrator, in its sole discretion may permit the transfer of a Non-Qualified Option (but not an ISO) as follows: (i) by gift to a member of the Participant’s immediate family or (ii) by transfer by instrument to a trust providing that the Option is to be passed to beneficiaries upon death of the trustor (either or both (i) or (ii) referred to as a “Permitted Transferee”). For purposes of this Section 3, “immediate family” shall mean the Optionee’s spouse (including a former spouse subject to terms of a domestic relations order); child, stepchild, grandchild, child-in-law; parent, stepparent, grandparent, parent-in-law; sibling and sibling-in-law, and shall include adoptive relationships. A transfer permitted under this Section 3 hereof may be made only upon written notice to and approval thereof by Administrator. A Permitted Transferee may not further assign, sell or transfer the transferred option, in whole or in part, other than by will or by operation of the laws of descent and distribution. A Permitted Transferee shall agree in writing to be bound by the provisions of this Plan.

3.2 Transfer of Stock Acquired Pursuant to Exercise. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Participant may not transfer Stock acquired under this Agreement within six months after the purchase of such Stock (or such other period as may be required to avoid a charge to earnings for financial accounting purposes) (the “Requisite Holding Period”), other than to a Permitted Transferee (as described in Section 3.1 above), if the Stock is not readily tradable on an established securities market.

Section 4 Exercise Procedures

4.1 Notice of Exercise. The Optionee or the Optionee’s representative may exercise this option by delivering a written notice in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (“Notice of Exercise”) to the Company in the manner specified pursuant to Section 14.4 hereof. Such Notice of Exercise shall specify the election to exercise this option, the number of shares of Stock for which it is being exercised and the form of payment, which must comply with Section 5. The Notice of Exercise shall be signed by the person who is entitled to exercise this option. If this option is to be exercised by the Optionee’s representative, the notice shall be accompanied by proof (satisfactory to the Company) of the representative’s right to exercise this option.

4.2 Issuance of Shares. After receiving a proper Notice of Exercise, the Company shall cause to be issued a certificate or certificates for the shares of Stock as to which this option has been exercised, registered in the name of Optionee (or in the names of such person and his or her spouse as community property or as joint tenants with right of survivorship) or the Permitted Transferee. The Company shall cause such certificate or certificates to be held in the Company’s custody or delivered to or upon the order of the person exercising this option.

 

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4.3 Withholding Taxes. If the Company determines that the Company, Parent or a Subsidiary is required to withhold any tax as a result of the exercise of this option, the Optionee, as a condition to the exercise of this option, shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Company to enable it to satisfy all withholding requirements. The Optionee shall also make arrangements satisfactory to the Company to enable it to satisfy any withholding requirements that may arise in connection with the vesting or disposition of shares of Stock purchased by exercising this option.

Section 5 Payment For Stock

5.1 General Rule. The entire Exercise Price of shares of Stock issued under the Plan shall be payable in full by cash or check for an amount equal to the aggregate Exercise Price for the number of shares being purchased. Alternatively, in the sole discretion of the Plan Administrator and upon such terms as the Plan Administrator shall approve, the Exercise Price may be paid by:

5.1.1 Cashless Exercise. During any period for which the Stock is publicly traded (i.e., the Stock is listed on any Established Securities Market or any similar system whereby the stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer), by a copy of instructions to a broker directing such broker to sell the shares of Stock for which this option is exercised, and to remit to the Company the aggregate Exercise Price of such option (“Cashless Exercise”); provided, however, a Cashless Exercise by a Director or executive officer that involves or may involve a direct or indirect extension of credit or arrangement of an extension of credit by the Company, a Parent or Subsidiary in violation of section 402(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (codified as Section 13(k) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. § 78m(k)) shall be prohibited;

5.1.2 Stock-For-Stock Exercise. Paying all or a portion of the Exercise Price for the number of shares of Stock being purchased by tendering Stock which meets the Requisite Holding Period, duly endorsed for transfer to the Company, with a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of shares of Stock with respect to which this option is being exercised;

5.1.3 Attestation Exercise. By a stock for stock exercise by means of attestation whereby the Participant identifies for delivery specific shares of Stock with respect to which the Requisite Holding Period has expired that have a Fair Market Value on the date of attestation equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of shares of Stock with respect to which this option is being exercised, and receives a number of shares of Stock equal to the difference between the number of shares thereby exercised and the number of identified attestation shares of Stock; or

5.1.4 By notice of exercise including a statement directing the Company to retain such number of shares of Stock from transfer to the Optionee (“Stock Withholding”) that otherwise would be delivered by the Company upon exercise of the option having a Fair Market Value equal to all or part of the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of shares of Stock with respect to which this option is being exercised; provided that if the Exercise Price requires retention of a fractional share, the number of shares subject to Stock Withholding shall be rounded down and the Optionee will be required to pay the remainder of the aggregate Exercise Price by cash or check.

5.2 Withholding Payment. In addition to the Exercise Price, the Optionee shall be required to include payment of the amount of all federal, state, local or other income, excise or employment taxes subject to withholding (if any) by the Company, Parent or a Subsidiary as a result of the exercise of a Stock Option. The Optionee may pay all or a portion of the tax withholding by cash or check payable to the Company, or, at the discretion of the Administrator, upon such terms as the Administrator shall

 

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approve, by (i) Cashless Exercise, if the Stock is publicly traded and the Cashless Exercise does not violate Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; (ii) tendering Stock owned by the Participant, duly endorsed for transfer to the Company, with a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the withholding due for the number of shares being exercised; (iii) means of attestation whereby the Participant identifies for delivery specific shares of Stock already owned by Participant that have a Fair Market Value on the date of attestation equal to the withholding due for the number of shares being exercised; (iv) by paying all or a portion of the tax withholding for the number of shares being purchased by Stock Withholding from any transfer or payment to the Optionee; or (v) a combination of one or more of the foregoing payment methods. Any shares issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option and transferred by the Optionee to the Company for the purpose of satisfying any withholding obligation shall not again be available for purposes of the Plan. The Fair Market Value of the number of shares subject to Stock Withholding for the withholding payment shall not exceed an amount equal to the applicable minimum required tax withholding rates.

5.3 Promissory Note. The Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, upon such terms as the Plan Administrator shall approve, may permit all or a portion of the Exercise Price of shares of Stock and/or any federal, state, local or other income, excise or employment taxes withholding required in connection with the issuance of shares of Stock pursuant to the Plan to be paid with a full-recourse promissory note. However, if there is a stated par value of the shares and applicable law requires, the par value of the shares, if newly issued, shall be paid in cash or cash equivalents. The shares of Stock shall be pledged as security for payment of the principal amount of the promissory note and interest thereon. Subject to the foregoing, the Plan Administrator (at its sole discretion) shall specify the term, interest rate, amortization requirements (if any) and other provisions of such note.

5.4 Exercise/Pledge. In the discretion of the Plan Administrator, upon such terms as the Plan Administrator shall approve, payment may be made all or in part by the delivery (on a form prescribed by the Plan Administrator) of an irrevocable direction to pledge shares of Stock to a securities broker or lender approved by the Company, as security for a loan, and to deliver all or part of the loan proceeds to the Company in payment of all or part of the Exercise Price and any withholding taxes.

Section 6 Term And Expiration

6.1 Basic Term. This option shall expire and shall not be exercisable after the expiration of the earliest of (i) the Expiration Date specified in the Notice of Stock Option Grant, (ii) three months after the date the Optionee’s Service with the Company, Parent and the Subsidiaries terminates if such termination is for any reason other than death, Disability or Cause, (iii) one year after the date the Optionee’s Service with the Company, Parent and Subsidiaries terminates if such termination is a result of death or Disability, and (iv) if the Optionee’s Service with the Company, Parent and Subsidiaries terminates for Cause, all outstanding Options granted to such Optionee shall expire as of the commencement of business on the date of such termination. Outstanding Options that are not exercisable at the time of termination of employment for any reason shall expire at the close of business on the date of such termination. The Plan Administrator shall have the sole discretion to determine when this option is to expire. For any purpose under this Agreement, Service shall be deemed to continue while the Optionee is on a bona fide leave of absence, to the extent required by applicable law. To the extent applicable law does not require such a leave to be deemed to continue while the Optionee is on a bona fide leave of absence, such leave shall be deemed to continue if, and only if, expressly provided in writing by the Administrator or a duly authorized officer of the Company, Parent or Subsidiary for whom Optionee provides his or her services.

 

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6.2 Exercise After Death. All or part of this option may be exercised at any time before its expiration under Section 6.1 above by the executors or administrators of the Optionee’s estate or by any person who has acquired this option directly from the Optionee by beneficiary designation, bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent that this option had become exercisable before the Optionee’s death. Unless otherwise specified in the Notice of Stock Option Grant to which this Agreement is attached, when the Optionee dies, this option shall expire immediately with respect to the number of shares of Stock for which this option is not yet exercisable.

6.3 Notice Concerning ISO Treatment. If this option is designated as an ISO in the Notice of Stock Option Grant, it ceases to qualify for favorable tax treatment as an ISO to the extent it is exercised (i) more than three months after the date the Optionee ceases to be an Employee for any reason other than death or permanent and total disability (as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code), (ii) more than 12 months after the date the Optionee ceases to be an Employee by reason of such permanent and total disability, or (iii) if the Optionee has been on an approved leave of absence, more than three months after the date on which the Optionee’s leave of absence first exceeds three months, or such longer period during which the Optionee’s reemployment rights are guaranteed by statute or by contract.

Section 7 Right Of Repurchase

7.1 Option Repurchase Right. Following a termination of the Optionee’s Service, the Company shall have the right to repurchase the Optionee’s vested and exercisable options at a price equal to the Fair Market Value of the Stock underlying such options, less the Exercise Price (the “Option Repurchase Right”).

7.2 Stock Repurchase Right. Unless they have become vested in accordance with the Notice of Stock Option Grant and Section 7.4 below, the Stock acquired under this Agreement initially shall be Restricted Stock and shall be subject to a right (but not an obligation) of repurchase by the Company, which shall be exercisable at a price equal to the Exercise Price paid for the Restricted Stock (the “Stock Repurchase Right”). Vested stock acquired under this Agreement shall be subject to a right (but not an obligation) of repurchase by the Company, which shall be exercisable at a price equal to the Fair Market Value of the vested Stock.

7.3 Condition Precedent to Exercise. The Option Repurchase Right and Stock Repurchase Rights (collectively, the “Right of Repurchase”) shall be exercisable over Restricted Stock only during the six-month period next following the later of:

7.3.1 The date when the Optionee’s Service terminates for any reason, with or without Cause, including (without limitation) death or disability; or

7.3.2 The date when this option was exercised by the Optionee, the executors or administrators of the Optionee’s estate or any person who has acquired this option directly from the Optionee by bequest, inheritance, beneficiary designation or as a Permitted Transferee.

7.4 Lapse of Right of Repurchase. The Right of Repurchase shall lapse with respect to the shares of Stock subject to this option in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Notice of Stock Option Grant. In addition, if (i) there is a Change in Control before the Optionee’s Service terminates and (ii) the Restricted Stock is cancelled without substitution of successor stock or payment of any consideration, the Right of Repurchase shall lapse and all of the remaining Restricted Stock shall become vested. The Right of Repurchase with respect to vested Stock shall lapse with respect to (i) shares of Stock that are registered under a then currently effective registration statement under applicable federal securities laws and the issuer is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or becomes an investment company registered or required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, or (ii) shares of Stock for which a determination is made by counsel for the Company that such Exercise Price restrictions are not required in the circumstances under applicable federal or state securities laws.

 

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7.5 Exercise of Right of Repurchase. The Company shall exercise the Right of Repurchase by written notice delivered to the Optionee prior to the expiration of the six-month period specified in Section 7.3 above. The notice shall set forth the date on which the repurchase is to be effected, which must occur within 31 days of the notice. The certificate(s) representing the Restricted Stock to be repurchased shall, prior to the close of business on the date specified for the repurchase, be delivered to the Company (to the extent not already in the Company’s custody) properly endorsed for transfer; provided, however, that the failure to deliver such certificate(s) to the Company shall not prevent the Company from repurchasing any Stock under this Section 7. The Company shall, concurrently with the receipt of such certificate(s), pay to the Optionee the purchase price determined according to this Section 7. Payment shall be made in cash or cash equivalents or by canceling indebtedness to the Company incurred by the Optionee in the purchase of the Restricted Stock. The Right of Repurchase shall terminate with respect to any Restricted Stock for which it has not been timely exercised pursuant to this Section 7.5.

7.6 Rights of Repurchase Adjustments. If there is any change in the number of outstanding shares of Stock by reason of a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination, reclassification, dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any corporate separation or division (including, but not limited to, a split-up, a split-off or a spin-off), a merger or consolidation; a reverse merger or similar transaction, then (i) any new, substituted or additional securities or other property (including money paid other than as an ordinary cash dividend) distributed with respect to any Restricted Stock (or into which such Restricted Stock thereby become convertible) shall immediately be subject to the Right of Repurchase; and (ii) appropriate adjustments to reflect the distribution of such securities or property shall be made to the number and/or class of the Restricted Stock and to the price per share to be paid upon the exercise of the Right of Repurchase; provided, however, that the aggregate purchase price payable for the Restricted Stock shall remain the same.

7.7 Termination of Rights as Optionee or Shareholder.

7.7.1 Termination of Rights as Optionee. If the Company makes available, at the time and place and in the amount and form provided in this Agreement, the consideration for the option to be repurchased pursuant to the Company’s Option Repurchase Right in accordance with this Section 7, then after such time the person from whom such option is to be repurchased shall no longer have any rights as an optionee of this option (other than the right to receive payment of such consideration in accordance with this Agreement).

7.7.2 Termination of Rights as Shareholder. If the Company makes available, at the time and place and in the amount and form provided in this Agreement, the consideration for the Restricted Stock to be repurchased pursuant to the Company’s Stock Repurchase Right in accordance with this Section 7, then after such time the person from whom such Restricted Stock is to be repurchased shall no longer have any rights as a holder of such Restricted Stock (other than the right to receive payment of such consideration in accordance with this Agreement). Such Restricted Stock shall be deemed to have been repurchased in accordance with the applicable provisions hereof, whether or not the certificate(s) therefor have been delivered as required by this Agreement.

7.8 Retention of Restricted Stock. The Company shall retain in its custody all certificates for Restricted Stock (together with the collateral instruments of transfer executed in blank) until such time as the shares represented by such certificates are no longer Restricted Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company holds a single certificate representing both Restricted Stock and shares of

 

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Stock that are vested, upon Optionee’s request (which request shall not be made more frequently than once very six months) the Company will cause a certificate representing the Shares of Stock that are vested to be delivered to the Participant, but the Company will retain a certificate representing the unvested shares of the Stock. Any new, substituted or additional securities or other property described in Section 7.6 above shall immediately be held in the Company’s custody, but only to the extent the shares of Stock are at the time Restricted Stock. All regular cash dividends on Restricted Stock (or other securities at the time held in the Company’s custody) shall be paid directly to the Optionee and shall not be held in custody. Restricted Stock, together with any other assets or securities held in the Company’s custody hereunder, shall be (i) surrendered to the Company for repurchase and cancellation upon the Company’s exercise of its Right of Repurchase or Right of First Refusal or (ii) released to the Optionee upon the Optionee’s request to the extent the shares of Stock are no longer Restricted Stock (but not more frequently than once every six months). In any event, all shares of Stock which have vested (and any other vested assets and securities attributable thereto) shall be released within 60 days after the earlier of (i) the Optionee’s cessation of Service or (ii) the lapse of the Right of First Refusal.

7.9 Company’s Right to Assign. The Company may assign its Right of Repurchase to any person or entity chosen in the Company’s sole discretion.

Section 8 Right Of First Refusal

8.1 Right of First Refusal. If the Company’s stock is not readily tradable on an established securities market and the Optionee proposes to sell, pledge or otherwise transfer to a third party any shares of Stock acquired under this Agreement with respect to which the Requisite Holding Period has expired, or any interest in such shares of Stock, to any person, entity or organization (the “Transferee”) the Company shall have the Right of First Refusal with respect to all (and not less than all) of such shares of Stock (the “Right of First Refusal”). If the Optionee desires to transfer shares of Stock acquired under this Agreement, the Optionee shall give a written transfer notice (“Transfer Notice”) to the Company describing fully the proposed transfer, including the number of shares of Stock proposed to be transferred, the proposed transfer price, the name and address of the proposed Transferee and proof satisfactory to the Company that the proposed sale or transfer will not violate any applicable federal or state securities laws. The Transfer Notice shall be signed both by the Optionee and by the proposed Transferee and must constitute a binding commitment of both parties to the transfer of the shares of Stock. The Company shall have the right to purchase all, and not less than all, of the shares of Stock on the terms of the proposal described in the Transfer Notice by delivery of a notice of exercise of the Right of First Refusal within 30 days after the date when the Transfer Notice was received by the Company.

8.2 Additional Shares or Substituted Securities. If there is any change in the number of outstanding shares of Stock by reason of a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination, reclassification, dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any corporate separation or division (including, but not limited to, a split-up, a split-off or a spin-off), a merger or consolidation; a reverse merger or similar transaction, then any new, substituted or additional securities or other property (including money paid other than as an ordinary cash dividend) which are by reason of such transaction distributed with respect to any shares of Stock subject to this Section 8 or into which such shares of Stock thereby become convertible shall immediately be subject to this Section 8. Appropriate adjustments to reflect the distribution of such securities or property shall be made to the number and/or class of the shares of Stock subject to this Section 8.

8.3 Termination of Right of First Refusal. Any other provision of this Section 8 notwithstanding, if the Stock is readily tradable on an established securities market when the Optionee desires to transfer shares of Stock, the Company shall have no Right of First Refusal, and the Optionee shall have no obligation to comply with the procedures prescribed by this Section 8.

 

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8.4 Permitted Transfers. This Section 8 shall not apply to a transfer (i) by gift to a member of the Participant’s immediate family or (ii) by transfer by instrument to a trust providing that the Option is to be passed to beneficiaries upon death of the trustor. For purposes of this Section 8.4, “immediate family” shall mean the Optionee’s spouse (including a former spouse subject to terms of a domestic relations order); child, stepchild, grandchild, child-in-law; parent, stepparent, grandparent, parent-in-law; sibling and sibling-in-law, and shall include adoptive relationships.

8.5 Termination of Rights as Shareholder. If the Company makes available, at the time and place and in the amount and form provided in this Agreement, the consideration for the shares of Stock to be purchased in accordance with this Section 8, then after such time the person from whom such shares of Stock are to be purchased shall no longer have any rights as a holder of such shares of Stock (other than the right to receive payment of such consideration in accordance with this Agreement). Such shares of Stock shall be deemed to have been purchased in accordance with the applicable provisions hereof, whether or not the certificate(s) therefor have been delivered as required by this Agreement.

8.6 Company’s Right to Assign. The Company may assign its Right of First Refusal to any person or entity chosen in the Company’s sole discretion.

Section 9. Obligation To Sell.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time following Optionee’s acquisition of shares of Stock hereunder, shareholders of the Company owning 51% or more of the shares of the Company (on a fully diluted basis) (the “Control Sellers”) enter into an agreement (including any agreement in principal) to transfer all of their shares to any person or group of persons who are not affiliated with the Control Sellers, such Control Sellers may require each shareholder who is not a Control Seller (a “Non-Control Seller”) to sell all of their shares to such person or group of persons at a price and on terms and conditions the same as those on which such Control Sellers have agreed to sell their shares, other than terms and conditions relating to the performance or non-performance of services. For the purposes of the preceding sentence, an affiliate of a Control Seller is a person who controls, which is controlled by, or which is under common control with, the Control Seller.

Section 10. Shareholders Agreement

As a condition to the transfer of Stock pursuant to this Stock Option Agreement, the Administrator, in its sole and absolute discretion, may require the Participant to execute and become a party to any agreement by and among the Company and any of its shareholders which exists on or after the Date of Grant (the “Shareholders Agreement”). If the Participant becomes a party to a Shareholders Agreement, in addition to the terms of the Plan and this Stock Option Agreement, the terms and conditions of Shareholders Agreement shall govern Participant’s rights in and to the Stock; and if there is any conflict between the provisions of the Shareholders Agreement and the Plan or any conflict between the provisions of the Shareholders Agreement and this Stock Option Agreement, the provisions of the Shareholders Agreement shall be controlling. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 10, if the Shareholders Agreement contains any provisions which would violate Section 25102(o) of the California Corporations Code if applied to the Participant, the terms of the Plan and this Stock Option Agreement shall govern the Participant’s rights with respect to such provisions.

Section 11. Legality Of Initial Issuance

No shares of Stock shall be issued upon the exercise of this option unless and until the Company has determined that:

 

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11.1 It and the Optionee have taken any actions required to register the shares of Stock under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or to perfect an exemption from the registration requirements thereof;

11.2 Any applicable listing requirement of any stock exchange on which Stock is listed has been satisfied; and

11.3 Any other applicable provision of state or federal law has been satisfied.

Section 12. No Registration Rights

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, register or qualify the sale of shares of Stock under the Securities Act or any other applicable law. The Company shall not be obligated to take any affirmative action in order to cause the sale of shares of Stock under this Agreement to comply with any law.

Section 13. Restrictions On Transfer

13.1 Securities Law Restrictions. Regardless of whether the offering and sale of shares of Stock under the Plan have been registered under the Securities Act or have been registered or qualified under the securities laws of any state, the Company at its discretion may impose restrictions upon the sale, pledge or other transfer of such shares of Stock (including the placement of appropriate legends on stock certificates or the imposition of stop-transfer instructions) if, in the judgment of the Company, such restrictions are necessary or desirable in order to achieve compliance with the Securities Act, the securities laws of any state or any other law.

13.2 Market Stand-Off. If an underwritten public offering by the Company of its equity securities pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act, including the Company’s initial public offering, the Optionee shall not sell, make any short sale of, loan, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option for the repurchase of, transfer the economic consequences of ownership or otherwise dispose or transfer for value or otherwise agree to engage in any of the foregoing transactions with respect to any Stock without the prior written consent of the Company or its underwriters, for such period of time from and after the effective date of such registration statement as may be requested by the Company or such underwriters (the “Market Stand-Off”). In order to enforce the Market Stand-Off, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the shares of Stock acquired under this Agreement until the end of the applicable stand-off period If there is any change in the number of outstanding shares of Stock by reason of a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination, reclassification, dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any corporate separation or division (including, but not limited to, a split-up, a split-off or a spin-off), a merger or consolidation; a reverse merger or similar transaction, then any new, substituted or additional securities which are by reason of such transaction distributed with respect to any shares of Stock subject to the Market Stand-Off, or into which such shares of Stock thereby become convertible, shall immediately be subject to the Market Stand-Off.

13.3 Investment Intent at Grant. If sale of Stock under the Plan is not registered under the Securities Act, but an exemption is available which requires an investment representation or other representation, the Optionee shall represent and agree, at the time of exercise of this option, that the Stock being acquired upon the exercise of this option is being acquired for investment, and not with a view to the sale or distribution thereof, and shall make such other representations as are deemed necessary or appropriate by the Company and its counsel.

 

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13.4 Investment Intent at Exercise. If the sale of shares of Stock under the Plan is not registered under the Securities Act but an exemption is available which requires an investment representation or other representation, the Optionee shall represent and agree at the time of exercise that the shares of Stock being acquired upon exercising this option are being acquired for investment, and not with a view to the sale or distribution thereof, and shall make such other representations as are deemed necessary or appropriate by the Company and its counsel.

13.5 Legends. All certificates evidencing shares of Stock purchased under this Agreement in an unregistered transaction shall bear the following legend (and such other restrictive legends as are required or deemed advisable under the provisions of any applicable law):

“THE SHARES OF STOCK EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO AND TRANSFERABLE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT CERTAIN MISSION PRODUCE, INC. 2003 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN AND THE OPTION AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO WHICH THE SHARES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE WERE ISSUED, COPIES OF WHICH ARE ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE COMPANY. NO TRANSFER OR PLEDGE OF THE SHARES EVIDENCED HEREBY MAY BE MADE EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SAID PLAN AND OPTION AGREEMENT (INCLUDING THE COMPANY’S RIGHT OF REPURCHASE AND RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL CONTAINED THEREIN).”

13.6 Removal of Legends. If, in the opinion of the Company and its counsel, any legend placed on a stock certificate representing shares of Stock sold under this Agreement no longer is required, the holder of such certificate shall be entitled to exchange such certificate for a certificate representing the same number of shares of Stock but without such legend.

13.7 Administration. Any determination by the Company and its counsel in connection with any of the matters set forth in this Section 13 shall be conclusive and binding on the Optionee and all other persons.

Section 14. Miscellaneous Provisions

14.1 Rights as a Shareholder. Neither the Optionee nor the Optionee’s representative shall have any rights as a shareholder with respect to any shares of Stock subject to this option until the Optionee or the Optionee’s representative becomes entitled to receive such shares of Stock by filing a notice of exercise and paying the Exercise Price pursuant to Section 5 hereof.

14.2 Adjustments.

14.2.1 Stock Dividends, Splits, Etc. If there is any change in the number of outstanding shares of Stock by reason of a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination, reclassification, dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any corporate separation or division (including, but not limited to, a split-up, a split-off or a spin-off), a merger or consolidation; a reverse merger or similar transaction, then, then (i) the number and/or class of shares subject to this option and (ii) the Exercise Price of this option, in effect prior to such change, shall be proportionately adjusted to reflect any increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Stock; provided, however, that any fractional shares resulting from the adjustment shall be eliminated.

 

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14.2.2 Liquidation, Dissolution, Merger or Consolidation. If a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any corporate separation or division, including, but not limited to, a split-up, a split-off or a spin-off, or a sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company; a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the Surviving Entity; or a reverse merger in which the Company is the Surviving Entity, but the shares of Company stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger are converted by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise, then, the Company, to the extent permitted by applicable law, but otherwise in its sole discretion may provide for: (i) the continuation of this option by the Company (if the Company is the Surviving Entity); (ii) the assumption of the Plan and this option by the Surviving Entity or its parent; (iii) the substitution by the Surviving Entity or its parent of an option with substantially the same terms for this option; or (iv) the cancellation of this option without payment of any consideration, provided that if this option would be canceled in accordance with the foregoing, Optionee shall have the right, exercisable during the later of the ten-day period ending on the fifth day prior to such merger or consolidation or ten days after the Administrator provides the Optionee with a notice of cancellation, to exercise this option in whole or in part without regard to any installment exercise provisions in this Agreement.

14.3 No Retention Rights. Nothing in this option or in the Plan shall confer upon the Optionee any right to continue in Service for any period of specific duration or interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way the rights of the Company (or any Parent or Subsidiary employing or retaining the Optionee) or of the Optionee, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each, to terminate his or her Service at any time and for any reason, with or without Cause.

14.4 Notice. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given to the parties hereto as follows:

If to the Company, to:

Mission Produce, Inc.

2500 Vineyard Ave., Suite 300

P.O. Box 5267

Oxnard, CA 93031-5267

If to Purchaser, to the address set forth in the records of the Company.

Any such notice request, demand or other communication shall be effective (i) if given by mail, 72 hours after such communication is deposited in the mail by first-class certified mail, return receipt requested, postage pre-paid, addressed as aforesaid, or (ii) if given by any other means, when delivered at the address specified in this Section 14.4.

14.5 Entire Agreement. The Notice of Stock Option Grant, this Agreement and the Plan constitute the entire contract between the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. They supersede any other agreements, representations or understandings (whether oral or written and whether express or implied) that relate to the subject matter hereof.

14.6 Choice of Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAWS PROVISIONS, AS CALIFORNIA LAWS ARE APPLIED TO CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO AND PERFORMED IN SUCH STATE.

 

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EXHIBIT A

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

(To be signed only upon exercise of the Option)

Mission Produce, Inc.

2500 Vineyard Ave., Suite 300

P.O. Box 5267

Oxnard, CA 93031-5267

The undersigned, the holder of the enclosed Stock Option Agreement, hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the purchase rights represented by the Option and to purchase there-under ______* shares of Common Stock of Mission Produce, Inc. (the “Company”), and herewith encloses payment of $_______ in the form of ______________ in full payment of the purchase price of such shares being purchased.

Dated:___________________________

YOUR STOCK MAY BE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS AND FORFEITABLE UNDER THE NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT AND STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

 

 

(Signature must conform in all respects to name of holder as specified on the face of the Option)

 

(Please Print Name)

 

(Address)

 

*

Insert the number of shares called for on the face of the Option, or, in the case of a partial exercise, the number of shares being exercised, in either case without making any adjustment for additional Common Stock of the Company, other securities or property that, pursuant to the adjustment provisions of the Option, may be deliverable upon exercise.

 

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EX-10.3

Exhibit 10.3

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

2020 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

ARTICLE I.

PURPOSE

The Plan’s purpose is to enhance the Company’s ability to attract, retain and motivate persons who make (or are expected to make) important contributions to the Company by providing these individuals with equity ownership opportunities and/or equity-linked compensatory opportunities. Capitalized terms used in the Plan are defined in Article XI.

ARTICLE II.

ELIGIBILITY

Service Providers are eligible to be granted Awards under the Plan, subject to the limitations described herein.

ARTICLE III.

ADMINISTRATION AND DELEGATION

3.1 Administration. The Plan is administered by the Administrator. The Administrator has authority to determine which Service Providers receive Awards, grant Awards and set Award terms and conditions, subject to the conditions and limitations in the Plan. The Administrator also has the authority to take all actions and make all determinations under the Plan, to interpret the Plan and Award Agreements and to adopt, amend and repeal Plan administrative rules, guidelines and practices as it deems advisable. The Administrator may correct defects and ambiguities, supply omissions and reconcile inconsistencies in the Plan or any Award Agreement as it deems necessary or appropriate to administer the Plan and any Awards. The Administrator’s determinations under the Plan are in its sole discretion and will be final and binding on all persons having or claiming any interest in the Plan or any Award.

3.2 Appointment of Committees. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, the Board or the Administrator may delegate any or all of its powers under the Plan to one or more Committees or committees of officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Board or the Administrator, as applicable, may rescind any such delegation, abolish any such committee or Committee and/or re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority at any time.

ARTICLE IV.

STOCK AVAILABLE FOR AWARDS

4.1 Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment under Article VIII and the terms of this Article IV, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Awards under the Plan shall be equal to the Overall Share Limit. Shares issued under the Plan may consist of authorized but unissued Shares, Shares purchased on the open market or treasury Shares.

4.2 Share Recycling.    If all or any part of an Award expires, lapses or is terminated, exchanged for or settled in cash, surrendered, repurchased, canceled without having been fully exercised or forfeited, in any case, in a manner that results in the Company acquiring Shares covered by the Award at a price not greater than the price (as adjusted to reflect any Equity Restructuring) paid by the Participant for such Shares or not issuing any Shares covered by the Award, the unused Shares covered by the Award will, as


applicable, become or again be available for Award grants under the Plan. In addition, Shares delivered (either by actual delivery or attestation) to the Company by a Participant to satisfy the applicable exercise or purchase price of an Award and/or to satisfy any applicable tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award (including Shares retained by the Company from the Award being exercised or purchased and/or creating the tax obligation) will, as applicable, become or again be available for Award grants under the Plan. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not count against the Overall Share Limit. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following Shares shall not be added to the Shares authorized for grant under Section 4.1 and shall not be available for future grants of Awards: (i) Shares subject to a Stock Appreciation Right that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the Stock Appreciation Right on exercise thereof; and (ii) Shares purchased on the open market with the cash proceeds from the exercise of Options.

4.3 Incentive Stock Option Limitations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no more than 5,000,000 Shares may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options.

4.4 Substitute Awards. In connection with an entity’s merger or consolidation with the Company or the Company’s acquisition of an entity’s property or stock, the Administrator may grant Awards in substitution for any options or other stock or stock-based awards granted before such merger or consolidation by such entity or its affiliate. Substitute Awards may be granted on such terms as the Administrator deems appropriate, notwithstanding limitations on Awards in the Plan. Substitute Awards will not count against the Overall Share Limit (nor shall Shares subject to a Substitute Award be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided above), except that Shares acquired by exercise of substitute Incentive Stock Options will count against the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan (and Shares subject to such Awards shall not be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided above); provided that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Employees, Consultants or Directors prior to such acquisition or combination.

4.5 Non-Employee Director Compensation. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan, the Administrator may establish compensation for non-employee Directors from time to time, subject to the limitations in the Plan. The sum of any cash compensation, or other compensation, and the value (determined as of the grant date in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of Awards granted to a non-employee Director as compensation for services as a non-employee Director during any fiscal year of the Company may not exceed $500,000 increased to $750,000 in the fiscal year of a non-employee Director’s initial service as a non-employee Director.

 

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ARTICLE V.

STOCK OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

5.1 General. The Administrator may grant Options or Stock Appreciation Rights to Service Providers subject to the limitations in the Plan, including any limitations in the Plan that apply to Incentive Stock Options. A Stock Appreciation Right will entitle the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right) to receive from the Company upon exercise of the exercisable portion of the Stock Appreciation Right an amount determined by multiplying the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price per Share of the Stock Appreciation Right by the number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised, subject to any limitations of the Plan or that the Administrator may impose and payable in cash, Shares valued at Fair Market Value or a combination of the two as the Administrator may determine or provide in the Award Agreement.

5.2 Exercise Price. The Administrator will establish each Option’s and Stock Appreciation Right’s exercise price and specify the exercise price in the Award Agreement. The exercise price will not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the grant date of the Option (subject to Section 5.6) or Stock Appreciation Right.    Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right that is a Substitute Award, the exercise price per share of the Shares subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, may be less than the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant; provided that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Sections 424 and 409A of the Code.

5.3 Duration. Each Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be exercisable at such times and as specified in the Award Agreement, provided that, subject to Section 5.6, the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right will not exceed ten years. Notwithstanding the foregoing and unless determined otherwise by the Company, in the event that on the last business day of the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right (other than an Incentive Stock Option) (i) the exercise of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right is prohibited by Applicable Law, as determined by the Company, or (ii) Shares may not be purchased or sold by the applicable Participant due to any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods) or a “lock-up” agreement undertaken in connection with an issuance of securities by the Company, the term of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be extended until the date that is 30 days after the end of the legal prohibition, black-out period or lock-up agreement, as determined by the Company; provided, however, in no event shall the extension last beyond the ten year term of the applicable Option or Stock Appreciation Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permitted under Applicable Laws, if the Participant, prior to the end of the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, violates the non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality or other similar restrictive covenant provisions of any employment contract, confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the right of the Participant and the Participant’s transferees to exercise any Option or Stock Appreciation Right issued to the Participant shall terminate immediately upon such violation, unless the Company otherwise determines.

5.4 Exercise. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised by delivering to the Company a written notice of exercise, in a form the Administrator approves (which may be electronic), signed by the person authorized to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, together with, as applicable, payment in full (i) as specified in Section 5.5 for the number of Shares for which the Award is exercised and (ii) as specified in Section 9.5 for any applicable taxes. Unless the Administrator otherwise determines, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.

 

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5.5 Payment Upon Exercise. Subject to Section 10.8, any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods) and Applicable Laws, the exercise price of an Option must be paid by:

(a) cash, wire transfer of immediately available funds or by check payable to the order of the Company, provided that the Company may limit the use of one of the foregoing payment forms if one or more of the payment forms below is permitted;

(b) if there is a public market for Shares at the time of exercise, unless the Company otherwise determines, (A) delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to pay the exercise price, or (B) the Participant’s delivery to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to pay the exercise price; provided that such amount is paid to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator;

(c) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, delivery (either by actual delivery or attestation) of Shares owned by the Participant valued at their Fair Market Value;

(d) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, surrendering Shares then issuable upon the Option’s exercise valued at their Fair Market Value on the exercise date;

(e) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, delivery of a promissory note or any other property that the Administrator determines is good and valuable consideration; or

(f) to the extent permitted by the Company, any combination of the above payment forms approved by the Administrator.

5.6 Additional Terms of Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator may grant Incentive Stock Options only to employees of the Company, any of its present or future parent or subsidiary corporations, as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, respectively, and any other entities the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code. If an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, the exercise price will not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value on the Option’s grant date, and the term of the Option will not exceed five years. All Incentive Stock Options will be subject to and construed consistently with Section 422 of the Code. By accepting an Incentive Stock Option, the Participant agrees to give prompt notice to the Company of dispositions or other transfers (other than in connection with a Change in Control) of Shares acquired under the Option made within (i) two years from the grant date of the Option or (ii) one year after the transfer of such Shares to the Participant, specifying the date of the disposition or other transfer and the amount the Participant realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, in such disposition or other transfer. Neither the Company nor the Administrator will be liable to a Participant, or any other party, if an Incentive Stock Option fails or ceases to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code. Any Incentive Stock Option or portion thereof that fails to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code for any reason, including becoming exercisable with respect to Shares having a fair market value exceeding the $100,000 limitation under Treasury Regulation Section 1.422-4, will be a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

ARTICLE VI.

RESTRICTED STOCK; RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

6.1 General. The Administrator may grant Restricted Stock, or the right to purchase Restricted Stock, to any Service Provider, subject to the Company’s right to repurchase all or part of such Shares at their issue price or other stated or formula price from the Participant (or to require forfeiture of such Shares) if conditions the Administrator specifies in the Award Agreement are not satisfied before the end of the applicable restriction period or periods that the Administrator establishes for such Award. In addition, the Administrator may grant to Service Providers Restricted Stock Units, which may be subject to vesting and forfeiture conditions during the applicable restriction period or periods, as set forth in an Award Agreement.

 

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6.2 Restricted Stock.

(a) Dividends. Participants holding Shares of Restricted Stock will be entitled to all ordinary cash dividends paid with respect to such Shares, unless the Administrator provides otherwise in the Award Agreement. In addition, unless the Administrator provides otherwise, if any dividends or distributions are paid in Shares, or consist of a dividend or distribution to holders of Common Stock of property other than an ordinary cash dividend, the Shares or other property will be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which they were paid. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, with respect to any award of Restricted Stock, dividends which are paid to holders of Common Stock prior to vesting shall only be paid out to the Participant holding such Restricted Stock to the extent that the vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied. All such dividend payments will be made no later than March 15 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the right to the dividend payment becomes nonforfeitable.

(b) Stock Certificates. The Company may require that the Participant deposit in escrow with the Company (or its designee) any stock certificates issued in respect of Shares of Restricted Stock, together with a stock power endorsed in blank.

6.3 Restricted Stock Units.

(a) Settlement. The Administrator may provide that settlement of Restricted Stock Units will occur upon or as soon as reasonably practicable after the Restricted Stock Units vest or will instead be deferred, on a mandatory basis or at the Participant’s election, in a manner intended to comply with Section 409A.

(b) Stockholder Rights. A Participant will have no rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares subject to any Restricted Stock Unit unless and until the Shares are delivered in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit.

ARTICLE VII.

OTHER STOCK OR CASH BASED AWARDS; DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

7.1 Other Stock or Cash Based Awards. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be granted to Participants, including Awards entitling Participants to receive Shares to be delivered in the future and including annual or other periodic or long-term cash bonus awards (whether based on specified Performance Criteria or otherwise), in each case subject to any conditions and limitations in the Plan. Such Other Stock or Cash Based Awards will also be available as a payment form in the settlement of other Awards, as standalone payments and as payment in lieu of compensation to which a Participant is otherwise entitled. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be paid in Shares, cash or other property, as the Administrator determines.

7.2 Dividend Equivalents. A grant of Restricted Stock Units or Other Stock or Cash Based Award may provide a Participant with the right to receive Dividend Equivalents, and no Dividend Equivalents shall be payable with respect to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights. Dividend Equivalents may be paid currently or credited to an account for the Participant, settled in cash or Shares and subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Award with to which the Dividend Equivalents are paid and subject to other terms and conditions as set forth in the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Dividend Equivalents with respect to an Award shall only be paid out to the Participant to the extent that the vesting conditions of the underlying Award are subsequently satisfied. All such Dividend Equivalent payments will be made no later than March 15 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the right to the Dividend Equivalent payment becomes nonforfeitable, unless determined otherwise by the Administrator.

 

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ARTICLE VIII.

ADJUSTMENTS FOR CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK AND CERTAIN OTHER EVENTS

8.1 Equity Restructuring(a) . In connection with any Equity Restructuring, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VIII, the Administrator will equitably adjust each outstanding Award as it deems appropriate to reflect the Equity Restructuring, which may include adjusting the number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and/or the Award’s exercise price or grant price (if applicable), granting new Awards to Participants, and making a cash payment to Participants. The adjustments provided under this Section 8.1 will be nondiscretionary and final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company; provided that the Administrator will determine whether an adjustment is equitable.

8.2 Corporate Transactions. In the event of any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, other securities, or other property), reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, amalgamation, repurchase, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution, or sale, transfer, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or sale or exchange of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, Change in Control, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or other securities of the Company, other similar corporate transaction or event, other unusual or nonrecurring transaction or event affecting the Company or its financial statements or any change in any Applicable Laws or accounting principles, the Administrator, on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event (except that action to give effect to a change in Applicable Law or accounting principles may be made within a reasonable period of time after such change) and either automatically or upon the Participant’s request, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to (x) prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended by the Company to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award granted or issued under the Plan, (y) to facilitate such transaction or event or (z) give effect to such changes in Applicable Laws or accounting principles:

(a) To provide for the cancellation of any such Award in exchange for either an amount of cash or other property with a value equal to the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights under the vested portion of such Award, as applicable; provided that, if the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, in any case, is equal to or less than zero, then the Award may be terminated without payment;

(b) To provide that such Award shall vest and, to the extent applicable, be exercisable as to all Shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the provisions of such Award;

(c) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and/or applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Administrator;

 

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(d) To make adjustments in the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards and/or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Article IV on the maximum number and kind of shares which may be issued) and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price or applicable performance goals), and the criteria included in, outstanding Awards;

(e) To replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator; and/or

(f) To provide that the Award will terminate and cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after the applicable event.

8.3 Effect of Non-Assumption in a Change in Control. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8.2, if a Change in Control occurs and a Participant’s Awards are not continued, converted, assumed, or replaced with a substantially similar award by (a) the Company, or (b) a successor entity or its parent or subsidiary (an “Assumption”), and provided that the Participant has not had a Termination of Service, then, immediately prior to the Change in Control, such Awards shall become fully vested, exercisable and/or payable, as applicable, and all forfeiture, repurchase and other restrictions on such Awards shall lapse, in which case, such Awards shall be canceled upon the consummation of the Change in Control in exchange for the right to receive the Change in Control consideration payable to other holders of Common Stock (i) which may be on such terms and conditions as apply generally to holders of Common Stock under the Change in Control documents (including, without limitation, any escrow, earn-out or other deferred consideration provisions) or such other terms and conditions as the Administrator may provide, and (ii) determined by reference to the number of Shares subject to such Awards and net of any applicable exercise price; provided that to the extent that any Awards constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” that may not be paid upon the Change in Control under Section 409A without the imposition of taxes thereon under Section 409A, the timing of such payments shall be governed by the applicable Award Agreement (subject to any deferred consideration provisions applicable under the Change in Control documents); and provided, further, that if the amount to which the Participant would be entitled upon the settlement or exercise of such Award at the time of the Change in Control is equal to or less than zero, then such Award may be terminated without payment. The Administrator shall determine whether an Assumption of an Award has occurred in connection with a Change in Control.

8.4 Administrative Stand Still. In the event of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other extraordinary transaction or change affecting the Shares or the share price of Common Stock, including any Equity Restructuring or any securities offering or other similar transaction, for administrative convenience, the Administrator may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award for up to 60 days before or after such transaction.

8.5 General. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or the Administrator’s action under the Plan, no Participant will have any rights due to any subdivision or consolidation of Shares of any class, dividend payment, increase or decrease in the number of Shares of any class or dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or other corporation. Except as expressly provided with respect to an Equity Restructuring under Section 8.1 or the Administrator’s action under the Plan, no issuance by the Company of Shares of any class, or securities convertible into Shares of any class, will affect, and no adjustment will be made regarding, the number of Shares subject to an Award or the Award’s grant or exercise price. The existence of the Plan, any Award Agreements and the Awards granted hereunder will not affect or restrict in any way the Company’s right or power to make or authorize (i) any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, (ii) any merger, consolidation dissolution or liquidation of the Company or sale of Company assets or (iii) any sale or issuance of securities, including securities with rights superior to those of the Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Shares. The Administrator may treat Participants and Awards (or portions thereof) differently under this Article VIII.

 

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ARTICLE IX.

GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS

9.1 Transferability. Except as the Administrator may determine or provide in an Award Agreement or otherwise for Awards other than Incentive Stock Options, Awards may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except for certain beneficiary designations, by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or, subject to the Administrator’s consent, pursuant to a domestic relations order, and, during the life of the Participant, will be exercisable only by the Participant. Any permitted transfer of an Award hereunder shall be without consideration, except as required by Applicable Law. References to a Participant, to the extent relevant in the context, will include references to a Participant’s authorized transferee that the Administrator specifically approves.

9.2 Documentation. Each Award will be evidenced in an Award Agreement, which may be written or electronic, as the Administrator determines. The Award Agreement will contain the terms and conditions applicable to an Award. Each Award may contain terms and conditions in addition to those set forth in the Plan.

9.3 Discretion. Except as the Plan otherwise provides, each Award may be made alone or in addition or in relation to any other Award. The terms of each Award to a Participant need not be identical, and the Administrator need not treat Participants or Awards (or portions thereof) uniformly.

9.4 Termination of Status. The Administrator will determine how an authorized leave of absence or any other change or purported change in a Participant’s Service Provider status affects an Award and the extent to which, and the period during which the Participant, the Participant’s legal representative, conservator, guardian or Designated Beneficiary may exercise rights under the Award, if applicable.

9.5 Withholding. Each Participant must pay the Company, or make provision satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of, any taxes required by Applicable Law to be withheld in connection with such Participant’s Awards by the date of the event creating the tax liability. The Company may deduct an amount sufficient to satisfy such tax obligations based on the applicable statutory withholding rates (or such other rate as may be determined by the Company after considering any accounting consequences or costs) from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a Participant. In the absence of a contrary determination by the Company (or, with respect to withholding pursuant to clause (ii) below with respect to Awards held by individuals subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, a contrary determination by the Administrator), all tax withholding obligations will be calculated based on the maximum applicable statutory withholding rates. Subject to Section 10.8 and any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods), Participants may satisfy such tax obligations (i) in cash, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, by check made payable to the order of the Company, provided that the Company may limit the use of the foregoing payment forms if one or more of the payment forms below is permitted, (ii) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, in whole or in part by delivery of Shares, including Shares delivered by attestation and Shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of delivery, (iii) if there is a public market for Shares at the time the tax obligations are satisfied, unless the Company otherwise determines, (A) delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to satisfy the tax obligations, or (B) delivery by the Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to satisfy the tax

 

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withholding; provided that such amount is paid to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator, or (iv) to the extent permitted by the Company, any combination of the foregoing payment forms approved by the Administrator. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the number of Shares which may be so delivered or retained pursuant to clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall be limited to the number of Shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery or retention no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum individual statutory tax rate in the applicable jurisdiction at the time of such withholding (or such other rate as may be required to avoid the liability classification of the applicable award under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America); provided, however, to the extent such Shares were acquired by Participant from the Company as compensation, the Shares must have been held for the minimum period required by applicable accounting rules to avoid a charge to the Company’s earnings for financial reporting purposes; provided, further, that, any such Shares delivered or retained shall be rounded up to the nearest whole Share to the extent rounding up to the nearest whole Share does not result in the liability classification of the applicable Award under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America. If any tax withholding obligation will be satisfied under clause (ii) above by the Company’s retention of Shares from the Award creating the tax obligation and there is a public market for Shares at the time the tax obligation is satisfied, the Company may elect to instruct any brokerage firm determined acceptable to the Company for such purpose to sell on the applicable Participant’s behalf some or all of the Shares retained and to remit the proceeds of the sale to the Company or its designee, and each Participant’s acceptance of an Award under the Plan will constitute the Participant’s authorization to the Company and instruction and authorization to such brokerage firm to complete the transactions described in this sentence.

9.6 Amendment of Award; Prohibition on Repricing. The Administrator may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award, including by substituting another Award of the same or a different type, changing the exercise or settlement date, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option. The Participant’s consent to such action will be required unless (i) the action, taking into account any related action, does not materially and adversely affect the Participant’s rights under the Award, or (ii) the change is permitted under Article VIII or pursuant to Section 10.6. Except as otherwise provided under Article VIII, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, (i) reduce the exercise price per share of outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or (ii) cancel outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with an exercise price per share that is less than the exercise price per share of the original Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.

9.7 Conditions on Delivery of Stock. The Company will not be obligated to deliver any Shares under the Plan or remove restrictions from Shares previously delivered under the Plan until (i) all Award conditions have been met or removed to the Company’s satisfaction, (ii) as determined by the Company, all other legal matters regarding the issuance and delivery of such Shares have been satisfied, including any applicable securities laws and stock exchange or stock market rules and regulations, and (iii) the Participant has executed and delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to satisfy any Applicable Laws. The Company’s inability to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which the Administrator determines is necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any securities, will relieve the Company of any liability for failing to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority has not been obtained.

9.8 Acceleration. The Administrator may at any time provide that any Award will become immediately vested and fully or partially exercisable, free of some or all restrictions or conditions, or otherwise fully or partially realizable.

 

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9.9 Cash Settlement. Without limiting the generality of any other provision of the Plan, the Administrator may provide, in an Award Agreement or subsequent to the grant of an Award, in its discretion, that any Award may be settled in cash, Shares or a combination thereof.

9.10 Broker-Assisted Sales9.11 . In the event of a broker-assisted sale of Shares in connection with the payment of amounts owed by a Participant under or with respect to the Plan or Awards, including amounts to be paid under the final sentence of Section 9.5: (i) any Shares to be sold through the broker-assisted sale will be sold on the day the payment first becomes due, or as soon thereafter as practicable; (ii) such Shares may be sold as part of a block trade with other Participants in the Plan in which all participants receive an average price; (iii) the applicable Participant will be responsible for all broker’s fees and other costs of sale, and by accepting an Award, each Participant agrees to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any losses, costs, damages, or expenses relating to any such sale; (iv) to the extent the Company or its designee receives proceeds of such sale that exceed the amount owed, the Company will pay such excess in cash to the applicable Participant as soon as reasonably practicable; (v) the Company and its designees are under no obligation to arrange for such sale at any particular price; and (vi) in the event the proceeds of such sale are insufficient to satisfy the Participant’s applicable obligation, the Participant may be required to pay immediately upon demand to the Company or its designee an amount in cash sufficient to satisfy any remaining portion of the Participant’s obligation.

ARTICLE X.

MISCELLANEOUS

10.1 No Right to Employment or Other Status. No person will have any claim or right to be granted an Award, and the grant of an Award will not be construed as giving a Participant the right to continued employment or any other relationship with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Company and its Subsidiaries expressly reserves the right at any time to dismiss or otherwise terminate its relationship with a Participant free from any liability or claim under the Plan or any Award, except as expressly provided in an Award Agreement or in the Plan.

10.2 No Rights as Stockholder; Certificates. Subject to the Award Agreement, no Participant or Designated Beneficiary will have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any Shares to be distributed under an Award until becoming the record holder of such Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless the Administrator otherwise determines or Applicable Laws require, the Company will not be required to deliver to any Participant certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Award and instead such Shares may be recorded in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator). The Company may place legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan that the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to comply with Applicable Laws.

10.3 Effective Date and Term of Plan. Unless earlier terminated by the Board, the Plan will become effective on the day prior to the Public Trading Date (the “Effective Date”) and will remain in effect until the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, but Awards previously granted may extend beyond that date in accordance with the Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, an Incentive Stock Option may not be granted under the Plan after 10 years from the earlier of (i) the date the Board adopted the Plan or (ii) the date the Company’s stockholders approved the Plan. If the Plan is not approved by the Company’s stockholders, the Plan will not become effective, no Awards will be granted under the Plan and the Prior Plan will continue in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

10.4 Amendment of Plan. The Board may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time; provided that no amendment, other than an increase to the Overall Share Limit, may materially and adversely affect any Award outstanding at the time of such amendment without the affected Participant’s consent. No Awards may be granted under the Plan during any suspension period or after the Plan’s termination. Awards outstanding at the time of any Plan suspension or termination will continue to be governed by the Plan and the Award Agreement, as in effect before such suspension or termination. The Board will obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable Laws.

 

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10.5 Provisions for Foreign Participants. The Administrator may modify Awards granted to Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States or establish subplans or procedures under the Plan to address differences in laws, rules, regulations or customs of such foreign jurisdictions with respect to tax, securities, currency, employee benefit or other matters.

10.6 Section 409A.

(a) General. The Company intends that all Awards be structured to comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A, such that no adverse tax consequences, interest, or penalties under Section 409A apply. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, the Administrator may, without a Participant’s consent, amend this Plan or Awards, adopt policies and procedures, or take any other actions (including amendments, policies, procedures and retroactive actions) as are necessary or appropriate to preserve the intended tax treatment of Awards, including any such actions intended to (A) exempt this Plan or any Award from Section 409A, or (B) comply with Section 409A, including regulations, guidance, compliance programs and other interpretative authority that may be issued after an Award’s grant date. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to an Award’s tax treatment under Section 409A or otherwise. The Company will have no obligation under this Section 10.6 or otherwise to avoid the taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A with respect to any Award and will have no liability to any Participant or any other person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute noncompliant “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A.

(b) Separation from Service. If an Award constitutes “nonqualified deferred compensation” under Section 409A, any payment or settlement of such Award upon a termination of a Participant’s Service Provider relationship will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A, be made only upon the Participant’s “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A), whether such “separation from service” occurs upon or after the termination of the Participant’s Service Provider relationship. For purposes of this Plan or any Award Agreement relating to any such payments or benefits, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms means a “separation from service.”

(c) Payments to Specified Employees. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan or any Award Agreement, any payment(s) of “nonqualified deferred compensation” required to be made under an Award to a “specified employee” (as defined under Section 409A and as the Administrator determines) due to his or her “separation from service” will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, be delayed for the six-month period immediately following such “separation from service” (or, if earlier, until the specified employee’s death) and will instead be paid (as set forth in the Award Agreement) on the day immediately following such six-month period or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter (without interest). Any payments of “nonqualified deferred compensation” under such Award payable more than six months following the Participant’s “separation from service” will be paid at the time or times the payments are otherwise scheduled to be made.

 

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10.7 Limitations on Liability. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan, no individual acting as a director, officer, other employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary will be liable to any Participant, former Participant, spouse, beneficiary, or any other person for any claim, loss, liability, or expense incurred in connection with the Plan or any Award, and such individual will not be personally liable with respect to the Plan because of any contract or other instrument executed in his or her capacity as an Administrator, director, officer, other employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each director, officer, other employee and agent of the Company or any Subsidiary that has been or will be granted or delegated any duty or power relating to the Plan’s administration or interpretation, against any cost or expense (including attorneys’ fees) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the Administrator’s approval) arising from any act or omission concerning this Plan unless arising from such person’s own fraud or bad faith.

10.8 Lock-Up Period. The Company may, at the request of any underwriter representative or otherwise, in connection with registering the offering of any Company securities under the Securities Act, prohibit Participants from, directly or indirectly, selling or otherwise transferring any Shares or other Company securities during a period of up to 180 days following the effective date of a Company registration statement filed under the Securities Act, or such longer period as determined by the underwriter.

10.9 Data Privacy. As a condition for receiving any Award, each Participant explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this section by and among the Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates exclusively for implementing, administering and managing the Participant’s participation in the Plan. The Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Participant, including the Participant’s name, address and telephone number; birthdate; social security, insurance number or other identification number; salary; nationality; job title(s); any Shares held in the Company or its Subsidiaries and affiliates; and Award details, to implement, manage and administer the Plan and Awards (the “Data”). The Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary to implement, administer and manage a Participant’s participation in the Plan, and the Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may transfer the Data to third parties assisting the Company with Plan implementation, administration and management. These recipients may be located in the Participant’s country, or elsewhere, and the Participant’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the recipients’ country. By accepting an Award, each Participant authorizes such recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, to implement, administer and manage the Participant’s participation in the Plan, including any required Data transfer to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or the Participant may elect to deposit any Shares. The Data related to a Participant will be held only as long as necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Participant’s participation in the Plan. A Participant may, at any time, view the Data that the Company holds regarding such Participant, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data regarding such Participant, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data regarding the Participant or refuse or withdraw the consents in this Section 10.9 in writing, without cost, by contacting the local human resources representative. If the Participant refuses or withdraws the consents in this Section 10.9, the Company may cancel Participant’s ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Administrator’s discretion, the Participant may forfeit any outstanding Awards. For more information on the consequences of refusing or withdrawing consent, Participants may contact their local human resources representative.

10.10 Severability. If any portion of the Plan or any action taken under it is held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity will not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan will be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provisions had been excluded, and the illegal or invalid action will be null and void.

10.11 Governing Documents. If any contradiction occurs between the Plan and any Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company (or any Subsidiary) that the Administrator has approved, the Plan will govern, unless it is expressly specified in such Award Agreement or other written document that a specific provision of the Plan will not apply.

 

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10.12 Governing Law. The Plan and all Awards will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, disregarding any state’s choice-of-law principles requiring the application of a jurisdiction’s laws other than the State of Delaware.

10.13 Claw-back Provisions. All Awards (including, without limitation, any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by Participant upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award) shall be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, including, without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with Applicable Laws (including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder) as and to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy or the Award Agreement.

10.14 Titles and Headings. The titles and headings in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, if any conflict, the Plan’s text, rather than such titles or headings, will control.

10.15 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with Applicable Laws. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan and all Awards will be administered only in conformance with Applicable Laws. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, the Plan and all Award Agreements will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

10.16 Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under the Plan will be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except as expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

ARTICLE XI.

DEFINITIONS

As used in the Plan, the following words and phrases will have the following meanings:

11.1 “Administrator” means the Board or a Committee to the extent that the Board’s powers or authority under the Plan have been delegated to such Committee.

11.2 “Applicable Laws” means the requirements relating to the administration of equity incentive plans under U.S. federal and state securities, tax and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, the applicable rules of any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws and rules of any foreign country or other jurisdiction where Awards are granted.

11.3 “Award” means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, or Other Stock or Cash Based Awards.

11.4 “Award Agreement” means a written agreement evidencing an Award, which may be electronic, that contains such terms and conditions as the Administrator determines, consistent with and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

11.5 “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

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11.6 “Change in Control” means and includes each of the following:

(a) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Common Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or a transaction or series of transactions that meets the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii) of subsection (c) below) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or a “person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or

(b) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in subsections (a) or (c)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or

(c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:

(i) which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the “Successor Entity”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and

(ii) after which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this clause (ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or portion of any Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b) or (c) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).

The Administrator shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.

 

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11.7 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations issued thereunder.

11.8 “Committee” means one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board, which may include one or more Company directors or executive officers, to the extent Applicable Laws permit. To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3, it is intended that each member of the Committee will be, at the time the Committee takes any action with respect to an Award that is subject to Rule 16b-3, a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3; however, a Committee member’s failure to qualify as a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 will not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee that is otherwise validly granted under the Plan.

11.9 “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company.

11.10 “Company” means Mission Produce, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor.

11.11 “Consultant” means any person, including any adviser, engaged by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to render services to such entity.

11.12 “Designated Beneficiary” means the beneficiary or beneficiaries the Participant designates, in a manner the Administrator determines, to receive amounts due or exercise the Participant’s rights if the Participant dies or becomes incapacitated. Without a Participant’s effective designation, “Designated Beneficiary” will mean the Participant’s estate.

11.13 “Director” means a Board member.

11.14 “Dividend Equivalents” means a right granted to a Participant under the Plan to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares.

11.15 “Employee” means any employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries.

11.16 “Equity Restructuring” means, as determined by the Administrator, a non-reciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, or other large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the Shares (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Stock (or other securities of the Company) and causes a change in the per share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Awards.

11.17 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

11.18 “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of a share of Common Stock determined as follows: (a) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such Common Stock as quoted on such exchange for such date, or if no sale occurred on such date, the last day preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; (b) if the Common Stock is not traded on a stock exchange but is quoted on a national market or other quotation system, the closing sales price on such date, or if no sales occurred on such date, then on the last date preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; or (c) without an established market for the Common Stock, the Administrator will determine the Fair Market Value in its discretion.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Award granted on the pricing date of the Company’s initial public offering, the Fair Market Value shall mean the initial public offering price of a Share as set forth in the Company’s final prospectus relating to its initial public offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

11.19 “Greater Than 10% Stockholder” means an individual then owning (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its parent or subsidiary corporation, as defined in Section 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively.

11.20 “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” as defined in Section 422 of the Code.

11.21 “Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an Option, or portion thereof, not intended or not qualifying as an Incentive Stock Option.

11.22 “Option” means an option to purchase Shares, which will either be an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

11.23 “Other Stock or Cash Based Awards” means cash awards, awards of Shares, and other awards valued wholly or partially by referring to, or are otherwise based on, Shares or other property awarded to a Participant under Article VII.

11.24 “Overall Share Limit” means the sum of (a) [ 🌑 ] Shares, and (b) the number of shares of Common Stock that remain available for issuance under the Prior Plan as of the Effective Date (which number added to the Overall Share Limit pursuant to clause (b) shall not exceed 77,724 shares of Common Stock).

11.25 “Participant” means a Service Provider who has been granted an Award.

11.26 “Performance Criteria” mean the criteria (and adjustments) that the Administrator may select for an Award to establish performance goals for a performance period, which may include the following: net earnings or losses (either before or after one or more of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and non-cash equity-based compensation expense); gross or net sales or revenue or sales or revenue growth; net income (either before or after taxes) or adjusted net income; profits (including but not limited to gross profits, net profits, profit growth, net operation profit or economic profit), profit return ratios or operating margin; budget or operating earnings (either before or after taxes or before or after allocation of corporate overhead and bonus); cash flow (including operating cash flow and free cash flow or cash flow return on capital); return on assets; return on capital or invested capital; cost of capital; return on stockholders’ equity; total stockholder return; return on sales; costs, reductions in costs and cost control measures; expenses; working capital; earnings or loss per share; adjusted earnings or loss per share; price per share or dividends per share (or appreciation in or maintenance of such price or dividends); regulatory

 

16


achievements or compliance; implementation, completion or attainment of objectives relating to research, development, regulatory, commercial, or strategic milestones or developments; market share; economic value or economic value added models; division, group or corporate financial goals; customer satisfaction/growth; customer service; employee satisfaction; recruitment and maintenance of personnel; human resources management; supervision of litigation and other legal matters; strategic partnerships and transactions; financial ratios (including those measuring liquidity, activity, profitability or leverage); debt levels or reductions; sales-related goals; financing and other capital raising transactions; cash on hand; acquisition activity; investment sourcing activity; and marketing initiatives, any of which may be measured in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease. Such performance goals also may be based solely by reference to the Company’s performance or the performance of a Subsidiary, division, business segment or business unit of the Company or a Subsidiary, or based upon performance relative to performance of other companies or upon comparisons of any of the indicators of performance relative to performance of other companies.

11.27 “Plan” means this 2020 Incentive Award Plan.

11.28 “Prior Plan” means the Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Incentive Plan, as may be amended from time to time.

11.29 “Public Trading Date” means the first date upon which the Common Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system, or, if earlier, the date on which the Company becomes a “publicly held corporation” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(c)(1).

11.30 “Restricted Stock” means Shares awarded to a Participant under Article VI subject to certain vesting conditions and other restrictions.

11.31 “Restricted Stock Unit” means an unfunded, unsecured right to receive, on the applicable settlement date, one Share or an amount in cash or other consideration determined by the Administrator to be of equal value as of such settlement date awarded to a Participant under Article VI subject to certain vesting conditions and other restrictions.

11.32 “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

11.33 “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code and all regulations, guidance, compliance programs and other interpretative authority thereunder.

11.34 “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

11.35 “Service Provider” means an Employee, Consultant or Director.

11.36 “Shares” means shares of Common Stock.

11.37 “Stock Appreciation Right” means a stock appreciation right granted under Article V.

11.38 “Subsidiary” means any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing at least 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.

 

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11.39 “Substitute Awards” means Awards granted or Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, in each case by a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines.

11.40 “Termination of Service” means the date the Participant ceases to be a Service Provider.

* * * * *

 

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EX-10.4

Exhibit 10.4

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION PROGRAM

Eligible Directors (as defined below) on the board of directors (the “Board”) of Mission Produce, Inc. (the “Company”) shall be eligible to receive cash and equity compensation as set forth in this Non-Employee Director Compensation Program (this “Program”). The cash and equity compensation described in this Program shall be paid or be made, as applicable, automatically as set forth herein and without further action of the Board, to each member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company or any of its parents, affiliates or subsidiaries (each, an “Eligible Director”), who may be eligible to receive such cash or equity compensation, unless such Eligible Director declines the receipt of such cash or equity compensation by written notice to the Company.

This Program shall become effective upon the later of the adoption of the Program by the Board or its approval by the Company’s stockholders, and shall remain in effect until it is revised or rescinded by further action of the Board. This Program may be amended, modified or terminated by the Board at any time in its sole discretion. No Eligible Director shall have any rights hereunder, except with respect to equity awards granted pursuant to Section 2 of this Program.

1. Cash Compensation. Effective January 1, 2020:

a. Annual Retainers. Each Eligible Director shall be eligible to receive an annual cash retainer of $60,000 for service on the Board.

b. Additional Annual Retainers. An Eligible Director shall be eligible to receive the following additional annual retainers, as applicable:

(i) Audit Committee. An Eligible Director serving as Chairperson of the Audit Committee shall be eligible to receive an additional annual retainer of $15,000 for such service. An Eligible Director serving as a member of the Audit Committee (other than the Chairperson) shall be eligible to receive an additional annual retainer of $7,500 for such service.

(ii) Compensation Committee. An Eligible Director serving as Chairperson of the Compensation Committee shall be eligible to receive an additional annual retainer of $10,000 for such service. An Eligible Director serving as a member of the Compensation Committee (other than the Chairperson) shall be eligible to receive an additional annual retainer of $5,000 for such service.

(iii) Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. An Eligible Director serving as Chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall be eligible to receive an additional annual retainer of $10,000 for such service. An Eligible Director serving as a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (other than the Chairperson) shall be eligible to receive an additional annual retainer of $5,000 for such service.

c. Payment of Retainers. The annual cash retainers described in Sections 1(a) and 1(b) shall be earned on a quarterly basis based on a calendar quarter and shall be paid by the Company in arrears not later than 30 days following the end of each calendar quarter. In the event an Eligible Director does not serve as a director, or in the applicable positions described in Section 1(b), for an entire calendar quarter, the retainer paid to such Eligible Director shall be prorated for the portion of such calendar quarter actually served as a director, or in such position, as applicable.

 

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2. Equity Compensation.

a. General. Eligible Directors shall be granted the equity awards described below. The awards described below shall be granted under and shall be subject to the terms and provisions of the most recently adopted equity incentive plan then-maintained by the Company (such plan pursuant to which an any such equity award is granted, as may be amended from time to time, the “Equity Plan”) and may be granted subject to the execution and delivery of award agreements, including attached exhibits, in substantially the forms approved by the Board prior to or in connection with such grants. All applicable terms of the Equity Plan apply to this Program as if fully set forth herein, and all grants of equity awards hereby are subject in all respects to the terms of the Equity Plan.

b. IPO Awards. Unless otherwise specified by the Board, each Eligible Director serving in such capacity on the date of the closing of the initial public offering of the Company’s common stock (the “IPO” and such date, the “IPO Effective Date”) shall be granted a restricted stock unit award under the Equity Plan on the IPO Effective Date with a value of $100,000 (the “IPO Equity Award”). The number of restricted stock units subject to each IPO Equity Award shall be determined by dividing the value of the IPO Equity Award by the initial price to the public of the Company’s common stock in the Company’s IPO set forth in the Company’s final prospectus relating to the IPO filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Each IPO Equity Award shall vest in full on the date of the next annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) following the grant date, subject to such Eligible Director’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.

c. Initial Awards. Each Eligible Director who is initially elected or appointed to serve on the Board after the IPO Effective Date shall be automatically granted a restricted stock unit award under the Equity Plan with a value of $50,000 (the “Initial Equity Award”). The number of restricted stock units subject to an Initial Equity Award will be determined by dividing the value of the Initial Equity Award by the trailing 30-calendar day average closing price for the Company’s common stock through and including the date prior to the applicable grant date. The Initial Equity Award shall be automatically granted on the date on which such Eligible Director is appointed or elected to serve on the Board, and shall vest in full on the date of the next Annual Meeting following the grant date, subject to such Eligible Director’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.

d. Annual Awards. An Eligible Director who is serving on the Board as of the date of the Annual Meeting each calendar year, beginning with the calendar year after the year in which the IPO Effective Date occurs, shall be automatically granted on such Annual Meeting date, a restricted stock unit award under the Equity Plan with a value of $100,000 (an “Annual Award” and together with the Initial Equity Award, the “Director Equity Awards”). The number of restricted stock units subject to an Annual Award will be determined by dividing the value of the Annual Award by the trailing 30-calendar day average closing price for the Company’s common stock through and including the date prior to the applicable grant date. Each Annual Award shall vest in full on the earlier to occur of (i) the one-year anniversary of the applicable grant date and (ii) the date of the next Annual Meeting following the grant date, subject to such Eligible Director’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.

e. Accelerated Vesting Events. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Eligible Director’s Director Equity Award(s) shall vest in full immediately prior to the occurrence of a “change in control” (as defined in the Equity Plan) to the extent outstanding at such time.

 

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EX-10.5

Exhibit 10.5

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

2020 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

STOCK OPTION GRANT NOTICE

Mission Produce, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) has granted to the participant listed below (“Participant”) the stock option (the “Option”) described in this Stock Option Grant Notice (the “Grant Notice”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Mission Produce, Inc. 2020 Incentive Award Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) and the Stock Option Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Agreement”), both of which are incorporated into this Grant Notice by reference. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Grant Notice or the Agreement have the meanings given to them in the Plan.

 

Participant:   
Grant Date:   
Exercise Price per Share:    [Can be no less than 100% of the FMV on the Grant Date]
Shares Subject to the Option:   
Final Expiration Date:    [Can be no later than 10th anniversary of Grant Date]
Vesting Commencement Date:   
Vesting Schedule:    [To be specified]
Type of Option    [Incentive Stock Option]/[Non-Qualified Stock Option]

By accepting (whether in writing, electronically or otherwise) the Option, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of this Grant Notice, the Plan and the Agreement. Participant has reviewed the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, this Grant Notice or the Agreement.

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.      PARTICIPANT
By:  

 

    

 

Name:  

 

     [Participant Name]
Title:  

 

    


Exhibit A

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Agreement have the meanings specified in the Grant Notice or, if not defined in the Grant Notice, in the Plan.

ARTICLE I.

GENERAL

1.1 Grant of Option. The Company has granted to Participant the Option effective as of the grant date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Grant Date”).

1.2 Incorporation of Terms of Plan. The Option is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Agreement, the terms of the Plan will control.

ARTICLE II.

PERIOD OF EXERCISABILITY

2.1 Commencement of Exercisability. The Option will vest and become exercisable according to the vesting schedule in the Grant Notice (the “Vesting Schedule”) except that any fraction of a Share as to which the Option would be vested or exercisable will be accumulated and will vest and become exercisable only when a whole Share has accumulated. Notwithstanding anything in the Grant Notice, the Plan or this Agreement to the contrary, unless the Administrator otherwise determines, the Option will immediately expire and be forfeited as to any portion that is not vested and exercisable as of Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason (after taking into consideration any accelerated vesting and exercisability which may occur in connection with such Termination of Service).

2.2 Duration of Exercisability. The Vesting Schedule is cumulative. Any portion of the Option which vests and becomes exercisable will remain vested and exercisable until the Option expires. The Option will be forfeited immediately upon its expiration.

2.3 Expiration of Option. The Option may not be exercised to any extent by anyone after, and will expire on, the first of the following to occur:

(a) The final expiration date in the Grant Notice; provided, however, such final expiration date may be extended pursuant to Section 5.3 of the Plan;

(b) Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, the expiration of three months from the date of Participant’s Termination of Service, unless Participant’s Termination of Service is for Cause (as defined below) or by reason of Participant’s death or disability;

(c) Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, the expiration of one year from the date of Participant’s Termination of Service by reason of Participant’s death or disability; and

(d) Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, Participant’s Termination of Service for Cause.

As used in this Agreement, “Cause” means any of the following events that the Board has determined, in good faith, has occurred: (i) Participant’s failure to substantially perform Participant’s duties (other than a failure resulting from Participant’s disability), including Participant’s failure to follow any lawful directive from the Board or Participant’s immediate supervisor; (ii) Participant’s violation of any code or standard

 

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of behavior generally applicable to Employees or executives of the Company; (iii) engaging in conduct that may reasonably result in reputational, economic or financial injury to the Company or its affiliates; (iv) Participant’s commission of, indictment for or plea of nolo contendere to a felony, any crime involving fraud or embezzlement under federal, state or local laws or a crime involving moral turpitude; (v) Participant’s failure to devote substantially all of Participant’s working time to the business of the Company and its affiliates; (vi) Participant’s unlawful use (including being under the influence) or possession of illegal drugs on the premises of the Company or any of its affiliates or while performing Participant’s duties and responsibilities for the Company or any of its affiliates; (vii) Participant’s commission of an act of fraud, willful misconduct or gross negligence with respect to the Company or its affiliates, or Participant’s material breach of fiduciary duty against the Company or any of its affiliates; (viii) Participant’s engaging in misconduct in connection with the performance of any of Participant’s duties, including by embezzlement or theft from the Company or its affiliates, misappropriating funds from the Company or its affiliates or securing or attempting to secure personally any profit in connection with any transaction entered into on behalf of the Company or its affiliates; or (ix) Participant’s active disloyalty to the Company or its affiliates, including willfully aiding a competitor or improperly disclosing confidential information.

ARTICLE III.

EXERCISE OF OPTION

3.1 Person Eligible to Exercise. During Participant’s lifetime, only Participant may exercise the Option. After Participant’s death, any exercisable portion of the Option may, prior to the time the Option expires, be exercised by Participant’s Designated Beneficiary as provided in the Plan.

3.2 Partial Exercise. Any exercisable portion of the Option or the entire Option, if then wholly exercisable, may be exercised, in whole or in part, according to the procedures in the Plan at any time prior to the time the Option or portion thereof expires, except that the Option may only be exercised for whole Shares.

3.3 Tax Withholding.

(a) The Company shall withhold, or cause to be withheld, Shares otherwise vesting or issuable under this Option in satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax obligations. The number of Shares which may be so withheld or surrendered shall be limited to the number of Shares which have a fair market value on the date of withholding no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum individual statutory withholding rates in Participant’s applicable jurisdictions for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such taxable income.

(b) Participant acknowledges that Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the Option, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Option. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or exercise of the Option or the subsequent sale of Shares. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the Option to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER PROVISIONS

4.1 Adjustments. Participant acknowledges that the Option is subject to adjustment, modification and termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and the Plan.

 

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4.2 Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company must be in writing and addressed to the Company in care of the Company’s Secretary at the Company’s principal office or the Secretary’s then-current email address or facsimile number. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to Participant must be in writing and addressed to Participant (or, if Participant is then deceased, to the Designated Beneficiary) at Participant’s last known mailing address, email address or facsimile number in the Company’s personnel files. By a notice given pursuant to this Section, either party may designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice will be deemed duly given when actually received, when sent by email, when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited with postage prepaid in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service, when delivered by a nationally recognized express shipping company or upon receipt of a facsimile transmission confirmation.

4.3 Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

4.4 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws and, to the extent Applicable Laws permit, will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

4.5 Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement will inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement or the Plan, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

4.6 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the Option will be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, this Agreement will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

4.7 Entire Agreement. The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof.

4.8 Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held illegal or invalid, the provision will be severable from, and the illegality or invalidity of the provision will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

4.9 Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided. This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and may not be construed as creating a trust. Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets. Participant will have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the Option, and rights no greater than the right to receive the Shares as a general unsecured creditor with respect to the Option, as and when exercised pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

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4.10 Not a Contract of Employment. Nothing in the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or interferes with or restricts in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without Cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

4.11 Counterparts. The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will constitute one instrument.

4.12 Incentive Stock Options. If the Option is designated as an Incentive Stock Option:

(a) Participant acknowledges that to the extent the aggregate fair market value of shares (determined as of the time the option with respect to the shares is granted) with respect to which stock options intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code, including the Option, are exercisable for the first time by Participant during any calendar year exceeds $100,000 or if for any other reason such stock options do not qualify or cease to qualify for treatment as “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code, such stock options (including the Option) will be treated as non-qualified stock options. Participant further acknowledges that the rule set forth in the preceding sentence will be applied by taking the Option and other stock options into account in the order in which they were granted, as determined under Section 422(d) of the Code. Participant also acknowledges that if the Option is exercised more than three months after Participant’s Termination of Service, other than by reason of death or disability, the Option will be taxed as a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

(b) Participant will give prompt written notice to the Company of any disposition or other transfer of any Shares acquired under this Agreement if such disposition or other transfer is made (a) within two years from the Grant Date or (b) within one year after the transfer of such Shares to Participant. Such notice will specify the date of such disposition or other transfer and the amount realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, by Participant in such disposition or other transfer.

* * * * *

 

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EX-10.6

Exhibit 10.6

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

2020 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT NOTICE

Mission Produce, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has granted to the participant listed below (“Participant”) the Restricted Stock Units (the “RSUs”) described in this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (this “Grant Notice”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Mission Produce, Inc. 2020 Incentive Award Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) and the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Agreement”), both of which are incorporated into this Grant Notice by reference. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Grant Notice or the Agreement have the meanings given to them in the Plan.

 

Participant:   
Grant Date:   
Number of RSUs:   
Vesting Commencement Date:   
Vesting Schedule:    [To be specified]

By accepting (whether in writing, electronically or otherwise) the RSUs, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of this Grant Notice, the Plan and the Agreement. Participant has reviewed the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, this Grant Notice or the Agreement.

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.      PARTICIPANT
By:  

 

    

 

Name:  

 

     [Participant Name]
Title:  

 

    


Exhibit A

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (this “Agreement”) have the meanings specified in the Grant Notice or, if not defined in the Grant Notice, in the Plan.

ARTICLE I.

GENERAL

1.1 Award of RSUs. The Company has granted the RSUs to Participant effective as of the Grant Date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Grant Date”). Each RSU represents the right to receive one Share as set forth in this Agreement. Participant will have no right to the distribution of any Shares until the time (if ever) the RSUs have vested.

1.2 Incorporation of Terms of Plan. The RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Agreement, the terms of the Plan will control.

1.3 Unsecured Promise. The RSUs will at all times prior to settlement represent an unsecured Company obligation payable only from the Company’s general assets.

ARTICLE II.

VESTING; FORFEITURE AND SETTLEMENT

2.1 Vesting; Forfeiture. The RSUs will vest according to the vesting schedule in the Grant Notice except that any fraction of an RSU that would otherwise be vested will be accumulated and will vest only when a whole RSU has accumulated. In the event of Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason, all unvested RSUs will immediately and automatically be cancelled and forfeited, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator or provided in a binding written agreement between Participant and the Company.

2.2 Settlement.

(a) The RSUs will be paid in Shares as soon as administratively practicable after the vesting of the applicable RSU, but in no event later than March 15 of the year following the year in which the RSU’s vesting date occurs.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may delay any payment under this Agreement that the Company reasonably determines would violate Applicable Law until the earliest date the Company reasonably determines the making of the payment will not cause such a violation (in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(7)(ii)); provided the Company reasonably believes the delay will not result in the imposition of excise taxes under Section 409A.

ARTICLE III.

TAXATION AND TAX WITHHOLDING

3.1 Representation. Participant represents to the Company that Participant has reviewed with Participant’s own tax advisors the tax consequences of this Award and the transactions contemplated by the Grant Notice and this Agreement. Participant is relying solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents.

 

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3.2 Tax Withholding.

(a) Unless the Administrator otherwise determines, the Company shall withhold, or cause to be withheld, Shares otherwise vesting or issuable under this Award (including the RSUs) in satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax obligations. The number of Shares which may be so withheld or surrendered shall be limited to the number of Shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum individual statutory withholding rates in Participant’s applicable jurisdictions for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such taxable income.

(b) Participant acknowledges that Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the RSUs, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the RSUs. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or payment of the RSUs or the subsequent sale of Shares. The Company and its Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the RSUs to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER PROVISIONS

4.1 Adjustments. Participant acknowledges that the RSUs and the Shares subject to the RSUs are subject to adjustment, modification and termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and the Plan.

4.2 Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company must be in writing and addressed to the Company in care of the Company’s Secretary at the Company’s principal office or the Secretary’s then-current email address or facsimile number. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to Participant must be in writing and addressed to Participant (or, if Participant is then deceased, to the Designated Beneficiary) at Participant’s last known mailing address, email address or facsimile number in the Company’s personnel files. By a notice given pursuant to this Section, either party may designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice will be deemed duly given when actually received, when sent by email, when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited with postage prepaid in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service, when delivered by a nationally recognized express shipping company or upon receipt of a facsimile transmission confirmation.

4.3 Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

4.4 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws and, to the extent Applicable Laws permit, will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

4.5 Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement will inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement or the Plan, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

 

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4.6 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the RSUs will be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, this Agreement will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

4.7 Entire Agreement. The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof.

4.8 Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held illegal or invalid, the provision will be severable from, and the illegality or invalidity of the provision will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

4.9 Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided. This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and may not be construed as creating a trust. Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets. Participant will have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the RSUs, and rights no greater than the right to receive cash or the Shares as a general unsecured creditor with respect to the RSUs, as and when settled pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

4.10 Not a Contract of Employment. Nothing in the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or interferes with or restricts in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

4.11 Counterparts. The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will constitute one instrument.

* * * * *

 

3

EX-10.7

Exhibit 10.7

INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCEMENT AGREEMENT

This Indemnification and Advancement Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of [ 🌑 ], 2020 by and between Mission Produce, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and ______________, [a member of the Board of Directors/ an officer] of the Company (“Indemnitee”). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous Agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering indemnification and advancement.

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) believes that highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers, or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification and advancement of expenses against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation;

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers, and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) and Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). The Bylaws, the Certificate of Incorporation, and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification and advancement of expenses;

WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance, to indemnification, and to advancement of expenses may increase the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;

WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to contractually obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;


WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and is not a substitute therefor, nor diminishes or abrogates any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and

WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation, DGCL and insurance as adequate in the present circumstances, and may not be willing to serve or continue to serve as an officer or director without adequate additional protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that Indemnitee be so indemnified and be advanced expenses.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

Section 1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a [director/officer] of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law). This Agreement does not create any obligation on the Company to continue Indemnitee in such position and is not an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee.

Section 2. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:

(a) “Agent” means any person who is authorized by the Company or an Enterprise to act for or represent the interests of the Company or an Enterprise, respectively.

(b) A “Change in Control” occurs upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:

i. Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as defined below), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities unless the change in relative beneficial ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors;

ii. Change in Board of Directors. During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 2(b)(i), 2(b)(iii) or 2(b)(iv)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;

 

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iii. Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 51% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving entity;

iv. Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; and

v. Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.

vi. For purposes of this Section 2(b), the following terms have the following meanings:

 

  1

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

  2

“Person” has the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Person excludes (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

 

  3

“Beneficial Owner” has the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Beneficial Owner excludes any Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the stockholders of the Company approving a merger of the Company with another entity.

(c) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was acting as a director, officer, employee, fiduciary, or Agent of the Company or an Enterprise.

 

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(d) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

(e) “Enterprise” means any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other entity for which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, or Agent.

(f) “Expenses” includes all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts and other professionals, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 14(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in such demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable in the good faith judgment of such counsel will be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, do not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.

(g) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” does not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.

(h) “Potential Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) the Company enters into any written or oral agreement, undertaking or arrangement, the consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control; (ii) any Person or the Company publicly announces an intention to take or consider taking actions which if consummated would constitute a Change in Control; (iii) any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 5% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors increases his beneficial ownership of such securities by 5% or more over the percentage so owned by such Person on the date hereof; or (iv) the Board adopts a resolution to the effect that, for purposes of this Agreement, a Potential Change in Control has occurred.

 

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(i) The term “Proceeding” includes any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative, or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status or by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee (or a failure to take action by Indemnitee) or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting pursuant to Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement. A Proceeding also includes a situation the Indemnitee believes in good faith may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding.

Section 3. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company will indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

Section 4. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company will indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. The Company will not indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses under this Section 4 related to any claim, issue or matter in a Proceeding for which Indemnitee has been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless, and only to the extent that, the Delaware Court of Chancery or any court in which the Proceeding was brought determines upon application by Indemnitee that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.

 

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Section 5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding the extent that Indemnitee is successful, on the merits or otherwise. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with or related to each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, will be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

Section 6. Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party but to which Indemnitee is a witness, deponent, interviewee, or otherwise asked to participate.

Section 7. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of Expenses, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.

Section 8. Additional Indemnification. Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law (including but not limited to, the DGCL and any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that expand the Company’s ability to indemnify its officers and directors) if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor).

Section 9. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company is not obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification payment to Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding:

(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except to the extent provided in Section 16(b) and except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision; or

(b) for (i) an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act (as defined in Section 2(b) hereof) or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law, (ii) any reimbursement of the Company by the Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by the Indemnitee

 

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from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) or (iii) any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any compensation pursuant to any compensation recoupment or clawback policy adopted by the Board or the compensation committee of the Board, including but not limited to any such policy adopted to comply with stock exchange listing requirements implementing Section 10D of the Exchange Act; or

(c) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Proceeding or part of any Proceeding is to enforce Indemnitee’s rights to indemnification or advancement, of Expenses, including a Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement, (ii) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (iii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.

Section 10. Advances of Expenses.

(a) The Company will advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee or any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee if (i) the Proceeding or part of any Proceeding is to enforce Indemnitee’s rights to obtain indemnification or advancement of Expenses from the Company or Enterprise, including a proceeding initiated pursuant to Section 14 or (ii) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation,. The Company will advance the Expenses within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding.

(b) Advances will be unsecured and interest free. Indemnitee undertakes to repay the amounts advanced (without interest) to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company, thus Indemnitee qualifies for advances upon the execution of this Agreement and delivery to the Company. No other form of undertaking is required other than the execution of this Agreement. The Company will make advances without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement.

 

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Section 11. Procedure for Notification of Claim for Indemnification or Advancement.

(a) Indemnitee will notify the Company in writing of any Proceeding with respect to which Indemnitee intends to seek indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of written notice thereof. Indemnitee will include in the written notification to the Company a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the facts underlying the Proceeding and provide such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of such Proceeding. Indemnitee’s failure to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any obligation it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, and any delay in so notifying the Company will not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights under this Agreement. The Secretary of the Company will, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification or advancement.

(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.

Section 12. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.

(a) Unless a Change of Control has occurred, the determination of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification will be made:

i. by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board;

ii. by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board;

iii. if there are no such Disinterested Directors or, if such Disinterested Directors so direct, by written opinion provided by Independent Counsel selected by the Board; or

iv. if so directed by the Board, by the stockholders of the Company.

(b) If a Change in Control has occurred, the determination of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification will be made by written opinion provided by Independent Counsel selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee requests such selection be made by the Board)

(c) The party selecting Independent Counsel pursuant to subsection (a)(iii) or (b) of this Section 12 will provide written notice of the selection to the other party. The notified party may, within ten (10) days after receiving written notice of the selection of Independent Counsel, deliver to the selecting party a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection will set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected will act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or the Delaware Court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within thirty (30) days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to

 

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Section 11(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, Independent Counsel has not been selected or, if selected, any objection to has not been resolved, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by such court or by such other person as such court designates. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel will be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).

(d) Indemnitee will cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. The Company will advance and pay any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making the indemnification determination irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing of the determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied and providing a copy of any written opinion provided to the Board by Independent Counsel.

(e) If it is determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company will make payment to Indemnitee within ten (10) days after such determination.

Section 13. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.

(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination will, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(a) of this Agreement, and the Company will, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, will be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

(b) If the determination of the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification has not made pursuant to Section 12 within sixty (60) days after the latter of (i) receipt by the Company of Indemnitee’s request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(a) and (ii) the final disposition of the Proceeding for which Indemnitee requested Indemnification (the “Determination Period”), the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification will, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee will be

 

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entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law. The Determination Period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, the Determination Period may be extended an additional fifteen (15) days if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 12(a)(iv) of this Agreement.

(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, will not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee will be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee acted based on the records or books of account of the Company, its subsidiaries, or an Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Company, its subsidiaries, or an Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Company, its subsidiaries, or an Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Company or an Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser, financial advisor or other expert selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Company, its subsidiaries, or an Enterprise. Further, Indemnitee will be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company,” as referred to in this Agreement if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan. The provisions of this Section 13(d) is not exclusive and does not limit in any way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.

(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise may not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining Indemnitee’s right to indemnification under this Agreement.

 

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Section 14. Remedies of Indemnitee.

(a) Indemnitee may commence litigation against the Company in the Delaware Court of Chancery to obtain indemnification or advancement of Expenses provided by this Agreement in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) the Company does not advance Expenses pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) the determination of entitlement to indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement within the Determination Period, (iv) the Company does not indemnify Indemnitee pursuant to Section 5 or 6 or the second to last sentence of Section 12(d) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) the Company does not indemnify Indemnitee pursuant to Section 3, 4, 7, or 8 of this Agreement within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee must commence such Proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such Proceeding pursuant to this Section 14(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause does not apply in respect of a Proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under Section 5 of this Agreement. The Company will not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.

(b) If a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 will be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee may not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 the Company will have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be and will not introduce evidence of the determination made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement.

(c) If a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company will be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.

(d) The Company is, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and will stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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(e) It is the intent of the Company that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Indemnitee not be required to incur legal fees or other Expenses associated with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to the Indemnitee hereunder. The Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, will (within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance to Indemnitee such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action concerning this Agreement, Indemnitee’s right to indemnification or advancement of Expenses from the Company, or concerning any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company. and will indemnify Indemnitee against any and all such Expenses unless the court determines that each of the Indemnitee’s claims in such Proceeding were made in bad faith or were frivolous or are prohibited by law.

Section 15. Establishment of Trust.

(a) In the event of a Potential Change in Control or a Change in Control, the Company will, upon written request by Indemnitee, create a trust for the benefit of Indemnitee (the “Trust”) and from time to time upon written request of Indemnitee will fund such Trust in an amount sufficient to satisfy the reasonably anticipated indemnification and advancement obligations of the Company to the Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding for which Indemnitee has demanded indemnification and/or advancement prior to the Potential Change in Control or Change in Control (the “Funding Obligation”). The trustee of the Trust (the “Trustee”) will be a bank or trust company or other individual or entity chosen by the Indemnitee and reasonably acceptable to the Company. Nothing in this Section 15 relieves the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement.

(b) The amount or amounts to be deposited in the Trust pursuant to the Funding Obligation will be determined by mutual agreement of the Indemnitee and the Company or, if the Company and the Indemnitee are unable to reach such an agreement, by Independent Counsel selected in accordance with Section 12(b) of this Agreement. The terms of the Trust will provide that, except upon the consent of both the Indemnitee and the Company, upon a Change in Control: (i) the Trust may not be revoked, or the principal thereof invaded, without the written consent of the Indemnitee; (ii) the Trustee will advance, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, within two (2) business days of a request by the Indemnitee; (iii) the Company will continue to fund the Trust in accordance with the Funding Obligation; (iv) the Trustee will promptly pay to the Indemnitee all amounts for which the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise; and (v) all unexpended funds in such Trust revert to the Company upon mutual agreement by the Indemnitee and the Company or, if the Indemnitee and the Company are unable to reach such an agreement, by Independent Counsel selected in accordance with Section 12(b) of this Agreement, that the Indemnitee has been fully indemnified under the terms of this Agreement. New York law (without regard to its conflicts of laws rules) governs the Trust and the Trustee will consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of Delaware Court of Chancery, in accordance with Section 25 of this Agreement.

Section 16. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.

(a) The indemnification and advancement of Expenses provided by this Agreement are not exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. The indemnification and advancement of

 

-12-


Expenses provided by this Agreement may not be limited or restricted by any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement in any way with respect to any action taken or omitted by Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status occurring prior to any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement. To the extent that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation, or this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy is cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, will not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.

(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents of the Enterprise, the Company will obtain a policy or policies covering Indemnitee to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies, including coverage in the event the Company does not or cannot, for any reason, indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee as required by this Agreement. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to this Agreement, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company will give prompt notice of such claim or of the commencement of a Proceeding, as the case may be, to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company will thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. Indemnitee agrees to assist the Company efforts to cause the insurers to pay such amounts and will comply with the terms of such policies, including selection of approved panel counsel, if required.

(c) The Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee for any Proceeding concerning Indemnitee’s Corporate Status with an Enterprise will be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of Expenses from such Enterprise. The Company and Indemnitee intend that any such Enterprise (and its insurers) be the indemnitor of first resort with respect to indemnification and advancement of Expenses for any Proceeding related to or arising from Indemnitee’s Corporate Status with such Enterprise. The Company’s obligation to indemnify and advance Expenses to Indemnitee is secondary to the obligations the Enterprise or its insurers owe to Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees to take all reasonably necessary and desirable action to obtain from an Enterprise indemnification and advancement of Expenses for any Proceeding related to or arising from Indemnitee’s Corporate Status with such Enterprise.

(d) In the event of any payment made by the Company under this Agreement, the Company will be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee from any Enterprise or insurance carrier. Indemnitee will execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.

 

-13-


Section 17. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement continues until and terminates upon the later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee ceases to serve as a [director/officer] of the Company or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any Proceeding then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement relating thereto. The indemnification and advancement of Expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement are binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise, and inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.

Section 18. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions will be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) will be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.

Section 19. Interpretation. Any ambiguity in the terms of this Agreement will be resolved in favor of Indemnitee and in a manner to provide the maximum indemnification and advancement of Expenses permitted by law. The Company and Indemnitee intend that this Agreement provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly provided, without limitation, by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, vote of the Company stockholders or disinterested directors, or applicable law.

Section 20. Enforcement.

(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving or continuing to serve as a director or officer of the Company.

(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws and applicable law, and is not a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.

 

-14-


Section 21. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement is binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement will be deemed or constitutes a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor will any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

Section 22. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company does not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to the Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise.

Section 23. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement will be in writing and will be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand to the other party, (b) sent by reputable overnight courier to the other party or (c) sent by facsimile transmission or electronic mail, with receipt of oral confirmation that such communication has been received:

(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee provides to the Company.

(b) If to the Company to:

Mission Produce, Inc.

2500 E. Vineyard Avenue, Suite 300

Oxnard, California 93036

Attention: Secretary

or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company.

Section 24. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, will contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).

 

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Section 25. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties are governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or Proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement may be brought only in the Delaware Court of Chancery and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or Proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or Proceeding in the Delaware Court, and (iv) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or Proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.

Section 26. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together constitutes one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.

Section 27. Headings. The headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute part of this Agreement or affect the construction thereof.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.

 

COMPANY.      INDEMNITEE   
By:  

 

    

 

  
Name:        Name:                           
Office:        Address:   

                          

  
         

 

  
         

 

  

[Signature Page – Indemnification Agreement]

EX-10.8

Exhibit 10.8

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

Published CUSIP Numbers:

Deal: 60510TAA1

Revolver: 60510TAB9

Term A-1: 60510TAC7

Term A-2: 60510TAD5

CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of October 11, 2018

among

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.,

as the Borrower,

CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES OF THE BORROWER PARTY HERETO,

as the Guarantors,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the L/C Issuer,

FARM CREDIT WEST, PCA,

as Syndication Agent

CITY NATIONAL BANK

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Co-Documentation Agents

and

THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED

and

FARM CREDIT WEST, PCA,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1  

1.01

   Defined Terms      1  

1.02

   Other Interpretive Provisions      40  

1.03

   Accounting Terms      41  

1.04

   Rounding      42  

1.05

   Times of Day      43  

1.06

   Letter of Credit Amounts      43  

1.07

   UCC Terms      43  

1.08

   Rates      43  

ARTICLE II COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

     43  

2.01

   Loans      43  

2.02

   Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans      44  

2.03

   Letters of Credit      50  

2.04

   Swingline Loans      58  

2.05

   Prepayments      61  

2.06

   Termination or Reduction of Commitments      63  

2.07

   Repayment of Loans      64  

2.08

   Interest and Default Rate      66  

2.09

   Fees      67  

2.10

   Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate      67  

2.11

   Evidence of Debt      68  

2.12

   Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback      69  

2.13

   Sharing of Payments by Lenders      71  

2.14

   Cash Collateral      71  

2.15

   Defaulting Lenders      72  

ARTICLE III TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

     75  

3.01

   Taxes      75  

3.02

   Illegality      79  

3.03

   Inability to Determine Rates      80  

3.04

   Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans      80  

3.05

   Compensation for Losses      82  

3.06

   Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders      82  

3.07

   LIBOR Successor Rate      83  

3.08

   Survival      84  

ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

     84  

4.01

   Conditions of Initial Credit Extension      84  

4.02

   Conditions to all Credit Extensions      88  

ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     88  

5.01

   Existence, Qualification and Power      88  

5.02

   Authorization; No Contravention      88  

5.03

   Governmental Authorization; Other Consents      89  

5.04

   Binding Effect      89  

5.05

   Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect      89  

5.06

   Litigation      90  

5.07

   No Default      90  

5.08

   Ownership of Property      90  

 

i


5.09

   Environmental Compliance      90  

5.10

   Insurance      91  

5.11

   Taxes      91  

5.12

   ERISA Compliance      92  

5.13

   Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act      92  

5.14

   Disclosure      93  

5.15

   Compliance with Laws      93  

5.16

   Solvency      93  

5.17

   Casualty, Etc.      93  

5.18

   Sanctions Concerns and Anti-Corruption Laws      93  

5.19

   Subsidiaries; Equity Interests; Loan Parties      94  

5.20

   Collateral Representations      94  

5.21

   EEA Financial Institutions      95  

5.22

   Regulation H      95  

5.23

   Labor Matters      95  

5.24

   PACA License      96  

ARTICLE VI AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     96  

6.01

   Financial Statements      96  

6.02

   Certificates; Other Information      97  

6.03

   Notices      99  

6.04

   Payment of Obligations      100  

6.05

   Preservation of Existence, Etc.      100  

6.06

   Maintenance of Properties      101  

6.07

   Maintenance of Insurance      101  

6.08

   Compliance with Laws      101  

6.09

   Books and Records      102  

6.10

   Inspection Rights      102  

6.11

   Use of Proceeds      102  

6.12

   Covenant to Guarantee Obligations      102  

6.13

   Covenant to Give Security      102  

6.14

   Further Assurances      104  

6.15

   Farm Credit Equities      104  

6.16

   Principal Depository Bank      106  

6.17

   Anti-Corruption Laws      106  

6.18

   PACA      106  

6.19

   Post-Closing Covenants      106  

ARTICLE VII NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     107  

7.01

   Liens.      107  

7.02

   Indebtedness      108  

7.03

   Investments      110  

7.04

   Fundamental Changes      111  

7.05

   Dispositions      112  

7.06

   Restricted Payments      112  

7.07

   Change in Nature of Business      112  

7.08

   Transactions with Affiliates      112  

7.09

   Burdensome Agreements      113  

7.10

   Use of Proceeds      113  

7.11

   Financial Covenants      113  

7.12

   Capital Expenditures      113  

 

ii


     

7.13

   Amendments of Organization Documents; Changes in Fiscal Year, Legal Name,   
   State of Organization, or Form of Entity; Accounting Changes      114  

7.14

   Sale and Leaseback Transactions      114  

7.15

   Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness      114  

7.16

   Amendment, Etc. of Indebtedness      115  

7.17

   Sanctions      115  

7.18

   Anti-Corruption Laws      115  

7.19

   PACA      115  

ARTICLE VIII EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

     115  

8.01

   Events of Default      115  

8.02

   Remedies upon Event of Default      118  

8.03

   Application of Funds      118  

ARTICLE IX ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     119  

9.01

   Appointment and Authority      119  

9.02

   Rights as a Lender      120  

9.03

   Exculpatory Provisions      120  

9.04

   Reliance by Administrative Agent      121  

9.05

   Delegation of Duties      122  

9.06

   Resignation of Administrative Agent      122  

9.07

   Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders      123  

9.08

   No Other Duties, Etc.      124  

9.09

   Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding      124  

9.10

   Collateral and Guaranty Matters      125  

9.11

   Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements      126  

9.12

   ERISA Matters      126  

ARTICLE X CONTINUING GUARANTY

     128  

10.01

   Guaranty      128  

10.02

   Rights of Lenders      129  

10.03

   Certain Waivers      129  

10.04

   Obligations Independent      130  

10.05

   Subrogation      130  

10.06

   Termination; Reinstatement      130  

10.07

   Stay of Acceleration      130  

10.08

   Condition of Borrower      130  

10.09

   Appointment of Borrower      131  

10.10

   Right of Contribution      131  

10.11

   Keepwell      131  

10.12

   Additional Guarantor Waivers and Agreements      131  

ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS

     132  

11.01

   Amendments, Etc.      132  

11.02

   Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications      135  

11.03

   No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement      137  

11.04

   Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver      137  

11.05

   Payments Set Aside      139  

11.06

   Successors and Assigns      140  

11.07

   Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality      145  

11.08

   Right of Setoff      146  

11.09

   Interest Rate Limitation      146  

11.10

   Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness      147  

 

iii


11.11

   Survival of Representations and Warranties      147  

11.12

   Severability      147  

11.13

   Replacement of Lenders      147  

11.14

   Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.      148  

11.15

   Waiver of Jury Trial      149  

11.16

   Subordination      150  

11.17

   No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility      150  

11.18

   Electronic Execution      150  

11.19

   USA PATRIOT Act Notice      151  

11.20

   Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions      151  

11.21

   Waiver of Borrower Rights Under Farm Credit Law      151  

11.22

   ENTIRE AGREEMENT      152  

 

iv


SCHEDULES   
Schedule 1.01(a)    Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices
Schedule 1.01(b)    Commitments and Applicable Percentages
Schedule 5.10    Insurance
Schedule 5.19(a)    Subsidiaries, Joint Ventures, Partnerships and Other Equity Investments
Schedule 5.19(b)    Loan Parties
Schedule 5.20(b)    Intellectual Property
Schedule 5.20(c)    Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts
Schedule 5.20(d)    Real Properties
Schedule 6.15    Farm Credit Members
Schedule 7.01    Existing Liens
Schedule 7.02    Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 7.03    Existing Investments
Schedule 11.06(e)    Voting Participants
EXHIBITS   
Exhibit A    Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B    Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit C    Form of Joinder Agreement
Exhibit D    Form of Loan Notice
Exhibit E    Form of Notice of Loan Prepayment
Exhibit F    Form of Secured Party Designation Notice
Exhibit G    Form of Solvency Certificate
Exhibit H    Form of Swingline Loan Notice
Exhibit I    Form of Note
Exhibit J    Forms of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates
Exhibit K    Form of Voting Participant Notice

 

v


CREDIT AGREEMENT

This CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of October 11, 2018, among MISSION PRODUCE, INC., a California corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors, the Lenders, and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the L/C Issuer.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS:

WHEREAS, the Loan Parties have requested that the Lenders, the Swingline Lender and the L/C Issuer make loans and other financial accommodations to the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, the Lenders, the Swingline Lender and the L/C Issuer have agreed to make such loans and other financial accommodations to the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

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

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

1.01 Defined Terms.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Acquisition” means the acquisition, whether through a single transaction or a series of related transactions, of (a) a majority of the Voting Stock or other controlling ownership interest in another Person (including the purchase of an option, warrant or convertible or similar type security to acquire such a controlling interest at the time it becomes exercisable by the holder thereof), whether by purchase of such equity or other ownership interest or upon the exercise of an option or warrant for, or conversion of securities into, such equity or other ownership interest, or (b) assets of another Person which constitute all or substantially all of the assets of such Person or of a division, line of business or other business unit of such Person.

Acquisition Consideration” means the purchase consideration for any Permitted Acquisition and all other payments by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in exchange for, or as part of, or in connection with, any Permitted Acquisition, whether paid in cash or by exchange of Equity Interests or of properties or otherwise and whether payable at or prior to the consummation of such Permitted Acquisition or deferred for payment at any future time, whether or not any such future payment is subject to the occurrence of any contingency, and includes any and all payments representing the purchase price and any assumptions of Indebtedness, deferred purchase price, Earn Out Obligations and other agreements to make any payment the amount of which is, or the terms of payment of which are, in any respect subject to or contingent upon the revenues, income, cash flow or profits (or the like) of any Person. For purposes of determining the aggregate consideration paid for any Permitted Acquisition, the amount of any Earn Out Obligations shall be deemed to be the maximum amount of the earn-out payments in respect thereof as specified in the documents relating to such Permitted Acquisition.


Additional Secured Obligations” means (a) all obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements, and (b) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with enforcement and collection of the foregoing, including the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel, in each case 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, expenses and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest, expenses and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding; provided, that, Additional Secured Obligations of a Guarantor shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Guarantor.

Administrative Agent” means Bank of America (or any of its designated branch offices or affiliates), in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 1.01(a), or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the

Administrative Agent.

Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders.

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.

Agritrade” means Peruvian Agritrade S.A.C., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of Peru.

Applicable Percentage” means (a) in respect of the Term A-1 Facility, with respect to any Term A-1 Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Term A-1 Facility represented by (i) on or prior to the Closing Date, such Term A-1 Lender’s Term A-1 Commitment at such time, and (ii) thereafter, the outstanding principal amount of such Term A-1 Lender’s Term A-1 Loan at such time, (b) in respect of the Term A-2 Facility, with respect to any Term A-2 Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Term A-2 Facility represented by (i) on or prior to the Closing Date, such Term A-2 Lender’s Term A-2 Commitment at such time, and (ii) thereafter, the outstanding principal amount of such Term A-2 Lender’s Term A-2 Loan at such time, (c) in respect of the Revolving Facility, with respect to any Revolving Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Revolving Facility represented by such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15, and (d) in respect of an Incremental Term Facility, with respect to any Incremental Term Lender under such Incremental Term Facility at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of such Incremental Term Facility represented by the outstanding principal amount of such Incremental Term Lender’s Incremental Term Loan issued under such Incremental Term Facility at such time. If the Revolving Commitments of all of the Revolving Lenders to make Revolving Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02, or if the Revolving Commitments have

 

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expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Revolving Lender in respect of the Revolving Facility shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Revolving Lender in respect of the Revolving Facility most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender in respect of each Facility is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 1.01(b), in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, or in such other documentation pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party thereto, as applicable.

Applicable Rate” means (a) with respect to the Incremental Term Loans made pursuant under any Incremental Term Facility, the percentage(s) per annum set forth in the Incremental Term Facility Agreement entered into in connection with such Incremental Term Facility, and (b) with respect to the Term A-1 Loans, the Term A-2 Loans, the Revolving Loans, the Swingline Loans, the Letter of Credit Fee and the Commitment Fee, the following percentages per annum, based upon the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(a):

 

     

Term A-1 Loans and

Revolving Loans

    Term A-2 Loans  

Pricing

Tier

  

Consolidated Total

Leverage Ratio

  

Commitment

Fee

   

Letter of

Credit Fee

   

Swingline

Loans

   

Eurodollar

Rate
Loans

   

Base Rate

Loans

   

Eurodollar

Rate Loans

    Base
Rate Loans
 

I

   > 3.00 to 1.0      0.300     2.25     1.25     2.25     1.25     2.75     1.75

II

  

< 3.00 to 1.0 but

> 2.25 to 1.0

     0.250     2.00     1.00     2.00     1.00     2.50     1.50

III

  

< 2.25 to 1.0 but

> 1.50 to 1.0

     0.200     1.75     0.75     1.75     0.75     2.25     1.25

IV

   < 1.50 to 1.0      0.175     1.50     0.50     1.50     0.50     2.00     1.00

Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the first (1st) Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a); provided, that, if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with Section 6.02(a), then, upon the request of the Required Lenders, Pricing Tier I shall apply as of the first (1st) Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered and shall remain in effect until the first (1st) Business Day immediately following the date on which such Compliance Certificate is delivered in accordance with Section 6.02(a), whereupon the Applicable Rate shall be adjusted based upon the calculation of the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio contained in such Compliance Certificate. The Applicable Rate in effect from the Closing Date through the first (1st) Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a) for the fiscal quarter ending January 31, 2019 shall be determined based upon Pricing Tier II. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this definition, the determination of the Applicable Rate for any period shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2.10(b).

Applicable Revolving Percentage” means with respect to any Revolving Lender at any time, such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage in respect of the Revolving Facility at such time.

 

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Appropriate Lender” means, at any time, (a) with respect to any Facility, a Lender that has a Commitment with respect to such Facility or holds a Loan under such Facility at such time, (b) with respect to the Letter of Credit Sublimit, (i) the L/C Issuer, and (ii) if any Letters of Credit have been issued pursuant to Section 2.03, the Revolving Lenders, and (c) with respect to the Swingline Sublimit, (i) the Swingline Lender, and (ii) if any Swingline Loans are outstanding pursuant to Section 2.04(a), the Revolving Lenders.

Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender, or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

“Arato” means Arato Peru S.A., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of Peru.

Arato 2015 Audited Financial Statements” means, collectively, (a) the audited balance sheet of Arato for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (b) the audited balance sheet of Beggie for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (c) the audited balance sheet of Olmos for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (d) the audited balance sheet of Olmos II for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (e) the audited balance sheet of Agritrade for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, and (f) the audited balance sheet of Avopack for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto.

Arato 2016 Audited Financial Statements” means, collectively, (a) the audited balance sheet of Arato for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (b) the audited balance sheet of Beggie for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (c) the audited balance sheet of Olmos for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (d) the audited balance sheet of Olmos II for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (e) the audited balance sheet of Agritrade for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, and (f) the audited balance sheet of Avopack for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto.

Arato 2017 Audited Financial Statements” means, collectively, (a) the audited balance sheet of Arato for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (b) the audited balance sheet of Beggie for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (c) the audited balance sheet of Olmos for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (d) the audited balance sheet of Olmos II for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, (e) the audited balance sheet of Agritrade for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and

 

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the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto, and (f) the audited balance sheet of Avopack for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and the related statement of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto.

Arato Holding” means Grupo Arato Holding S.A.C., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of Peru.

Arato Holding Acquisition” means, collectively, (a) the Acquisition by the Borrower, through its Wholly Owned Subsidiary Sam Land I, of the remaining fifty percent (50%) of the Equity Interests of Arato Holding not owned by the Borrower prior to the consummation of such Acquisition, and (b) the Acquisition by the Borrower, indirectly through a merger of Cloudesley into Arato Holding, of Equity Interests constituting an additional thirty percent (30%) ownership of Moruga, in each case pursuant to the Arato Holding Acquisition Agreement.

Arato Holding Acquisition Agreement” means that certain Securities Purchase and Exchange Agreement (including all annexes, schedules and exhibits attached thereto), by and among the Borrower, as buyer, and Cloudesley, Luis Alejandro González Leopardi, a Peruvian citizen domiciled in the Dominican Republic (“Mr. Gonzalez”), Rosario del Pilar Vallejos Hinojosa, a Peruvian citizen domiciled in Republic of Peru (“Mrs. Vallejos”), and Juan Rodolfo Wiesner Rico, a Colombian citizen domiciled in Peru (“Mr. Wiesner”), as the seller parties.

Arato Holding Acquisition Subscription” means the issuance by the Borrower of its Equity Interests to the Arato Holding Existing Owners pursuant to the Arato Holding Acquisition Agreement.

Arato Holding Existing Owners” means, collectively, Mr. Wiesner and Mrs. Vallejos.

Arato Interim Financial Statements” means, collectively, (a) the unaudited financial statements of Arato for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations, (b) the unaudited financial statements of Beggie for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations, (c) the unaudited financial statements of Olmos for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations, (d) the unaudited financial statements of Olmos II for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations, (e) the unaudited financial statements of Agritrade for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations, and (f) the unaudited financial statements of Avopack for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations.

Arranger” means (a) MLPFS (or any other registered broker-dealer wholly-owned by Bank of America Corporation to which all or substantially all of Bank of America Corporation’s or any of its subsidiaries’ investment banking, commercial lending services or related businesses may be transferred following the Closing Date), in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and a joint bookrunner, and (b) Farm Credit West, PCA, in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and a joint bookrunner.

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit A or any other form (including an electronic documentation form generated by use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

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Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any Capitalized Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation of any Person, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease or similar payments under the relevant lease or other applicable agreement or instrument that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease or other agreement or instrument were accounted for as a Capitalized Lease, (c) in respect of any Securitization Transaction, the outstanding principal amount of such financing, after taking into account reserve accounts and making appropriate adjustments, determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable judgment, and (d) in respect of any Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the present value (discounted in accordance with GAAP at the debt rate implied in the applicable lease) of the obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the term of such lease.

Audited Financial Statements” means, collectively, (a) the Mission Produce Audited Financial Statements, and (b) the Arato 2017 Audited Financial Statements.

Auto-Extension Letter of Credit” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(iv).

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Revolving Facility Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Revolving Facility pursuant to Section 2.06, and (c) the date of termination of the Revolving Commitment of each Revolving Lender to make Revolving Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02.

Avopack” means Avocado Packing Company S.A.C., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of Peru.

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

Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate of interest per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.50%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.00%; provided, that, if the Base Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such prime rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

Base Rate Loan” means a Revolving Loan or a Term Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

 

6


Beggie” means Beggie Peru S.A., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of Peru.

Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

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

Board of Directors” means (a) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board, (b) with respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors of the general partner of the partnership, (c) with respect to a limited liability company, the managing member or members or any controlling committee of managing members thereof, and (d) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.

Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

Borrower Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 11.21.

Borrowing” means a Revolving Borrowing, a Swingline Borrowing or a Term Borrowing, as the context may require.

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a London Banking Day.

Capital Expenditures” means, with respect to any Person for any period, any expenditure in respect of the purchase or other acquisition of any fixed or capital asset, excluding normal replacements and maintenance which are properly charged to current operations.

Capitalized Leases” means all leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capitalized leases.

Cash Collateralize” means, to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer or the Revolving Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations or obligations of the Revolving Lenders to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations (as the context may require), (a) cash or deposit account balances, (b) backstop letters of credit entered into on terms, from issuers and in amounts satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, and/or (c) if the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer shall agree, in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case, in Dollars and pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer (as applicable). “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

 

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Cash Equivalents” means any of the following types of Investments, to the extent owned by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens): (a) readily marketable obligations issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof having maturities of not more than three hundred sixty days (360) days from the date of acquisition thereof; provided, that, the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof; (b) time deposits with, or insured certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances of, any commercial bank that (i)(A) is a Lender, or (B) is organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or is the principal banking subsidiary of a bank holding company organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, and is a member of the Federal Reserve System, (ii) issues (or the parent of which issues) commercial paper rated as described in clause (c) of this definition, and (iii) has combined capital and surplus of at least $1,000,000,000, in each case with maturities of not more than one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of acquisition thereof; (c) commercial paper issued by any Person organized under the laws of any state of the United States and rated at least “Prime-1” (or the then equivalent grade) by Moody’s or at least “A-1” (or the then equivalent grade) by S&P, in each case with maturities of not more than one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of acquisition thereof; and (d) Investments, classified in accordance with GAAP as current assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, in money market investment programs registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which are administered by financial institutions that have the highest rating obtainable from either Moody’s or S&P, and the portfolios of which are limited solely to Investments of the character, quality and maturity described in clauses (a), (b) and (c) of this definition.

Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement that is not prohibited by the terms hereof to provide treasury or cash management services, including deposit accounts, overnight draft, credit cards, debit cards, p-cards (including purchasing cards and commercial cards), funds transfer, automated clearinghouse, zero balance accounts, returned check concentration, controlled disbursement, lockbox, account reconciliation and reporting and trade finance services and other cash management services.

Cash Management Bank” means any Person, in its capacity as a party to a Cash Management Agreement, that (a) at the time it enters into a Cash Management Agreement with a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, or (b) at the time it (or its Affiliate) becomes a Lender, is a party to a Cash Management Agreement with a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, in each case in its capacity as a party to such Cash Management Agreement (even if such Person ceases to be a Lender or such Person’s Affiliate ceased to be a Lender); provided, that, for any of the foregoing to be included as a “Secured Cash Management Agreement” on any date of determination by the Administrative Agent, the applicable Cash Management Bank (other than the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent) must have delivered a Secured Party Designation Notice to the Administrative Agent prior to such date of determination.

CERCLA” means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980.

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the Closing Date, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty; (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority; or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided, that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith, and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines 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, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

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Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:

(a) Stephen J. Barnard shall cease to own and control, of record and beneficially, directly or indirectly, Equity Interests of the Borrower representing at least three percent (3%) of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower on a fully diluted basis (which for this purpose shall exclude all Equity Interests that have not yet vested); or

(b) the Closing Date Board of Directors shall cease to own and control, of record and beneficially, directly or indirectly, Equity Interests of the Borrower representing at least forty percent (40%) of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower on a fully diluted basis (which for this purpose shall exclude all Equity Interests that have not yet vested); or

(c) during any period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Borrower cease to be composed of individuals who were members of the Board of Directors of the Borrower on the first day of such period.

Chicago Collective Bargaining Agreement” means that certain Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Borrower and Local 703, affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters for the period of September 1, 2018 to August 21, 2021.

Closing Date” means October 11, 2018.

Closing Date Board of Directors” means, collectively, (a) Steve Beebe, (b) Stephen Bershad, (c) Stephen J. Barnard, (d) Phil Henry, (e) Mr. Gonzalez, (f) Bruce C. Taylor, and (g) Jay Pack.

Cloudesley” means Cloudesley Corp. Perú S.A.C., a corporation existing under the laws of the

Republic of Peru.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Collateral” means a collective reference to all real and personal property with respect to which Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, are purported to be granted pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of the Collateral Documents; provided, that, “Collateral” shall not include any Excluded Property.

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement, the Mexican Share Pledge Agreement, the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement, each Mortgage, each Mortgaged Property Support Document, each Joinder Agreement, each Qualifying Control Agreement, each of the mortgages, collateral assignments, landlord waivers, security agreements, pledge agreements or other similar agreements delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.13, and each of the other agreements, instruments or documents that creates or purports to create a Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

“Commitment” means a Term Commitment or a Revolving Commitment, as the context may require.

 

9


Commitment Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.09(a).

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

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

Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

Consolidated” means, when used with reference to financial statements or financial statement items of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or any other Person, such statements or items on a consolidated basis in accordance with the consolidation principles of GAAP.

Consolidated Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, all Capital Expenditures for such period.

Consolidated Cash Taxes” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, the aggregate of all taxes, as determined in accordance with GAAP, to the extent the same are paid in cash for such period.

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, an amount equal to (a) Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus (b) the following, without duplication, to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes paid or payable for such period, (iii) depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) any non-cash expenses, losses or charges (other than any non-cash expense, loss or charge relating to write-offs, write-downs or reserves with respect to accounts or inventory) for such period (including any non-cash stock based compensation expense for such period) which do not represent a cash item in such period or any future period, (v) fees, costs and expenses incurred by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in such period in connection with the negotiation, execution and closing of the Arato Holding Acquisition, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $500,000 during the term of this Agreement, and (vi) fees, costs and expenses incurred by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in such period in connection with the negotiation, execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and any amendments or modifications thereof, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $500,000 during the term of this Agreement, minus (c) any non-cash income or gains for such period, to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period that includes any fiscal quarter of the Borrower ending prior to the Closing Date, Consolidated EBITDA shall equal (A) $22,277,316 for the fiscal quarter ending October 31, 2017, (B) $7,163,493 for the fiscal quarter ending January 31, 2018, (C) $5,043,239 for the fiscal quarter ending April 30, 2018, and (D) $38,728,523 for the fiscal quarter ending July 31, 2018 (which for the avoidance of doubt shall give effect to calculations on a Pro Forma Basis in accordance with Section 1.03(d)).

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) the total of (i) Consolidated EBITDA for the Measurement Period most recently completed on or prior to such date, minus (ii) Consolidated Maintenance Capital Expenditures for such period, to (b) the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Charges (provided, that, for purposes of this clause (b)((i), Consolidated Interest Charges shall not include prepayment penalties in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,000,000 paid substantially concurrently with the Closing Date in connection with the repayment of the Existing Foreign Indebtedness) to the extent paid in cash for the Measurement Period most recently completed on or prior to such date, plus (ii) Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments for such period, plus (iii) Consolidated

 

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Cash Taxes for such period, plus (iv) the aggregate amount of all Designated Restricted Payments made in such period; provided, that, for purposes of calculating the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio: (A) Consolidated Interest Charges shall be calculated as if the Term Loans had been made on August 1, 2018 (utilizing for any day prior to the Closing Date the interest rate which is in effect on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ending October 31, 2018); (B)(1) Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments shall be calculated as if a quarterly amortization payment on the Term A-1 Facility in the principal amount of $625,000 was due on October 31, 2018, and (2) Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments shall be calculated as if a quarterly amortization payment on the Term A-2 Facility in the principal amount of $187,500 was due on October 31, 2018; (C)(1) Consolidated Interest Charges with respect to the Obligations for the period ended October 31, 2018 shall be the actual Consolidated Interest Charges with respect to the Obligations for the period of one fiscal quarter then ended (subject to adjustment as provided in clauses (A) and (B) above) multiplied by four (4), and (2) Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments with respect to the Obligations for the period ended October 31, 2018 shall be the actual Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments with respect to the Obligations for the period of one fiscal quarter then ended (subject to adjustment as provided in clause (B) above) multiplied by four (4); (D)(1) Consolidated Interest Charges with respect to the Obligations for the period ended January 31, 2019 shall be the actual Consolidated Interest Charges with respect to the Obligations for the period of two fiscal quarters then ended (subject to adjustment as provided in clauses (A) and (B) above) multiplied by two (2), and (2) Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments with respect to the Obligations for the period ended January 31, 2019 shall be the actual Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments with respect to the Obligations for the period of two fiscal quarters then ended (subject to adjustment as provided in clause (B) above) multiplied by two (2); (E)(1) Consolidated Interest Charges with respect to the Obligations for the period ended April 30, 2019 shall be the actual Consolidated Interest Charges with respect to the Obligations for the period of three fiscal quarters then ended (subject to adjustment as provided in clauses (A) and (B) above) multiplied by four-thirds (4/3), and (2) Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments with respect to the Obligations for the period ended April 30, 2019 shall be the actual Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments with respect to the Obligations for the period of three fiscal quarters then ended (subject to adjustment as provided in clause (B) above) multiplied by four-thirds (4/3); and (F)(1) Consolidated Interest Charges with respect to the Obligations for the period ended July 31, 2019 shall be the actual Consolidated Interest Charges with respect to the Obligations for the period of four fiscal quarters then ended (subject to adjustment as provided in clauses (A) and (B) above), and (2) Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments with respect to the Obligations for the period ended July 31, 2019 shall be the actual Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments with respect to the Obligations for the period of four fiscal quarters then ended (subject to adjustment as provided in clause (B) above).

Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means Funded Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis.

Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case with respect to such period to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) all interest paid or payable with respect to discontinued operations for such period, plus (c) the portion of rent expense under Capitalized Leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP for such period.

Consolidated Maintenance Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of depreciation expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP for such period.

 

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Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis for such period, as determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, that, Consolidated Net Income shall exclude (a) extraordinary gains and extraordinary losses for such period, (b) the net income of any Subsidiary during such period to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary of such income is not permitted by operation of the terms of its Organization Documents or any agreement, instrument or Law applicable to such Subsidiary during such period, except that the Borrower’s equity in any net loss of any such Subsidiary for such period shall be included in determining Consolidated Net Income, and (c) any income (or loss) for such period of any Person if such Person is not a Subsidiary, except that the Borrower’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such period shall be included in Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such period to the Borrower or a Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (and in the case of a dividend or other distribution to a Subsidiary, such Subsidiary is not precluded from further distributing such amount to the Borrower as described in clause (b) of this proviso). For the avoidance, Consolidated Net Income shall not include the amount of any Subsidiary income attributable to minority Equity Interests of third parties in any Non-Wholly Owned Subsidiary.

Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, the sum of all scheduled payments of principal on Consolidated Funded Indebtedness. For purposes of this definition, “scheduled payments of principal” (a) shall be determined without giving effect to any reduction of such scheduled payments resulting from the application of any voluntary or mandatory prepayments made during the applicable period, (b) shall be deemed to include scheduled payments on any Attributable Indebtedness, and (c) shall not include any voluntary prepayments or mandatory prepayments required pursuant to Section 2.05.

Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date, to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the Measurement Period most recently completed on or prior to such date.

Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) the sum of (i) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date, minus (ii) Designated Cash as of such date in excess of $5,000,000, to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the Measurement Period most recently completed on or prior to such date.

Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Person shall be deemed to be Controlled by another Person if such other Person possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote five percent (5%) or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors, managing general partners or the equivalent.

Corporate Office Site” means that certain real property owned by Solar MPC, LLC, a California limited liability company, and located at 1800 Solar Drive, Lot 5, Tract 4359, Oxnard, California 93030.

Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing, and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

 

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Debt Issuance” means the issuance by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Indebtedness other than Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.02.

Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.

Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

Default Rate” means (a) with respect to any Obligation for which a rate is specified, a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate otherwise applicable thereto, and (b) with respect to any Obligation for which a rate is not specified or available, a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans plus two percent (2%), in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law.

Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.15(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two (2) Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans) within two (2) Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided, that, such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) other than via an Undisclosed Administration, had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity, or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided, that, a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.15(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, the L/C Issuer, the Swingline Lender and each other Lender promptly following such determination.

 

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Delaware Divided LLC” means any Delaware LLC which has been formed upon the consummation of a Delaware LLC Division.

Delaware LLC” means any limited liability company organized or formed under the laws of the State of Delaware.

Delaware LLC Division” means the statutory division of any Delaware LLC into two or more Delaware LLCs pursuant to Section 18-217 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act.

Designated Cash” means, as of any date of determination, unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents of the Loan Parties as of such date of determination, but only to the extent that such cash and Cash Equivalents is held by such Loan Parties in a deposit account or a securities account located in the United States. It is understood and agreed that for purposes of any calculation of the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio in connection with determining the permissibility of any incurrence of Indebtedness, the identifiable proceeds of such Indebtedness shall not qualify as “Designated Cash” for the purposes of such calculation.

Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory is the subject of any Sanction.

Designated Restricted Payment” means any Restricted Payment made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in reliance on Section 7.06(a) (to the extent made to any Person other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary) or Section 7.06(c).

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any Sale and Leaseback Transaction) of any property (including the Equity Interests in any Subsidiary) owned by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (or the granting of any option or other right to do any of the foregoing), including (a) any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith, and (b) any disposition of property to a Delaware Divided LLC pursuant to a Delaware LLC Division, but excluding: (i) any Involuntary Disposition; (ii) any sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of inventory in the ordinary course of business; (iii) the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition in the ordinary course of business of used, surplus, obsolete or worn out property no longer used or useful in the conduct of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries; (iv) the sale or discount of accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business, but only in connection with the collection or compromise thereof; (v) leases or subleases of real property entered into in the ordinary course of business to the extent not materially interfering with the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries; (vi) the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of property to the extent that (A) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property, or (B) the proceeds of such sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of property are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property; (vii) any sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of property (A) to a Loan Party, or (B) from a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to another Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party; and (viii) any sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of any H-2A Property.

Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

 

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Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.

Earn Out Obligations” means, with respect to an Acquisition, all obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to make earn out or other contingency payments (including purchase price adjustments, non-competition and consulting agreements, or other indemnity obligations) pursuant to the documentation relating to such Acquisition. For purposes of determining the amount of any Earn Out Obligations to be included in the definition of Consolidated Funded Indebtedness, the amount of Earn Out Obligations shall be deemed to be the aggregate liability in respect thereof, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a Subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Eligible Assets” means property (other than current assets) that is used or useful in the same or a related line of business as the Borrower and its Subsidiaries were engaged in on the Closing Date (or any business reasonably related, incidental or ancillary thereto or reasonable extensions thereof).

Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 11.06 (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.06(b)(iii)).

Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment, or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Environmental Permit” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.

 

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Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of 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” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan, (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which such entity was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA, (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is insolvent, (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, (e) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan, (f) any event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan, (g) the determination that any Pension Plan is considered an at-risk plan or a plan in endangered or critical status within the meaning of Sections 430, 431 and 432 of the Code or Sections 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA, (h) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate, or (i) a failure by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to meet all applicable requirements under the Pension Funding Rules in respect of a Pension Plan, whether or not waived, or the failure by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan.

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar Rate” means:

(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), or a comparable or successor rate which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) (in such case, the “LIBOR Rate”) at or about 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) 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; and

(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to the LIBOR Rate, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits with a term of one (1) month commencing that day;

 

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provided, that: (i) 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; and (ii) if the Eurodollar Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Revolving Loan or a Term Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.”

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

Excluded Account” means (a) any zero balance account, (b) any withholding tax, trust, escrow, payroll and other fiduciary account, (c) the Specified Deferred Compensation Account (provided, that, the Specified Deferred Compensation Account shall only constitute an Excluded Account to the extent that the aggregate market value of securities held in such account is less than or equal to $5,000,000), and (d) any petty cash account (provided, that, the aggregate amount on deposit in all petty cash accounts excluded pursuant to this clause (d) shall not exceed $500,000).

Excluded Property” means, with respect to any Loan Party: (a)(i) any owned real property (other than the Corporate Office Site) of such Loan Party with a fair market value of less than $3,000,000, (ii) any owned real property of such Loan Party which is located outside of the United States, and (iii) any leased real property of such Loan Party; (b) unless requested by the Administrative Agent, any personal property (including motor vehicles) of such Loan Party in respect of which perfection of a Lien is not either (i) governed by the UCC, or (ii) effected by appropriate evidence of the Lien being filed in either the United States Copyright Office or the United States Patent and Trademark Office; (c) the Equity Interests of any Foreign Subsidiary owned by such Loan Party to the extent not required to be pledged to secure the Secured Obligations pursuant to Section 6.13(a); (d) any property of such Loan Party which, subject to the terms of Section 7.02(c), is subject to a Lien of the type described in Section 7.01(j) pursuant to documents that prohibit such Loan Party from granting any other Liens in such property; (e) any general intangible, permit, lease, license, contract or other instrument of such Loan Party to the extent the grant of a security interest in such general intangible, permit, lease, license, contract or other instrument in the manner contemplated by the Collateral Documents, under the terms thereof or under applicable Law, is prohibited and would result in the termination thereof or give the other parties thereto the right to terminate, accelerate or otherwise alter such Loan Party’s rights, titles and interests thereunder (including upon the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both); provided, that, (i) any such limitation described in the foregoing clause (e) on the security interests granted pursuant to the Collateral Documents shall only apply to the extent that any such prohibition is not rendered ineffective pursuant to the UCC or other applicable Law (including Debtor Relief Laws) or principles of equity, and (ii) in the event of the termination or elimination of any such prohibition or the requirement for any consent contained in any applicable Law, general intangible, permit, lease, license, contract or other instrument, to the extent sufficient to permit any such item to become Collateral, or upon the granting of any such consent, or waiving or terminating any requirement for such consent, a security interest in such general intangible, permit, lease, license, contract or other instrument shall be automatically and simultaneously granted under the Collateral Documents and shall be included as Collateral; (f) any “intent-to-use” application for registration of a Trademark (as defined in the Security Agreement) of such Loan Party filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office pursuant to Section 1(b) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §1051, prior to the filing of a “Statement of Use” pursuant to Section 1(d) of the Lanham Act or an “Amendment to Allege Use” pursuant to Section 1(c) of the Lanham Act with respect thereto, solely to the extent, if any, that, and solely during the period, if any, in which the grant of a security interest therein would impair the validity or enforceability of any registration that issues from

 

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such intent-to-use application under applicable federal law; and (g) assets of such Loan Party as to which the Administrative Agent and the Borrower agree in writing that the cost or other consequences of obtaining a security interest therein or perfection thereof are excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Secured Parties therefrom.

Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guaranty of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor a Lien to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to Section 10.11 and any other “keepwell, support or other agreement” for the benefit of such Guarantor and any and all guarantees of such Guarantor’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties) at the time the Guaranty of such Guarantor, or grant by such Guarantor of a Lien, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a Master Agreement governing more than one Swap Contract, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swap Contracts for which such Guaranty or Lien is or becomes excluded in accordance with the first sentence of this definition.

Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient: (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof), or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes; (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 11.13), or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii), (a)(iii) or (c), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e), and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.

Existing Foreign Indebtedness” means, collectively, (a) Indebtedness of Olmos owing to Bancolombia (Panamá), S.A., (b) Indebtedness of Olmos II owing to Bancolombia (Panamá), S.A., (c) Indebtedness of Arato owing to Banco Internacional del Perú S.A.A., (d) Indebtedness of Beggie owing to Banco Internacional del Perú S.A.A., (e) Indebtedness of Avopack owing to Banco Internacional del Perú S.A.A., (f) Indebtedness of Arato owing to Santander S.A., (g) Indebtedness of Beggie owing to Santander S.A., (h) Indebtedness of Avopack owing to Santander S.A., and (i) Indebtedness of Mission Mexico owing to BBVA Bancomer S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero BBVA Bancomer.

Extraordinary Receipt” means any cash received by or paid to or for the account of any Person not in the ordinary course of business, including tax refunds, pension plan reversions, proceeds of insurance (other than proceeds of business interruption insurance to the extent such proceeds constitute compensation for lost earnings and proceeds of Involuntary Dispositions), indemnity payments and any purchase price adjustments; provided, that, an Extraordinary Receipt shall not include cash receipts from proceeds of insurance or indemnity payments to the extent that such proceeds, awards or payments are received by any Person in respect of any third party claim against such Person and applied to pay (or to reimburse such Person for its prior payment of) such claim and the costs and expenses of such Person with respect thereto.

 

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Facility” means a Term Facility or the Revolving Facility, as the context may require.

Facility Termination Date” means the date as of which all of the following shall have occurred: (a) the Aggregate Commitments have terminated, (b) all Obligations have been paid in full in cash (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim has been asserted), and (c) all Letters of Credit have terminated or expired (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer shall have been made).

Farm Credit Act” means the Farm Credit Act of 1971.

Farm Credit Equities” has the meaning specified in Section 6.15(a).

Farm Credit Equity Documents” has the meaning specified in Section 6.15(a).

Farm Credit Law” has the meaning specified in Section 11.21.

Farm Credit Member” means a lending institution organized and existing pursuant to the provisions of the Farm Credit Act and under the regulation of the Farm Credit Administration.

FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the Closing Date (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 and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code.

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided, that, (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds 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 (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

Fee Letter” means the fee letter agreement, dated August 17, 2018, among the Borrower, Bank of America and MLPFS.

Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

 

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Flood Hazard Property” means any Mortgaged Property that is in an area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as having special flood or mudslide hazards.

Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender that is a Revolving Lender, (a) with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Revolving Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swingline Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swingline Loans other than Swingline Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Revolving Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.

Funded Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP: (a) all obligations of such Person, whether current or long-term, for borrowed money (including the Obligations) and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments; (b) all purchase money Indebtedness of such Person; (c) the principal portion of all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property purchased by such Person or any Subsidiary thereof (other than customary reservations or retentions of title under agreements with suppliers entered into in the ordinary course of business); (d) all obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments; (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and not past due for more than sixty (60) days after the date on which such trade account payable was created), including any Earn Out Obligations; (f) all Attributable Indebtedness of such Person; (g) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Equity Interests in such Person or any other Person, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; (h) all Funded Indebtedness of other Persons secured by (or for which the holder of such Funded Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on, or payable out of the proceeds of production from, property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed; (i) all Guarantees provided by such Person with respect to Funded Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (h) above of another Person; and (j) all Funded Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (i) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or joint venturer, except to the extent that such Funded Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. For purposes hereof, the amount of any direct obligation arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments shall be the maximum amount available to be drawn thereunder.

Funding Indemnity Letter” means a funding indemnity letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth from time to time in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or agencies with similar functions of comparable stature and authority within the accounting profession), including the FASB ASC, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied and subject to Section 1.03.

 

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Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supranational bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

Guarantee” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed or expressly undertaken by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guaranteed Obligations” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01.

Guarantors” means, collectively, (a) each Person identified as a “Guarantor” on the signature pages hereto, (b) the Domestic Subsidiaries of the Borrower as are or may from time to time become Guarantors pursuant to Section 6.12, (c) with respect to (i) Additional Secured Obligations owing by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, and (ii) any Swap Obligation of a Specified Loan Party (determined before giving effect to Sections 10.01 and 10.11) under the Guaranty, the Borrower, and (d) the successors and permitted assigns of the foregoing.

Guaranty” means, collectively, the Guarantee made by the Guarantors under Article X in favor of the Secured Parties, together with each other guaranty delivered pursuant to Section 6.12.

H-2A Property” means each owned real property of a Loan Party identified on Schedule 5.20(d) as an “H-2A Property.”

Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, natural gas, natural gas liquids, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, toxic mold, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances, wastes, chemicals, pollutants, contaminants or compounds of any nature in any form regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

 

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Hedge Bank” means any Person in its capacity as a party to a Swap Contract that, (a) at the time it enters into a Swap Contract not prohibited under Article VI or VII with a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, is a Lender or a Voting Participant, or an Affiliate of a Lender or a Voting Participant, or (b) at the time it (or its Affiliate) becomes a Lender or a Voting Participant, is a party to a Swap Contract not prohibited under Article VI or VII with a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, in each case, in its capacity as a party to such Swap Contract; provided, that, in the case of a Secured Hedge Agreement with a Person who is no longer a Lender or a Voting Participant (or an Affiliate of a Lender or a Voting Participant), such Person shall be considered a Hedge Bank only through the stated termination date (without extension or renewal) of such Secured Hedge Agreement; provided, further, that, for any of the foregoing to be included as a “Secured Hedge Agreement” on any date of determination by the Administrative Agent, the applicable Hedge Bank (other than the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent) must have delivered a Secured Party Designation Notice to the Administrative Agent prior to such date of determination.

HMT” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Sanction(s)”.

Honor Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c).

IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of IAS Regulation 1606/2002 to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements delivered under or referred to herein.

Incremental Facility” and “Incremental Facilities” each has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(g).

Incremental Farm Credit Term Facility” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(g)(ii)(I).

Incremental Term Borrowing” means, with respect to any Incremental Term Facility, a borrowing under such Incremental Term Facility consisting of simultaneous Incremental Term Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by Incremental Term Lenders under such Incremental Term Facility pursuant to Section 2.01(d).

Incremental Term Commitment” means, with respect to any Incremental Term Facility, as to each Incremental Term Lender under such Incremental Term Facility, its obligation to make an Incremental Term Loan under such Incremental Term Facility.

Incremental Term Facility” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(g).

Incremental Term Facility Agreement” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(g)(ii)(D).

Incremental Term Facility Maturity Date” means, with respect to any Incremental Term Facility, the maturity date of such Incremental Term Facility set forth in the Incremental Term Facility Agreement executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.02(g)(ii) in connection with such Incremental Term Facility.

Incremental Term Lender” means, with respect to any Incremental Term Facility, (a) at any time on or prior to the funding of loans under such Incremental Term Facility, any Person that has an Incremental Term Commitment under such Incremental Term Facility at such time, and (b) at any time after the funding of loans under such Incremental Term Facility, any Person that holds an Incremental Term Loan under such Incremental Term Facility at such time.

Incremental Term Loan” means, with respect to any Incremental Term Facility, an advance made by any Incremental Term Lender under such Incremental Term Facility.

 

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Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP: (a) all Funded Indebtedness of such Person; (b) the Swap Termination Value of any Swap Contract entered into by Person; (c) all Guarantees provided by such Person with respect to outstanding Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) and (b) above of any other Person; and (d) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (c) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person or a Subsidiary thereof is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person or such Subsidiary.

Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document, and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.

Indemnitee” has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).

Information” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07.

Intellectual Property” means all intellectual property rights, whether registered or unregistered, including all registered trademarks and service marks, trademark applications, trade names, copyright registrations, copyright applications, patents, patent applications, and intellectual property licenses.

Intercompany Debt” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02(d).

Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date of the Facility under which such Loan was made; provided, that, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three (3) months, the respective dates that fall every three (3) months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan or any Swingline Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date of the Facility under which such Loan was made.

Interest Period” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one (1), two (2), three (3) or six (6) months thereafter (in each case, subject to availability), as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice; provided, that: (a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day; (b) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and (c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Facility under which such Loan was made.

Interim Financial Statements” means, collectively, (a) the Mission Produce Interim Financial Statements, and (b) the Arato Interim Financial Statements.

Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or interest in, another Person (including any partnership or joint venture

 

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interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor guaranties Indebtedness of such other Person), or (c) an Acquisition. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

Involuntary Disposition” means any loss of, damage to or destruction of, or any condemnation or other taking for public use of, any property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.

Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C executed and delivered in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.12.

Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, binding guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including any binding interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Revolving Lender, such Revolving Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Revolving Percentage.

L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Revolving Borrowing.

L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.

L/C Issuer” means Bank of America, in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.

L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, (a) the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit as of such date, plus (b) the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts (including all L/C Borrowings) as of such date. For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

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Lender” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto, each other Person that becomes a “Lender” in accordance with this Agreement and, their successors and assigns and, unless the context requires otherwise, includes the Swingline Lender.

Lending Office” means, as to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, the office or offices of such Person described as such in such Person’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as such Person may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent; which office may include any Affiliate of such Person or any domestic or foreign branch of such Person or such Affiliate.

Letter of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder.

Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is seven (7) days prior to the Revolving Facility Maturity Date (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(h).

Letter of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $10,000,000, and (b) the Revolving Facility. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Revolving Facility.

LIBOR” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.”

LIBOR Rate” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.”

LIBOR Screen Rate” means the LIBOR quote on the applicable screen page the Administrative Agent designates to determine LIBOR (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time).

LIBOR Successor Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate, any conforming changes to the definition of Base Rate, Interest Period, timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest and other administrative matters as may be appropriate, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, to reflect the adoption of such LIBOR Successor Rate and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent determines that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or that no market practice for the administration of such LIBOR Successor Rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent determines in consultation with the Borrower).

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, fideicomiso, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or otherwise), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

 

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Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II in the form of a

Term Loan, a Revolving Loan or a Swingline Loan.

Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, each Note, the Guaranty, each Collateral Document, the Fee Letter, each Issuer Document, each PACA Waiver, each other agreement, instrument or document designated by its terms as a “Loan Document,” and each agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.14 (but specifically excluding any Secured Hedge Agreement or any Secured Cash Management Agreement).

Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other pursuant to Section 2.02(a), or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit D or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor.

London Banking Day” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

Master Agreement” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Swap Contract.”

Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect on, the operations, business, assets, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document, or of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

Maturity Date” the Term A-1 Facility Maturity Date, the Term A-2 Facility Maturity Date, the Revolving Facility Maturity Date, or the applicable Incremental Term Facility Maturity Date, as the context may require.

Maximum Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 11.09.

Measurement Period” means, at any date of determination, the four (4) fiscal quarters of the Borrower most recently completed on or prior to such date of determination.

Mexican Share Pledge Agreement” means that certain stock pledge agreement governed by the laws of Mexico, dated as of the Closing Date, among the Borrower, as pledgor, the Administrative Agent, as pledgee, and Mission Mexico, relating to the pledge by the Borrower of sixty-five percent (65%) of the Equity Interests of Mission Mexico owned by the Borrower to secure the Secured Obligations.

Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, (a) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided to reduce or eliminate Fronting Exposure during any period when a Lender constitutes a Defaulting Lender, an amount equal to one hundred five percent (105%) of the Fronting Exposure of the L/C Issuer with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time, (b) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.14(a)(i), (a)(ii) or (a)(iii), an amount equal to one hundred five percent (105%) of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, and (c) otherwise, an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer in their sole discretion.

 

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Mission Mexico” means Mission de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., a corporation organized under the laws of Mexico.

Mission Produce Audited Financial Statements” means the audited Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2017, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

Mission Produce Interim Financial Statements” means the unaudited Consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2018, including balance sheets and consolidated statements of income or operations.

MLPFS” means Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

Mortgage” or “Mortgages” means, individually and collectively, as the context requires, each of the fee mortgages, deeds of trust and deeds executed by a Loan Party that purport to grant a Lien to the Administrative Agent (or a trustee for the benefit of the Administrative Agent) for the benefit of the Secured Parties in any Mortgaged Properties, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Mortgaged Property” means (a) any owned real property of a Loan Party located in the United States and identified on Schedule 5.20(d) as a “Mortgaged Property,” and (b) any other owned real property of a Loan Party located in the United States that is encumbered by a Mortgage in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

Mortgaged Property Support Documents” means with respect to any Mortgaged Property: (a) if requested by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, maps or plats of an as-built survey of the sites of such Mortgaged Property certified to the Administrative Agent and the title insurance company issuing the policies referred to in clause (b) of this definition in a manner satisfactory to each of the Administrative Agent and such title insurance company, dated a date satisfactory to each of the Administrative Agent and such title insurance company by an independent professional licensed land surveyor, which maps or plats and the surveys on which they are based shall be sufficient to delete any standard printed survey exception contained in the applicable title policy and be made in accordance with the Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for Land Title Surveys jointly established and adopted by the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors in 2016 with items 2, 3, 4, 6(a), 6(b), 7(a), 7(b)(1), 7(c), 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17, and 19 on Table A thereof completed; (b) ALTA mortgagee title insurance policies issued by a title insurance company acceptable to the Administrative Agent with respect to such Mortgaged Property, assuring the Administrative Agent that the Mortgage covering such Mortgaged Property creates a valid and enforceable first priority mortgage lien on such Mortgaged Property, free and clear of all defects and encumbrances except Permitted Liens, which title insurance policies shall otherwise be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and shall include such endorsements as are reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent; (c) evidence as to (i) whether such Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property, and (ii) if such Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property, (A) whether the community in which such Mortgaged Property is located is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, (B) the applicable Loan Party’s written acknowledgment of receipt of written

 

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notification from the Administrative Agent (1) as to the fact that such Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property, and (2) as to whether the community in which each such Flood Hazard Property is located is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, and (C) copies of insurance policies or certificates of insurance of the Loan Parties and each Subsidiary evidencing flood insurance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and naming the Administrative Agent and its successors and/or assigns as sole loss payee on behalf of the Secured Parties; and (d) if requested by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, an opinion of legal counsel to the Loan Party granting the Mortgage on such Mortgaged Property, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

Moruga” means Moruga Inc., a Panamanian corporation.

Mr. Gonzalez” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Arato Holding Acquisition Agreement.”

Mrs. Vallejos” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Arato Holding Acquisition Agreement.”

Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five (5) plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

Multiple Employer Plan” means a Plan which has two or more contributing sponsors (including the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate) at least two of whom are not under common control, as such a plan is described in Section 4064 of ERISA.

Net Cash Proceeds” means the aggregate cash or Cash Equivalents proceeds received by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in respect of any Disposition, Debt Issuance or Involuntary Disposition, net of (a) direct costs incurred in connection therewith (including legal, accounting and investment banking fees and sales commissions), (b) taxes paid or payable as a result thereof, and (c) in the case of any Disposition or any Involuntary Disposition, the amount necessary to retire any Indebtedness secured by a Permitted Lien (ranking senior to any Lien of the Administrative Agent) on the related property; it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include any cash or Cash Equivalents received upon the sale or other disposition of any non-cash consideration received by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in any Disposition, Debt Issuance or Involuntary Disposition.

Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders, or all Lenders or all affected Lenders in a Facility, in accordance with the terms of Section 11.01, and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders (or, in the case of any consent, waiver or amendment that requires approval of all Lender or all affected Lenders in a Facility, the Required Revolving Lenders, the Required Term A-1 Lenders or the Required Term A-2 Lenders, as applicable).

Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

Non-Extension Notice Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(iv).

Non-Wholly Owned Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

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Note” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a).

Notice of Loan Prepayment” means a notice of prepayment with respect to a Loan, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit E or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

NPL” means the National Priorities List under CERCLA.

Obligations” means (a) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, and (b) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with enforcement and collection of the foregoing, including the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel, in each case 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, expenses and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof pursuant to any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest, expenses and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding; provided, that, Obligations of a Guarantor shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Guarantor.

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

Olmos” means Inversiones Agricolas Olmos S.A.C., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of Peru.

Olmos II” means Inversiones Agricolas Olmos II S.A.C., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of Peru.

Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non- U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement or limited liability company agreement (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (d) with respect to all entities, any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); and (e) with respect to all entities, any agreement among the holders of the Equity Interests of such entity concerning the organization, operation, governance or management of such entity or the rights and obligations of such holders.

Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).

 

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Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).

Outstanding Amount” means (a) with respect to Term Loans, Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Term Loans, Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (b) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.

PACA” means the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (7 U.S.C. § 499e).

PACA License” means a license issued by the United States Department of Agriculture under PACA.

PACA Payable” means an account payable owed to a seller or supplier of produce or other perishable agricultural commodities capable of being subject to PACA and who is entitled to enforce the statutory trust established under the terms of PACA with respect to such account payable.

PACA Waiver” means each waiver, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, executed and delivered by a Subsidiary that sells or supplies produce or other perishable agricultural commodities capable of being subject to PACA to a Loan Party, pursuant to which such Subsidiary waives any claim such Subsidiary may have to assert a Lien on or trust over any of the Collateral or any other property of such Loan Party, including any claim such Subsidiary may have under PACA.

Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).

Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).

PATRIOT Act” has the meaning specified in Section 11.19.

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

Pension Funding Rules” means the rules of the Code and ERISA regarding minimum required contributions (including any installment payment thereof) to Pension Plans and set forth in Section 412, 430, 431, 432 and 436 of the Code and Sections 302, 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA.

Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (including a Multiple Employer Plan but excluding any Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by the Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code.

Permitted Acquisition” means an Acquisition by any Loan Party; provided, that, (a) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such Acquisition; (b) the property acquired (or the property of the Person acquired) shall constitute Eligible Assets; (c) the Person acquired in connection with such Acquisition will become a Loan Party and/or the assets acquired shall be subject to Liens in favor

 

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of the Administrative Agent, in each case in accordance with, and to the extent required by, Section 6.12 and Section 6.13; (d) such Acquisition shall not be a “hostile” acquisition and shall have been approved by the Board of Directors and/or the shareholders (or equivalent) of the applicable Loan Party and the Person acquired in connection with such Acquisition; (e) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that, upon giving Pro Forma Effect to such Acquisition, the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 as of the most recent fiscal quarter end for which the Borrower was required to deliver financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b), as applicable; and (f) the aggregate Acquisition Consideration for all such Acquisitions shall not exceed (i) $20,000,000 in any fiscal year of the Borrower, or (ii) $50,000,000 during the term of this Agreement.

Permitted Liens” has the meaning specified in Section 7.01.

Permitted Transfer” means any Disposition by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided, that, (a) the consideration paid in cash or Cash Equivalents in connection with such Disposition shall constitute not less than seventy five percent (75%) of the aggregate consideration to be received in connection therewith, and the total consideration paid in connection therewith shall be paid contemporaneous with consummation of such Disposition and shall be in an amount not less than the fair market value of the assets disposed of; (b) if such Disposition is a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, such Disposition shall be permitted pursuant to Section 7.14; (c) such Disposition does not involve the sale or other disposition of a minority Equity Interest in any Loan Party or any Subsidiary; (d) no Default has occurred and is continuing both immediately prior to and after giving effect to such Disposition; (e) such Disposition does not involve a sale or other disposition of receivables other than receivables owned by or attributable to other property concurrently being disposed of in a transaction otherwise permitted hereunder; (f) the Net Cash Proceeds of such Disposition are applied to prepay the Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(i); and (g) the aggregate net book value of all of the assets so sold or otherwise disposed of shall not exceed $5,000,000 during the term of this Agreement.

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement” means that certain pledge agreement over shares governed by the laws of Peru, dated as of the Closing Date, among Sam Land I, as pledgor, the Administrative Agent, as pledgee, and Arato Holding, relating to the pledge by Sam Land I of sixty-five percent (65%) of the Equity Interests of Arato Holding owned by Sam Land I to secure the Secured Obligations.

Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (including a Pension Plan), maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or any such Plan to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

Pro Forma Basis”, “Pro Forma Compliance” and “Pro Forma Effect” means, in respect of a Specified Transaction, that such Specified Transaction and the following transactions in connection therewith (to the extent applicable) shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable Measurement Period for the applicable covenant or requirement: (a)(i) with respect to any Disposition, Involuntary Disposition or sale, transfer or other disposition that results in a Person ceasing to be a Subsidiary, income statement and cash flow statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the Person or property disposed of shall be excluded, and (ii) with respect to any Acquisition or other Investment, income statement and cash flow statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to

 

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the Person or property acquired shall be included to the extent relating to any period applicable in such calculations to the extent (A) such items are not otherwise included in such income statement items for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP or in accordance with any defined terms set forth in Section 1.01, and (B) such items are supported by financial statements or other information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (b) any retirement of Indebtedness, and (c) any incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (and 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 which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination); provided, that, (x) Pro Forma Basis, Pro Forma Compliance and Pro Forma Effect in respect of any Specified Transaction shall be calculated in a reasonable and factually supportable manner and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, and (y) any such calculation shall be subject to the applicable limitations set forth in the definition of Consolidated EBITDA.

Pro Forma Compliance Certificate” means a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower containing reasonably detailed calculations of the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 as of the most recent fiscal quarter end for which the Borrower was required to deliver financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b), as applicable, after giving Pro Forma Effect to the applicable Specified Transaction.

Pro Forma Financial Statements” has the meaning specified in Section 4.01(d)(vi).

Producer’s Lien Statute” means the Producers Lien Statute (Cal. Food & Agric. Code Section 55631).

PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, at any time, each Loan Party with total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or that qualifies at such time as an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another Person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Qualifying Control Agreement” means an agreement, among a Loan Party, a depository institution or securities intermediary and the Administrative Agent, which agreement is in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent and which provides the Administrative Agent with “control” (as such term is used in Article 9 of the UCC) over the deposit account(s) or securities account(s) described therein.

Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder.

Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(c).

Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

 

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Removal Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 9.06.

Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the thirty (30) day notice period has been waived.

Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Term Borrowing, a Revolving Borrowing, a conversion or continuation of Term Loans, or a conversion or continuation of Revolving Loans, a Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swingline Borrowing, a Swingline Loan Notice.

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Total Credit Exposures representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders. The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time; provided, that, the amount of any participation in any Swingline Loan and Unreimbursed Amounts that such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated to and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Lender that is the Swingline Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in making such determination. With respect to any matter requiring the approval of the Required Lenders, it is understood and agreed that Voting Participants shall have the voting rights specified in Section 11.06(e) as to such matter.

Required October 2018 Financial Statements” means (a) the unaudited Consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding Arato Holding, Arato, Beggie, Olmos, Olmos II, Agritrade and Avopack) for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2018, including balance sheets and consolidated statements of income or operations, (b) the unaudited financial statements of Arato for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations, (c) the unaudited financial statements of Beggie for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations, (d) the unaudited financial statements of Olmos for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations, (e) the unaudited financial statements of Olmos II for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations, (f) the unaudited financial statements of Agritrade for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations, and (g) the unaudited financial statements of Avopack for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2018, including a balance sheet and a statement of income or operations.

Required Revolving Lenders” means, at any time, Revolving Lenders having Total Revolving Credit Exposures representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the Total Revolving Credit Exposures of all Revolving Lenders. The Total Revolving Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Revolving Lenders at any time; provided, that, the amount of any participation in any Swingline Loan and Unreimbursed Amounts that such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated to and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Revolving Lender that is the Swingline Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in making such determination.

Required Term A-1 Lenders” means, at any time, Term A-1 Lenders having Total Term A-1 Credit Exposures representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the Total Term A-1 Credit Exposures of all Term A-1 Lenders. The Total Term A-1 Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Term A-1 Lenders at any time.

Required Term A-2 Lenders” means, at any time, Term A-2 Lenders having Total Term A-2 Credit Exposures representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the Total Term A-2 Credit Exposures of all Term A-2 Lenders. The Total Term A-2 Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Term A-2 Lenders at any time. With respect to any matter requiring the approval of the Required Term A-2 Lenders, it is understood and agreed that Voting Participants shall have the voting rights specified in Section 11.06(e) as to such matter.

 

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Resignation Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 9.06.

Responsible Officer” means (a) the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of a Loan Party, (b) solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates pursuant to this Agreement, the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party, and (c) solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, (i) any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the officers set forth in clauses (a) or (b) in a notice to the Administrative Agent, or (ii) any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party. To the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, each Responsible Officer will provide an incumbency certificate and to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, appropriate authorization documentation, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Restricted Payment” means (a) any dividend or other distribution, direct or indirect, on account of any shares (or equivalent) of any class of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, now or hereafter outstanding, (b) any redemption, retirement, sinking fund or similar payment, purchase or other acquisition for value, direct or indirect, of any shares (or equivalent) of any class of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, now or hereafter outstanding, and (c) any payment made to retire, or to obtain the surrender of, any outstanding warrants, options or other rights to acquire shares of any class of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, now or hereafter outstanding.

Revolving Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Revolving Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Revolving Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01(c).

Revolving Commitment” means, as to each Revolving Lender, such Revolving Lender’s obligation to (a) make Revolving Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(c), (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swingline Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Revolving Lender’s name on Schedule 1.01(b) under the caption “Revolving Commitment” or opposite such caption in the Assignment and Assumption or other documentation pursuant to which such Revolving Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement. The Revolving Commitments of all of the Revolving Lenders on the Closing Date shall be $100,000,000.

Revolving Exposure” means, as to any Revolving Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of such Revolving Lender’s (a) outstanding Revolving Loans at such time, plus (b) participation in L/C Obligations at such time, plus (c) participation in Swingline Loans at such time.

Revolving Facility” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Lenders’ Revolving Commitments at such time.

 

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Revolving Facility Maturity Date” means October 11, 2023; provided, that, if such date is not a Business Day, the Revolving Facility Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.

Revolving Lender” means, at any time, (a) so long as any Revolving Commitment is in effect, any Lender that has a Revolving Commitment at such time, or (b) if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, any Lender that has a Revolving Loan or a participation in L/C Obligations or Swingline Loans at such time.

Revolving Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(c).

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor thereto.

Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means, with respect to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby such Loan Party or such Subsidiary shall sell or transfer any property used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property being sold or transferred.

Sam Land I” means SAM LAND I, LLC, a California limited liability company.

Sanction(s)” means any sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.

Scheduled Unavailability Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

Secured Cash Management Agreement” means any Cash Management Agreement between the any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Cash Management Bank.

Secured Hedge Agreement” means any interest rate, currency, foreign exchange, or commodity Swap Contract not prohibited under Article VI or VII between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Hedge Bank.

Secured Obligations” means all Obligations and all Additional Secured Obligations.

Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, each Lender, the L/C Issuer, each Hedge Bank, each Cash Management Bank, each Indemnitee, and each co-agent or sub-agent appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 9.05.

Secured Party Designation Notice” means a notice from any Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender substantially in the form of Exhibit F.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933.

Security Agreement” means the security and pledge agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, executed in favor of the Administrative Agent by each of the Loan Parties.

 

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Securitization Transaction” means, with respect to any Person, any financing transaction or series of financing transactions (including factoring arrangements) pursuant to which such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person may sell, convey or otherwise transfer, or grant a security interest in, accounts, payments, receivables, rights to future lease payments or residuals or similar rights to payment to a special purpose subsidiary or affiliate of such Person.

Solvency Certificate” means a solvency certificate in substantially in the form of Exhibit G.

Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, (b) the present fair saleable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature, (d) such Person is not engaged in business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute an unreasonably small capital, and (e) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the ordinary course of business. The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

Specified Deferred Compensation Account” means that certain securities account with account number 45060 maintained by the Borrower with Fidelity Investments for investment of compensation deferred under Section 409A of the Code.

Specified Loan Party” means any Loan Party that is not then an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act (determined prior to giving effect to Section 10.11).

Specified Transaction” means (a) any Acquisition, any Disposition, any sale, transfer or other disposition that results in a Person ceasing to be a Subsidiary, any Involuntary Disposition, or any Investment that results in a Person becoming a Subsidiary, (b) any incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, or (c) any other event that by the terms of the Loan Documents requires Pro Forma Compliance with a test or covenant, calculation as to Pro Forma Effect with respect to a test or covenant, or requires such test or covenant to be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis.

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of Voting Stock is at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person; provided, that, Moruga shall not constitute a “Subsidiary” for purposes of this Agreement. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

Swap Contract” means (a) 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 (b)

 

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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.

Swap Obligations” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

Swingline Borrowing” means a borrowing of a Swingline Loan pursuant to Section 2.04.

Swingline Lender” means Bank of America, in its capacity as provider of Swingline Loans, or any successor swingline lender hereunder.

Swingline Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

Swingline Loan Notice” means a notice of a Swingline Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.04(b), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit H or such other form as approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Swingline Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $20,000,000, and (b) the Revolving Facility. The Swingline Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Revolving Facility.

Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property (including Sale and Leaseback Transactions), in each case, creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the application of any Debtor Relief Laws to such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

Term A-1 Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Term A-1 Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Term A-1 Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

 

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Term A-1 Commitment” means, as to each Term A-1 Lender, its obligation to make a Term A-1 Loan to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a) in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Term A-1 Lender’s name on Schedule 1.01(b) under the caption “Term A-1 Commitment” or opposite such caption in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Term A-1 Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement. The Term A-1 Commitments of all of the Term A-1 Lenders on the Closing Date shall be $100,000,000.

Term A-1 Facility” means, at any time, (a) on or prior to the Closing Date, the aggregate amount of the Term A-1 Commitments at such time, and (b) thereafter, the aggregate principal amount of the Term A-1 Loans of all Term A-1 Lenders outstanding at such time.

Term A-1 Facility Maturity Date” means October 11, 2023; provided, that, if such date is not a Business Day, the Term A-1 Facility Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.

Term A-1 Lender” means (a) at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, any Lender that has a Term A-1 Commitment at such time, and (b) at any time after the Closing Date, any Lender that holds a Term A-1 Loan at such time.

Term A-1 Loan” means an advance made by any Term A-1 Lender under the Term A-1 Facility.

Term A-2 Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Term A-2 Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Term A-2 Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01(b).

Term A-2 Commitment” means, as to each Term A-2 Lender, its obligation to make a Term A-2

Loan to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(b) in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Term A-2 Lender’s name on Schedule 1.01(b) under the caption “Term A-2 Commitment” or opposite such caption in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Term A-2 Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement. The Term A-2 Commitments of all of the Term A-2 Lenders on the Closing Date shall be $75,000,000.

Term A-2 Facility” means, at any time, (a) on or prior to the Closing Date, the aggregate amount of the Term A-2 Commitments at such time, and (b) thereafter, the aggregate principal amount of the Term A-2 Loans of all Term A-2 Lenders outstanding at such time.

Term A-2 Facility Maturity Date” means October 11, 2025; provided, that, if such date is not a Business Day, the Term A-2 Facility Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.

Term A-2 Lender” means (a) at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, any Lender that has a Term A-2 Commitment at such time, and (b) at any time after the Closing Date, any Lender that holds a Term A-2 Loan at such time.

Term A-2 Loan” means an advance made by any Term A-2 Lender under the Term A-2 Facility.

Term Borrowing” means a Term A-1 Borrowing, a Term A-2 Borrowing, or an Incremental Term Borrowing, as the context may require.

Term Commitment” means a Term A-1 Commitment, a Term A-2 Commitment, or an Incremental Term Commitment, as the context may require.

 

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Term Facility” means the Term A-1 Facility, the Term A-2 Facility, or an Incremental Term Facility, as the context may require.

Term Loan” means a Term A-1 Loan, a Term A-2 Loan, or an Incremental Term Loan, as the context may require.

Threshold Amount” means $10,000,000.

Total Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, (a) the unused Commitments of such Lender at such time, plus (b) the Revolving Exposure of such Lender at such time, plus (c) the Outstanding Amount of all Term Loans of such Lender at such time.

Total Revolving Credit Exposure” means, as to any Revolving Lender at any time, (a) the unused Revolving Commitment of such Revolving Lender at such time, plus (b) the Revolving Exposure of such Revolving Lender at such time.

Total Revolving Outstandings” means, at any time, (a) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans at such time, plus (b) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Swingline Loans at such time, plus (c) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations at such time.

Total Term A-1 Credit Exposure” means, as to any Term A-1 Lender at any time, the Outstanding Amount of the Term A-1 Loan of such Term A-1 Lender at such time.

Total Term A-2 Credit Exposure” means, as to any Term A-2 Lender at any time, the Outstanding Amount of the Term A-2 Loan of such Term A-2 Lender at such time.

Transactions” means (a) the consummation of the Arato Holding Acquisition pursuant to the Arato Holding Acquisition Agreement, including the Arato Holding Acquisition Subscription, (b) the entering into of the Loan Documents and the incurrence of the initial Credit Extensions under this Agreement, in each case on the Closing Date, (c) the repayment in full of all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.02), including the termination of all commitments with respect thereto and the termination and release of all security interests and guarantees relating thereto, and (d) the payment of all fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing.

Type” means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York; provided, that, if perfection or the effect of perfection or non-perfection or the priority of any 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, “UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection, effect of perfection or non-perfection or priority.

Undisclosed Administration” means, in relation to a Lender or any Person that directly or indirectly controls such Lender, the appointment of an administrator, provisional liquidator, conservator, receiver, trustee, custodian, or other similar official by a Governmental Authority, supervisory authority or regulator under or based on the law in the country where such Lender or controlling Person is subject to home jurisdiction supervision if applicable law requires that such appointment not be disclosed and such appointment has not been disclosed; provided, that, in any such case, such appointment does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.

 

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

Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i).

U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(3).

Voting Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(e).

Voting Participant Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(e).

Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, Equity Interests issued by such Person the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even though the right to so vote has been suspended by the happening of such contingency.

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date of determination, the number of years obtained by dividing (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one twelfth) that will elapse between such date of determination and the making of such payment by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness as of such date of determination.

Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary” means any Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower.

Wholly Owned Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, (a) any corporation one hundred percent (100%) of whose Equity Interests (other than directors’ qualifying shares or Equity Interests that are required to be held by another person in order to satisfy a foreign requirement of Law prescribing an equity owner resident in the local jurisdiction) is at the time owned by such Person and/or one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such Person, and (b) any partnership, association, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity in which such Person and/or one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such Person have a one hundred percent (100%) equity interest at such time.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions.

With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

 

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(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including the Loan Documents and any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, amended and restated, modified, extended, restated, replaced or supplemented from time to time (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto,” “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Preliminary Statements, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Preliminary Statements, Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory rules, regulations, orders and provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified, extended, restated, replaced or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) 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.

(b) 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.”

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

1.03 Accounting Terms.

(a) Generally. 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 on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Mission Produce Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at one hundred percent (100%) of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.

(b) Changes in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders);

 

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provided, that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein, and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP. Without limiting the foregoing, leases shall continue to be classified and accounted for on a basis consistent with that reflected in the Mission Produce Audited Financial Statements for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any change in GAAP relating thereto, unless the parties hereto shall enter into a mutually acceptable amendment addressing such changes, as provided for above.

(c) Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities. All references herein to Consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or to the determination of any amount for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis or any similar reference shall, in each case, be deemed to include each variable interest entity that the Borrower is required to consolidate pursuant to FASB ASC 810 as if such variable interest entity were a Subsidiary.

(d) Pro Forma Calculations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, all calculations of the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio (including for purposes of determining the Applicable Rate), the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio (including for purposes of compliance with Section 7.11), and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, in each case, shall be made on a Pro Forma Basis with respect to all Specified Transactions occurring during the applicable Measurement Period to which such calculation relates, and/or subsequent to the end of such Measurement Period but not later than the date of such calculation; provided, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, when calculating the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio, the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio, or the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, in each case, for purposes of determining (i) compliance with Section 7.11, and/or (ii) the Applicable Rate, any Specified Transaction and any related adjustment contemplated in the definition of Pro Forma Basis that occurred subsequent to the end of the applicable Measurement Period shall not be given Pro Forma Effect. For purposes of determining compliance with any provision of this Agreement which requires Pro Forma Compliance with any financial covenant set forth in Section 7.11, (A) in the case of any such compliance required after delivery of financial statements for the fiscal quarter ending October 31, 2018, such Pro Forma Compliance shall be determined by reference to the maximum Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio and/or the minimum Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, as applicable, permitted for the fiscal quarter most recently then ended for which financial statements have been delivered (or were required to have been delivered) in accordance with Section 6.01(a) or (b), as applicable, or (B) in the case of any such compliance required prior to the delivery referred to in clause (A) above, such Pro Forma Compliance shall be determined by reference to (x) the Pro Forma Financial Statements, and (y) the maximum Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio and/or the minimum Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, as applicable, permitted for the fiscal quarter ending October 31, 2018.

1.04 Rounding.

Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Loan Parties pursuant to 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 (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

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1.05 Times of Day.

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

1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts.

Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, that, with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

1.07 UCC Terms.

Terms defined in the UCC in effect on the Closing Date and not otherwise defined herein shall, unless the context otherwise indicates, have the meanings provided by those definitions. Subject to the foregoing, the term “UCC” refers, as of any date of determination, to the UCC then in effect.

1.08 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 “Eurodollar Rate” or with respect to any comparable or successor rate thereto.

ARTICLE II

COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

2.01 Loans.

(a) Term A-1 Borrowing. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Term A-1 Lender severally agrees to make a Term A-1 Loan to the Borrower, in Dollars, on the Closing Date in an amount not to exceed such Term A-1 Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Term A-1 Facility. Each Term A-1 Borrowing shall consist of Term A-1 Loans made simultaneously by the Term A-1 Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentage of the Term A-1 Facility. Any Term A-1 Borrowing repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Term A-1 Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein; provided, that, any Term A-1 Borrowing made on the Closing Date or any of the three (3) Business Days following the Closing Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless the Borrower delivers a Funding Indemnity Letter not less than three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such Term A-1 Borrowing.

(b) Term A-2 Borrowing. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Term A-2 Lender severally agrees to make a Term A-2 Loan to the Borrower, in Dollars, on the Closing Date in an amount not to exceed such Term A-2 Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Term A-2 Facility. Each Term A-2 Borrowing shall consist of Term A-2 Loans made simultaneously by the Term A-2 Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentage of the Term A-2 Facility. Any Term A-2 Borrowing repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Term A-2 Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein; provided, that, any Term A-2 Borrowing made on the Closing Date or any of the three (3) Business Days following the Closing Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless the Borrower delivers a Funding Indemnity Letter not less than three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such Term A-2 Borrowing.

 

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(c) Revolving Borrowings. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Revolving Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Revolving Loan”) to the Borrower, in Dollars, from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided, that, after giving effect to any Revolving Borrowing, (i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Revolving Facility, and (ii) the Revolving Exposure of any Revolving Lender shall not exceed such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment. Within the limits of each Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow Revolving Loans, prepay Revolving Loans under Section 2.05, and reborrow Revolving Loans under this Section 2.01(c). Revolving Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein; provided, that, any Revolving Borrowings made on the Closing Date or any of the three (3) Business Days following the Closing Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless the Borrower delivers a Funding Indemnity Letter not less than three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such Revolving Borrowing.

(d) Incremental Term Borrowings. Subject to Section 2.02(g), on the effective date of any Incremental Term Facility Agreement for any Incremental Term Facility, each Incremental Term Lender under such Incremental Term Facility severally agrees to make an Incremental Term Loan in a single advance to the Borrower in the amount of such Incremental Term Lender’s Incremental Term Commitment for such Incremental Term Facility; provided, that, after giving effect to such Incremental Term Loans, the Outstanding Amount of such Incremental Term Loans under such Incremental Term Facility shall not exceed the aggregate amount of the Incremental Term Commitments for such Incremental Term Facility. Each Incremental Term Borrowing under an Incremental Term Facility shall consist of Incremental Term Loans made simultaneously by the Incremental Term Lenders under such Incremental Term Facility in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages of such Incremental Term Facility. Incremental Term Borrowings prepaid or repaid may not be reborrowed. Incremental Term Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

(a) Notice of Borrowing. Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, in each case, shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone or a Loan Notice; provided, that, any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Loan Notice. Each Loan Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three (3) Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) one (1) Business Day prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, in connection with any conversion or continuation of a Term Loan, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding). Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, in connection with any

 

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conversion or continuation of a Term Loan, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding). Each Loan Notice and each telephonic notice shall specify (A) the applicable Facility and whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, a continuation of Loans, as the case may be, under such Facility, (B) the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (C) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (D) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (E) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one (1) month. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, this Section 2.02 shall not apply to Swingline Loans.

(b) Advances. Following receipt of a Loan Notice for a Facility, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Appropriate Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage under such Facility of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Appropriate Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in Section 2.02(a). In the case of a Borrowing, each Appropriate Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 10:00 a.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds, or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided, that, if on the date a Loan Notice with respect to a Revolving Borrowing is given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Revolving Borrowing, first, shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second, shall be made available to the Borrower as provided above.

(c) Eurodollar Rate Loans. Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders, and the Required Lenders may demand that any or all of the outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loans be converted immediately to Base Rate Loans.

(d) Interest Rates. Each determination of an interest rate by the Administrative Agent pursuant to any provision of this Agreement shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower and the Lenders in the absence of manifest error.

(e) Interest Periods. After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten (10) Interest Periods in effect under this Agreement.

 

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(f) Cashless Settlement Mechanism. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Lender may exchange, continue or rollover all or the portion of its Loans in connection with any refinancing, extension, loan modification or similar transaction permitted by the terms of this Agreement, pursuant to a cashless settlement mechanism approved by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Lender.

(g) Increases in Revolving Facility; Incremental Term Facilities. The Borrower may increase the Revolving Facility (but not the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swingline Sublimit) and/or establish one or more new tranches of term loans (each such new tranche of term loans being an “Incremental Term Facility” and collectively, the “Incremental Term Facilities”; each such increase in the Revolving Facility and/or Incremental Term Facility, an “Incremental Facility” and collectively, the “Incremental Facilities”), by a maximum aggregate amount for all such Incremental Facilities not to exceed $125,000,000, as follows:

(i) Increases in Revolving Facility. The Borrower may at any time after the Closing Date and prior to the date that is six (6) months prior to the Revolving Facility Maturity Date, upon prior written notice by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, increase the Revolving Facility (but not the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swingline Sublimit) with additional Revolving Commitments from any Revolving Lender or new Revolving Commitments from one or more other Persons selected by the Borrower and acceptable to the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the L/C Issuer (so long as such Persons would be Eligible Assignees); provided, that:

(A) any such increase shall be in a minimum principal amount of $10,000,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof;

(B) no Default shall exist and be continuing at the time of any such increase;

(C) no existing Lender shall be under any obligation to increase its Revolving Commitment and any such decision whether to increase its Revolving Commitment shall be in such Lender’s sole and absolute discretion;

(D) (1) any new Lender shall join this Agreement by executing such joinder documents as are required by the Administrative Agent, and/or (2) any existing Lender electing to increase its Revolving Commitment shall have executed a commitment agreement satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(E) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of the Borrower dated as of the date of such increase and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, (1) the representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall (x) with respect to representations and warranties that contain a materiality qualification, be true and correct on and as of the date of such increase, and (y) with respect to representations and warranties that do not contain a materiality qualification, be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such increase, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.02(g)(i)(E)(1), the representations and warranties contained in Sections 5.05(a) and (b) shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) and (b), respectively, and (2) no Default exists;

 

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(F) the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (1) a certificate of each Loan Party, dated as of the date of such increase and signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party, certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase, and (2) if requested by the Administrative Agent, an opinion or opinions of counsel for the Loan Parties, dated as of the date of such increase and addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(G) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that, upon giving Pro Forma Effect to any such increase (and assuming for such calculation that such increase is fully drawn), the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 as of the most recent fiscal quarter end for which the Borrower was required to deliver financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b) (it being understood and agreed that for purposes of calculating the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio for such purpose, the identifiable proceeds of such increase shall not qualify as Designated Cash for the purposes of clause (a)(ii) of the definition of Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio);

(H) the Administrative Agent shall have received such amendments to the Collateral Documents as the Administrative Agent reasonably requests to cause the Collateral Documents to secure the Secured Obligations after giving effect to such increase in the Revolving Facility;

(I) the Administrative Agent shall have received (1) evidence as to whether each Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property, and (2) if such Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property, (x) evidence as to whether the community in which such real property is located is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, (y) the applicable Loan Party’s written acknowledgment of receipt of written notification from the Administrative Agent (I) as to the fact that such Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property, and (II) as to whether the community in which each such Flood Hazard Property is located is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, and (z) copies of insurance policies or certificates of insurance of the Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries evidencing flood insurance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and naming the Administrative Agent and its successors and/or assigns as sole loss payee on behalf of the Secured Parties; and

(J) Schedule 1.01(b) shall be deemed revised to include any increase in the Revolving Facility pursuant to this Section 2.02(g)(i) and to include thereon any Person that becomes a Revolving Lender pursuant to this Section 2.02(g)(i).

The Borrower shall prepay any Revolving Loans owing by it and outstanding on the date of any such increase (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Revolving Loans ratable with any revised Revolving Commitments arising from any non-ratable increase in the Revolving Facility pursuant to this Section 2.02(g)(i).

 

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(ii) Institution of Incremental Term Facilities. The Borrower may at any time after the Closing Date and prior to the date that is six (6) months prior to the Term A-1 Facility Maturity Date, upon prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, establish an Incremental Term Facility to be provided by one or more Incremental Term Lenders; provided, that:

(A) any such Incremental Term Facility shall be in a minimum aggregate principal amount of $10,000,000 and integral multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof;

(B) no Default shall exist and be continuing at the time of the establishment of any such Incremental Term Facility;

(C) no existing Lender shall be under any obligation to become an Incremental Term Lender and any such decision whether to become an Incremental Term Lender shall be in such Lender’s sole and absolute discretion;

(D) the Borrower (in consultation and coordination with the Administrative Agent) shall obtain Incremental Term Commitments for such Incremental Term Facility from existing Lenders or other Persons acceptable to the Administrative Agent, which Persons shall join in this Agreement as Incremental Term Lenders by executing am agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth the terms applicable to such Incremental Term Facility in accordance with this Section 2.02(g)(ii) (any such agreement, an “Incremental Term Facility Agreement”);

(E) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of the Borrower dated as of the effective date of such Incremental Term Facility and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that, before and after giving effect to the establishment of such Incremental Term Facility, (1) the representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall (x) with respect to representations and warranties that contain a materiality qualification, be true and correct on and as of the date of such establishment, and (y) with respect to representations and warranties that do not contain a materiality qualification, be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such establishment, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.02(g)(ii)(E)(1), the representations and warranties contained in Sections 5.05(a) and (b) shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) and (b), respectively, and (2) no Default exists;

(F) the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (1) a certificate of each Loan Party, dated as of the date of the establishment of such Incremental Term Facility and signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party, certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such Incremental Term Facility, and (2) if requested by the Administrative Agent, an opinion or opinions of counsel for the Loan Parties, dated as of the effective date of such Incremental Term Facility and addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

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(G) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that, upon giving Pro Forma Effect to any such Incremental Term Facility, the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 as of the most recent fiscal quarter end for which the Borrower was required to deliver financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b) (it being understood and agreed that for purposes of calculating the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio for such purpose, the identifiable proceeds of such Incremental Term Facility shall not qualify as Designated Cash for the purposes of clause (a)(ii) of the definition of Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio);

(H) Schedule 1.01(b) shall be deemed revised to include the Incremental Term Commitments for such Incremental Term Facility pursuant to this Section 2.02(g)(ii) and to include thereon any Person that becomes an Incremental Term Lender pursuant to this Section 2.02(g)(ii);

(I) the Incremental Term Facility Maturity Date for such Incremental Term Facility shall be as set forth in the Incremental Term Facility Agreement relating to such Incremental Term Facility; provided, that, such date shall not be earlier than (x) the Term A-1 Facility Maturity Date, in the case of any Incremental Term Facility that is not an Incremental Farm Credit Term Facility, and (y) the Term A-2 Facility Maturity Date, in the case of any Incremental Term Facility structured as a “farm credit” term loan and provided by Incremental Term Lenders that are farm credit lenders (and such Incremental Term Facility, an “Incremental Farm Credit Term Facility”);

(J) the scheduled principal amortization payments under such Incremental Term Facility shall be as set forth in the Incremental Term Facility Agreement relating to such Incremental Term Facility; provided, that, the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Incremental Term Loans made under such Incremental Term Facility shall not be shorter than (x) the then-remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Term A-1 Loans, in the case of any Incremental Term Facility that is not an Incremental Farm Credit Term Facility, and (y) the then-remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Term A-2 Loans, in the case of any Incremental Farm Credit Term Facility;

(K) to the extent any of the terms of the Incremental Term Loans under such Incremental Term Facility (other than as set forth in this Section 2.02(g)(ii)) are not substantially consistent with the terms of the Term A-1 Facility (in the case of any Incremental Term Facility that is not an Incremental Farm Credit Term Facility) or the Term A-2 Facility (in the case of any Incremental Farm Credit Term Facility), as applicable, such terms shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

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(L) the Administrative Agent shall have received (1) evidence as to whether each Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property, and (2) if such Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property, (x) evidence as to whether the community in which such real property is located is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, (y) the applicable Loan Party’s written acknowledgment of receipt of written notification from the Administrative Agent (I) as to the fact that such Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property, and (II) as to whether the community in which each such Flood Hazard Property is located is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, and (z) copies of insurance policies or certificates of insurance of the Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries evidencing flood insurance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and naming the Administrative Agent and its successors and/or assigns as sole loss payee on behalf of the Secured Parties; and

(M) the Administrative Agent shall have received such amendments to the Collateral Documents as the Administrative Agent reasonably requests to cause the Collateral Documents to secure the Secured Obligations after giving effect to the establishment of such Incremental Term Facility.

2.03 Letters of Credit.

(a) The Letter of Credit Commitment.

(i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Revolving Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03, (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with Section 2.03(b), and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Revolving Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and any drawings thereunder; provided, that, after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Revolving Facility, (y) the Revolving Exposure of any Revolving Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit. Each request by the Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.

(ii) The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit if:

(A) subject to Section 2.03(b)(iv), the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve (12) months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Revolving Lenders have approved such expiry date; or

 

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(B) the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Revolving Lenders have approved such expiry date.

(iii) The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

(A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing the Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to the Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

(B) the issuance of the Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;

(C) except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, the Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $500,000;

(D) the Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars; or

(E) any Revolving Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or such Revolving Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion.

(iv) The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.

(v) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to the Letter of Credit.

 

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(vi) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Revolving Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

(b) Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit.

(i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (and/or such Subsidiary, as required by the L/C Issuer). Such Letter of Credit Application may be sent by fax transmission, by United States mail, by overnight courier, by electronic transmission using the system provided by the L/C Issuer, by personal delivery or by any other means acceptable to the L/C Issuer. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 8:00 a.m. at least two (2) Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (1) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (2) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (3) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (4) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.

(ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Revolving Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one (1) Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower (or the applicable Subsidiary) or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Revolving Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Revolving Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

 

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(iii) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

(iv) If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided, that, any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve (12) month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve (12) month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Revolving Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, that, the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of Section 2.03(a)(ii), Section 2.03(a)(iii) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven (7) Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Revolving Lenders have elected not to permit such extension, or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Revolving Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

(c) Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.

(i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof. Not later than 8:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing. If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Revolving Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Revolving Percentage thereof. In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Revolving Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Revolving Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided, that, the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

 

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(ii) Each Revolving Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral provided for this purpose) for the account of the L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Revolving Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 10:00 a.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Revolving Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.

(iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Revolving Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each Revolving Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03.

(iv) Until each Revolving Lender funds its Revolving Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Revolving Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

(v) Each Revolving Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, that, each Revolving Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Loan Notice). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

(vi) If any Revolving Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), then, without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent),on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment

 

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is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Revolving Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Revolving Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this Section 2.03(c)(vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) Repayment of Participations.

(i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Revolving Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Revolving Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

(ii) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Revolving Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Revolving Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause (ii) shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

(e) Obligations Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other Loan Document;

(ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement or by such Letter of Credit, the transactions contemplated hereby or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

 

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(iii) any draft, demand, endorsement, certificate or other document presented under or in connection with such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

(iv) waiver by the L/C Issuer of any requirement that exists for the L/C Issuer’s protection and not the protection of the Borrower or any waiver by the L/C Issuer which does not in fact materially prejudice the Borrower;

(v) honor of a demand for payment presented electronically even if such Letter of Credit requires that demand be in the form of a draft;

(vi) any payment made by the L/C Issuer in respect of an otherwise complying item presented after the date specified as the expiration date of, or the date by which documents must be received under, such Letter of Credit if presentation after such date is authorized by the UCC or the ISP, as applicable;

(vii) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or

(viii) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

(f) Role of L/C Issuer. Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight or time draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for: (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Revolving Lenders or the Required Revolving Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, that, this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer

 

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shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in Section 2.03(e); provided, that, anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves, as determined by a final nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight or time draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring, endorsing or assigning or purporting to transfer, endorse or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason. The L/C Issuer may send a Letter of Credit or conduct any communication to or from the beneficiary via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication message or overnight courier, or any other commercially reasonable means of communicating with a beneficiary.

(g) Applicability of ISP; Limitation of Liability. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued, the rules of the ISP shall apply to each Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible to the Borrower for, and the L/C Issuer’s rights and remedies against the Borrower shall not be impaired by, any action or inaction of the L/C Issuer required or permitted under any law, order, or practice that is required or permitted to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including the Law or any order of a jurisdiction where the L/C Issuer or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements, or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade—International Financial Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), or the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, whether or not any Letter of Credit chooses such law or practice.

(h) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender in accordance, subject to Section 2.15, with its Applicable Revolving Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the first Business Day following each fiscal quarter end of the Borrower, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand, and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

(i) Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Fee Letter, computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on or prior to the date that is ten (10) Business Days following each fiscal quarter end of the Borrower, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand.

 

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For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06. In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

(j) Conflict with Issuer Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.

(k) Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

2.04 Swingline Loans.

(a) The Swingline. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, may in its sole discretion make loans to the Borrower (each such loan, a “Swingline Loan”). Each such Swingline Loan may be made, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, to the Borrower, in Dollars, from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swingline Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swingline Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Revolving Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swingline Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided, that, (i) after giving effect to any Swingline Loan, (A) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Revolving Facility, and (B) the Revolving Exposure of any Revolving Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, (ii) the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Swingline Loan to refinance any outstanding Swingline Loan, and (iii) the Swingline Lender shall not be under any obligation to make any Swingline Loan if it shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that it has, or by such Credit Extension may have, Fronting Exposure. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow Swingline Loans under this Section 2.04, prepay Swingline Loans under Section 2.05, and reborrow Swingline Loans under this Section 2.04. Each Swingline Loan shall bear interest only at a rate based on the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate. Immediately upon the making of a Swingline Loan, each Revolving Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swingline Lender a risk participation in such Swingline Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Revolving Percentage times the amount of such Swingline Loan.

(b) Borrowing Procedures. Each Swingline Borrowing shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone or a Swingline Loan Notice; provided, that, any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent of a Swingline Loan Notice. Each such Swingline Loan Notice must be received by the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. on the requested borrowing date,

 

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and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $100,000, and (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day). Promptly after receipt by the Swingline Lender of any Swingline Loan Notice, the Swingline Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swingline Loan Notice and, if not, the Swingline Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Unless the Swingline Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Revolving Lender) prior to 11:00 a.m. on the date of the proposed Swingline Borrowing (A) directing the Swingline Lender not to make such Swingline Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the second sentence of Section 2.04(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article IV is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swingline Lender may make the amount of its Swingline Loan available to the Borrower at its office by crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of the Swingline Lender in immediately available funds.

(c) Refinancing of Swingline Loans.

(i) The Swingline Lender at any time in its sole discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swingline Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Revolving Lender make a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Revolving Percentage of the amount of Swingline Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Revolving Facility and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02. The Swingline Lender shall furnish the Borrower with a copy of the applicable Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent. Each Revolving Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Revolving Percentage of the amount specified in such Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds for the account of the Swingline Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 10:00 a.m. on the day specified in such Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Revolving Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swingline Lender.

(ii) If for any reason any Swingline Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Base Rate Loans submitted by the Swingline Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swingline Lender that each of the Revolving Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swingline Loan and each Revolving Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swingline Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

(iii) If any Revolving Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swingline Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), the Swingline Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment

 

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is immediately available to the Swingline Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swingline Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swingline Lender in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Revolving Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swingline Loan, as the case may be. A certificate of the Swingline Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(iv) Each Revolving Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the Swingline Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, that, each Revolving Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Loan Notice). No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swingline Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

(d) Repayment of Participations.

(i) At any time after any Revolving Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swingline Loan, if the Swingline Lender receives any payment on account of such Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender will distribute to such Revolving Lender its Applicable Revolving Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swingline Lender.

(ii) If any payment received by the Swingline Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swingline Loan is required to be returned by the Swingline Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swingline Lender in its discretion), each Revolving Lender shall pay to the Swingline Lender its Applicable Revolving Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate. The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swingline Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause (ii) shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

(e) Interest for Account of Swingline Lender. The Swingline Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swingline Loans. Until each Revolving Lender funds its Base Rate Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Revolving Percentage of any Swingline Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Revolving Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swingline Lender.

 

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(f) Payments Directly to Swingline Lender. The Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swingline Loans directly to the Swingline Lender.

2.05 Prepayments.

(a) Optional.

(i) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent pursuant to delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Notice of Loan Prepayment, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Term Loans and/or Revolving Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty (subject to Section 3.05); provided, that, unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, (A) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (1) three (3) Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans, and (2) one (1) Business Day prior to any date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (B) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (C) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s ratable portion of such prepayment (based on such Lender’s Applicable Percentage in respect of the relevant Facility). If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Each prepayment of the outstanding Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(a) shall be applied to the then-existing Term Loans on a pro rata basis, and to the principal repayment installments thereof on a pro rata basis. Subject to Section 2.15, such prepayments shall be paid to the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages in respect of each of the relevant Facilities.

(ii) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Swingline Lender pursuant to delivery to the Swingline Lender of a Notice of Loan Prepayment (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swingline Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided, that, unless otherwise agreed by the Swingline Lender, (A) such notice must be received by the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (B) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess hereof (or, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding). Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of principal shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.

 

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(b) Mandatory.

(i) Dispositions and Involuntary Dispositions. The Borrower shall prepay the Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as hereinafter provided in an aggregate amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Net Cash Proceeds received by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary from all Dispositions and all Involuntary Dispositions, within three (3) Business Days of the date of such Disposition or such Involuntary Disposition; provided, that: (A) the Borrower shall only be required to prepay the Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(i) to the extent the Net Cash Proceeds received by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in connection with any such Disposition or such Involuntary Disposition exceed $1,000,000; and (B) such Net Cash Proceeds shall not be required to be so applied if, at the election of the Borrower (as notified by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date of such Disposition or such Involuntary Disposition), such Loan Party or such Subsidiary reinvests all or any portion of such Net Cash Proceeds in Eligible Assets within one hundred eighty (180) days of the date of such Disposition or such Involuntary Disposition (or to the extent such Loan Party or such Subsidiary commits within such one hundred eighty (180) day-period to make such reinvestment, within one hundred eighty (180) days after such one hundred eighty (180) day-period); provided, further, that, if such Net Cash Proceeds shall have not been so reinvested by the end of such period(s), such Net Cash Proceeds shall be immediately applied to prepay the Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as hereinafter provided. Any prepayment pursuant to this clause (i) shall be applied as set forth in clause (iv) below.

(ii) Debt Issuance. Promptly upon the receipt by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Debt Issuance, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as hereinafter provided in an aggregate amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of such Net Cash Proceeds. Any prepayment pursuant to this clause (ii) shall be applied as set forth in clause (iv) below.

(iii) Extraordinary Receipts. Promptly upon receipt by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of any Extraordinary Receipt received by or paid to or for the account of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as hereinafter provided in an aggregate principal amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of such Extraordinary Receipts; provided, that, the Borrower shall only be required to prepay the Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(iii) to the extent such Extraordinary Receipt received by or paid to or for the account of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary exceeds $1,000,000. Any prepayment pursuant to this clause (iii) shall be applied as set forth in clause (iv) below.

(iv) Application of Payments. Each prepayment required pursuant to Sections 2.05(b)(i), 2.05(b)(ii) or 2.05(b)(iii) shall be applied, first, to the then-existing Term Loans on a pro rata basis, and to the principal repayment installments thereof on a pro rata basis,second, to the outstanding Swingline Loans, third, to the outstanding Revolving Loans (without a corresponding permanent reduction of the Revolving Facility), and fourth, after the outstanding Revolving Loans have been paid in full, to Cash Collateralize the remaining L/C Obligations. Subject to Section 2.15, such prepayments shall be paid to the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages in respect of each of the relevant Facilities. Within the parameters of the applications set forth above, prepayment required pursuant to Sections 2.05(b)(i), 2.05(b)(ii) or 2.05(b)(iii) shall be applied first to Base Rate Loans and then to Eurodollar Rate Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities. All prepayments required pursuant to Sections 2.05(b)(i), 2.05(b)(ii) or 2.05(b)(iii) shall be subject to Section 3.05, but otherwise without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.

 

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(v) Revolving Outstandings. If for any reason the Total Revolving Outstandings at any time exceed the Revolving Facility at such time, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Revolving Loans, Swingline Loans and L/C Borrowings (together with all accrued but unpaid interest thereon) and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided, that, the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(v) unless, after the prepayment of the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans, the Total Revolving Outstandings at such time exceed the Revolving Facility at such time.

2.06 Termination or Reduction of Commitments.

(a) Optional. The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Revolving Facility, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swingline Sublimit, or from time to time permanently reduce the Revolving Facility, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swingline Sublimit; provided, that, unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five (5) Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, and (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce (A) the Revolving Facility if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Revolving Outstandings would exceed the Revolving Facility, (B) the Letter of Credit Sublimit if, after giving effect thereto, the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations not fully Cash Collateralized hereunder would exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit, or (C) the Swingline Sublimit if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Outstanding Amount of Swingline Loans would exceed the Swingline Sublimit.

(b) Mandatory.

(i) The aggregate Term Commitments shall be automatically and permanently reduced to zero following the Term Borrowing to occur on the Closing Date.

(ii) If after giving effect to any reduction or termination of Revolving Facility under this Section 2.06, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swingline Sublimit at such time exceeds the Revolving Facility at such time, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swingline Sublimit, as the case may be, shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess.

(c) Application of Commitment Reductions; Payment of Fees. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any termination or reduction of the Letter of Credit Sublimit, the Swingline Sublimit or the Revolving Facility under this Section 2.06. Upon any reduction of the Revolving Facility, the Revolving Commitment of each Revolving Lender shall be reduced by such Lender’s Applicable Revolving Percentage of such reduction amount. All fees in respect of the Revolving Facility accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Revolving Facility shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

 

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2.07 Repayment of Loans.

(a) Term A-1 Loans. The Borrower shall repay the outstanding principal amount of the Term A-1 Loans in installments on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and on the Term A-1 Facility Maturity Date, in each case, in the respective amounts set forth in the table below (which amounts shall be reduced as a result of the application of prepayments in accordance with the order of priority set forth in Section 2.05), unless accelerated sooner pursuant to Section 8.02:

 

Payment Dates

   Principal Amortization Payment (% of
Term A-1 Facility Advanced on the
Closing Date)
 

December, 2018

     0.625

March, 2019

     0.625

June, 2019

     0.625

September, 2019

     0.625

December, 2019

     0.625

March, 2020

     0.625

June, 2020

     0.625

September, 2020

     0.625

December, 2020

     1.250

March, 2021

     1.250

June, 2021

     1.250

September, 2021

     1.250

December, 2021

     1.875

March, 2022

     1.875

June, 2022

     1.875

September, 2022

     1.875

December, 2022

     1.875

March, 2023

     1.875

June, 2023

     1.875

Term A-1 Facility Maturity Date

    

Outstanding Principal Balance of

    Term A-1 Loans

 

 

provided, that, the final principal repayment installment of the Term A-1 Loans shall be repaid on the Term A-1 Facility Maturity Date and in any event shall be in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all Term A-1 Loans outstanding on such date.

 

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(b) Term A-2 Loans. The Borrower shall repay the outstanding principal amount of the Term A-2 Loans in installments on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and on the Term A-2 Facility Maturity Date, in each case, in the respective amounts set forth in the table below (which amounts shall be reduced as a result of the application of prepayments in accordance with the order of priority set forth in Section 2.05), unless accelerated sooner pursuant to Section 8.02:

 

Payment Dates

   Principal Amortization Payment (% of
Term A-2 Facility Advanced on the
Closing Date)
 

December, 2018

     0.250

March, 2019

     0.250

June, 2019

     0.250

September, 2019

     0.250

December, 2019

     0.250

March, 2020

     0.250

June, 2020

     0.250

September, 2020

     0.250

December, 2020

     0.250

March, 2021

     0.250

June, 2021

     0.250

September, 2021

     0.250

December, 2021

     0.250

March, 2022

     0.250

June, 2022

     0.250

September, 2022

     0.250

December, 2022

     0.250

March, 2023

     0.250

June, 2023

     0.250

September, 2023

     0.250

December, 2023

     4.375

March, 2024

     4.375

June, 2024

     4.375

September, 2024

     4.375

December, 2024

     4.375

March, 2025

     4.375

June, 2025

     4.375

Term A-2 Facility Maturity Date

    

Outstanding Principal Balance of

    Term A-2 Loans

 

 

provided, that, the final principal repayment installment of the Term A-2 Loans shall be repaid on the Term A-2 Facility Maturity Date and in any event shall be in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all Term A-2 Loans outstanding on such date.

 

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(c) Revolving Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Revolving Lenders on the Revolving Facility Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans outstanding on such date.

(d) Swingline Loans. The Borrower shall repay each Swingline Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date ten (10) Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made, and (ii) the Revolving Facility Maturity Date.

2.08 Interest and Default Rate.

(a) Interest. Subject to the provisions of Section 2.08(b), (i) each Revolving Loan or Term A-1 Loan that is a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate for Revolving Loans and Term A-1 Loans that are Eurodollar Rate Loans; (ii) each Term A-2 Loan that is a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate for Term A-2 Loans that are Eurodollar Rate Loans; (iii) each Revolving Loan or Term A-1 Loan that is a Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate for Revolving Loans and Term A-1 Loans that are Base Rate Loans; (iv) each Term A-2 Loan that is a Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate for Term A-2 Loans that are Base Rate Loans; and (v) each Swingline Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate. To the extent that any calculation of interest or any fee required to be paid under this Agreement shall be based on (or result in) a calculation that is less than zero, such calculation shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

(b) Default Rate.

(i) (A) If any amount of principal of any Loan payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, or (B) an Event of Default pursuant to Section 8.01(f) or Section 8.01(g) exists, all outstanding Obligations shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(iii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, all outstanding Obligations (including Letter of Credit Fees) may accrue at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

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(iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

(c) Interest Payments. Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

2.09 Fees.

In addition to certain fees described in Sections 2.03(h) and (i):

(a) Commitment Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender in accordance with its Applicable Revolving Percentage, a commitment fee (the “Commitment Fee”) equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Revolving Facility exceeds the sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans, plus (ii) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15. For the avoidance of doubt, the Outstanding Amount of Swingline Loans shall not be counted towards or considered usage of the Revolving Facility for purposes of determining the Commitment Fee. The Commitment Fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The Commitment Fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

(b) Other Fees.

(i) The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent and MLPFS, for their own respective accounts, fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

(ii) The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate.

(a) Computation of Interest and Fees. All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365 day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid; provided, that, any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one (1) day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

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(b) Financial Statement Adjustments or Restatements. If, as a result of any restatement of or other adjustment to the financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or for any other reason, the Borrower, or the Lenders determine that (i) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as calculated by the Borrower as of any applicable date was inaccurate, and (ii) a proper calculation of the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing for such period, the Borrower shall immediately and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, promptly on demand by the Administrative Agent (or, after the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, automatically and without further action by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), an amount equal to the excess of the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over the amount of interest and fees actually paid for such period. This Section 2.10(b) shall not limit the rights of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under any provision of this Agreement to payment of any Obligations hereunder at the Default Rate or under Article VIII. The Borrower’s obligations under this Section 2.10(b) shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.

2.11 Evidence of Debt.

(a) Maintenance of Accounts. The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a promissory note in the form of Exhibit I (each, a “Note”), which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

(b) Maintenance of Records. In addition to the accounts and records referred to in Section 2.11(a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

 

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2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

(a) General. All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage in respect of the relevant Facility (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 11:00 a.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. Except as otherwise specifically provided for in this Agreement, if any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

(b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 9:00 a.m. on the date of such Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

(ii) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Appropriate Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has

 

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not in fact made such payment, then each of the Appropriate Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this Section 2.12(b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Term Loans and Revolving Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 11.04(c).

(e) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

(f) Pro Rata Treatment. Except to the extent otherwise provided herein: (i) each Borrowing (other than Swingline Borrowings) shall be made from the Appropriate Lenders, each payment of fees under Section 2.03(h), Section 2.03(i) and Section 2.09 shall be made for account of the Appropriate Lenders, and each termination or reduction of the amount of the Commitments shall be applied to the respective Commitments of the Lenders, pro rata according to the amounts of their respective Commitments; (ii) each Borrowing shall be allocated pro rata among the Lenders according to the amounts of their respective Commitments (in the case of the making of Revolving Loans) or their respective Loans that are to be included in such Borrowing (in the case of conversions and continuations of Loans); (iii) each payment or prepayment of principal of Loans by the Borrower shall be made for account of the Appropriate Lenders pro rata in accordance with the respective unpaid principal amounts of the Loans held by them; and (iv) each payment of interest on Loans by the Borrower shall be made for account of the Appropriate Lenders pro rata in accordance with the amounts of interest on such Loans then due and payable to the respective Appropriate Lenders.

 

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2.13 Sharing of Payments by Lenders.

If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of (a) Obligations in respect of any of the Facilities due and payable to such Lender hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time in excess of its ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Obligations due and payable to such Lender at such time, to (ii) the aggregate amount of the Obligations in respect of the Facilities due and payable to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time) of payments on account of the Obligations in respect of the Facilities due and payable to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time obtained by all the Lenders at such time, or (b) Obligations in respect of any of the Facilities owing (but not due and payable) to such Lender hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time in excess of its ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Obligations owing (but not due and payable) to such Lender at such time, to (ii) the aggregate amount of the Obligations in respect of the Facilities owing (but not due and payable) to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time) of payments on account of the Obligations in respect of the Facilities owing (but not due and payable) to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time obtained by all of the Lenders at such time, then, in each case under clauses (a) and (b) above, the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (A) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (B) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of Obligations in respect of the Facilities then due and payable to the Lenders or owing (but not due and payable) to the Lenders, as the case may be; provided, that: (1) if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and (2) the provisions of this Section 2.13 shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (y) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 2.14, or (z) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swingline Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section 2.13 shall apply). Each Loan Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable Law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the amount of such participation.

2.14 Cash Collateral.

(a) Certain Credit Support Events. If (i) the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, (ii) as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, (iii) the Borrower shall be required to provide Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.05 or Section 8.02(c), or (iv) there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower shall immediately (in the case of clause (iii) above) or within one (1) Business Day (in all other cases) following any request by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, provide Cash Collateral in an amount not less than the applicable Minimum Collateral Amount (determined in the case of Cash Collateral provided pursuant to clause (iv) above, after giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

(b) Grant of Security Interest. The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all

 

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balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.14(c). If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency. All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in one or more blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America. The Borrower shall pay on demand therefor from time to time all customary account opening, activity and other administrative fees and charges in connection with the maintenance and disbursement of Cash Collateral.

(c) Application. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.14 or Sections 2.03, 2.05, 2.15 or 8.02 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Revolving Lender that is a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may be provided for herein.

(d) Release. Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or to secure other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Revolving Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 11.06(b)(vi))), or (ii) the determination by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, that, (A) any such release shall be without prejudice to, and any disbursement or other transfer of Cash Collateral shall be and remain subject to, any other Lien conferred under the Loan Documents and the other applicable provisions of the Loan Documents, and (B) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the L/C Issuer may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

2.15 Defaulting Lenders.

(a) Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:

(i) Waivers and Amendments. Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in (A) the definitions of “Required Lenders,” “Required Revolving Lenders,” “Required Term A-1 Lenders,” and “Required Term A-2 Lenders,” and (B) Section 11.01.

(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 11.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative

 

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Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.14; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (A) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement, and (B) Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.14; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise as may be required under the Loan Documents in connection with any Lien conferred thereunder or directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided, that, if (1) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (2) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(v). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.15(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees.

(A) Fees. No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any Commitment Fee payable under Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such Commitment Fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

(B) Letter of Credit Fees. Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive Letter of Credit Fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Applicable Revolving Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.14.

 

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(C) Defaulting Lender Fees. With respect to any Letter of Credit Fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (B) above, the Borrower shall (1) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations that has been reallocated to such Non- Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv) below, (2) pay to the L/C Issuer the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (3) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

(iv) Reallocation of Applicable Revolving Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure. All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Revolving Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment) but only to the extent that such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Revolving Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment. Subject to Section 11.20, no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

(v) Cash Collateral, Repayment of Swingline Loans. If the reallocation described in clause (a)(iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under applicable Law, (A) first, prepay Swingline Loans in an amount equal to the Swingline Lender’s Fronting Exposure, and (B) second, Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.14.

(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the L/C Issuer agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided, that, no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; provided, further, that, except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

 

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ARTICLE III

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

3.01 Taxes.

(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 Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws. If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party, then the Administrative Agent or such Loan Party shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.01(e).

(ii) If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to Section 3.01(e), (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

(iii) If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to Section 3.01(e), (B) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Loan Parties. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(a), the Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

(c) Tax Indemnifications.

(i) Each of the Loan Parties shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01)

 

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payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each of the Loan Parties shall also, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender or the L/C Issuer for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii).

(ii) Each Lender and the L/C Issuer shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, (A) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender or the L/C Issuer (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (B) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register, and (C) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this Section 3.01(c)(ii).

(d) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority, as provided in this Section 3.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(e) Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.

(i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup

 

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withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(1) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty, and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

(2) executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI;

(3) in the case of a Foreign 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 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”), and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable); or

 

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(4) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit J-2 or Exhibit J-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided, that, if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit J-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies (or originals, as required) of any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by 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 and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the Closing Date.

(iii) Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender or the L/C Issuer, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to such Loan Party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity

 

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payments made, or additional amounts paid, by such Loan Party under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, 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, each Loan Party, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to such Loan Party (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 3.01(f), in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to such Loan Party pursuant to this Section 3.01(f) the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient 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 Section 3.01(f) shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

(g) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

3.02 Illegality.

If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending Office to perform any of its obligations hereunder or to make, maintain or fund or charge interest with respect to any Credit Extension or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (a) any obligation of such Lender to issue, make, maintain, fund or charge interest with respect to any such Credit Extension or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (b) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (i) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

 

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3.03 Inability to Determine Rates.

(a) If in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, (i) the Administrative Agent determines that (A) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (B) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan (in each case with respect to clause (i), “Impacted Loans”), or (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Appropriate Lenders determine that for any reason Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (A) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (B) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Appropriate Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent has made the determination described in Section 3.03(a)(i), the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower and the Appropriate 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 (i) the Administrative Agent revokes the notice delivered with respect to the Impacted Loans under Section 3.03(a)(i), (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Appropriate 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 (iii) 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.

3.04 Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.

(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(d)) or the L/C Issuer;

(ii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes, and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

 

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(iii) impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in Section 3.04(a) or Section 3.04(b) and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d) Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans. The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, (i) as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), and (ii) as long as such Lender shall be required to comply with any reserve ratio requirement or analogous requirement of any central banking or financial regulatory authority imposed in respect of the maintenance of the Commitments or the funding of the Loans, such additional costs (expressed as a percentage per annum and rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest five decimal places) equal to the actual costs allocated to such Commitment or Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in

 

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good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), which in each case shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan; provided, that, the Borrower shall have received at least ten (10) days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest or costs from such Lender. If a Lender fails to give notice ten (10) days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable ten (10) days from receipt of such notice.

(e) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation; provided, that, the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine (9) months prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine (9) month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

3.05 Compensation for Losses.

Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Eurodollar Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

(c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 11.13;

including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing. For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.

3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender, the L/C Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then

 

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at the request of the Borrower, such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall, as applicable, use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or Section 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or the L/C Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 3.06(a), the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.13.

3.07 LIBOR Successor Rate.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Borrower or the Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent (with, in the case of the Required Lenders, a copy to Borrower) that the Borrower or the Required Lenders (as applicable) have determined, that: (a) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining LIBOR for any requested Interest Period, including because the LIBOR Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary; or (b) the administrator of the LIBOR Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which LIBOR or the LIBOR Screen Rate shall no longer be made available, or used for determining the interest rate of loans (such specific date, the “Scheduled Unavailability Date”); or (c) syndicated loans currently being executed, or that include language similar to that contained in this Section 3.07, are being executed or amended (as applicable) to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace LIBOR; then, reasonably promptly after such determination by the Administrative Agent or receipt by the Administrative Agent of such notice, as applicable, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace LIBOR with an alternate benchmark rate (including any mathematical or other adjustments to the benchmark (if any) incorporated therein), giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar Dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities for such alternative benchmarks (any such proposed rate, a “LIBOR Successor Rate”), together with any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes and any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the Administrative Agent shall have posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Required Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that the Required Lenders do not accept such amendment.

If no LIBOR Successor Rate has been determined and the circumstances under clause (a) above exist or the Scheduled Unavailability Date has occurred (as applicable), the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (i) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (ii) the Eurodollar Rate component shall no longer be utilized in determining the Base Rate. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans

 

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or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans (subject to the foregoing clause (ii)) in the amount specified therein. Notwithstanding anything else herein, any definition of LIBOR Successor Rate shall provide that in no event shall such LIBOR Successor Rate be less than zero for purposes of this Agreement.

3.08 Survival.

All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, resignation of the Administrative Agent and the Facility Termination Date.

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

4.01 Conditions of Initial Credit Extension.

The effectiveness of this Agreement and the obligation of the L/C Issuer and each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder are subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a) Execution of Credit Agreement; Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, each executed by (i) a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party (and, in the case of (A) the Mexican Share Pledge Agreement, executed pursuant to power of attorney granted before or notarized by a Mexican notary public, (B) the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement, executed pursuant to powers of attorney (1) duly registered before the Peruvian Corporations Public Registry (Registro de Personas Jurídicas), (2) granted before or notarized by a Peruvian Public Notary, or (3) granted by the competent corporate body or Person of the corresponding Loan Party, which must comply with all Peruvian applicable Laws to obtain its registration in the Corporations Public Registry (Registro de Personas Jurídicas, and (C) each PACA Waiver, executed by each Subsidiary party thereto), and (ii) in the case of this Agreement, by each Lender.

(b) Organization Documents, Resolutions, Etc. The Administrative Agent shall have received the following, each of which shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent: (i) copies of the Organization Documents of each Loan Party certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the jurisdiction of its organization and certified by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party to be true and correct as of the Closing Date; (ii) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates, and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party; (iii) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its jurisdiction of organization.

(c) Legal Opinions of Counsel. The Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion or opinions (including, if requested by the Administrative Agent, local counsel opinions) of counsel for the Loan Parties, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

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(d) Financial Statements. The Administrative Agent shall have received copies of (i) the Audited Financial Statements, (ii) audited Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2016 and October 31, 2015, in each case along with the related Consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal years of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto, (iii) the Arato 2016 Audited Financial Statements, (iv) the Arato 2015 Audited Financial Statements, (v) the Interim Financial Statements, (vi) a pro forma combined balance sheet and related statements of income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, prepared after giving effect to the Transactions as if the Transactions had occurred on the first day of such period and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (the “Pro Forma Financial Statements”), and (vii) projections and a budget for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis (including a balance sheet and related statements of income and cash flows), on an annual basis for the first five (5) years following the Closing Date.

(e) No Material Adverse Effect. Since October 31, 2017, there shall not have occurred any event or condition that has had or would be reasonably expected, either individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(f) Personal Property Collateral. The Administrative Agent shall have received, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

(i) (A) searches of UCC filings in the jurisdiction of organization of each Loan Party and each jurisdiction where any Collateral is located or where a filing would need to be made in order to perfect the Administrative Agent’s security interest in the Collateral, copies of the financing statements on file in such jurisdictions and evidence that no Liens exist other than Permitted Liens, and (B) tax lien and judgment searches;

(ii) searches of ownership of registered and pending Intellectual Property in the United States Copyright Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office and duly executed notices of grant of security interest in the form required by the Collateral Documents as are necessary, in the Administrative Agent’s reasonable discretion, to perfect the Administrative Agent’s security interest in such Intellectual Property;

(iii) completed UCC financing statements for each appropriate jurisdiction as is necessary, in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion, to perfect the Administrative Agent’s security interest in the Collateral;

(iv) (A) to the extent required to be delivered pursuant to the terms of the Collateral Documents, stock, equity, share or membership certificates and endorsements of, or recordings of, or notations on, such certificates evidencing Equity Interests pledged pursuant to the terms of the Collateral Documents, together with, where applicable, undated stock or transfer powers duly executed in blank, and (B) evidence that the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement has been filed with the Peruvian Contracts Public Registry (Registro Mobiliario de Contratos) in order to register the share pledge to be created through the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, as a first priority lien, pursuant to the terms of the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement; and

(v) to the extent required to be delivered pursuant to the terms of the Collateral Documents, all instruments, documents and chattel paper in the possession of any of the Loan Parties, together with allonges or assignments as may be necessary or appropriate to perfect the Administrative Agent’s security interest in the Collateral.

 

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(g) Real Property Collateral. The Administrative Agent shall have received, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

(i) an executed Mortgage and all Mortgaged Property Support Documents with respect to each Mortgaged Property; and

(ii) completed “Life-of-Loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to each Mortgaged Property (together with a notice about special flood hazard area status and flood disaster assistance duly executed by each Loan Party relating thereto).

(h) Liability, Casualty, Property, Terrorism and Business Interruption Insurance. The Administrative Agent shall have received copies of insurance certificates and endorsements of insurance evidencing liability, casualty, property, terrorism and business interruption insurance meeting the requirements set forth herein or in the Collateral Documents or as required by the Administrative Agent, including (i) standard flood hazard determination forms, and (ii) if any property is located in a special flood hazard area (A) notices to (and confirmations of receipt by) each applicable Loan Party as to the existence of a special flood hazard and, if applicable, the unavailability of flood hazard insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program, and (B) evidence of applicable flood insurance, if available, in each case in such form, on such terms and in such amounts as required by The National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 or as otherwise required by the Administrative Agent.

(i) Solvency Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a Solvency Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as to the financial condition, solvency and related matters of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a Consolidated basis, after giving effect to the Transactions.

(j) Officer’s Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (i) certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 4.01(e), (k), (l) and (m) and Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied, (ii) certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of the Arato Holding Acquisition Agreement and all other definitive documentation executed and delivered in connection with the Arato Holding Acquisition, and (iii) demonstrating (with supporting detail and calculations satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) that, upon giving Pro Forma Effect to the Transactions, for the four fiscal quarter period of the Borrower ended as of July 31, 2018, (A) the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio is not greater than 3.50 to 1.0, and (B) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is not less than 1.50 to 1.0.

(k) Arato Holding Acquisition. The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence that the Arato Holding Acquisition (including the Arato Holding Acquisition Subscription) shall have been consummated in compliance with applicable law and regulatory approvals and substantially in accordance with the Arato Holding Acquisition Agreement.

(l) No Litigation. There shall not exist any action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened in any court or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(m) Consents. The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence that all Board of Director, governmental, shareholder and third party consents and approvals necessary in connection with the Loan Documents and the Transactions have been obtained and are in full force and effect.

(n) Existing Indebtedness of the Loan Parties. All of the existing Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, other than Indebtedness permitted to exist pursuant to Section 7.02, shall be repaid in full and all commitments, all guarantees and, subject to Section 6.19(a), all security interests related thereto shall be terminated on or prior to the Closing Date.

(o) Farm Credit Equity Investments. The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence that, consistent with Section 6.15, the Borrower has purchased Farm Credit Equities in the Farm Credit Members party hereto on the Closing Date.

(p) Due Diligence; PATRIOT Act; Beneficial Ownership. The Administrative Agent and each Lender shall have completed a due diligence investigation of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in scope, and with results, reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and such Lender, including, OFAC, the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and “know your customer” due diligence. The Loan Parties shall have provided to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders the documentation and other customary information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in order to comply with applicable law, including the PATRIOT Act. If the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, the Administrative Agent and each Lender, to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, shall have received a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower.

(q) Fees. The Administrative Agent, each Arranger and the Lenders shall have received any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date.

(r) Attorney Costs. The Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided, that, such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent).

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, 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.

 

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4.02 Conditions to all Credit Extensions.

The obligation of each Lender and the L/C Issuer to honor any Request for Credit Extension is subject to the following conditions precedent:

(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall (i) with respect to representations and warranties that contain a materiality qualification, be true and correct on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, and (ii) with respect to representations and warranties that do not contain a materiality qualification, be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and warranties contained in Sections 5.05(a) and (b) shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) and (b), respectively.

(b) Default. No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.

(c) Request for Credit Extension. The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender, shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.

Each Request for Credit Extension submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Each Loan Party represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, as of the date made or deemed made, that:

5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power.

Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business, and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.02 Authorization; No Contravention.

The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is or is to be a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents, (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries, or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject, or (c) violate any Law.

 

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5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.

No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with (a) the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (b) the grant by any Loan Party of the Liens granted by it pursuant to the Collateral Documents, (c) the perfection or maintenance of the Liens created under the Collateral Documents (including the first priority nature thereof), or (d) to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, the exercise by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of its rights under the Loan Documents or the remedies in respect of the Collateral pursuant to the Collateral Documents, other than (i) authorizations, approvals, actions, notices and filings which have been duly obtained, and (ii) filings to perfect the Liens created by the Collateral Documents.

5.04 Binding Effect.

Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. Each Loan Document when so delivered constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party that is party thereto, enforceable against each such Loan Party in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity.

5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

(a) Audited Financial Statements. The Mission Produce Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations, cash flows and changes in shareholder’s equity for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness. The Arato 2017 Audited Financial Statements (A) were prepared in accordance with IFRS consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, (B) fairly present the financial condition of Arato, Beggie, Olmos, Olmos II, Agritrade and Avopack, as applicable, as of the date thereof and their results of operations and changes in shareholder’s equity for the period covered thereby in accordance with IFRS consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (C) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of Arato, Beggie, Olmos, Olmos II, Agritrade and Avopack, as applicable, as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.

(b) Interim Financial Statements. The Mission Produce Interim Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations and cash flows (if applicable) for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments. The Arato Interim Financial Statements (A) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period

 

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covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (B) fairly present the financial condition of Arato, Beggie, Olmos, Olmos II, Agritrade and Avopack, as applicable, as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (A) and (B), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.

(c) Material Adverse Effect. Since October 31, 2017, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(d) Pro Forma Financial Statements. The Pro Forma Financial Statements fairly present the Consolidated pro forma financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and the Consolidated pro forma results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, in each case after giving effect to the Transactions and in accordance with GAAP.

(e) Budget and Projections. The budget and projections of the Borrower most recently delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 4.01(d)(v) or Section 6.01(c) were prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed by management of the Borrower to be reasonable in light of the conditions existing at the time that such budget and projections were prepared, and represented, at the time of such preparation, the Borrower’s reasonable estimate of its future financial condition and performance.

5.06 Litigation.

There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (b) either individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.07 No Default.

Neither any Loan Party nor any Subsidiary is in default under or with respect to, or a party to, any Contractual Obligation that could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the Transactions or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

5.08 Ownership of Property.

Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries has good record and marketable (indefeasible with respect to any Texas real property) title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.09 Environmental Compliance.

(a) The Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries (i) have complied and are in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, and (ii) have not received any written claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, except, for clauses (i) or (ii), as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(b) None of the properties currently or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, formerly owned or operated by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is listed or proposed for listing on the NPL or any analogous foreign, state or local list or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, is adjacent to any such property; there are no and never have been any underground or above-ground storage tanks or any surface impoundments, septic tanks, pits, sumps or lagoons in which Hazardous Materials are being or have been treated, stored or disposed on any property currently owned or operated by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the best knowledge of the Loan Parties, on any property formerly owned or operated by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, in a manner that would reasonably be expected to result in material liability under Environmental Laws to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries; there is no asbestos or asbestos-containing material on any property currently owned or operated by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to result in material liability under Environmental Laws to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries; and neither any Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, any other Person, has released, discharged or disposed of Hazardous Materials on any property currently or formerly owned or operated by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries in a manner that would reasonably be expected to result in material liability under Environmental Laws to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries.

(c) Neither any Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries is undertaking, and has not completed, either individually or together with other potentially responsible parties, any investigation or assessment or remedial or response action relating to any actual or threatened release, discharge or disposal of Hazardous Materials at any site, location or operation, either voluntarily or pursuant to the order of any Governmental Authority or the requirements of any Environmental Law; and neither any Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, any other Person, has disposed of any Hazardous Materials generated, used, treated, handled or stored at, or transported to or from, any property currently or formerly owned or operated by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries in a manner that would reasonably be expected to result in material liability under Environmental Laws to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries.

5.10 Insurance.

The properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the applicable Loan Party or the applicable Subsidiary operates. The general liability, casualty, property, terrorism and business interruption insurance coverage of the Loan Parties as in effect on the Closing Date is outlined as to carrier, policy number, expiration date, type, amount and deductibles on Schedule 5.10, and such insurance coverage complies with the requirements set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

5.11 Taxes.

Each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal, state and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no proposed tax assessment against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect, nor is there any tax sharing agreement applicable to the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

 

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5.12 ERISA Compliance.

(a) Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other federal or state laws. Each Pension Plan that is intended to be a qualified plan under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter or is subject to a favorable opinion letter from the IRS to the effect that the form of such Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and the trust related thereto has been determined by the IRS to be exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Code, or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS. To the knowledge of the Loan Parties, nothing has occurred that would prevent, or cause the loss of, such tax-qualified status.

(b) There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred, and no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate is aware of any fact, event or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to constitute or result in an ERISA Event with respect to any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (ii) as of the most recent valuation date for any Pension Plan, the funding target attainment percentage (as defined in Section 430(d)(2) of the Code) is sixty percent (60%) or higher and no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate knows of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause the funding target attainment percentage for any such plan to drop below sixty percent (60%) as of the most recent valuation date; (iii) no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability to the PBGC other than for the payment of premiums, and there are no premium payments which have become due that are unpaid; (iv) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or Section 4212(c) of ERISA; and (v) no Pension Plan has been terminated by the plan administrator thereof nor by the PBGC, and no event or circumstance has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to cause the PBGC to institute proceedings under Title IV of ERISA to terminate any Pension Plan.

(d) As of the Closing Date, the Borrower is not and will not be using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments.

5.13 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a) Margin Regulations. The Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. Following the application of the proceeds of each Borrowing or drawing under each Letter of Credit, not more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower only or of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis) subject to the provisions of Section 7.01 or Section 7.05 or subject to any restriction contained in any agreement or instrument between the Borrower and any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender relating to Indebtedness and within the scope of Section 8.01(e) will be margin stock.

 

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(b) Investment Company Act. None of the Borrower, any Person Controlling the Borrower, or any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

5.14 Disclosure.

The Borrower has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries or any other Loan Party is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, that, with respect to projected financial information, each Loan Party represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time, it being understood and agreed that such financial information as it relates to future events is not to be viewed as fact and that actual results during the period or periods covered by such financial information may differ materially from the projected results set forth therein. As of the Closing Date, the information included in any Beneficial Ownership Certification delivered to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, if applicable, is true and correct in all respects.

5.15 Compliance with Laws.

Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary is in compliance with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.16 Solvency.

The Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a Consolidated basis, are Solvent.

5.17 Casualty, Etc.

Neither the businesses nor the properties of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries are affected by any fire, explosion, accident, strike, lockout or other labor dispute, drought, storm, hail, earthquake, embargo, act of God or of the public enemy or other casualty (whether or not covered by insurance) that, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.18 Sanctions Concerns and Anti-Corruption Laws.

(a) Sanctions Concerns. No Loan Party, nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority, or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.

 

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(b) Anti-Corruption Laws. The Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have conducted their business in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions, and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

5.19 Subsidiaries; Equity Interests; Loan Parties.

(a) Subsidiaries, Joint Ventures, Partnerships and Equity Investments. Set forth on Schedule 5.19(a) is a complete and accurate list as of the Closing Date of: (i) all Subsidiaries, joint ventures and partnerships and other equity investments of the Loan Parties; (ii) the number of shares of each class of Equity Interests in each Subsidiary outstanding; (iii) the number and percentage of outstanding shares of each class of Equity Interests owned by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries; and (iv) the class or nature of such Equity Interests (i.e. voting, non-voting, preferred, etc.). The outstanding Equity Interests in all Subsidiaries are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and are owned free and clear of all Liens. There are no outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, rights or other agreements or commitments (other than stock options granted to employees or directors and directors’ qualifying shares) of any nature relating to the Equity Interests of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, except as contemplated in connection with the Loan Documents.

(b) Loan Parties. Set forth on Schedule 5.19(b) is a complete and accurate list as of the Closing Date of each Loan Party’s: (i) exact legal name; (ii) jurisdiction of its organization; (iii) address of its chief executive office (and address of its principal place of business if different than its chief executive office address); (iv) U.S. federal taxpayer identification number; and (v) organization identification number.

5.20 Collateral Representations.

(a) Collateral Documents. The provisions of the Collateral Documents are effective to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a legal, valid and enforceable first priority Lien (subject to Permitted Liens) on all right, title and interest of the respective Loan Parties in the Collateral described therein. Except for filings completed prior to the Closing Date and as contemplated hereby and by the Collateral Documents (including, with respect to the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement, the security interest created by the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement, which will be perfected with its registration in the Contracts Public Registry (Registro Mobiliario de Contratos)), no filing or other action will be necessary to perfect or protect such Liens.

(b) Intellectual Property. Set forth on Schedule 5.20(b), as of the Closing Date, is a list of all Intellectual Property registered or pending registration with the United States Copyright Office or the United States Patent and Trademark Office and owned by each Loan Party as of the Closing Date. Except for such claims and infringements that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no claim has been asserted and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning the use of any Intellectual Property or the validity or effectiveness of any Intellectual Property, nor does any Loan Party know of any such claim, and the use of any Intellectual Property by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or the granting of a right or a

 

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license in respect of any Intellectual Property from any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries does not infringe on the rights of any Person. As of the Closing Date, none of the Intellectual Property owned by any of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries is subject to any licensing agreement or similar arrangement (other than non-exclusive outbound licenses entered into in the ordinary course of business) except as set forth on Schedule 5.20(b).

(c) Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts. Set forth on Schedule 5.20(c), as of the Closing Date, is a description of all deposit accounts and all securities accounts of the Loan Parties maintained in the United States, including the name of (A) the applicable Loan Party, (B) in the case of a deposit account, the depository institution and average daily balance (as of the close of business) held in such deposit account and whether such account is an Excluded Account, and (C) in the case of a securities account, the securities intermediary or issuer and the average aggregate daily market value (as of the close of business) held in such securities account, as applicable.

(d) Real Properties. Set forth on Schedule 5.20(d), as of the Closing Date, is a list of all real property located in the United States that is owned or leased by any Loan Party (in each case, including (i) the name of the Loan Party owning (or leasing) such property, (ii)(A) to the extent such property is a Mortgaged Property, the number of buildings located on such property, and (B) to the extent such property is a leased property, an indication as to whether (1) any books and records (electronic or otherwise) are maintained as such leased property, or (2) personal property Collateral with a value in excess of $2,000,000 is located at such leased property, (iii) the property address, (iv) the city, county, state and zip code which such property is located, and (v) a designation as to whether such real property is an H-2A Property or a Mortgaged Property).

5.21 EEA Financial Institutions.

No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

5.22 Regulation H.

No Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property unless the Administrative Agent shall have received the following: (a) the applicable Loan Party’s written acknowledgment of receipt of written notification from the Administrative Agent (i) as to the fact that such Mortgaged Property is a Flood Hazard Property, (ii) as to whether the community in which each such Flood Hazard Property is located is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, and (iii) such other flood hazard determination forms, notices and confirmations thereof as requested by the Administrative Agent, and (b) copies of insurance policies or certificates of insurance of the applicable Loan Party evidencing flood insurance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and naming the Administrative Agent as loss payee on behalf of the Lenders. All flood hazard insurance policies required hereunder have been obtained and remain in full force and effect, and the premiums thereon have been paid in full.

5.23 Labor Matters.

As of the Closing Date, there are no collective bargaining agreements or Multiemployer Plans covering the employees of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than the Chicago Collective Bargaining Agreement). Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has suffered any strikes, walkouts, work stoppages or other material labor difficulty within the last five (5) years preceding the Closing Date.

 

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5.24 PACA License.

Subject to Section 6.19(b), any Loan Party or any Subsidiary required to be licensed under PACA, holds a PACA License, and such PACA License is in full force and effect.

ARTICLE VI

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

Each of the Loan Parties hereby covenants and agrees that on the Closing Date and thereafter until the Facility Termination Date:

6.01 Financial Statements.

The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (for further distribution to each Lender), in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

(a) Audited Financial Statements. As soon as available, but in any event within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower (or, with respect to the fiscal year of the Borrower ending October 31, 2018, one hundred fifty (150) days), a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit.

(b) Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available, but in any event within forty-five (45) days after the end of each fiscal quarter of each fiscal year of the Borrower (or, with respect to the fiscal quarters of the Borrower ending January 31, 2019, April 30, 2019, July 31, 2019 and October 31, 2019, sixty (60) days), a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller who is a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes; provided, that, (i) for the fiscal quarter ending October 31, 2018, the Borrower shall only be required to deliver the Required October 2018 Financial Statements, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP or IFRS, as applicable, and certified by the by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller who is a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting the financial condition and results of operations of such Persons and their Subsidiaries (if applicable), subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes, and (ii) for any fiscal quarter of the Borrower ending prior January 31, 2020, the Borrower shall not be required to deliver a statement of cash flows in connection with the delivery of quarterly financial statements pursuant to this Section 6.01(b).

 

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(c) Budget and Projections. As soon as available, but in any event no later than sixty (60) days after the beginning of each fiscal year of the Borrower, projections and a budget for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis (including a balance sheet and related statements of income and cash flows), on a quarterly basis for such fiscal year.

(d) Moruga. If applicable, concurrently with the delivery of any financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(b), the related unaudited consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Moruga from such Consolidated financial statements.

As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 6.02(c), the Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish such information under Section 6.01(a) or (b), but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in Sections 6.01(a) and (b) at the times specified therein.

6.02 Certificates; Other Information.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, deliver to the Administrative Agent (for further distribution to each Lender), in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

(a) Compliance Certificate. Concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b), (i) a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller which is a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, including (A) a certification that no Default has occurred and is continuing (or, if a Default has occurred and is continuing, describing the nature and status of each such Default and actions that have been taken or are proposed to be taken to cure such Default), (B)(1) a certification of compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11, and (2) a calculation of the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio, in each case including financial covenant calculations for the period covered by the Compliance Certificate, (C) a listing of (1) all applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office by any Loan Party, if any, for any Intellectual Property made since the date of the most recent prior Compliance Certificate (or, in the case of the first Compliance Certificate delivered after the Closing Date pursuant to this Section 6.02(a), the Closing Date), (2) all issuances of registrations or letters on existing applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office by any Loan Party, if any, for any Intellectual Property received since the date of the most recent prior Compliance Certificate (or, in the case of the first Compliance Certificate delivered after the Closing Date pursuant to this Section 6.02(a), the Closing Date), and (3) all licenses relating to any Intellectual Property registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office entered into by any Loan Party since the date of the most recent prior Compliance Certificate (or, in the case of the first Compliance Certificate delivered after the Closing Date pursuant to this Section 6.02(a), the Closing Date), (D) an accounting of the amount of all PACA Payables (other than any PACA Payables owing to any Subsidiary) existing as of the end of the period covered by the Compliance Certificate, and (E) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 6.01(a), updated evidence of insurance for any insurance coverage of any Loan Party that was renewed, replaced or modified during the period covered by such Compliance Certificate, and (ii) a copy of management’s discussion and analysis with respect to such financial statements. Unless the Administrative Agent requests executed originals, delivery of the Compliance Certificate may be by electronic communication including fax or email and shall be deemed to be an original and authentic counterpart thereof for all purposes.

 

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(b) Audit Reports; Management Letters; Recommendations. Promptly after any request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of any detailed audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the Board of Directors (or the audit committee of the Board of Directors) of any Loan Party by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or any audit of any of them.

(c) Annual Reports; Etc. Promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of any Loan Party, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which any Loan Party may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or

15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or with any national securities exchange, and in any case not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto.

(d) Debt Securities Statements and Reports. Promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any statement or report furnished to any holder of debt securities of any Loan Party or of any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement governing Indebtedness with in an aggregate principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.01 or any other clause of this Section 6.02.

(e) SEC Notices. Promptly, and in any event within five (5) Business Days after receipt thereof by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, copies of each notice or other correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation or other inquiry by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.

(f) Notices. Not later than five (5) Business Days after receipt thereof by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, copies of all notices, requests and other documents (including amendments, waivers and other modifications) so received under or pursuant to any instrument, indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement evidencing Indebtedness having an aggregate outstanding principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount.

(g) Environmental Notice. Promptly after the assertion or occurrence thereof, notice of any action or proceeding against or of any noncompliance by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries with any Environmental Law or Environmental Permit that could (i) reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) cause any Mortgaged Property to be subject to any material restrictions on ownership, occupancy, use or transferability under any Environmental Law.

(h) Additional Information. Promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial, legal or corporate affairs of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent) may from time to time reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(c) (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 date (a) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 1.01(a), or (b) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access

 

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(whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided, that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon its request to the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by fax transmission or e-mail transmission) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by e-mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or an Affiliate thereof may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”), and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify that portion of the Borrower Materials that may be distributed to the Public Lenders and that (i) all such Borrower Materials shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof, (ii) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, any Affiliate thereof, each Arranger, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws (provided, that, to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.07), (iii) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information,” and (iv) the Administrative Agent and any Affiliate thereof and each Arranger shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall be under no obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC”.

6.03 Notices.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, promptly, but in any event within two (2) Business Days, notify the Administrative Agent (and, upon receipt of any such notice, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender):

(a) of the occurrence of any Default;

(b) of any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(c) of the occurrence of any ERISA Event;

(d) of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, including any determination by the Borrower referred to in Section 2.10(b);

 

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(e) of the commencement of, or any material development in, any action, suit, proceeding, claim, litigation or dispute at law, in equity , in arbitration or otherwise, by or against the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or against the properties or revenues of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, if the amount claimed thereunder exceeds the Threshold Amount;

(f) of any (i) occurrence of any Disposition or Involuntary Disposition for which the a mandatory prepayment is required pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(i), (ii) Debt issuance for which a mandatory prepayment is required pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(ii), or (iii) receipt of any Extraordinary Receipt for which a mandatory prepayment is required pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(iii); or

(g) any change in the information provided in the Beneficial Ownership Certification that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in parts (c) or (d) of such certification.

Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 (other than pursuant to Section 6.03(g)) shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and to the extent applicable, stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.

6.04 Payment of Obligations.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all its obligations and liabilities, including (a) all tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by the Borrower or such Subsidiary, (b) all lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon its property, and (c) all Indebtedness, as and when due and payable, but subject to any subordination provisions contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing such Indebtedness, except, in any case, to the extent the failure to pay or discharge the same could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc.

(a) Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.05.

(b) Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses (including, for the avoidance of doubt, but subject to Section 6.19(b), maintenance of a PACA License by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary required to be licensed under PACA) and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, preserve or renew all of its registered Intellectual Property, the non-preservation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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6.06 Maintenance of Properties.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted; (b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its facilities.

6.07 Maintenance of Insurance.

(a) Maintenance of Insurance. Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons, including (i) terrorism insurance, and (ii) flood hazard insurance on all Mortgaged Properties that are Flood Hazard Properties, on such terms and in such amounts as required by the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 or as otherwise required by the Administrative Agent.

(b) Evidence of Insurance. Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (i) cause the Administrative Agent to be named as lenders’ loss payable, loss payee or mortgagee, as its interest may appear, and/or additional insured with respect of any such insurance providing liability coverage or coverage in respect of any Collateral, and cause, unless otherwise agreed to by the Administrative Agent, each provider of any such insurance to agree, by endorsement upon the policy or policies issued by it or by independent instruments furnished to the Administrative Agent that it will give the Administrative Agent thirty (30) days prior written notice before any such policy or policies shall be altered or cancelled (or ten (10) days prior notice in the case of cancellation due to the nonpayment of premiums), and (ii) annually, upon expiration of current insurance coverage, provide, or cause to be provided, to the Administrative Agent, such evidence of insurance as required by the Administrative Agent, including, but not limited to, (A) evidence of such insurance policies (including, as applicable, ACORD Form 28 certificates (or similar form of insurance certificate) and ACORD Form 25 certificates (or similar form of insurance certificate)), and (B) endorsements naming the Administrative Agent as lenders’ loss payable, loss payee or mortgagee, as its interest may appear, and/or additional insured with respect of any such insurance.

(c) Redesignation. Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, promptly notify the Administrative Agent of any Mortgaged Property that is, or becomes, a Flood Hazard Property.

6.08 Compliance with Laws.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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6.09 Books and Records.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as the case may be; and (b) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.

6.10 Inspection Rights.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided, that, unless an Event of Default exists, only the Administrative Agent may exercise rights under this Section 6.10 and such visits and inspections shall be limited to no more than once in any calendar year; provided, further, that, when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.

6.11 Use of Proceeds.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions (a) to refinance certain existing Indebtedness, (b) to finance working capital, and (c) for other general corporate purposes; provided, that, in no event shall the proceeds of the Credit Extensions be used in contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document.

6.12 Covenant to Guarantee Obligations.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, within thirty (30) days (or such longer period of time as is agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) after the acquisition or formation of any Subsidiary (including upon the formation of any Subsidiary that is a Delaware Divided LLC), cause any Person that is a Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary to become a Guarantor hereunder by way of execution of a Joinder Agreement and, in connection with the foregoing, deliver to the Administrative Agent, with respect to each new Guarantor, substantially the same documentation required pursuant to Sections 4.01(b), (f), (g), (h) and (p), Section 6.13, and, to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, customary opinions of counsel to such Person and such other deliveries reasonably deemed necessary in connection therewith, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

6.13 Covenant to Give Security.

Each Loan Party shall:

(a) Equity Interests. Except with respect to Excluded Property, cause (i) one hundred percent (100%) of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests directly owned by such Loan Party in each of its Domestic Subsidiaries, and (ii) sixty five percent (65%) (or such greater percentage that, due to a change in an applicable Law after the Closing Date, (A) could not reasonably be expected to cause the undistributed earnings of such Foreign Subsidiary as determined for United

 

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States federal income tax purposes to be treated as a deemed dividend to such Foreign Subsidiary’s United States parent, and (B) could not reasonably be expected to cause any material adverse tax consequences) of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) and one hundred percent (100%) of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests not entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)), in each case, directly owned by such Loan Party in each of its Foreign Subsidiaries, in each case, to be subject at all times to a first priority, perfected Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents (it being understood and agreed that, with respect to the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement, the security interest created by the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement will be perfected with its registration in the Contracts Public Registry (Registro Mobiliario de Contratos)), together with, to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, opinions of counsel and any filings and deliveries necessary in connection therewith to perfect the security interests therein, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(b) Other Property. Except with respect to Excluded Property, cause all property of such Loan Party to be subject at all times to first priority (subject only to Permitted Liens), perfected and, in the case of owned real property, title insured, Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, to secure the Secured Obligations pursuant to the Collateral Documents or, with respect to any such property acquired subsequent to the Closing Date, such other additional security documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request and, in connection with the foregoing, deliver to the Administrative Agent such other documentation as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request including filings and deliveries necessary to perfect such Liens, Organization Documents, resolutions, Mortgages, Mortgaged Property Support Documents and, to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, favorable opinions of counsel to such Person, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(c) Landlord Waivers. In the case of each real property leased by such Loan Party where (i) such Loan Party maintains any books and records (electronic or otherwise), or (ii) any personal property Collateral with a value in excess of $2,000,000 is located, in either case, provide the Administrative Agent with such estoppel letters, consents and waivers, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, from the landlords on such real property to the extent (A) requested by the Administrative Agent, and (B) the Loan Parties are able to secure such letters, consents and waivers after using commercially reasonable efforts (it being understood and agreed that a Loan Party shall have until the date that is ninety (90) days (or such longer period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion) following the Closing Date to comply with this Section 6.13(c) solely with respect to any estoppel letters, consents and waivers that are required to be delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to this Section 6.13(c)).

(d) Qualifying Control Agreements. To the extent requested by the Administrative Agent with respect to any deposit account or any securities account of such Loan Party, cause such deposit account (other than (i) any deposit account maintained with the Administrative Agent or any Lender, and (ii) any Excluded Account) or such securities account at all times to be subject to a Qualifying Control Agreement (it being understood that a Loan Party shall have (A) until the date that is one hundred twenty (120) days (or such longer period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion) following the Closing Date to comply with this Section 6.13(d) with respect to any deposit account or any securities account existing as of the Closing Date, and (B) sixty (60) days (or such longer period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion) to comply with this Section 6.13(d) solely with respect to any deposit account or any securities account acquired or established after the Closing Date (such period to be measured from the date of acquisition or establishment)).

 

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(e) Mortgaged Property Support Documents for the Corporate Office Site. Within ninety (90) days (or such longer period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion) of the date of issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the improvements on the Corporate Office Site, deliver to the Administrative Agent (i) an ALTA mortgagee title insurance policy issued by a title insurance company acceptable to the Administrative Agent with respect to the Corporate Office Site, assuring the Administrative Agent that the Mortgage covering the Corporate Office Site creates a valid and enforceable first priority mortgage lien on the Corporate Office Site, free and clear of all defects and encumbrances except Permitted Liens, which title insurance policy shall otherwise be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and shall include such endorsements as are reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, and

(ii) such other Mortgaged Property Support Documents as are requested by the Administrative Agent with respect to the Corporate Office Site.

6.14 Further Assurances.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, promptly upon request by the Administrative Agent, or any Lender through the Administrative Agent, (a) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in any Loan Document or in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation thereof, and (b) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent, or any Lender through the Administrative Agent, may reasonably require from time to time in order to (i) carry out more effectively the purposes of the Loan Documents, (ii) subject any Loan Party’s properties, assets, rights or interests to the Liens now or hereafter intended to be covered by any of the Collateral Documents, (iii) perfect and maintain the validity, effectiveness and priority of any of the Collateral Documents and any of the Liens intended to be created thereunder, and (iv) assure, convey, grant, assign, transfer, preserve, protect and confirm more effectively unto the Secured Parties the rights granted or now or hereafter intended to be granted to the Secured Parties under any Loan Document or under any other instrument executed in connection with any Loan Document to which any Loan Party is or is to be a party.

6.15 Farm Credit Equities.

(a) So long as (i) a Farm Credit Member is a Lender or a Voting Participant hereunder, and (ii) such Farm Credit Member has notified the Borrower that it is eligible to receive patronage distributions directly from such Farm Credit Member or one of its Affiliates on account of the Term A-2 Loan made (or participated in) by such Farm Credit Member hereunder, the Borrower shall, as a condition to receiving such patronage distributions, acquire Equity Interests in such Farm Credit Member or one of its Affiliates in such amounts and at such times as such Farm Credit Member may require in accordance with such Farm Credit Member’s or its Affiliate’s bylaws and capital plan or similar documents (as each may be amended from time to time); provided, that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the maximum amount of Equity Interests that the Borrower may be required to purchase in such Farm Credit Member or one of its Affiliates in connection with the Term A-2 Loans made by such Farm Credit Member hereunder shall not exceed the maximum amount required by the applicable bylaws, capital plan and related documents, in each case, (A) as in effect (and in the form provided to the Borrower) on the Closing Date, or (B) in the case of a Farm Credit Member that becomes a Lender or a Voting Participant as a result of an assignment or sale of a participation or sub-participation, as in effect (and in the form

 

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provided to the Borrower) at the time of the closing of the related assignment or sale of participation or sub-participation. The Borrower acknowledges receipt of the documents from the Farm Credit Members identified on Schedule 6.15 as of the Closing Date (together with any similar documents delivered to the Borrower in connection with a Farm Credit Member that becomes a Lender or a Voting Participant as a result of an assignment or sale of a participation or sub-participation after the Closing Date, the “Farm Credit Equity Documents”), which describe the nature of the Equity Interests in a Farm Credit Member or its Affiliate required to be acquired by the Borrower in connection with the Term A-2 Loans made (or participated in) by such Farm Credit Member (the “Farm Credit Equities”), as well as applicable capitalization requirements, and the Borrower agrees to be bound by the terms thereof.

(b) Each party hereto acknowledges that (i) the Farm Credit Equity Documents shall govern (A) the rights and obligations of the parties with respect to the Farm Credit Equities and any patronage refunds or other distributions made on account thereof or on account of the Borrower’s patronage with the respective Farm Credit Members, (B) the Borrower’s eligibility for patronage distributions from the respective Farm Credit Members or their Affiliates (in the form of Farm Credit Equities and/or cash), and (C) patronage distributions, if any, in the event of a sale by a Farm Credit Member of participations or sub-participations in the Term A-2 Loans made (or participated in) by such Farm Credit Member, (ii) patronage refunds or other distributions by each Farm Credit Member or one of its Affiliates are subject to various conditions, including approval by the applicable board of directors of such Farm Credit Member or Affiliate with respect to each such refund or other distribution, and (iii) the Borrower (and not an Affiliate of the Borrower) will be the owner of the Farm Credit Equities issued by the applicable Farm Credit Member or an Affiliate thereof. Each Farm Credit Member reserves the right to assign or sell participations or sub-participations in all or any part of its Term A-2 Loans hereunder on a non-patronage basis (and/or to a Lender that pays no patronage or pays patronage that is lower than the patronage paid by the transferring Farm Credit Member) in accordance with Section 11.06(e).

(c) Each party hereto acknowledges that each Farm Credit Member (or its Affiliate) has a statutory first lien pursuant to the Farm Credit Act on all Farm Credit Equities of such Farm Credit Member (or its Affiliate) that the Borrower may now own or hereafter acquire, which statutory lien shall be for such Farm Credit Member’s (or its Affiliate’s) sole and exclusive benefit. The Farm Credit Equities of a particular Farm Credit Member (or its Affiliate) shall not constitute security for the Secured Obligations due to any other Lender. To the extent that any of the Loan Documents create a Lien on the Farm Credit Equities of a Farm Credit Member (or its Affiliate) or on patronage accrued by such Farm Credit Member (or its Affiliate) for the account of the Borrower (including, in each case, proceeds thereof), such Lien shall be for such Farm Credit Member’s sole and exclusive benefit and shall not be subject to pro rata sharing hereunder. Neither the Farm Credit Equities nor any accrued patronage shall be offset against the Secured Obligations except that, in the event of an Event of Default, a Farm Credit Member may elect, solely at its discretion, to apply the cash portion of any patronage distribution or retirement of equity to amounts due under this Agreement. The Borrower acknowledges that any corresponding tax liability associated with such application is the sole responsibility of the Borrower. No Farm Credit Member shall have an obligation to retire the Farm Credit Equities of such Farm Credit Member upon any Event of Default, any Default or any other default by the Borrower, or at any other time, either for application to the Secured Obligations or otherwise.

 

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6.16 Principal Depository Bank.

Each Loan Party shall maintain, within one hundred twenty (120) days of the Closing Date (or such longer period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), its principal deposit and operating accounts, and its principal cash management and depository relationship, in each case, with a Lender.

6.17 Anti-Corruption Laws.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, conduct its business in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

6.18 PACA.

Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to: (a) include language on all invoices and requests for payment with respect to produce or other perishable agricultural commodities capable of being subject to PACA providing that: “The perishable agricultural commodities listed on this invoice are sold subject to the statutory trust authorized by §5(c) of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, 1930 (7 U.S.C. § 499e(c)). The seller of these commodities retains a trust claim over these commodities, all inventories of food or other products derived from these commodities, and any receivables or proceeds from the sale of these commodities until full payment is received.”, or such other language as may be prescribed pursuant to PACA from time to time; (b) take such other actions as are necessary under PACA to obtain the benefits available to any Loan Party under PACA with respect to produce or other perishable agricultural commodities capable of being subject to PACA; and (c) in the case of any Subsidiary that sells or supplies produce or other perishable agricultural commodities capable of being subject to PACA to a Loan Party, deliver a PACA Waiver to the Administrative Agent.

6.19 Post-Closing Covenants.

(a) Within thirty (30) days of the Closing Date (or such longer period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent reasonably satisfactory evidence that all security interests related to the Existing Foreign Indebtedness have been terminated.

(b) Within thirty (30) days of the Closing Date (or such longer period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent reasonably satisfactory evidence that the Borrower’s PACA License is active and in full force and effect.

 

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ARTICLE VII

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

Each of the Loan Parties hereby covenants and agrees that on the Closing Date and thereafter until the Facility Termination Date, no Loan Party shall, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to:

7.01 Liens.

Directly or indirectly create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except for the following (the “Permitted Liens”):

(a) Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;

(b) Liens existing on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof; provided, that, (i) the property covered thereby is not changed, (ii) the amount secured thereby is not increased, except as permitted by Section 7.02(b), (iii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed, and (iv) any renewal or extension of the obligations secured thereby is permitted by Section 7.02(b);

(c) Liens for Taxes not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(d) statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, repairmen and suppliers and other Liens imposed by law or pursuant to customary reservations or retentions of title arising in the ordinary course of business; provided, that, such Liens secure amounts which are not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted with respect to which adequate reserves are maintained on the books of the applicable Person;

(e) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;

(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;

(h) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money (or appeal or other surety bonds relating to such judgments) not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h);

(i) bankers’ Liens, rights of setoff and other similar Liens existing solely with respect to cash and Cash Equivalents on deposit in one or more accounts maintained by such Person, in each case in the ordinary course of business in favor of the bank or banks with which such accounts are maintained, securing solely the customary amounts owing to such bank with respect to cash management and operating account arrangements; provided, that, in no case shall any such Liens secure (either directly or indirectly) the repayment of any Indebtedness;

(j) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.02(c); provided, that: (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness, accessions thereto and proceeds thereof, (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the purchase price of the property being acquired on the date of acquisition, and (iii) such Liens attach to such property concurrently with or within two hundred seventy (270) days after the acquisition thereof;

 

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(k) leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses granted to others and not interfering in any material respect with the business of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries;

(l) any interest or title of a lessor, licensor or sublessor under any lease, license or sublease entered into in the ordinary course of business and not prohibited by this Agreement and covering only the assets so leased, licensed or subleased;

(m) Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the UCC (or similar provisions of applicable Law) on items in the course of collection;

(n) Liens of sellers of goods arising under Article 2 of the UCC or similar provisions of applicable Law in the ordinary course of business, covering only the goods sold and securing only the unpaid purchase price for such goods and related expenses;

(o) the filing of UCC (or equivalent) financing statements solely as a precautionary measure in connection with operating leases;

(p) Liens in favor of any customs or revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payments of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

(q) statutory Liens (or related consensual Liens) in favor of a Farm Credit Member or one of its Affiliates pursuant to the Farm Credit Act on all Farm Credit Equities of such Farm Credit Member or Affiliate that the Borrower may now own or hereafter acquire pursuant to Section 6.15;

(r) the statutory trust created pursuant to PACA or any similar Law or regulation, as the same may apply to agricultural products purchased by the Borrower or any Subsidiary from any Persons;

(s) until November 11, 2018 (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), Liens incurred in connection with the Existing Foreign Indebtedness; provided, that, from and after October 12, 2018 (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), such Liens shall not secure (either directly or indirectly) the repayment of any Indebtedness (it being understood and agreed that, except as permitted pursuant to Section 7.02(l), all Existing Foreign Indebtedness shall be repaid on or prior to the Closing date pursuant to Section 4.01(n)); and

(t) Liens not otherwise permitted by this Section 7.01 securing obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $5,000,000 at any time outstanding; provided, that, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of incurrence of such Lien or would result therefrom.

7.02 Indebtedness.

Directly or indirectly create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

 

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(b) Indebtedness outstanding on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 7.02 and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof; provided, that, (i) the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, and (ii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed as a result of or in connection with such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension;

(c) Indebtedness in respect of Capitalized Leases, Synthetic Lease Obligations and purchase money obligations hereafter incurred to finance the purchase of fixed assets, and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof; provided, that: (i) the sum of the aggregate principal amount of all such Indebtedness, plus the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness in respect of Capitalized Leases, Synthetic Lease Obligations and purchase money obligations set forth on Schedule 7.02, shall not exceed $35,000,000 at any time outstanding, and (ii) such Indebtedness when incurred shall not exceed the purchase price of the asset(s) financed;

(d) intercompany Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03 (other than by reference to this Section 7.02 (or any clause hereof)) (“Intercompany Debt”); provided, that, in the case of Intercompany Debt owing by a Loan Party to any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, (i) such Intercompany Debt shall be subordinated to the Secured Obligations in a manner and to the extent reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, and (ii) such Intercompany Debt shall not be prepaid unless no Default exists immediately prior to and after giving effect to such prepayment;

(e) obligations (contingent or otherwise) existing or arising under any Swap Contract; provided, that: (i) such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with fluctuations in interest rates or foreign exchange rates, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view”, and (ii) such Swap Contract does not contain any provision exonerating the non-defaulting party from its obligation to make payments on outstanding transactions to the defaulting party;

(f) Indebtedness existing or arising under any Secured Cash Management Agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(g) to the extent constituting Indebtedness, Earn Out Obligations incurred in connection with any Permitted Acquisition;

(h) Indebtedness in respect of bid, performance or surety bonds, completion guarantees and appeal bonds, workers’ compensation claims, self-insurance obligations and bankers acceptances, in each case issued in the ordinary course of business;

(i) Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness of any Loan Party permitted under this Section 7.02; provided, that, if the Indebtedness being Guaranteed is subordinated to the Secured Obligations, such Guarantee shall be subordinated to the Guaranty on terms at least as favorable to the Secured Parties as those contained in the subordination of such Indebtedness;

 

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(j) Indebtedness of any Person acquired after the Closing Date in a Permitted Acquisition; provided, that, (i) such Indebtedness shall be existing at the time of such Permitted Acquisition and shall not have been incurred in contemplation of such Permitted Acquisition, and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of all such Indebtedness shall not exceed $10,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(k) until October 12, 2018 (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), Indebtedness of the Borrower owing to the Arato Holding Existing Owners; provided, that, the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness shall not exceed $40,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(l) until October 12, 2018 (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), Indebtedness owing by Mission de México, S.A. de C.V. to BBVA Bancomer S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero BBVA Bancomer; provided, that, the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness shall not exceed $9,535,000 at any time outstanding; and

(m) Indebtedness not otherwise permitted by this Section 7.02; provided, that, (i) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness or would result therefrom, and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of all such Indebtedness shall not exceed $10,000,000 at any time outstanding.

7.03 Investments.

Directly or indirectly make or hold any Investments, except:

(a) Investments in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents;

(b) Investments existing as of the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 7.03 and any modification thereof; provided, that, the amount of the original Investment is not increased in connection with any such modification;

(c) (i) Investments by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in their respective Subsidiaries outstanding on the Closing Date; (ii) Investments in any Person that is a Loan Party prior to giving effect to such Investment; and (iii) Investments by any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in any other Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party;

(d) Investments by any Loan Party in any Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party; provided, that, (i) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, and (ii) the aggregate amount of all such Investments shall not exceed $35,000,000 in any fiscal year of the Borrower (provided, further, that, fifty percent (50%) of the unused portion of the basket set forth in this clause (ii) in any fiscal year of the Borrower may be carried over and used in the immediately succeeding fiscal year of the Borrower (but not any subsequent fiscal year of the Borrower));

(e) Investments (i) in any joint venture that is not a Subsidiary, and (ii) by any Loan Party in any Non-Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party; provided, that, (i) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, and (ii) the aggregate amount of all such Investments shall not exceed $15,000,000 in any fiscal year of the Borrower (provided, further, that, fifty percent (50%) of the unused portion of the basket set forth in this clause (ii) in any fiscal year of the Borrower may be carried over and used in the immediately succeeding fiscal year of the Borrower (but not any subsequent fiscal year of the Borrower));

 

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(f) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss and other credits to suppliers in the ordinary course of business;

(g) Permitted Acquisitions;

(h) Guarantees permitted by Section 7.02 (other than by reference to this Section 7.03 (or any clause hereof));

(i) loans or advances to officers, directors and employees for relocation, entertainment, travel expenses, and similar expenditures; provided, that, the aggregate amount of all such loans and advances shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(j) Investments in Farm Credit Equities that the Borrower may now own or hereafter acquire pursuant to Section 6.15;

(k) to the extent constituting Investments, deposits made into the Specified Deferred Compensation Account;

(l) any other Investment; provided, that, (i) the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio as of the end of the Measurement Period ending as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower prior to the making of such Investment is less than or equal to 1.75 to 1.0 (as demonstrated in the Compliance Certificate delivered by the Borrower for such period pursuant to Section 6.02(a)), (ii) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, and (iii) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Investment, the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio shall be less than or equal to 1.75 to 1.0; and

(m) any other Investment (other than any Acquisition) not otherwise permitted by this Section 7.03; provided, that, (i) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, and (ii) the sum of (A) the aggregate amount of all such Investments, plus (B) the aggregate amount of all Capital Expenditures made in reliance on Section 7.12(d), shall not exceed $10,000,000 in any fiscal year of the Borrower.

7.04 Fundamental Changes.

Directly or indirectly merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person (including, in each case, pursuant to a Delaware LLC Division); provided, that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.04, but subject to the terms of Sections 6.12 and 6.13: (a) the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any Subsidiary; provided, that, the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person; (b) any Loan Party (other than the Borrower) may merge or consolidate with any other Loan Party (other than the Borrower); (c) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may merge or consolidate with or into any Loan Party; provided, that, such Loan Party shall be the continuing or surviving Person; (d) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may merge or consolidate with or into any other Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party; (e) any Subsidiary may be dissolved or liquidated, so long as (i) such dissolution or liquidation, as applicable, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) the residual assets of such Subsidiary shall be transferred to a Loan Party; and (f) any Loan Party or any Subsidiary may make any Disposition permitted pursuant to Section 7.05 (other than by reference to this Section 7.04 (or any clause hereof)).

 

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7.05 Dispositions.

Directly or indirectly make any Disposition or enter into any agreement to make any Disposition, except for any Permitted Transfer.

7.06 Restricted Payments.

Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except:

(a) each Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions to the Borrower and to any Subsidiary that owns Equity Interests of such Subsidiary (and, in the case of a dividend or other distribution by a Non-Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower, to the Borrower or other Subsidiary and to each other owner of Equity Interests of such Non-Wholly Owned Subsidiary ratably based on their relative ownership interests);

(b) the Borrower and each Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the common Equity Interests of such Person; and

(c) the Borrower may make any Restricted Payment; provided, that, (i) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, and (ii) upon giving Pro Forma Effect to any such Restricted Payment, the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial covenant set forth in Section 7.11(b) as of the most recent fiscal quarter end for which the Borrower was required to deliver financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b), as applicable.

7.07 Change in Nature of Business.

Directly or indirectly engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date or any business reasonably related, complimentary, ancillary or incidental thereto.

7.08 Transactions with Affiliates.

Directly or indirectly enter into or permit to exist any transaction or series of transactions with any officer, director or Affiliate of such Person, other than: (a) advances of working capital to any Loan Party; (b) transfers of cash and assets to any Loan Party; (c) transactions between or among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate; (d) transactions expressly permitted by Section 7.02, Section 7.03, Section 7.04, Section 7.05 or Section 7.06 (in each case, other than by reference to this Section 7.08 (or any clause hereof)); (e) employee compensation, employee benefit arrangements, and reimbursement of expenses of, and indemnities issued to and the payment of reasonable fees to, officers and directors in the ordinary course of business; and (f) except as otherwise specifically limited in this Agreement, other transactions which are entered into in the ordinary course of such Person’s business on fair and reasonable terms and conditions, when taken as a whole, substantially as favorable to such Person as would be obtainable by it in a comparable arms-length transaction with a Person other than an officer, director or Affiliate.

 

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7.09 Burdensome Agreements.

Directly or indirectly enter into, or permit to exist, any Contractual Obligation that (a) encumbers or restricts the ability of any such Person to (i) make Restricted Payments to any Loan Party, (ii) pay any Indebtedness or other obligations owed to any Loan Party, (iii) make loans or advances to any Loan Party, (iv) transfer any of its property to any Loan Party, (v) pledge its property pursuant to the Loan Documents (or any renewals, refinancings, exchanges, refundings or extension thereof), or (vi) act as a Loan Party pursuant to the Loan Documents (or any renewals, refinancings, exchanges, refundings or extension thereof), except (in respect of any of the matters referred to in clauses (a)(i) through (a)(v) above) for (A) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (B) restrictions and conditions imposed by applicable Law, (C) any document or instrument governing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 7.02(c) (provided, that, any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets acquired in connection therewith), (D) customary restrictions and conditions contained in any agreement relating to the sale of any property permitted under Section 7.05 pending the consummation of such sale, (E) customary provisions in leases, licenses and other contracts restricting the assignment, subletting or transfer thereof or other assets subject thereto, and (F) customary provisions in joint venture agreements, financing agreements relating to joint ventures, and other similar agreements relating solely to the securities, assets and revenues of joint ventures, or (b) requires the grant of any security for any obligation if such property is given as security for the Secured Obligations (except to the extent such grant constitutes a Permitted Lien).

7.10 Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.

7.11 Financial Covenants.

(a) Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio as of the end of any Measurement Period ending as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be greater than (i) 3.50 to 1.0, for any fiscal quarter ending during the period from the Closing Date to and including July 31, 2019, (ii) 3.25 to 1.0, for any fiscal quarter ending during the period from August 1, 2019 to and including July 31, 2020, (iii) 3.00 to 1.0, for any fiscal quarter ending during the period from August 1, 2020 to and including July 31, 2021, (iv) 2.75 to 1.0, for any fiscal quarter ending thereafter.

(b) Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio as of the end of any Measurement Period ending as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than 1.50 to 1.0.

7.12 Capital Expenditures.

Directly or indirectly make or become legally obligated to make any Capital Expenditure, except for:

(a) Capital Expenditures made by any Loan Party;

(b) Capital Expenditures made by any Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party, so long as the aggregate amount of all such Capital Expenditures does not exceed $35,000,000 in any fiscal year of the Borrower (provided, that, fifty percent (50%) of the unused portion of the basket set forth in this Section 7.12(b) in any fiscal year of the Borrower may be carried over and used in the immediately succeeding fiscal year of the Borrower (but not any subsequent fiscal year of the Borrower));

 

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(c) any other Capital Expenditure; provided, that, (i) the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio as of the end of the Measurement Period ending as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower prior to the making of such Capital Expenditure is less than or equal to 1.75 to 1.0 (as demonstrated in the Compliance Certificate delivered by the Borrower for such period pursuant to Section 6.02(a)), and (ii) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Capital Expenditure, the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio shall be less than or equal to 1.75 to 1.0; and

(d) any other Capital Expenditure not otherwise permitted by this Section 7.12, so long as the sum of (i) the aggregate amount of all such Capital Expenditures, plus (ii) the aggregate amount of all Investments made in reliance on Section 7.03(m), shall not exceed $10,000,000 in any fiscal year of the Borrower.

7.13 Amendments of Organization Documents; Changes in Fiscal Year, Legal Name, State of Organization, or Form of Entity; Accounting Changes.

(a) Amend any of its Organization Documents in any manner that is materially adverse to the Lenders.

(b) Change its fiscal year.

(c) Without providing ten (10) days prior written notice to the Administrative Agent (or such shorter period of time as agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), change its legal name, state of organization, or form of organization.

(d) Make any change in accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required by GAAP.

7.14 Sale and Leaseback Transactions.

Directly or indirectly enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction.

7.15 Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness.

Directly or indirectly prepay, redeem, purchase, defease or otherwise satisfy any Indebtedness, or obligate itself to do so prior to the scheduled maturity thereof in any manner (including by the exercise of any right of setoff), or make any payment of Indebtedness in violation of any subordination, standstill or collateral sharing terms of or governing any Indebtedness, except for (a) the prepayment of the Credit Extensions in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, (b) the prepayment of Intercompany Debt permitted pursuant to Section 7.02(d) (and subject to conditions set forth in Section 7.02(d) and Section 11.16), (c) the prepayment of Indebtedness incurred in reliance on Section 7.02(c), and (d) the prepayment of any Existing Foreign Indebtedness.

 

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7.16 Amendment, Etc. of Indebtedness.

Directly or indirectly amend, modify or change in any manner any term or condition of any Indebtedness having an aggregate outstanding principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount (other than Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents) if such amendment, modification or change would add or change any terms in a manner adverse to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or shorten the final maturity or Weighted Average Life to Maturity or require any payment to be made sooner than originally scheduled or increase the interest rate applicable thereto.

7.17 Sanctions.

Directly or indirectly use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Arranger, Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer, Swingline Lender, or otherwise) of Sanctions.

7.18 Anti-Corruption Laws.

Directly or indirectly use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions.

7.19 PACA.

Directly or indirectly (a) modify any payment terms or requests for payment with respect to produce or other perishable agricultural commodities capable of being subject to PACA in any manner to void PACA rights and benefits available to any Loan Party, or (b) take any other action to void the rights or benefits available to any Loan Party under PACA with respect to produce or other perishable agricultural commodities capable of being subject to PACA.

ARTICLE VIII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

8.01 Events of Default.

Any of the following shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

(a) Non-Payment. The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation or deposit any funds as Cash Collateral in respect of L/C Obligations, or (ii) within three (3) days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five (5) days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or

(b) Specific Covenants. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.01, 6.02, 6.03, 6.05, 6.10, 6.11, 6.12, 6.13, 6.14, 6.19 or Article VII; or

(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in Section 8.01(a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days after the earlier to occur of (i) a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party becoming aware of such failure, and (ii) written notice thereof being provided to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent or any Lender; or

 

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(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading when made or deemed made; or

(e) Cross-Default. (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or 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, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract), or (B) any Termination Event (as defined in such Swap Contract) under such Swap Contract as to which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or

(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty (60) days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty (60) days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

(g) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within thirty (30) days after its issue or levy; or

 

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(h) Judgments. There is entered against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (i) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments and orders) exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer is rated at least “A” by A.M. Best Company, has been notified of the potential claim and does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of ten (10) consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or

(i) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Loan Party under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or

(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all Obligations arising under the Loan Documents, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any provision of any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any provision of any Loan Document; or it is or becomes unlawful for a Loan Party to perform any of its obligations under the Loan Documents; or

(k) Collateral Documents. Any Collateral Document after delivery thereof pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents shall for any reason cease to create a valid and perfected first priority Lien (subject to Permitted Liens) on the Collateral purported to be covered thereby (it being understood and agreed that with respect to the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement, the security interest created by the Peruvian Share Pledge Agreement will be perfected with its registration in the Contracts Public Registry (Registro Mobiliario de Contratos)), or any Loan Party shall assert the invalidity of such Liens; or

(l) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.

Without limiting the provisions of Article IX, if a Default shall have occurred under the Loan Documents, then such Default will continue to exist until it either is cured (to the extent specifically permitted) in accordance with the Loan Documents or is otherwise expressly waived by the Administrative Agent (with the approval of requisite Appropriate Lenders (in their sole discretion) as determined in accordance with Section 11.01); and once an Event of Default occurs under the Loan Documents, then such Event of Default will continue to exist until it is expressly waived by the requisite Appropriate Lenders or by the Administrative Agent with the approval of the requisite Appropriate Lenders, as required hereunder in Section 11.01.

 

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8.02 Remedies upon Event of Default.

If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

(a) declare the Commitments of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

(c) require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount with respect thereto); and

(d) exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan Documents or applicable Law or equity;

provided, that, upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

8.03 Application of Funds.

After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02) or if at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all Secured Obligations then due hereunder, any amounts received on account of the Secured Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.14 and 2.15, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

First, to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

Second, to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer) arising under the Loan Documents and amounts payable under Article III, ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

Third, to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Secured Obligations arising under the Loan Documents, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

 

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Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, L/C Borrowings and Secured Obligations then owing under the Secured Hedge Agreements and the Secured Cash Management Agreements and to the to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit to the extent not otherwise Cash Collateralized by the Borrower pursuant to Sections 2.03 and 2.14, in each case ratably among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, the Hedge Banks and the Cash Management Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Secured Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

Subject to Sections 2.03(c) and 2.14, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Secured Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above. Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Guarantor shall not be paid with amounts received from such Guarantor or its assets, but appropriate adjustments shall be made with respect to payments from other Loan Parties to preserve the allocation to Secured Obligations otherwise set forth above in this Section 8.03.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Secured Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements shall be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received a Secured Party Designation Notice, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or the applicable Hedge Bank, as the case may be. Each Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank not a party to this Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Article IX for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.

ARTICLE IX

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

9.01 Appointment and Authority.

(a) Appointment. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints, designates and authorizes Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (and, for Mexican law purposes, each of them grants a comisión mercantil in its favor) and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article IX are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

 

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(b) Collateral Agent. The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Hedge Bank and a potential Cash Management Bank) and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of such Lender and the L/C Issuer for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by any of the Loan Parties to secure any of the Secured Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.05 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent, shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article IX and Article XI (including Section 11.04(c), as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.

9.02 Rights as a Lender.

The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust, financial, advisory, underwriting or other business with any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or to provide notice to or consent of the Lenders with respect thereto.

9.03 Exculpatory Provisions.

(a) The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent and its Related Parties:

(i) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

(ii) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents); provided, that, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

 

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(iii) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty or responsibility to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

(b) Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary), or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 8.02), or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.

(c) Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties have any duty or obligation to any Lender or participant or any other Person to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent.

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, communication, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Loan Parties), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 4.01, 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 objections.

 

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9.05 Delegation of Duties.

The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article IX shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the Facilities as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent.

(a) Notice. The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, 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 thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided, that, in no event shall any successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

(b) Defaulting Lender. If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

(c) Effect of Resignation or Removal. With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed), and (ii) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each

 

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Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring or removed Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section 3.01(g) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable)), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section 9.06(c)). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article IX and Section 11.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them (A) while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent, and (B) after such resignation or removal for as long as any of them continues to act in any capacity hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, including (1) acting as collateral agent or otherwise holding any collateral security on behalf of any of the Secured Parties, and (2) in respect of any actions taken in connection with transferring the agency to any successor Administrative Agent.

(d) L/C Issuer and Swingline Lender. Any resignation or removal by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 9.06 shall also constitute its resignation as the L/C Issuer and the Swingline Lender. If Bank of America resigns as the L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as the L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto, including the right to require the Revolving Lenders to make Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c). If Bank of America resigns as the Swingline Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swingline Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swingline Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Revolving Lenders to make Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swingline Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c). Upon the appointment by the Borrower of a successor L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender hereunder (which successor shall in all cases be a Lender other than a Defaulting Lender), (i) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender, as applicable, (ii) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swingline Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (iii) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.

Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

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9.08 No Other Duties, Etc.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the titles listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, an Arranger, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.

9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding.

In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Secured Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(h) and (i), 2.09, 2.10(b) and 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09, 2.10(b) and 11.04.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Secured Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the L/C Issuer or in any such proceeding.

The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Secured Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Secured Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (i) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the

 

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Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar Laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, or (ii) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable Law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Secured Obligations owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Secured Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase). In connection with any such bid (A) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (B) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided, that, any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section 11.01). and (C) to the extent that Secured Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Secured Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Secured Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Secured Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.

9.10 Collateral and Guaranty Matters.

Each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Cash Management Bank and a potential Hedge Bank) and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion,

(a) to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon the Facility Termination Date, (ii) that is sold or otherwise disposed of or to be sold or otherwise disposed of as part of or in connection with any sale or other disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or (iii) if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders in accordance with Section 11.01;

(b) to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 7.01(j); and

(c) to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents.

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.10. In each case as specified in this Section 9.10, the Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the release of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Collateral Documents or to subordinate its interest in such item, or to release such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 9.10.

 

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The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by any Loan Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

9.11 Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements.

Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, no Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefit of the provisions of Section 8.03, the Guaranty or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or any Collateral Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) (or to notice of or to consent to any amendment, waiver or modification of the provisions hereof or of the Guaranty or any Collateral Document) other than in its capacity as a Lender or a Voting Participant, as applicable, and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article IX to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Secured Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements, except to the extent expressly provided herein and unless the Administrative Agent has received a Secured Party Designation Notice of such Secured Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or the applicable Hedge Bank, as the case may be; provided, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Secured Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements in the case of a Facility Termination Date.

9.12 ERISA Matters.

(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, each Arranger, and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments,

(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,

 

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(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

(b) In addition, unless Section 9.12(a)(i) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has not provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in Section 9.12(a)(iv), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, each Arranger, and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that:

(i) none of the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto),

(ii) the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is independent (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-21) and is a bank, an insurance carrier, an investment adviser, a broker-dealer or other person that holds, or has under management or control, total assets of at least $50,000,000, in each case as described in 29 CFR § 2510.3-21(c)(1)(i)(A)-(E),

(iii) the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to particular transactions and investment strategies (including in respect of the Obligations),

(iv) the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is a fiduciary under ERISA or the Code, or both, with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement and is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the transactions hereunder, and

 

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(v) no fee or other compensation is being paid directly to the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any their respective Affiliates for investment advice (as opposed to other services) in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments or this Agreement.

The representations set forth in Section 9.12 (b)(ii)-(v) are intended to comply with the Department of Labor’s regulation Sections 29 C.F.R. 2510.3-21(a) and (c)(1) as promulgated on April 8, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 20,997), and if such regulations are no longer in effect, these representations shall be deemed to be no longer in effect.

(c) Each of the Administrative Agent and each Arranger hereby informs the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender, or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

ARTICLE X

CONTINUING GUARANTY

10.01 Guaranty.

Each Guarantor hereby absolutely and unconditionally, jointly and severally guarantees, as primary obligor and as a guaranty of payment and performance and not merely as a guaranty of collection, prompt payment when due, whether at stated maturity, by required prepayment, upon acceleration, demand or otherwise, and at all times thereafter, of any and all Secured Obligations (for each Guarantor, subject to the proviso in this sentence, its “Guaranteed Obligations”); provided, that, (a) the Guaranteed Obligations of a Guarantor shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Guarantor, and (b) the liability of each Guarantor individually with respect to this Guaranty shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render its obligations hereunder subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States or any comparable provisions of any applicable state law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Guaranteed Obligations shall include any such indebtedness, obligations, and liabilities, or portion thereof, which may be or hereafter become unenforceable or compromised or shall be an allowed or disallowed claim under any proceeding or case commenced by or against any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Laws. The Administrative Agent’s books and records showing the amount of the Obligations shall be admissible in evidence in any action or proceeding, and shall be binding upon each Guarantor, and conclusive for the purpose of establishing the amount of the Secured Obligations. This Guaranty shall not be affected by the illegality, genuineness,

 

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validity, regularity or enforceability of the Secured Obligations or any instrument or agreement evidencing any Secured Obligations, or by the existence, validity, enforceability, perfection, non-perfection or extent of any collateral therefor, or by any fact or circumstance relating to the Secured Obligations which might otherwise constitute a defense to the obligations of the Guarantors, or any of them, under this Guaranty, and each Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any defenses it may now have or hereafter acquire in any way relating to any or all of the foregoing.

10.02 Rights of Lenders.

Each Guarantor consents and agrees that the Secured Parties may, at any time and from time to time, without notice or demand, and without affecting the enforceability or continuing effectiveness hereof: (a) amend, extend, renew, compromise, discharge, accelerate or otherwise change the time for payment or the terms of the Secured Obligations or any part thereof; (b) take, hold, exchange, enforce, waive, release, fail to perfect, sell, or otherwise dispose of any security for the payment of this Guaranty or any Secured Obligations; (c) apply such security and direct the order or manner of sale thereof as the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders in their sole discretion may determine; and (d) release or substitute one or more of any endorsers or other guarantors of any of the Secured Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Guarantor consents to the taking of, or failure to take, any action which might in any manner or to any extent vary the risks of such Guarantor under this Guaranty or which, but for this provision, might operate as a discharge of such Guarantor.

10.03 Certain Waivers.

Each Guarantor waives (a) any defense arising by reason of any disability or other defense of the Borrower or any other guarantor, or the cessation from any cause whatsoever (including any act or omission of any Secured Party) of the liability of the Borrower or any other Loan Party; (b) any defense based on any claim that such Guarantor’s obligations exceed or are more burdensome than those of the Borrower or any other Loan Party; (c) the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting any Guarantor’s liability hereunder; (d) any right to proceed against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, proceed against or exhaust any security for the Secured Obligations, or pursue any other remedy in the power of any Secured Party whatsoever; (e) any benefit of and any right to participate in any security now or hereafter held by any Secured Party; (f) any defense arising by reason of any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any Loan Party; and (g) to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all other defenses or benefits that may be derived from or afforded by applicable Law limiting the liability of or exonerating guarantors or sureties. Each Guarantor expressly waives all setoffs and counterclaims and all presentments, demands for payment or performance, notices of nonpayment or nonperformance, protests, notices of protest, notices of dishonor and all other notices or demands of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the Secured Obligations, and all notices of acceptance of this Guaranty or of the existence, creation or incurrence of new or additional Secured Obligations. Each Guarantor waives any rights and defenses that are or may become available to it by reason of §§ 2787 to 2855, inclusive, and §§ 2899 and 3433 of the California Civil Code. The foregoing waivers and the provisions hereinafter set forth in this Guaranty which pertain to California law are included solely out of an abundance of caution, and shall not be construed to mean that any of the above-referenced provisions of California law are in any way applicable to this Guaranty or the Secured Obligations.

 

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10.04 Obligations Independent.

The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder are those of primary obligor, and not merely as surety, and are independent of the Secured Obligations and the obligations of any other guarantor, and a separate action may be brought against each Guarantor to enforce this Guaranty whether or not the Borrower or any other person or entity is joined as a party.

10.05 Subrogation.

No Guarantor shall exercise any right of subrogation, contribution, indemnity, reimbursement or similar rights with respect to any payments it makes under this Guaranty until all of the Secured Obligations and any amounts payable under this Guaranty have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full and the Commitments and the Facilities are terminated. If any amounts are paid to a Guarantor in violation of the foregoing limitation, then such amounts shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Secured Parties and shall forthwith be paid to the Secured Parties to reduce the amount of the Secured Obligations, whether matured or unmatured.

10.06 Termination; Reinstatement.

This Guaranty is a continuing and irrevocable guaranty of all Secured Obligations now or hereafter existing and shall remain in full force and effect until the Facility Termination Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guaranty shall continue in full force and effect or be revived, as the case may be, if any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower or a Guarantor is made, or any of the Secured Parties exercises its right of setoff, in respect of the Secured Obligations 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 any of the Secured Parties in their discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws or otherwise, all as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred and whether or not the Secured Parties are in possession of or have released this Guaranty and regardless of any prior revocation, rescission, termination or reduction. The obligations of each Guarantor under this Section 10.06 shall survive termination of this Guaranty.

10.07 Stay of Acceleration.

If acceleration of the time for payment of any of the Secured Obligations is stayed, in connection with any case commenced by or against a Guarantor or the Borrower under any Debtor Relief Laws, or otherwise, all such amounts shall nonetheless be payable by each Guarantor, jointly and severally, immediately upon demand by the Secured Parties.

10.08 Condition of Borrower.

Each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that it has the sole responsibility for, and has adequate means of, obtaining from the Borrower and any other guarantor such information concerning the financial condition, business and operations of the Borrower and any such other guarantor as such Guarantor requires, and that none of the Secured Parties has any duty, and such Guarantor is not relying on the Secured Parties at any time, to disclose to it any information relating to the business, operations or financial condition of the Borrower or any other guarantor (each Guarantor waiving any duty on the part of the Secured Parties to disclose such information and any defense relating to the failure to provide the same).

 

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10.09 Appointment of Borrower.

Each of the Loan Parties hereby appoints the Borrower to act as its agent for all purposes of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and all other documents and electronic platforms entered into in connection herewith and agrees that (a) the Borrower may execute such documents and provide such authorizations on behalf of such Loan Parties as the Borrower deems appropriate in its sole discretion and each Loan Party shall be obligated by all of the terms of any such document and/or authorization executed on its behalf, (b) any notice or communication delivered by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or a Lender to the Borrower shall be deemed delivered to each Loan Party, and (c) the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Lenders may accept, and be permitted to rely on, any document, authorization, instrument or agreement executed by the Borrower on behalf of each of the Loan Parties.

10.10 Right of Contribution.

The Guarantors agree among themselves that, in connection with payments made hereunder, each Guarantor shall have contribution rights against the other Guarantors as permitted under applicable Law.

10.11 Keepwell.

Each Loan Party that is a Qualified ECP Guarantor at the time the Guaranty or the grant of a Lien under the Loan Documents, in each case, by any Specified Loan Party becomes effective with respect to any Swap Obligation, hereby jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Loan Party with respect to such Swap Obligation as may be needed by such Specified Loan Party from time to time to honor all of its obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of such Swap Obligation (but, in each case, only up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s obligations and undertakings under this Article X voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations and undertakings of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 10.11 shall remain in full force and effect until the Secured Obligations have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full. Each Loan Party intends this Section 10.11 to constitute, and this Section 10.11 shall be deemed to constitute, a guarantee of the obligations of, and a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of, each Specified Loan Party for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.

10.12 Additional Guarantor Waivers and Agreements.

(a) Each Guarantor understands and acknowledges that if the Secured Parties foreclose judicially or non-judicially against any real property security for the Secured Obligations, that foreclosure could impair or destroy any ability that such Guarantor may have to seek reimbursement, contribution, or indemnification from the Borrower or others based on any right such Guarantor may have of subrogation, reimbursement, contribution, or indemnification for any amounts paid by such Guarantor under this Guaranty. Each Guarantor further understands and acknowledges that in the absence of this Section 10.12(a), such potential impairment or destruction of such Guarantor’s rights, if any, may entitle such Guarantor to assert a defense to this Guaranty based on Section 580d of the California Code of Civil Procedure as interpreted in Union Bank v. Gradsky, 265 Cal. App. 2d 40 (1968). By executing this Guaranty, each Guarantor freely, irrevocably, and unconditionally: (i) waives and relinquishes that defense and agrees that it will be fully liable under this Guaranty even though the Secured Parties may foreclose, either by judicial foreclosure or by exercise of power of sale, any deed of trust securing the Secured Obligations; (ii) agrees that it will not assert that defense in any action or proceeding which the Secured Parties may commence to enforce this Guaranty; (iii) acknowledges and agrees that the rights and defenses waived by such Guarantor in this Guaranty include any right or defense that it may have or be entitled to assert based upon or arising out of any one or more of §§ 580a, 580b, 580d, or 726 of the California Code of Civil Procedure or § 2848 of the California Civil Code; and (iv) acknowledges and agrees that the Secured Parties are relying on this waiver in creating the Secured Obligations, and that this waiver is a material part of the consideration which the Secured Parties are receiving for creating the Secured Obligations.

 

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(b) Each Guarantor waives all rights and defenses that it may have because any of the Secured Obligations is secured by real property. This means, among other things: (i) the Secured Parties may collect from any Guarantor without first foreclosing on any real or personal property collateral pledged by the other Loan Parties; and (ii) if the Secured Parties foreclose on any real property collateral pledged by the other Loan Parties, (A) the amount of the Secured Obligations may be reduced only by the price for which that collateral is sold at the foreclosure sale, even if the collateral is worth more than the sale price, and (B) the Secured Parties may collect from any Guarantor even if the Secured Parties, by foreclosing on the real property collateral, have destroyed any right such Guarantor may have to collect from the Borrower. This is an unconditional and irrevocable waiver of any rights and defenses each Guarantor may have because any of the Secured Obligations is secured by real property. These rights and defenses include, but are not limited to, any rights or defenses based upon § 580a, 580b, 580d, or 726 of the California Code of Civil Procedure.

(c) Each Guarantor waives any right or defense it may have at law or equity, including California Code of Civil Procedure § 580a, to a fair market value hearing or action to determine a deficiency judgment after a foreclosure.

ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

11.01 Amendments, Etc.

No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders (or by the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders) and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, that, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(a) extend or increase any Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender (it being understood and agreed that a waiver of any condition precedent in Section 4.02 or of any Default or a mandatory reduction in Commitments is not considered an extension of or increase in any Commitment of any Lender);

(b) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to any Lender hereunder or under such other Loan Document without the written consent of such Lender entitled to such payment;

(c) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iv) of the final proviso to this Section 11.01) any fees or other amounts payable to any Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of such Lender entitled to such amount; provided, that, only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend (i) the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate, or (ii) any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein), even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;

 

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(d) (i) change Section 2.13, Section 8.03 or any other provision hereof relating to the pro rata sharing of payments among the Lenders in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender, or (ii) Section 2.12(f) in a manner that would alter the pro rata application required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;

(e) (i) change any provision of this Section 11.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders” without the written consent of each Lender, (ii) change the definition of “Required Revolving Lenders” without the written consent of each Revolving Lender, (iii) change the definition of “Required Term A-1 Lenders” without the written consent of each Term A-1 Lender, or (iv) change the definition of “Required Term A-2 Lenders” without the written consent of each Term A-2 Lender;

(f) release all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions without the written consent of each Lender;

(g) release all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty without the written consent of each Lender, except to the extent the release of any Subsidiary from the Guaranty is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone);

(h) release the Borrower or permit the Borrower to assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents without the written consent of each Lender;

(i) prior to the termination of the Revolving Commitments, (i) waive any Default for purposes of Section 4.02(b), (ii) amend, change, waive, discharge or terminate Section 4.02 or Section 8.01 in a manner adverse to the Revolving Lenders, or (iii) amend, change, waive, discharge or terminate this clause (i), in each case without the written consent of the Required Revolving Lenders;

(j) (i) amend, change, waive, discharge or terminate Section 2.05(b)(iv) so as to alter the manner of application of proceeds of any mandatory prepayment required by Section 2.05(b)(i), (ii), (iii) (other than to allow the proceeds of such mandatory prepayments to be applied ratably with other term loans under this Agreement), or (ii) amend, change, waive, discharge or terminate this clause (j), in each case without the written consent of the Required Term A-1 Lenders; or

(k) (i) amend, change, waive, discharge or terminate Section 2.05(b)(iv) so as to alter the manner of application of proceeds of any mandatory prepayment required by Section 2.05(b)(i), (ii), (iii) (other than to allow the proceeds of such mandatory prepayments to be applied ratably with other term loans under this Agreement), or (ii) amend, change, waive, discharge or terminate this clause (k), in each case without the written consent of the Required Term A-2 Lenders;

 

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provided, further, that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary: (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swingline Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swingline Lender under this Agreement; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (iv) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto; (v) no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender, or all Lenders or each affected Lender under a Facility, may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (A) any Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender, and (B) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender, or all Lenders or each affected Lender under a Facility, that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender; (vi) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein; (vii) the Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow a Loan Party to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders; (viii) in order to implement any Incremental Facility in accordance with Section 2.02(g), this Agreement and any other Loan Document may be amended for such purpose (but solely to the extent necessary to implement such Incremental Facility and otherwise in accordance with Section 2.02(g)) by the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and each lender providing a portion of such Incremental Facility; (ix) this Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent, each Borrower, the other Loan Parties and the relevant Lenders providing such additional credit facilities to add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement, to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding hereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Term Loans and the Revolving Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders; (x) if following the Closing Date, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall have jointly identified an inconsistency, obvious error or omission, in each case, of a technical or immaterial nature, in any provision of the Loan Documents, then the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties shall be permitted to amend such provision and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Documents if the same is not objected to in writing by the Required Lenders within five (5) Business Days following receipt of notice thereof; (xi) as to any amendment, amendment and restatement or other modifications otherwise approved in accordance with this Section 11.01, it shall not be necessary to obtain the consent or approval of any Lender that, upon giving effect to such amendment, amendment and restatement or other modification, would have no Commitments or outstanding Loans so long as such Lender receives payment in full of the principal of and interest accrued on each Loan made by, and all other amounts owing to, such Lender or accrued for the account of such Lender under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents at the time such amendment, amendment and restatement or other modification becomes effective; and (xii) with respect to any matter requiring the approval of each Lender, each Lender directly affected thereby or other specified Lenders, it is understood that Voting Participants shall have the voting rights specified in Section 11.06(e) as to such matter.

 

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11.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications.

(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in Section 11.02(b)), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by fax transmission or e-mail transmission as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

(i) if to the Borrower or any other Loan Party, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender, to the address, fax number, e-mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 1.01(a); and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, fax number, e-mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).

Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by fax transmission shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in Section 11.02(b) shall be effective as provided in Section 11.02(b).

(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Swingline Lender and the L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail, FPML messaging and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided, that, the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender, the Swingline Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender, the Swingline Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under Article II by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Borrower may each, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgment from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices and other communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received by the intended recipient upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail address or other written acknowledgement) indicating that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided, that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient.

 

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(c) The Platform.THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF 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”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer 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, any other Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service, or through the Internet.

(d) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swingline Lender may change its address, fax number or telephone number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each Lender may change its address, fax number or telephone number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swingline Lender. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent, and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one (1) individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal or state securities laws.

(e) Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic or electronic notices, Loan Notices, Letter of Credit Applications, Notices of Loan Prepayment, Swingline Loan Notices and Voting Participant Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of any Loan Party even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of a Loan Party. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

 

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11.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.

No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document 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, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuer; provided, that, the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; provided, further, that, if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02, and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

11.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

(a) Costs and Expenses. The Loan Parties shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (limited, in the case of legal counsel, to the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of (A) one primary counsel to the Administrative Agent, (B) one local counsel retained by the Administrative Agent in each relevant jurisdiction, (C) one local real estate counsel retained by the Administrative Agent in each relevant jurisdiction, and (D) any other counsel retained by the Administrative Agent with the Borrower’s consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed)) in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the L/C Issuer in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder, and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (limited, in the case of legal counsel, to the fees, charges and disbursements of (A) one primary counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, taken as a whole, (B) one local counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, taken as a whole, in each relevant jurisdiction, and (C) in the event of any actual or perceived conflict of interest, one additional counsel to each group of affected Persons similarly situated, taken as a whole, in each relevant jurisdiction), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section 11.04, or (B) in connection with Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

 

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(b) Indemnification by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee (provided, that, with respect to the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel, such indemnification shall be limited to (x) one primary counsel for the Indemnitees, taken as a whole, (y) one local counsel for the Indemnitees, taken as a whole, in each relevant jurisdiction, and (z) in the event of any actual or perceived conflict of interest, one additional counsel to each group of affected Indemnitees similarly situated, taken as a whole, in each relevant jurisdiction)), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrower or any other Loan Party) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or any of the Borrower’s or such other Loan Party’s directors, shareholders or creditors, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF THE INDEMNITEE; provided, that, such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 11.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.

(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Loan Parties for any reason fail to indefeasibly pay any amount required under Section 11.04(a) or Section 11.04(b) to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer, the Swingline Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer, the Swingline Lender or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s share of the Total Credit Exposure at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them based on such

 

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Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought); provided, that, the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this Section 11.04(c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).

(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, no Loan Party shall assert, and each Loan Party hereby waives, and acknowledges that no other Person shall have, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in Section 11.04(b) shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section 11.04 shall be payable not later than ten (10) Business Days after demand therefor.

(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section 11.04 and the indemnity provisions of Section 11.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swingline Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.

11.05 Payments Set Aside.

To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer 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 the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law 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 and the L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative 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 Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

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11.06 Successors and Assigns.

(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.06(b), (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.06(d), or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of Section 11.06(f) (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in Section 11.06(d) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment(s) and the Loans (including for purposes of this Section 11.06(b), participations in L/C Obligations and in Swingline Loans) at the time owing to it); provided, that, any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) Minimum Amounts.

(A) In the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment under any Facility and/or the Loans at the time owing to it (in each case with respect to any Facility) or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds (determined after giving effect to such assignments) that equal at least the amount specified in Section 11.06(b)(i)(B) in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned.

(B) In any case not described in Section 11.06(b)(i)(A), the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000, in the case of any assignment in respect of the Revolving Facility, or $1,000,000, in the case of any assignment in respect of any Term Facility, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

(ii) Proportionate Amounts. 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 and the other Loan Documents with respect to the Loans and/or the Commitment assigned, except that this Section 11.06(b)(ii) shall not (A) apply to the Swingline Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swingline Loans, or (B) prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations among separate Facilities on a non-pro rata basis.

 

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(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by

Section 11.06(b)(i)(B) and, in addition:

(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided, that, the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof;

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of (1) any Revolving Commitment if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a Revolving Commitment, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender, or (2) any Term Loan to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; and

(C) the consent of the L/C Issuer and the Swingline Lender shall be required for any assignment in respect of the Revolving Facility.

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, 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. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made (A) to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) to a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural person).

(vi) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (A) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon), and (B) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this Section 11.06(b)(vi), then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

 

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Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 11.06(c), from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05 and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment); provided, that, except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 11.06(b) shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with Section 11.06(d).

(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans and L/C Obligations 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 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. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person, or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person, a Defaulting Lender or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swingline Loans) owing to it); provided, that, (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer 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, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 11.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participations.

 

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Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall, subject to Section 11.06(e), provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided, that, such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 11.01 that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 3.01(e) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 11.06(b); provided, that, such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 11.13 as if it were an assignee under Section 11.06(b), and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.06 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.08 as though it were a Lender; provided, that, such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender. 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) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided, that, no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. 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. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

(e) Voting Participants. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 11.06 to the contrary, any Farm Credit Member that (i) has purchased a participation or sub-participation in the Term A-2 Facility in the minimum amount of $5,000,000 on or after the Closing Date, (ii) is, by written notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in substantially the form of Exhibit K (a “Voting Participant Notice”), designated by the selling Lender (including any existing Voting Participant) as being entitled to be accorded the rights of a Voting Participant hereunder (any Farm Credit Member so designated being called a “Voting Participant”), and (iii) receives the prior written consent of the Borrower (provided, that, the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such participation or sub-participation unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received such Voting Participant Notice) and the Administrative Agent to become a Voting Participant (in each case, to the extent such consent would be required pursuant to Section 11.06(b)(iii) if such transfer were an assignment rather than a sale of a participation or sub-participation), shall be entitled to vote (and the voting rights of the selling Lender (including any existing Voting Participant with respect to such Lender) shall be correspondingly reduced), on a dollar-for dollar-basis, as if such participant were a Lender, on any matter requiring or allowing a Lender to provide or withhold its consent, or

 

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to otherwise vote on any proposed action. To be effective, each Voting Participant Notice shall, with respect to any Voting Participant, (A) state the full legal name, as well as all contact information required of an assignee as set forth in Exhibit K, and (B) state the dollar amount of the participation or sub-participation purchased. The Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to conclusively rely on information contained in notices delivered pursuant to this Section 11.06(e). The voting rights of each Voting Participant are solely for the benefit of such Voting Participant and shall not inure to any assignee or participant of such Voting Participant that is not a Voting Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Farm Credit Member that has purchased a participation in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 and has been designated as a Voting Participant in Schedule 11.06(e) shall be a Voting Participant without delivery of a Voting Participant Notice and without the prior written consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

(f) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note or Notes, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or other central banking authority; provided, that, no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(g) Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Revolving Commitment and Revolving Loans pursuant to Section 11.06(b), Bank of America may, (i) upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as the L/C Issuer, and/or (ii) upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as the Swingline Lender. In the event of any such resignation as the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender hereunder; provided, that, no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be. If Bank of America resigns as the L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as the L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)). If Bank of America resigns as the Swingline Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swingline Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swingline Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swingline Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c). Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swingline Lender, (A) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender, as the case may be, and (B) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

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11.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.

(a) Treatment of Certain Information. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (i) to its Affiliates, its auditors and its Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (ii) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (iii) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (iv) to any other party hereto, (v) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (vi) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 11.07, to (A) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or any Eligible Assignee invited to be a Lender pursuant to Section 2.02(g), or (B) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (vii) on a confidential basis to (A) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder, (B) the provider of any Platform or other electronic delivery service used by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and/or the Swingline Lender to deliver Borrower Materials or notices to the Lenders, or (C) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, or (viii) with the consent of the Borrower or to the extent such Information (A) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 11.07, or (B) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For purposes of this Section 11.07, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided, that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the Closing Date, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section 11.07 shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information. In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the Commitments.

(b) Non-Public Information. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that (i) the Information may include material non-public information concerning a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information, and (iii) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States federal and state securities Laws.

(c) Press Releases. The Loan Parties and their Affiliates agree that they will not in the future issue any press releases or other public disclosure using the name of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or their respective Affiliates or referring to this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, unless (and only to the extent that) the Loan Parties or such Affiliate is required to do so under law and then, in any event the Loan Parties or such Affiliate will consult with such Person before issuing such press release or other public disclosure.

 

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(d) Customary Advertising Material. The Loan Parties consent to the publication by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of customary advertising material relating to the transactions contemplated hereby using the name, product photographs, logo or trademark of the Loan Parties.

11.08 Right of Setoff.

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, the L/C Issuer or Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured, secured or unsecured, or are owed to a branch, office or Affiliate of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that, in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (a) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.15, and pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and (b) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Secured Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section 11.08 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application; provided, that, the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

11.09 Interest Rate Limitation.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

 

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11.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.

This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any certificate delivered thereunder, by fax transmission or e-mail transmission (e.g. “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement or such other Loan Document or certificate. Without limiting the foregoing, to the extent a manually executed counterpart is not specifically required to be delivered under the terms of any Loan Document, upon the request of any party, such fax transmission or e-mail transmission shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

11.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties.

All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

11.12 Severability.

If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby, and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

11.13 Replacement of Lenders.

If the Borrower is entitled to replace a Lender pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.06, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, then, in each case, the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 11.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided, that:

(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 11.06(b);

 

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(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

(d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and

(e) in the case of an assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

11.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

(a) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER, THE L/C ISSUER, OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF THE FOREGOING IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO

 

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IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR THE L/C ISSUER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN SECTION 11.14(b). THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

 

11.15

Waiver of Jury Trial.

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (a) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER, AND (b) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 11.15.

 

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11.16 Subordination.

Each Loan Party (a “Subordinating Loan Party”) hereby subordinates the payment of all obligations and indebtedness of any other Loan Party owing to it, whether now existing or hereafter arising, including but not limited to any obligation of any such other Loan Party to the Subordinating Loan Party as subrogee of the Secured Parties or resulting from such Subordinating Loan Party’s performance under this Guaranty, to the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all Obligations. If the Secured Parties so request, any such obligation or indebtedness of any such other Loan Party to the Subordinating Loan Party shall be enforced and performance received by the Subordinating Loan Party as trustee for the Secured Parties and the proceeds thereof shall be paid over to the Secured Parties on account of the Secured Obligations, but without reducing or affecting in any manner the liability of the Subordinating Loan Party under this Agreement. Without limitation of the foregoing, so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, the Loan Parties may make and receive payments with respect to Intercompany Debt; provided, that, in the event that any Loan Party receives any payment of any Intercompany Debt at a time when such payment is prohibited by this Section 11.16, such payment shall be held by such Loan Party, in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid forthwith over and delivered, upon written request, to the Administrative Agent.

11.17 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.

In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower and each other Loan Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (a)(i) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent and any Affiliate thereof, each Arranger and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower, each other Loan Party and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and, as applicable, its Affiliates (including MLPFS), and each Arranger and the Lenders and their Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of this Section 11.17, the “Lenders”), on the other hand, (ii) each of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (iii) the Borrower and each other Loan Party is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (b)(i) the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including MLPFS) and each Lender each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary, for Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person, and (ii) neither the Administrative Agent, any of its Affiliates (including MLPFS) nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (c) the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including MLPFS) and the Lenders may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower, the other Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, any of its Affiliates (including MLPFS) nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, any of its Affiliates (including MLPFS) or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transactions contemplated hereby.

11.18 Electronic Execution.

The words “delivery,” “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Loan Document or any other document executed in connection herewith shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical

 

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delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable Law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided, that, notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, that, without limiting the foregoing, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, any electronic signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

11.19 USA PATRIOT Act Notice.

Each Lender that is subject to the PATRIOT Act, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower and the other Loan Parties 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 the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, which information includes the name and address of each such Person and other information that will allow such Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify each such Person in accordance with the PATRIOT Act. The Loan Parties agree to, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, provide all such other documentation and information that the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the PATRIOT Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

11.20 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions.

Solely to the extent any Lender or the L/C Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institution is a party to this Agreement, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender or the L/C Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by: (a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any Lender or the L/C Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institution; and (b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable, (i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability, (ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or (iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

11.21 Waiver of Borrower Rights Under Farm Credit Law

The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that, to the extent the provisions of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987, including, 12 U.S.C. §§2199 through 2202e, and the implementing Farm Credit Administration regulations, 12 C.F.R. §617.7000, et seq. (collectively, the “Farm Credit Law”) apply to the Borrower or to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Borrower, to the extent permitted by Law, hereby irrevocably waives all statutory or regulatory rights of a borrower under the Farm Credit Law

 

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(including all rights to disclosure of effective interest rates, differential interest rates, review of credit decisions, distressed loan restructuring, and rights of first refusal) (together with all other rights under the Farm Credit Law, “Borrower Rights”). The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the waiver of Borrower Rights provided by this Section 11.21 is knowingly and voluntarily made after the Borrower has consulted with legal counsel of its choice and has been represented by counsel of its choice in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement and the waiver of Borrower Rights set forth in this Section 11.21. The Borrower acknowledges that its waiver of Borrower Rights set forth in this Section 11.21 is based on its recognition that such waiver is material to induce commercial banks and other non-Farm Credit System institutions (as defined under Farm Credit Law) to participate in the extensions of credit contemplated by this Agreement and to provide extensions of credit to the Borrower. Nothing contained in this Section 11.21, nor the delivery to the Borrower of any summary of any rights under, or any notice pursuant to, the Farm Credit Law shall be deemed to be, or be construed to indicate, the determination or agreement by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, or any Lender that the Farm Credit Law, or any rights thereunder, are or will be applicable to the Borrower or to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. It is the intent of the Borrower that the waiver of Borrower Rights contained in this Section 11.21 complies with and meets all of the requirements of 12 C.F.R. §617.7010(c).

11.22 ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

BORROWER:     MISSION PRODUCE, INC.,
    a California corporation
    By:  

/s/ Stephen J. Barnard

    Name:   Stephen J. Barnard
    Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
GUARANTORS:    

ADVANCED PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT, LLC,

a California limited liability company

    By:  

/s/ Keith Barnard

    Name:   Keith Barnard
    Title:   General Manager
   

SOLAR MPC, LLC,

a California limited liability company

    By:  

/s/ Stephen J. Barnard

    Name:   Stephen J. Barnard
    Title:   General Manager
   

SAM LAND I, LLC,

a California limited liability company

    By:  

/s/ Stephen J. Barnard

    Name:   Stephen J. Barnard
    Title:   General Manager
   

SAM LAND II, LLC,

a California limited liability company

    By:  

/s/ Stephen J. Barnard

    Name:   Stephen J. Barnard
    Title:   General Manager

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CREDIT AGREEMENT


SAM LAND III, LLC,

a California limited liability company

By:  

/s/ Stephen J. Barnard

Name:   Stephen J. Barnard
Title:   General Manager

SAM LAND IV, LLC,

a California limited liability company

By:  

/s/ Stephen J. Barnard

Name:   Stephen J. Barnard
Title:   General Manager

MISSION PRODUCE LOGISTICS, LLC,

a California limited liability company

By:  

/s/ Stephen J. Barnard

Name:   Stephen J. Barnard
Title:   General Manager

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CREDIT AGREEMENT


ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:    

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

    By:  

/s/ Linda Lov

    Name:   Linda Lov
    Title:   Assistant Vice President

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CREDIT AGREEMENT


LENDERS:    

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as a Lender, the Swingline Lender, and the L/C Issuer

    By:  

/s/ James Galindo

    Name:   James Galindo
    Title:   Vice President

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CREDIT AGREEMENT


FARM CREDIT WEST, PCA,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Pete Huffine

Name:   Pete Huffine
Title :   RVP

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CREDIT AGREEMENT


CITY NATIONAL BANK,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Robert M. Brichacek

Name:   Robert M. Brichacek
Title:   Senior Vice President

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CREDIT AGREEMENT


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Joe P. Garrot

Name:   Joe P. Garrot
Title:   Authorized Signer

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CREDIT AGREEMENT


CITIBANK, N.A.,

as a Lender

By.  

/s/ Collene M. Greenlee

Name:   Collene M. Greenlee
Title:   SVP, Director

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CREDIT AGREEMENT


ING CAPITAL LLC,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Dan Lamprecht

Name:   Dan Lamprecht
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Eanna Mulkere

Name:   Eanna Mulkere
Title:   Director

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CREDIT AGREEMENT


COÖPERATIVE RABOBANK U.A., NEW YORK BRANCH, as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Mark Steven Abrams

Name:   Mark Steven Abrams
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Alina Ioani

Name:  

Alina Ioani

Title:   Relationship Manager

 

MISSION PRODUCE, INC.

CREDIT AGREEMENT

EX-21.1

Exhibit 21.1

LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES OF THE REGISTRANT

 

Subsidiary

  

Registered Jurisdiction

Advanced Production Management LLC    California
Arato Peru S.A.    Peru
Avocado Packing Company S.A.C.    Peru
Beggie Peru S.A.    Peru
Blueberries Peru S.A.C.    Peru
Copaltas S.A.S.    Colombia
Grupo Arato Holding S.A.C.    Peru
Guatemala Avocados S.A.    Guatemala
Henry Avocado Corporation    California
Inversiones Agricolas Olmos II S.A.C.    Peru
Inversiones Agricolas Olmos S.A.C.    Peru
Mission Aguacates, Limitada    Guatemala
Mission Canada Ltd.    Canada
Mission de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.    Mexico
Mission Inversiones Agricolas Guatemala S.A.    Guatemala
Mission Produce Asia Limited    Hong Kong
Mission Produce Chile SpA    Chile
Mission Produce Europe BV    Netherlands
Mission Produce Foundation    California
Mission Produce Logistics, LLC    California
Mission South Africa (Pty) Ltd    South Africa
Moruga Inc. S.A.C.    Panama
SamLand I, LLC    California
SamLand II, LLC    California
SamLand III, LLC    California
SamLand IV, LLC    California
Shanghai Mr. Avocado Limited    China
Solar MPC, LLC    California
EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the use in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 of our report dated February 13, 2020, relating to the financial statements of Mission Produce, Inc. and subsidiaries.

We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Los Angeles, California

September 4, 2020