Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTION COPY
CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
December 23, 2010
among
AFC ENTERPRISES, INC.,
as Borrower
as Borrower
THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
as Administrative Agent
as Administrative Agent
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES, LLC and MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED,
as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners
as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners
and
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Syndication Agent
as Syndication Agent
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE I | ||||||
Definitions | ||||||
SECTION 1.01 | Defined Terms | 1 | ||||
SECTION 1.02 | Classification of Loans and Borrowings | 25 | ||||
SECTION 1.03 | Terms Generally | 25 | ||||
SECTION 1.04 | Accounting Terms; GAAP | 25 | ||||
ARTICLE II | ||||||
The Credits | ||||||
SECTION 2.01 | Commitments | 26 | ||||
SECTION 2.02 | Loans and Borrowings | 26 | ||||
SECTION 2.03 | Requests for Borrowings | 27 | ||||
SECTION 2.04 | Swingline Loans | 28 | ||||
SECTION 2.05 | Letters of Credit | 29 | ||||
SECTION 2.06 | Funding of Borrowings | 33 | ||||
SECTION 2.07 | Interest Elections | 34 | ||||
SECTION 2.08 | Termination, Reduction and Increase of Commitments | 35 | ||||
SECTION 2.09 | Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt | 37 | ||||
SECTION 2.10 | Prepayment of Loans | 38 | ||||
SECTION 2.11 | Amortization of Term Loans | 40 | ||||
SECTION 2.12 | Fees | 41 | ||||
SECTION 2.13 | Interest | 42 | ||||
SECTION 2.14 | Alternate Rate of Interest | 42 | ||||
SECTION 2.15 | Increased Costs | 43 | ||||
SECTION 2.16 | Break Funding Payments | 44 | ||||
SECTION 2.17 | Taxes | 45 | ||||
SECTION 2.18 | Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs | 46 | ||||
SECTION 2.19 | Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders | 48 | ||||
SECTION 2.20 | Defaulting Lenders | 49 | ||||
ARTICLE III | ||||||
Representations and Warranties | ||||||
SECTION 3.01 | Organization; Powers | 52 |
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Page | ||||||
SECTION 3.02 | Authorization; Enforceability | 52 | ||||
SECTION 3.03 | Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts | 52 | ||||
SECTION 3.04 | Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change | 52 | ||||
SECTION 3.05 | Properties | 53 | ||||
SECTION 3.06 | Litigation and Environmental Matters | 54 | ||||
SECTION 3.07 | Compliance with Laws and Agreements | 54 | ||||
SECTION 3.08 | Investment Company Status | 55 | ||||
SECTION 3.09 | Taxes | 55 | ||||
SECTION 3.10 | ERISA | 55 | ||||
SECTION 3.11 | Disclosure | 55 | ||||
SECTION 3.12 | Licenses, etc. | 55 | ||||
SECTION 3.13 | Labor Matters | 55 | ||||
SECTION 3.14 | Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations | 56 | ||||
SECTION 3.15 | Subsidiaries | 56 | ||||
SECTION 3.16 | Security Interests | 56 | ||||
SECTION 3.17 | Insurance | 56 | ||||
SECTION 3.18 | Solvency | 56 | ||||
ARTICLE IV | ||||||
Conditions | ||||||
SECTION 4.01 | Conditions Precedent to Closing Date | 56 | ||||
SECTION 4.02 | Each Credit Event | 58 | ||||
ARTICLE V | ||||||
Affirmative Covenants | ||||||
SECTION 5.01 | Financial Statements; Ratings Change and Other Information | 59 | ||||
SECTION 5.02 | Notices of Material Events | 61 | ||||
SECTION 5.03 | Existence; Conduct of Business | 61 | ||||
SECTION 5.04 | Payment of Obligations | 61 | ||||
SECTION 5.05 | Maintenance of Properties | 62 | ||||
SECTION 5.06 | Books and Records; Inspection Rights | 62 | ||||
SECTION 5.07 | Compliance with Laws | 62 | ||||
SECTION 5.08 | Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit | 62 | ||||
SECTION 5.09 | Insurance | 62 | ||||
SECTION 5.10 | Information Regarding Collateral | 63 | ||||
SECTION 5.11 | Additional Subsidiaries and Real Property Assets | 63 | ||||
SECTION 5.12 | Compliance with Contractual Obligations | 65 |
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Page | ||||||
SECTION 5.13 | Further Assurances | 65 | ||||
SECTION 5.14 | Casualty and Condemnation | 65 | ||||
SECTION 5.15 | End of Fiscal Years; Fiscal Quarters | 66 | ||||
ARTICLE VI | ||||||
Negative Covenants | ||||||
SECTION 6.01 | Indebtedness | 66 | ||||
SECTION 6.02 | Liens | 68 | ||||
SECTION 6.03 | Fundamental Changes and Asset Sales | 69 | ||||
SECTION 6.04 | Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions | 70 | ||||
SECTION 6.05 | Swap Agreements | 70 | ||||
SECTION 6.06 | Restricted Payments | 71 | ||||
SECTION 6.07 | Transactions with Affiliates | 72 | ||||
SECTION 6.08 | Restrictive Agreements | 72 | ||||
SECTION 6.09 | Sale and Leaseback Transactions | 72 | ||||
SECTION 6.10 | Amendment of Material Documents | 72 | ||||
SECTION 6.11 | Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio | 73 | ||||
SECTION 6.12 | Total Leverage Ratio | 73 | ||||
SECTION 6.13 | Certain Calculations | 73 | ||||
SECTION 6.14 | Disposal of Subsidiary Stock | 74 | ||||
ARTICLE VII | ||||||
Events of Default | ||||||
ARTICLE VIII | ||||||
The Administrative Agent | ||||||
SECTION 8.01 | General | 77 | ||||
SECTION 8.02 | Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account | 79 | ||||
ARTICLE IX | ||||||
Miscellaneous | ||||||
SECTION 9.01 | Notices | 80 | ||||
SECTION 9.02 | Waivers; Amendments | 81 | ||||
SECTION 9.03 | Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver | 83 | ||||
SECTION 9.04 | Successors and Assigns | 84 | ||||
SECTION 9.05 | Survival | 88 |
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Page | ||||||
SECTION 9.06 | Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness | 88 | ||||
SECTION 9.07 | Severability | 88 | ||||
SECTION 9.08 | Right of Setoff | 88 | ||||
SECTION 9.09 | Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process | 89 | ||||
SECTION 9.10 | WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL | 89 | ||||
SECTION 9.11 | Headings | 90 | ||||
SECTION 9.12 | Confidentiality | 90 | ||||
SECTION 9.13 | Interest Rate Limitation | 90 | ||||
SECTION 9.14 | USA PATRIOT Act | 91 |
SCHEDULES:
Schedule 1.1A — Mortgaged Properties
Schedule 1.1B — Certain Specified Asset Sales
Schedule 1.1C — Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule 1.1D — EBITDA Adjustments
Schedule 2.01 — Commitments
Schedule 3.15 — Subsidiaries
Schedule 3.17 — Insurance
Schedule 4.01(l) — Material Litigation
Schedule 5.15 — Borrower’s Fiscal Calendar
Schedule 6.01 — Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 — Existing Liens
Schedule 1.1B — Certain Specified Asset Sales
Schedule 1.1C — Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule 1.1D — EBITDA Adjustments
Schedule 2.01 — Commitments
Schedule 3.15 — Subsidiaries
Schedule 3.17 — Insurance
Schedule 4.01(l) — Material Litigation
Schedule 5.15 — Borrower’s Fiscal Calendar
Schedule 6.01 — Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 — Existing Liens
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit A — Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B-1 — Form of Opinion of Bingham McCutchen LLP (New York)
Exhibit B-2 — Form of Opinion of Monroe Moxness Berg, P.A. (Minnesota)
Exhibit B-3 — Form of Opinion of Cohen Pollock Merlin & Small, P.C. (Georgia)
Exhibit C — Collateral Agreement
Exhibit D — Perfection Certificate
Exhibit E — Form of Agreement of Subordination, Non-Disturbance and Attornment
Exhibit F — Form of Permitted Subordinated Indebtedness Provisions
Exhibit G — Form of Mortgage
Exhibit B-1 — Form of Opinion of Bingham McCutchen LLP (New York)
Exhibit B-2 — Form of Opinion of Monroe Moxness Berg, P.A. (Minnesota)
Exhibit B-3 — Form of Opinion of Cohen Pollock Merlin & Small, P.C. (Georgia)
Exhibit C — Collateral Agreement
Exhibit D — Perfection Certificate
Exhibit E — Form of Agreement of Subordination, Non-Disturbance and Attornment
Exhibit F — Form of Permitted Subordinated Indebtedness Provisions
Exhibit G — Form of Mortgage
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CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of December 23, 2010, among AFC ENTERPRISES, INC., a Minnesota corporation (the “Borrower”), the LENDERS party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (“JPMCB”), as Administrative Agent.
The Borrower has requested that the Lenders (as hereinafter defined) extend credit to it in an aggregate principal or face amount not exceeding $100,000,000, to refinance certain existing indebtedness, to finance acquisitions and working capital needs, and for other general corporate purposes.
The Lenders are prepared to extend such credit upon the terms and conditions hereof, and, accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01Defined Terms as used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
“ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
“Acquisition Properties” means as defined in subsection 5.11(b).
“Additional Mortgagee Policies” means as defined in subsection 5.11(c).
“Additional Mortgages” means as defined in subsection 5.11(b).
“Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1.00%) equal to the product of (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period and (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.
“Administrative Agent” means JPMCB, in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
“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.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus1/2 of 1.00% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a three-month Interest Period on such day plus 1.00%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the LIBO Rate, respectively.
“Applicable Percentage” means (i) with respect to all payments, computations and other matters relating to the Term Loan of any Lender, the percentage obtained by dividing (a) the Term Loan Exposure of that Lender by (b) the aggregate Term Loan Exposure of all Lenders; and (ii) with respect to all payments, computations and other matters relating to the Revolving Loan Commitment or Revolving Loans of any Lender or any Letters of Credit issued or participations purchased therein by any Lender or any participations in any Swingline Loans purchased by any Lender, the percentage obtained by dividing (a) the Revolving Credit Exposure of that Lender by (b) the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of all Lenders;provided that in the case of Section 2.20 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Applicable Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the total Term Loan Exposure or Revolving Credit Exposure, as the case may be (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Term Loan Exposure or Revolving Credit Exposure) represented by such Lender’s Term Loan Exposure or Revolving Credit Exposure, as the case may be. For all other purposes with respect to each Lender, “Applicable Percentage” means the percentage obtained by dividing (A) an amount equal to the sum of the Term Loan Exposure and the Revolving Credit Exposure of that Lender, by (B) an amount equal to the sum of the aggregate Term Loan Exposure and the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of all Lenders;provided that in the case of Section 2.20 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Applicable Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the total Term Loan Exposure and Revolving Credit Exposure (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Term Loan Exposure and Revolving Credit Exposure) represented by such Lender’s Term Loan Exposure and Revolving Credit Exposure. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.
“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, or with respect to the commitment fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “ABR Spread”, “Eurodollar Spread” or “Commitment Fee”, as the case may be, based upon the Total Leverage Ratio as of the most recent determination date; provided that until the date falling three Business Days after delivery to the Administrative Agent of the Borrower’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) covering the first full fiscal quarter falling entirely after the date hereof, the “Applicable Rate” shall be the applicable rate per annum set forth below in Category 2:
2
Borrower’s Total | ||||||||||||
Leverage Ratio | Eurodollar Spread | ABR Spread | Commitment Fee | |||||||||
Category 1 | ||||||||||||
< 1.00 | 2.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 0.400 | % | ||||||
Category 2 | ||||||||||||
³ 1.00 and < 1.50 | 2.50 | % | 1.50 | % | 0.500 | % | ||||||
Category 3 | ||||||||||||
³ 1.50 and < 2.00 | 2.75 | % | 1.75 | % | 0.500 | % | ||||||
Category 4 | ||||||||||||
³ 2.00 and < 2.50 | 3.00 | % | 2.00 | % | 0.625 | % | ||||||
Category 5 | ||||||||||||
³ 2.50 | 3.25 | % | 2.25 | % | 0.625 | % |
For purposes of the foregoing, (i) the Total Leverage Ratio shall be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower’s fiscal year based upon the Borrower’s consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) and (ii) each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Total Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including the date three Business Days after delivery to the Administrative Agent of such consolidated financial statements indicating such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change;provided that the Total Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 5 if the Borrower fails to deliver the consolidated financial statements required to be delivered by it pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), during the period from the expiration of the time for delivery thereof until such consolidated financial statements are delivered.
“Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.
“Arrangers” means J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, in their capacity as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners.
“Asset Sale” means a sale, lease or sub-lease (other than in the ordinary course of business), sale and leaseback, assignment, conveyance, transfer or other disposition to, or any exchange of property with, any Person (other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary Loan Party), in one transaction or a series of transactions, of all or any part of the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ businesses, assets or properties of any kind, whether real, personal, or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, including, without limitation, the Capital Stock of any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries, other than (i) inventory (or other assets) sold or leased in the ordinary course of business (excluding any such sales by operations or divisions discontinued or to be discontinued), and (ii) sales of other assets for aggregate consideration of less than $3,000,000 in the aggregate during any fiscal year of the Borrower.
“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 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form ofExhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
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“Assuming Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.08.
“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the earlier of the Revolving Loan Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Revolving Loan Commitments.
“Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment,provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof,provided,further, that such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Person 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 Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.
“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.
“Borrower” means AFC Enterprises, Inc., a Minnesota corporation.
“Borrower Common Stock” means the common stock issued by the Borrower.
“Borrowing” means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect, (b) a Term Loan and as to which a single Interest Period is in effect or (c) a Swingline Loan.
“Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.
“Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account” as defined in Section 8.02.
“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City or the City of Atlanta, Georgia are authorized or required by law to remain closed;provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.
“Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP as
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in effect on the date hereof, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the date hereof.
“Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation), including, without limitation, partnership interests and membership interests, and any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase or other arrangements or rights to acquire any of the foregoing.
“Cash” means money, currency or a credit balance in a Deposit Account.
“Cash Equivalents” means, as at any date of determination, (i) marketable securities (a) issued or directly and unconditionally guaranteed as to interest and principal by the United States Government or (b) issued by any agency of the United States the obligations of which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in each case maturing within one year after such date; (ii) marketable direct obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof, in each case maturing within one year after such date (except in the case of taxable auction rate municipal bonds and auction rate preferred securities which may have longer maturities) and having, at the time of the acquisition thereof, the highest rating obtainable from either S&P or Moody’s; (iii) commercial paper maturing no more than one year from the date of creation thereof and having, at the time of the acquisition thereof, a rating of at least A-1 from S&P or at least P-1 from Moody’s; (iv) certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances maturing within one year after such date and issued or accepted by any Lender or by any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia or any foreign country that (a) is at least “adequately capitalized” (as defined in the regulations of its primary Federal banking regulator) and (b) has Tier 1 capital (as defined in such regulations) of not less than $100,000,000 (a “Cash Equivalent Bank”); (v) Eurodollar time deposits having a maturity of less than one year purchased directly from any Lender or Cash Equivalent Bank; and (vi) shares of any money market mutual fund that (a) has at least 95% of its assets invested continuously in the types of investments referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above, (b) has net assets of not less than $500,000,000, and (c) has the highest rating obtainable from either S&P or Moody’s.
“Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) of Equity Interests representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower or (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated.
“Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any
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lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement.
“Class”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans, Term Loans or Swingline Loans.
“CLO” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.
“Closing Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“Collateral” means, collectively, all of the real, personal and mixed property (including Capital Stock) in which Liens are purported to be granted pursuant to the Security Documents as security for the Obligations.
“Collateral Agent” has the meaning set forth in the Collateral Agreement.
“Collateral Agreement” means the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement among the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent, as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, substantially in the form ofExhibit C.
“Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” means the requirement that:
(a) the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) from each of the Borrower and the Subsidiary Loan Parties a counterpart of each of the Security Documents duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Loan Parties party thereto and (ii) in the case of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary Loan Party after the Closing Date, a supplement to each Security Document, in the form specified therein, duly executed and delivered on behalf of such Subsidiary Loan Party;
(b) all outstanding Equity Interests of each Subsidiary Loan Party and other Subsidiaries not subject to an applicable restrictive agreement permitted pursuant to Section 6.08 shall have been pledged pursuant to the Collateral Agreement and the Administrative Agent shall have received certificates or other instruments representing all such Equity Interests (if certificated), together with stock powers or other instruments of transfer with respect thereto endorsed in blank;
(c) all Indebtedness of the Borrower and each Subsidiary that is owing to any Loan Party shall be evidenced by a promissory note or other instrument and shall have been pledged pursuant to the Collateral Agreement and the Administrative Agent shall have received all such promissory notes and other instruments, together with instruments of transfer with respect thereto endorsed in blank;
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(d) all documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing statements, required by law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded to create the first priority Liens intended to be created by the Collateral Agreement and perfect such Liens to the extent required by, and with the priority required by, the Collateral Agreement, shall have been filed, registered or recorded or delivered to the Administrative Agent for filing, registration or recording, all subject to the Permitted Encumbrances;
(e) the Administrative Agent shall have received on the Closing Date or within 90 days thereafter (unless extended by the Administrative Agent to 120 days after the Closing Date in its sole discretion): (i) counterparts of a Mortgage with respect to each Mortgaged Property described onSchedule 1.1A, duly executed and delivered by the record owner of such Mortgaged Property, and in recordable form, and, to the extent necessary or advisable under applicable law, for filing in the appropriate county land office(s), Uniform Commercial Code financing statements covering fixtures, in each case appropriately completed (“Fixture Filings”); (ii) a policy or policies of ALTA title insurance each in an amount not less than the book value of such Mortgaged Property issued by the Title Company insuring the Lien of each such Mortgage as a valid first Lien on the Mortgaged Property described therein, free of any other Liens except as expressly permitted by Section 6.02, together with such endorsements, coinsurance and reinsurance as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request and any affidavits, certificates, information (including financial data) as shall be required to induce the Title Company to issue such title policies and endorsements; (iii) evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent of payment of all expenses and premiums of the Title Company in connection with the issuance of the title policies and endorsements contemplated above and of all recording, mortgage, intangibles, transfer and stamp taxes payable in connection with recording the Mortgages and Fixture Filings; (iv) such surveys, abstracts, appraisals and other documents as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request with respect to any such Mortgage or Mortgaged Property; (v) a completed “life of loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination, and if any improvement to the Flood Hazard Property is located in a special flood hazard area, a notification to the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary (“Borrower Notice”), and (if applicable) such Borrower Notice shall contain a notification to the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary that flood insurance coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program (“NFIP”) is not available because the community does not participate in the NFIP, and documentation evidencing the Borrower’s or the applicable Subsidary’s receipt of the Borrower Notice (e.g., countersigned Borrower Notice, return receipt, certified U.S. Mail, or overnight delivery); and (vi) evidence of flood insurance with respect to each Flood Hazard Property that is located in a community where such flood insurance is available, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Collateral Agent; and
(f) each Loan Party shall have obtained all consents and approvals required (without giving effect to Sections 9-406 through 9-409 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect on the date hereof in the State of Delaware) to be obtained by it in connection with the execution and delivery of all Security Documents to which it is a party, the performance of its obligations thereunder and the granting by it of the Liens thereunder.
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“Commitment” means a Revolving Loan Commitment or a Term Loan Commitment, or any combination thereof (as the context requires).
“Consolidated Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, the sum of (i) the aggregate of all expenditures (whether paid in cash or other consideration or accrued as a liability and including that portion of Capital Lease Obligations which is capitalized on the consolidated balance sheet of Borrower and its Subsidiaries) by Borrower and its Subsidiaries during that period that, in conformity with GAAP as in effect on the date hereof, are included in “additions to property, plant or equipment” or comparable items reflected in the consolidated statement of cash flows of Borrower and its Subsidiaries plus (ii) to the extent not covered by clause (i) of this definition, the aggregate of all expenditures by Borrower and its Subsidiaries during that period to acquire (by purchase or otherwise) (a) the business, property or fixed assets of any Person, or (b) stock or other evidence of beneficial ownership of any Person to the extent the purchase price of such stock or other evidence of beneficial ownership of such Person is appropriately allocated to property, plant, or equipment in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the date hereof;provided,however, Consolidated Capital Expenditures shall not include expenditures made from the proceeds of any insurance or condemnation payments (or payments made in lieu of condemnation) received by Borrower and its Subsidiaries and used to repair or replace the damaged property with respect to which such proceeds were received.
“Consolidated Cash Interest Expense” means, for any period, Consolidated Interest Expense for such period excluding, however, any interest expense not payable in Cash (including amortization of discount and amortization of debt issuance costs).
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted from revenues in determining such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (i) the aggregate amount of consolidated interest expense for such period, (ii) the aggregate amount of all provisions for all Taxes (whether or not paid, estimated or accrued) based upon or determined by reference to the income and profits for such period, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation, amortization (including but not limited to amortization of goodwill and other intangible assets, amortization and write-offs of financing costs and premiums paid in connection with any early extinguishment of Indebtedness) and any non-cash impairment charges related to goodwill, other intangible or long-lived assets for such period, (iv) all extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring charges (including without limitation, restructuring charges), (v) charges, reserves and provisions made with respect to litigation, in each case to the extent cash reserves have been established with respect to such charges, reserves and provisions, (vi) charges made with respect to litigation disclosed inSchedule 4.01(l) to the extent reserves have been established with respect thereto, or to the extent not reserved for in an amount acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, (vii) those items described onSchedule 1.1D and (viii) all other non-cash charges, minus (b) without duplication and to the extent added to revenues in determining such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (i) all extraordinary gains during such period, and (ii) after-tax income derived from discontinued operations or from the subject of Asset Sales, all as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated EBITDAR” means, for any period, Consolidated EBITDA plus Consolidated Rental Expense.
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“Consolidated Fixed Charges” means for any period, the sum of (a) the aggregate amount of scheduled principal payments made during such period on Indebtedness, including Capital Lease Obligations, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (b) Consolidated Cash Interest Expense, and (c) Consolidated Rental Expense of Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the interest expense, both expended and capitalized (including the interest component in respect of Capital Lease Obligations), accrued or paid by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during such period (excluding any amortization or write-off of financing costs otherwise included therein and excluding any fees paid pursuant to Section 2.12 hereof and the write-off of unamortized deferred financing costs taken by Borrower in connection with the refinancings of Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of Borrower and its Subsidiaries), net of interest income of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, (i) the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for such period taken as a single accounting period determined in conformity with GAAP,minus (ii) (a) the income (or loss) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Borrower) in which any other Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) has a joint interest, except to the extent of the amount of dividends or other distributions actually paid to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries by such Person during such period, (b) the income (or loss) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or that Person’s assets are acquired by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (c) the income of any Subsidiary of the Borrower to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Subsidiary of that income is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Subsidiary, (d) any after-tax gains or losses attributable to Asset Sales or returned surplus assets of any Plan, and (e) (to the extent not included in clauses (a) through (d) above) any net extraordinary gains or net extraordinary losses.
“Consolidated Rental Expense” for any period, the aggregate amount of fixed and contingent rentals payable by Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period with respect to operating (non-capital) leases of real and personal property determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the date hereof.
“Consolidated Total Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries outstanding as of such date.
“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.
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“Conversion Strategy” means sales by Borrower and Subsidiary Loan Parties to franchisees thereof of restaurants and other outlets and units with respect to direct marketing areas.
“Credit Party” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender.
“Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.
“Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed, within two Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans or (iii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Borrower or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by a Credit Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans under this Agreement,provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become, or has a Parent that has become, the subject of a Bankruptcy Event.
“Deposit Account” means a demand, time, savings, and passbook or like account with a bank, savings and loan association, credit union or like organization, other than an account evidenced by a negotiable certificate of deposit.
“dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
“Eligible Assignee” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.
“Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of
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the Borrower 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.
“Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
“ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
“Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.
“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by reference to) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws
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of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.19(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.17(a) and (d) any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed by FATCA.
“Existing Credit Agreement” means the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as amended), dated as of August 14, 2009 by and among AFC Enterprises, Inc., the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
“Existing Letters of Credit” means those existing letters of credit issued by the Issuing Bank and listed onSchedule 1.1C.
“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and any regulations or official interpretations thereof.
“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1.00%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1.00%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
“Financial Covenants” means the covenants set forth at Sections 6.11 and 6.12 hereof.
“Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
“Flood Hazard Property” means any improved Real Property Asset (or Real Property Lease) subject to a Mortgage and any portion of which is located in an area designated a “flood hazard area” in any Flood Insurance Rate Map published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or any successor agency.
“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
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“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or 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.
“Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation;provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit or contingent liabilities or obligations with respect to assigned or subleased operating leases in the ordinary course of business.
“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, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Increasing Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.08.
“Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to loans or monetary advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (d) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding (i) accounts payable and due within 12 months incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii) obligations incurred under ERISA and (iii) obligations incurred under Permitted Earnout Agreements, other than in the case of (ii) and (iii) to the extent recorded as Indebtedness on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower), (e) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an
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existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (f) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (g) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor. The contingent liability of a Person arising from guaranties of operating leases which are assigned or sublet in the ordinary course of business shall not constitute Indebtedness.
“Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.07.
“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and December, (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period, and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid.
“Interest Period” means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is three or six months (or, with the consent of each Lender, nine or twelve months) thereafter, in each case as the Borrower may elect;provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and, in the case of a Revolving Loan Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
“Investment” means, for any Person, any capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of any other Person, any loans or advances made to any other Person, any Guarantee of the obligations of any other Person, any other investment or interest in any other Person and any purchase or acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit;provided, that the term Investment shall not include
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(A) accounts receivables of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that (i) are payable within 180 days, (ii) are incurred in ordinary course of business and (iii) are incurred on commercially reasonably terms, to the extent such accounts receivables may constitute a loan or advance and (B) advances to employees for moving, entertainment and travel expenses, drawing accounts and similar expenditures in the ordinary course of business.
“Issuing Bank” means JPMCB, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder and with respect to Existing Letters of Credit, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.05(i). The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.
“Joint Venture” means a joint venture, partnership or other similar arrangement, whether in corporate, partnership or other legal form; provided that in no event shall any Subsidiary of any Person be considered to be a Joint Venture to which such Person is a party.
“LC Disbursement” means a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.
“LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.
“Lenders” means the Persons listed onSchedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or the agreement executed by such Person pursuant to Section 2.08, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender.
“Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement, including any Existing Letters of Credit.
“LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on Reuters Page LIBOR01 (or on any successor or substitute page or service providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market comparable to those currently provided on such page, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.
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“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Collateral Agreement and the other Security Documents.
“Loan Parties” means the Borrower and the Subsidiary Loan Parties.
“Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
“Margin Stock” shall have the meaning provided such term in Regulation U.
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, operations, property, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents, (c) (i) the ability of the Borrower or the Subsidiary Loan Parties to perform any of their respective obligations under the Loan Documents or (ii) the ability of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to enforce the Obligations or (d) the rights of or benefits available to the Lenders under the Loan Documents.
“Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $5,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.
“Material Real Property Lease” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05(b).
“Material Subsidiary” shall mean a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries that, as of the end of the most recent ended fiscal quarter, account individually or in the aggregate for 5.00% or more of the Borrower’s consolidated (i) total assets, (ii) shareholders’ equity, (iii) operating income (calculated for the four most recent fiscal quarters) or (iv) total revenue, determined in each case in accordance with GAAP.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
“Mortgage” means a mortgage, deed of trust, assignment of leases and rents, leasehold mortgage or other security document granting a Lien on any Mortgaged Property to secure the Obligations. Each Mortgage shall be substantially in the form ofExhibit G.
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“Mortgaged Property” means, initially, each parcel of real property and the improvements thereto owned by a Loan Party and identified onSchedule 1.1A, and includes each other parcel of real property and improvements thereto with respect to which a Mortgage is granted pursuant to Section 5.11.
“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Net Proceeds” means, with respect to any event (a) the cash proceeds received in respect of such event including (i) any cash received in respect of any non-cash proceeds, (ii) in the case of a casualty, insurance proceeds, and (iii) in the case of a condemnation or similar event, condemnation awards and similar payments, net of (b) the sum of (i) all reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses paid by the Loan Parties to third parties (other than Affiliates) in connection with such event, including without limitation, underwriting discounts and commissions and other reasonable transaction costs associated therewith, (ii) in the case of a sale, transfer of other disposition of an asset (including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction or a casualty or condemnation or similar proceeding), the amount of all payments required to be made by the Loan Parties as a result of such event to repay Indebtedness (other than Loans) secured by such asset or otherwise subject to mandatory prepayment as a result of such event and taxes reasonably estimated to be actually payable as a result of such asset disposition within two years of the date of such disposition, (iii) reasonable reserves taken by Borrower in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities (actual or contingent) retained by Borrower as determined (in the case of any such reserves in excess of $1,000,000) by the Board of Directors of Borrower in its reasonable good faith judgment and evidenced by a resolution of the Board of Directors, and (iv) reasonable employee termination costs payable in connection with Asset Sales;provided, that any reduction in such reserve will be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as a new Asset Sale at the time of such reduction with Net Proceeds equal to the amount of such reduction.
“Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.19(c).
“Obligations” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Collateral Agreement.
“Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.
“Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.
“Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
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“Perfection Certificate” means a certificate provided by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower substantially in the form ofExhibit D or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent
“Permitted Acquisition” means any acquisition by the Borrower or its Subsidiary Loan Parties of the assets of, or all of the Equity Interests in, a Person or division or line of business of a Person that is engaged in a line or lines of business reasonably related (ancillary or complementary) to the line of business or lines of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary if, immediately after giving effect thereto, (a) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, (b) in the case of an acquisition of Equity Interests in a Person, 100% of the Equity Interests in such Person, and any other Subsidiary resulting from such acquisition, shall be owned directly or indirectly by the Borrower or a Subsidiary Loan Party and all actions required to be taken, if any, with respect to each Subsidiary resulting from such acquisition under Sections 5.11 and 5.13 have been or are concurrently taken, (c) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries are in compliance, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such acquisition, with the Financial Covenants recomputed as at the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements are available as if such acquisition had occurred on the first day of each relevant period for testing such compliance, (d) the business acquired shall be related to the food service industry or suitable for or related to franchising and (e) the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent an officers’ certificate to the effect set forth in clauses (a), (c) and (d) above, together with all relevant financial information for the business or entity being acquired.
“Permitted Earnout Agreements” shall mean any agreement by Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries to pay (i) the seller or sellers of any Person or assets acquired in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement at any time following the consummation of such acquisition by reference to the financial performance of the assets acquired or (ii) the purchaser or purchasers in connection with any Asset Sales the amounts of any deferred maintenance obligations or monies from repair escrow agreements;provided that the aggregate amount of all such payments which may be owed under such agreements contemplated by clauses (i) and (ii) at any time of determination shall not exceed $15,000,000.
“Permitted Encumbrances” means:
(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s, landlord’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 30 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;
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(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety, indemnity and appeal bonds, performance and return-of-money and fiduciary bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (l) of Article VII;
(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way, licenses, covenants, conditions, minor defects, encroachments or irregularities in title and similar encumbrances on real property that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at the Real Property Assets or Real Property Leases subject to such Liens;
(g) leases or subleases to the extent permitted hereunder granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of the business of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries;
(h) any (i) interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under any lease, (ii) restriction or encumbrance that the interest or title of such lessor or sublessor may be subject to, or (iii) subordination of the interest of the lessee or sublessee under such lease to any restriction or encumbrance referred to in the preceding clause (ii);
(i) Liens on goods held by suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business for sums not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith, if such reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made therefor and as long as such Lien remains unperfected;
(j) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;
(k) rights of franchisees under franchise agreements in keeping with the Borrower’s historical practices;
(l) with respect to any Real Property Lease in which the Borrower owns a leasehold estate, any defect or encumbrance caused by or arising out of the failure to record the lease or a memorandum thereof in the applicable real property records in the county where such Real Property Lease is located other than any defect or encumbrance created or suffered by the Borrower; and
(m) the effect of any moratorium, eminent domain or condemnation proceedings;
provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness.
“Permitted Investments” means:
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(a) investments in Cash or Cash Equivalents;
(b) investments consisting of notes received from employees of Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection with, and in an amount not to exceed the purchase price of, their purchase of Borrower Common Stock, provided such notes are secured by the Borrower Common Stock being purchased with the proceeds thereof;
(c) investments held or to be held by a grantor trust established by Borrower for the purpose of providing a deferred compensation plan for certain members of management; provided that the aggregate amount of all such investments made shall not at any time exceed $10,000,000;
(d) investments in Subsidiary Loan Parties; and
(e) investments consisting of notes received in connection with Specified Asset Sales or Asset Sales to the extent permitted under Section 6.03.
“Permitted Joint Venture Investment” means one or more Investments by the Borrower or a Subsidiary Loan Party in Joint Ventures; provided that, (i) each such Joint Venture interest shall be at least 10% of the total Joint Venture interests of each such Joint Venture and (ii) the businesses of each such Joint Venture shall consist of the development and operation of a business which may be conducted by the Borrower hereunder.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.”
“Prepayment Event” means:
(a) any sale, transfer or other disposition (including without limitation pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction or the issuance of Capital Stock of the Subsidiaries (other than in connection with a Permitted Acquisition)) or other than the sale and transfer of obsolete or surplus assets; or
(b) any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, other than casualties, insured damage or takings resulting in aggregate Net Proceeds not exceeding $250,000 per occurrence or $1,000,000 in the aggregate during any fiscal year of the Borrower; or
(c) the incurrence by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Indebtedness, other than Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01; or
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(d) any return to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any surplus assets of any pension plan of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMCB as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
“Real Property Assets” means fee owned estate interests of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in land, buildings, improvements, and fixtures attached thereto, other than mall located, kiosk and “in-line unit” type property.
“Real Property Lease” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05(b).
“Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
“Regulation D,” “Regulation U” and “Regulation X” shall mean, respectively, Regulation D, Regulation U and Regulation X of the Federal Reserve Board.
“Regulatory Shares” means, with respect to any Person, shares of such Person required to be issued as qualifying shares to directors or persons similarly situated or shares issued to Persons other than Borrower or a wholly owned Subsidiary of Borrower in response to regulatory requirements of foreign jurisdictions pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors of such Person, so long as such shares do not exceed one percent of the total outstanding shares of equity such Person and any owners of such shares irrevocably covenant with Borrower to remit to Borrower or waive any dividends or distributions paid or payable in respect of such shares.
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.
“Replacement Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.19(c).
“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposure, Term Loans and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures, outstanding Term Loans and unused Commitments at such time who are not Defaulting Lenders.
“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower.
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“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.
“Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to clause (b) of Section 2.01.
“Revolving Loan Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth onSchedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption (or, in the case of any Assuming Lender, the agreement entered into by such Assuming Lender under Section 2.08(c)) pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Loan Commitments is $60,000,000.
“Revolving Loan Commitment Increase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.08.
“Revolving Loan Commitment Increase Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.08.
“Revolving Loan Maturity Date” means December 23, 2015.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group.
“Security Documents” means the Collateral Agreement, the Mortgages, and each other security agreement or other instrument or document executed and delivered pursuant to Section 5.11 or 5.13 to secure any of the Obligations.
“Specified Asset Sales” means Asset Sales with respect to (i) sales or leases or transfers of franchise related properties to franchisees pursuant to the Borrower’s “turnkey” development programs, (ii) sales, leases or transfers of franchises and related assets and properties repossessed or reacquired by the Borrower from franchisees and subsequently resold to new franchisees all in the ordinary course of business, (iii) sales or dispositions of franchise related properties and assets that are no longer in operation and are surplus to the Borrower’s needs in the ordinary course of business in an amount not in excess of $5,000,000 in any twelve month period; provided that such limitation shall not apply to sales and dispositions of the assets listed onSchedule 1.1B hereto, (iv) exchanges of properties or assets for other properties or assets (other than cash or cash equivalents) that (1) are useful in the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as then being conducted and (2) have a fair market value at least equal to the fair market value of the assets or properties being exchanged (as evidenced by a resolution of the directors of the Borrower in the case of transactions having a fair market value in excess of $1,000,000) in the ordinary course of business and (v) sales of franchise related properties in connection with a market relocation program or the Borrower’s Conversion Strategy.
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“Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.
“Subject Transaction” means as defined in Section 6.13.
“Subordinated Debt” means the subordinated debt evidenced by subordinated Indebtedness issued or incurred by the Borrower subordinated in right of payment to the payment in full of the Obligations of the Borrower to the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents and other senior obligations of the Borrower;provided that (i) the negative covenants in such subordinated Indebtedness are less burdensome than the negative covenants in this Agreement as in effect at the time such subordinated Indebtedness is incurred, (ii) the affirmative covenants in such subordinated Indebtedness are no more burdensome than the affirmative covenants in this Agreement as in effect at the time such subordinated Indebtedness is incurred, (iii) the events of default in such subordinated Indebtedness relating to insolvency and nonpayment of amounts owed thereunder are no more restrictive than the corresponding defaults in this Agreement as in effect at the time such subordinated Indebtedness is incurred, (iv) such subordinated Indebtedness does not cross-default to other Indebtedness (but may cross-accelerate to other material Indebtedness of Borrower or any Subsidiary that has guaranteed such subordinated Indebtedness), (v) the subordination provisions in such subordinated Indebtedness are either (A) reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or (B) substantially the same as the subordination provision set forth onExhibit F hereto, (vi) such subordinated Indebtedness does not provide for any scheduled payment or mandatory prepayment of principal earlier than one (1) year after the final maturity of Loans under this agreement other than redemptions made at the option of the holders of such subordinated Indebtedness upon a change in control of the Borrower in circumstances that would also constitute a Change in Control under this Agreement (provided that any such redemption cannot be made fewer than 30 days after such change in control and that any such redemption is fully and absolutely subordinated to the indefeasible payment in full of all principal, interest and other amounts under the Loan Documents) and (vii) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the date of incurrence.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the
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equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.
“Subsidiary Loan Party” means any wholly-owned Subsidiary (direct or indirect) that is not a Foreign Subsidiary, any Subsidiary that is designated a Subsidiary Loan Party by the Borrower or any Subsidiary that is otherwise classified as a Subsidiary Loan Party hereunder.
“Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions;provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.
“Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total Swingline Exposure at such time.
“Swingline Lender” means JPMCB, in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.
“Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.
“Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.
“Term Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to clause (a) of Section 2.01.
“Term Loan Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make one or more Term Loans hereunder on the Closing Date, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans to be made by such Lender hereunder, as such commitment may be reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Term Loan Commitment is set forth onSchedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Term Loan Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Term Loan Commitments is $40,000,000.
“Term Loan Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender, as of any date of determination, the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans of such Lender.
“Term Loan Maturity Date” means December 23, 2015.
“Terminated Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.19(c).
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“Title Company” means any of Chicago Title Insurance Company, Stewart Title and Guaranty Company, Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company and First American Title Insurance Company or such other reputable title insurance company reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
“Total Leverage Ratio” means, on any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Indebtedness as of such date less the amounts on deposit in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account as of such date, to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four immediately preceding fiscal quarters of the Borrower ended on such date.
“Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.
“Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 1.02Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing”).
SECTION 1.03Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) 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.
SECTION 1.04Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time;provided that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to
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eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to any change in GAAP with respect to the recognition of leases in financial statements (and, for the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding any subsequent change in GAAP, obligations under leases classified as operating leases under GAAP as of the date hereof shall not be reclassified as Indebtedness or interest expense and payments with respect to rights under such leases shall not be reclassified as Consolidated Capital Expenditures for purposes of this Agreement).
ARTICLE II
The Credits
SECTION 2.01Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees (a) if such Lender has made a Term Loan Commitment, to make the Term Loan to the Borrower in one drawing on the Closing Date and (b) if such Lender has made a Revolving Loan Commitment, to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount with respect to the Revolving Loans that will not result in such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Revolving Loan Commitment. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans. Amounts repaid in respect of Term Loans may not be reborrowed.
SECTION 2.02Loans and Borrowings. Each Loan (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments of the applicable Class. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder;provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.
(a) Subject to Sections 2.07 and 2.14, each Borrowing (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith; provided that all Borrowings made on the Closing Date must be made as ABR Borrowings. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan.
(b) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of
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$1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000. At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $1,000,000;provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Revolving Loan Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e). Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time;provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of 10 Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Revolving Loan Maturity Date or the Term Loan Maturity Date, as applicable.
SECTION 2.03Requests for Borrowings. To request a Revolving Loan Borrowing or a Term Loan Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing;provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(e) may be given not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) whether the requested Borrowing is to be a Revolving Loan Borrowing or a Term Loan Borrowing;
(ii) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(iii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(iv) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;
(v) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”; and
(vi) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.07.
If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar
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Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of three month’s duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
SECTION 2.04Swingline Loans. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $10,000,000 and (ii) the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Revolving Loan Commitments;provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.
(b) To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by telecopy), not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan. The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from the Borrower. The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a credit to the general deposit account of the Borrower as designated in the Borrowing Request (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e), by remittance to the Issuing Bank) by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.
(c) The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Business Day require the Revolving Loan Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which the Revolving Loan Lenders will participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Revolving Loan Lender, specifying in such notice such Revolving Loan Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Revolving Loan Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Revolving Loan Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Revolving Loan Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Revolving Loan Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply,mutatismutandis, to the payment obligations of the Revolving Loan Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Loan Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any participations in any
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Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender. Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrower (or other party on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Revolving Loan Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof.
SECTION 2.05Letters of Credit. (a)General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit for its own account, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.
(b)Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit. If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed $25,000,000 and (ii) the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Revolving Loan Commitments.
(c)Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Revolving Loan Maturity Date;provided that the immediately preceding clause (i) shall not prevent the Issuing Bank from agreeing that a Letter of Credit will automatically be extended for one or more successive
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periods not to exceed one year, each upon prior written request of Borrower which will be provided at least 40 days prior to the expiration of such Letter of Credit, so long as Issuing Bank notifies Borrower or such beneficiary, as the case may be, in writing not less than 20 days prior to the expiration date that it has agreed to extend for any such additional period; andprovided further, that no such extension will be made if a Default has occurred and is continuing (and has not been waived) at the time Issuing Bank must elect whether or not to allow such extension.
(d)Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Revolving Loan Lender, and each Revolving Loan Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Revolving Loan Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Revolving Loan Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Revolving Loan Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Revolving Loan Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.
(e)Reimbursement. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt;provided that, if such LC Disbursement is not less than $1,000,000 the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan. If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Revolving Loan Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Revolving Loan Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Revolving Loan Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Revolving Loan Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply,mutatismutandis, to the payment obligations of the Revolving Loan Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Revolving
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Loan Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Revolving Loan Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Revolving Loan Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Revolving Loan Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.
(f)Obligations Absolute. The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank;provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.
(g)Disbursement Procedures. The Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a
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Letter of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder;provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.
(h)Interim Interest. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans;provided that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(c) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Revolving Loan Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.
(i)Replacement of the Issuing Bank. The Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time with the written consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank, each of which consents shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.
(j)Cash Collateralization. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrower shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon;provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in clause (i) or (j) of Article VII. Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and
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control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent or at the request of the Borrower, and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.
(k)Existing Letters of Credit. On and after the Closing Date, the Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued by the Issuing Bank pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and shall constitute Letters of Credit for all purposes hereunder and under the other Loan Documents. The Borrower agrees that it shall reimburse the Issuing Bank upon any draw under the Existing Letters of Credit in accordance with Section 2.05(e) and the other provisions of this Agreement.
SECTION 2.06Funding of Borrowings. (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders;provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.04. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request;provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.
(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any 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 paragraph (a) of this Section 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 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 (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to
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ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.
SECTION 2.07Interest Elections. (a) Each Revolving Loan Borrowing and Term Loan Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Revolving Loan Borrowing or the Term Loan Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to Swingline Loans, which may not be converted or continued.
(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Revolving Loan Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.
(c) Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);
(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and
(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.
If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of three month’s duration.
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(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.
(e) If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
SECTION 2.08Termination, Reduction and Increase of Commitments.
(a)Voluntary Termination or Reduction. The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Revolving Loan Commitments;provided that (i) each reduction of the Revolving Loan Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 (or lesser amount if the outstanding Revolving Loan Commitments are less) and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Loan Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.10, the Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Revolving Loan Commitments.
(b)Notice and Effect of Termination or Reduction. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Revolving Loan Commitments under paragraph (a) of this Section at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable;provided that a notice of termination of the Revolving Loan Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Revolving Loans Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Revolving Loan Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Loan Commitments.
(c)Increase of Commitment. The Borrower may, at any time after the three month anniversary of the Closing Date, by notice to the Administrative Agent, propose an increase in the total Revolving Loan Commitments hereunder (each such proposed increase being a “Revolving Loan Commitment Increase”) either by having a Lender increase its Revolving Loan Commitment then in effect (each an “Increasing Lender”) or by adding as a Lender with a new Revolving Loan Commitment hereunder a Person which is not then a Lender (each an “Assuming Lender”) in each case with the approval of the Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender (in each case, not to be unreasonably withheld), which
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notice shall specify the name of each Increasing Lender and/or Assuming Lender, as applicable, the amount of the Revolving Loan Commitment Increase and the portion thereof being assumed by each such Increasing Lender or Assuming Lender, and the date on which such Revolving Loan Commitment Increase is to be effective (a “Revolving Loan Commitment Increase Date”) (which shall be a Business Day at least three Business Days after delivery of such notice and 30 days prior to the Revolving Loan Maturity Date);provided that no Lender shall have any obligation hereunder to become an Increasing Lender and any election to do so shall be in the sole discretion of each Lender;providedfurther that:
(i) the amount of any Revolving Loan Commitment Increase, and the amount of the Revolving Loan Commitment of any Assuming Lender as part of any Revolving Loan Commitment Increase, shall be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 and in multiples of $1,000,000;
(ii) the aggregate amount of all Revolving Loan Commitment Increases shall not exceed $20,000,000;
(iii) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the relevant Revolving Loan Commitment Increase Date or shall result from any Revolving Loan Commitment Increase; and
(iv) the representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of the Revolving Loan Commitment Increase Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties specifically relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true, correct and complete in all material respects on and as of such earlier date.
Each Revolving Loan Commitment Increase (and the increase of the Revolving Loan Commitment of each Increasing Lender and/or the new Revolving Loan Commitment of each Assuming Lender, as applicable, resulting therefrom) shall become effective as of the relevant Revolving Loan Commitment Increase Date upon receipt by the Administrative Agent, on or prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Revolving Loan Commitment Increase Date, of (A) a certificate of a duly authorized officer of the Borrower stating that the conditions with respect to such Revolving Loan Commitment Increase under this paragraph (c) have been satisfied, (B) an agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, pursuant to which, effective as of such Revolving Loan Commitment Increase Date, the Revolving Loan Commitment of each such Increasing Lender shall be increased or each such Assuming Lender, as applicable, shall undertake a Revolving Loan Commitment, duly executed by such Increasing Lender or Assuming Lender, as the case may be, and the Borrower and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender and (C) such other documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent (including any necessary amendments to the Security Documents in connection with the Revolving Loan Commitment Increase). Upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt of a fully executed agreement from each Increasing Lender and/or Assuming Lender referred to in clause (B) above, together with the other documentation referred to in clauses (A) and (C) above, the Administrative Agent shall record the information contained in each such agreement in the
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Register and give prompt notice of the relevant Revolving Loan Commitment Increase to the Borrower and the Lenders (including, if applicable, each Assuming Lender). On each Revolving Loan Commitment Increase Date, the Borrower shall (a) request funding of Revolving Loans by each Increasing Lender or Assuming Lender for whom a Revolving Loan Commitment Increase is then effective in such amounts and with such Interest Periods as may be required (after giving effect to the partial payment provided for in clause (ii) below) to cause each outstanding Borrowing to be held by all Lenders with a Revolving Loan Commitment (including such Increasing Lender or Assuming Lender) ratably in proportion to the Revolving Loan Commitments and (ii) direct the Administrative Agent to apply the proceeds of such funding to the partial prepayment of Borrowings outstanding to Lenders with Revolving Loan Commitments immediately before giving effect to such Revolving Loan Commitment Increase, ratably in proportion to the amount outstanding owing to them before giving effect to such Revolving Loan Commitment Increase. Each Lender will have the right to request compensation under Section 2.16 in respect of such partial prepayment, to the extent therein provided. Upon each Revolving Loan Commitment Increase, the participation interests of the Lenders in the then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans shall automatically be adjusted to reflect, and each Lender (including each Increasing Lender or Assuming Lender) shall have a participation in each such Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans equal to, the Lenders’ respective Applicable Percentage thereof, after giving effect to such increase.
SECTION 2.09Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt. (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Revolving Loan Maturity Date, (ii) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of such Lender’s Term Loan on the Term Loan Maturity Date and (iii) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Revolving Loan Maturity Date and the first date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or last day of a calendar month and is at least three Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made;provided that on each date that a Revolving Loan Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding.
(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall beprimafacie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein;provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain
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such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).
SECTION 2.10Prepayment of Loans. (a) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to (i) prior notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section and (ii) Section 2.16.
(b) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid;provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Revolving Loan Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.08, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.08. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Loan Borrowing or a Term Loan Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Loan Borrowing or any Term Loan Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Loan Borrowing or a Term Loan Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02, except as necessary to apply fully the required amount of a mandatory prepayment. Each prepayment of a Revolving Loan Borrowing or a Term Loan Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13.
(c) In the event and on each occasion that any Net Proceeds are received by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Prepayment Event, the Borrower shall, within one Business Day after such Net Proceeds are received, prepay Term Loan Borrowings in accordance with paragraph (d) below in an aggregate amount equal to such Net Proceeds;provided that, if the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer to the effect that the Borrower and the Subsidiaries intend to apply the Net Proceeds from, (y) in the case of any event described in clause (a) or (b) of the definition of the term Prepayment Event, within 9 months after receipt of such Net Proceeds, and (z) in the case of any issuance of Capital Stock by the Subsidiaries to finance a Permitted Acquisition, within
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360 days after receipt of such Net Proceeds, to (i) acquire real property, equipment or other tangible assets to be used in the business of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries (or in the case of an event described in clause (b) of the definition of the term Prepayment Event, to promptly and diligently apply such Net Proceeds to pay or reimburse the cost of repairing or restoring or replacing the assets in respect of which such Net Proceeds were received) or (ii) make Permitted Acquisitions, (other than Net Proceeds received from business interruption insurance for working capital and general corporate purposes), and certifying that no Default has occurred and is continuing, then no prepayment shall be required pursuant to this paragraph in respect of the Net Proceeds in respect of such event (or the portion of such Net Proceeds specified in such certificate, if applicable) except to the extent of any such Net Proceeds therefrom that have not been so applied by the end of such 9 month or 360 day period, as applicable, at which time a prepayment shall be required in an amount equal to such Net Proceeds that have not been so applied. In addition, in the event and on each occasion that the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset (whether or not such transaction shall constitute a Prepayment Event), if the Borrower would be required to prepay or redeem, or to offer to prepay or redeem, any Subordinated Debt as a result of such transaction unless the proceeds of such transaction are applied within a specified period to prepay Term Loan Borrowings (or otherwise reinvested as permitted in accordance with the terms of such Subordinated Debt), then the Borrower shall (unless such proceeds are otherwise reinvested within the specified period in a manner that relieves the Borrower of any such requirement in respect of the Subordinated Debt) prepay Term Loan Borrowings in accordance with paragraph (d) below within such specified period to the extent necessary to relieve the Borrower of any such requirement. In the event the Borrower receives any such Net Proceeds (not immediately reinvested in accordance with this Section 2.10(c)) in excess of $10,000,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year, the Borrower shall within three Business Days of receipt thereof, deposit such excess Net Proceeds in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account, pending the application of such Net Proceeds in accordance with this Section 2.10(c). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, at the Borrower’s option, the Net Proceeds from Specified Asset Sales may be used to prepay Revolving Loans, provided such amount may only be re-borrowed as Revolving Loans to make reinvestments or prepayments in accordance with this Section 2.10(c).
(d) Prior to any optional prepayment of Borrowings hereunder, the Borrower shall select the Borrowing or Borrowings to be prepaid and shall specify such selection in the notice of such prepayment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. In the event of any mandatory prepayment of Term Loan Borrowings the aggregate amount of such prepayment shall be allocated among the Term Loan Lenders pro rata based on the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Borrowings.
(e) If on any day on which Loans would otherwise be required to be prepaid pursuant to this Section 2.10, (each a “Prepayment Date”), the amount of such required prepayment exceeds the then outstanding aggregate principal amount of ABR Loans which are of the Class required to be prepaid, and no Default exists or is continuing, then on such Prepayment Date, at any time following the establishment of the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account pursuant to Section 8.02, at the election of Borrower, (i) Borrower shall deposit dollars into the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account in an amount equal to such excess, and only the outstanding ABR Loans which are of the Class required to be prepaid shall be required to be prepaid on such Prepayment Date and (ii) on the last day of each Interest Period after such
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Prepayment Date in effect with respect to a Eurodollar Loan which is of the Class required to be prepaid, the Administrative Agent is irrevocably authorized and directed to apply funds from the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account (and liquidate investments held in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account as necessary) to prepay such Eurodollar Loans for which the Interest Period is then ending to the extent funds are available in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account.
SECTION 2.11Amortization of Term Loans. (a) Subject to adjustment pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section, the Borrower shall repay the Term Loan on each date set forth below in a principal amount equal to the percentage of the original principal amount of the Term Loan made on the Closing Date set forth opposite such date:
Date | Installment (%) | |||
March 31, 2011 | 3.125 | % | ||
June 30, 2011 | 3.125 | % | ||
September 30, 2011 | 3.125 | % | ||
December 31, 2011 | 3.125 | % | ||
March 31, 2012 | 3.125 | % | ||
June 30, 2012 | 3.125 | % | ||
September 30, 2012 | 3.125 | % | ||
December 31, 2012 | 3.125 | % | ||
March 31, 2013 | 3.750 | % | ||
June 30, 2013 | 3.750 | % | ||
September 30, 2013 | 3.750 | % | ||
December 31, 2013 | 3.750 | % | ||
March 31, 2014 | 3.750 | % | ||
June 30, 2014 | 3.750 | % | ||
September 30, 2014 | 3.750 | % | ||
December 31, 2014 | 3.750 | % | ||
March 31, 2015 | 11.25 | % | ||
June 30, 2015 | 11.25 | % | ||
September 30, 2015 | 11.25 | % |
(b) To the extent not previously paid, all Term Loans shall be due and payable on the Term Loan Maturity Date.
(c) Any prepayment of the Term Loans shall be applied to reduce the subsequent scheduled repayments of the Term Loans to be made pursuant to this Section ratably.
(d) Prior to any repayment of the Term Loans hereunder, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three Business Days before the scheduled date of such repayment. Each repayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the repaid Borrowing. Repayments of the Term Loans shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the amount repaid.
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SECTION 2.12Fees. (a) Borrower agrees to pay to Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the average daily unused amount of the Revolving Loan Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the Closing Date to and excluding the date such Revolving Loan Commitment terminates. Such commitment fees shall accrue and be payable in arrears on the third Business Day following the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Revolving Loan Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). For purposes of computing commitment fees, the Revolving Loan Commitment of a Lender shall be deemed to be used to the extent of the outstanding Revolving Loans and LC Exposure of such Lender (and the Swingline Exposure of such Lender shall be disregarded for such purpose).
(b) The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Closing Date;provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 10 days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(c) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
(d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of commitment fees and participation fees, to the Lenders. Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.
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SECTION 2.13Interest. (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(b) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2.00% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2.00% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section.
(d) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Revolving Loan Commitments;provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section 2.13 shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.
(e) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.14Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or
(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the any of the Lenders that the making of Eurodollar Loan (i) has become unlawful as a result of compliance by such Lender in good faith with any law, treaty, governmental rule, regulation, guideline or order (or would conflict with any such treaty, governmental rule, regulation, guideline or order not having the force of law even though the failure to comply therewith would not be unlawful) or (ii) has become impracticable, or would cause such Lender material hardship, as a result of
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contingencies occurring after the date of this Agreement which materially and adversely affect the interbank Eurodollar market or the position of such Lender in that market, then, and in any such event, such Lender shall be an “Affected Lender” and it shall on that day give notice (by facsimile or by telephone confirmed in writing) to Borrower and Administrative Agent of such determination (which notice Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each other Lender).
Thereafter (a) the obligation of the Affected Lender to make Loans as, or to convert Loans to, Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended until such notice shall be withdrawn by the Affected Lender, (b) to the extent such determination by the Affected Lender relates to a Eurodollar Loan then being requested by Borrower pursuant to a Borrowing Request or a notice of conversion/continuation, the Affected Lender shall make such Loan as (or convert such Loan to, as the case may be) a ABR Loan, (c) the Affected Lender’s obligation to maintain its outstanding Eurodollar Loans (the “Affected Loans”) shall be terminated at the earlier to occur of the expiration of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the Affected Loans or when required by law, and (d) the Affected Loans shall automatically convert into ABR Loans on the date of such termination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent a determination by an Affected Lender as described above relates to a Eurodollar Loan then being requested by Borrower pursuant to a Borrowing Request or a notice of conversion/continuation, Borrower shall have the option to rescind such Borrowing Request or notice of conversion/continuation as to all Lenders by giving notice (by facsimile or by telephone confirmed in writing) to Administrative Agent of such rescission on the date on which the Affected Lender gives and Borrower receives notice of its determination as described above (which notice of rescission Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each other Lender). Except as provided in the immediately preceding sentence, nothing in this subsection (b) shall affect the obligation of any Lender other than an Affected Lender to make or maintain Loans as, or to convert Loans to, Eurodollar Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
SECTION 2.15Increased Costs. (a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing Bank; or
(ii) impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar 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 or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan or to increase the cost to such Lender or the Issuing Bank of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the Issuing Bank hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
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(b) If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsections (a) or (b) of this Section 2.15 and setting forth in reasonable detail the basis for calculating the additional amounts owed to such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation;provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 270 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, 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 Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor;providedfurther that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 270-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
SECTION 2.16Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.10(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue,
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for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the Eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section and setting forth in reasonable detail the basis for calculating the amounts owed shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
SECTION 2.17Taxes. (a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes;provided that if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Bank (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Issuing Bank, within 10 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the Issuing Bank, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the Issuing Bank, setting forth in reasonable detail the basis for calculating the additional amounts owed, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by
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applicable law, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate. For any period with respect to which a Foreign Lender has failed to provide Borrower with the appropriate form, certificate or other document requested by Borrower, such Foreign Lender shall not be entitled to indemnification with respect to Taxes by reason of such failure unless such form is provided within a reasonable time after the end of such period.
(f) 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 either 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 its respective obligations under FATCA, 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.
(g) If the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17, it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This Section shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.
SECTION 2.18Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs. (a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing
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Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly on behalf of the Persons entitled thereto. Payment to the Administrative Agent other than as described above shall constitute payment to the Lender. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof (it being understood and agreed that payments of principal and interest shall be distributed in accordance with the outstanding principal of the Loans held by the Lenders and that the distribution of all such payments shall be subject to subsection (e) of this Section 2.18 and to Section 2.20). If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.
(b) If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.
(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Revolving Loans, Term Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans, Term Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans, Term Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Revolving Loans, Term Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans;provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). The Borrower 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 the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
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(d) 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 Issuing Bank hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.04(c), 2.05(d) or (e), 2.06(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid, and/or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under any such Sections, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii) above, in any order as determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.
SECTION 2.19Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Sections 2.14, 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender, in such Lender’s reasonable judgment, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b) (x) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, (y) if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17 or (z) if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then 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 Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment);provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and (if a Revolving Loan Commitment is being assigned) the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank, which consent in each case shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have
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received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, 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) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and 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.
(c) Anything contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that in connection with any proposed amendment, modification, termination, waiver or consent with respect to any of the provisions hereof as contemplated by Section 9.02, the consent of one or more Lenders (each a “Non-Consenting Lender”) whose consent is required shall not have been obtained; then, with respect to such Non-Consenting Lender (the “Terminated Lender”), the Borrower may, by giving written notice to Administrative Agent and any Terminated Lender of its election to do so, elect to cause such Terminated Lender (and such Terminated Lender hereby irrevocably agrees) to assign its outstanding Loans and its Revolving Loan Commitments, if any, in full to one or more assignees (each a “Replacement Lender”) in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.04 and the Borrower shall pay any fees payable thereunder in connection with such assignment;provided, (1) on the date of such assignment, the Replacement Lender shall pay to Terminated Lender an amount equal to the sum of (A) an amount equal to the principal of, and all accrued interest on, all outstanding Loans of the Terminated Lender, (B) an amount equal to all unreimbursed drawings that have been funded by such Terminated Lender, together with all then unpaid interest with respect thereto at such time and (C) an amount equal to all accrued, but theretofore unpaid fees owing to such Terminated Lender pursuant to Section 2.12, (2) on the date of such assignment, Borrower shall pay any amounts payable to such Terminated Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, 2.15 or 2.17; or otherwise as if it were a prepayment and (3) each Replacement Lender shall consent, at the time of such assignment, to each matter in respect of which such Terminated Lender was a Non-Consenting Lender;provided, the Borrower may not make such election with respect to any Terminated Lender that is also an Issuing Bank unless, prior to the effectiveness of such election, the Borrower shall have caused each outstanding Letter of Credit issued thereby to be cancelled. Upon the prepayment of all amounts owing to any Terminated Lender and the termination of such Terminated Lender’s Revolving Loan Commitments, if any, such Terminated Lender shall no longer constitute a “Lender” for purposes hereof;provided, any rights of such Terminated Lender to indemnification hereunder shall survive as to such Terminated Lender.
SECTION 2.20Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:
(a) fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Revolving Loan Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a);
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(b) the Commitment, Revolving Credit Exposure and Term Loans of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 9.02);provided, that this clause (b) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender affected thereby;
(c) if any Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure exists at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:
(i) all or any part of the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures plus such Defaulting Lender’s Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Loan Commitments;
(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within three Business Days following notice by the Administrative Agent (x)first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y)second, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Bank only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.05(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;
(iii) if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;
(iv) if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.12(a) and Section 2.12(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; and
(v) if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Bank until and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or cash collateralized;
(d) so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding LC Exposure will be 100% covered by the Revolving Loan
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Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.20(c), and participating interests in any newly made Swingline Loan or any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.20(c)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein); and
(e) 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 VII or otherwise, and including any amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 9.08), shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative 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 Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender hereunder;third, if requested by the Issuing Bank, to be held as cash collateral for LC Exposure;fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of 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 non-interest bearing deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of such Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement;sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement;seventh, so long as no Default or Event of 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; andeighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or LC Disbursements in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share and (y) such Loans or LC Disbursements were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and LC Disbursements owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or LC Disbursements owed to, such Defaulting Lender. 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 2.20(e) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.
In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank each agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Revolving Loan Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
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ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders on the Closing Date, on the date of each Borrowing and on the date of issuance of each Letter of Credit, that:
SECTION 3.01Organization; Powers. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.
SECTION 3.02Authorization; Enforceability. The Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby are within the Borrower’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action. Each of this Agreement and the Security Documents has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable 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, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
SECTION 3.03Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority which has not been or will not be timely obtained, registered or filed, as the case may be, except (x) as such have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect or (y) filings necessary to perfect Liens created under the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries other than as anticipated and created under the Loan Documents.
SECTION 3.04Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change. (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2009, reported on by Grant Thornton, LLP, independent public accountants, certified by its chief financial officer and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended October 3, 2010 certified by its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of such dates and
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for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.
(b) Since December 27, 2009, no event, development or circumstance has occurred that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.05Properties. (a) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good, marketable fee title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, except for Permitted Encumbrances and minor defects in title that do not materially interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes.
(b) With respect to substantially all of the operating leases pursuant to which the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries has a leasehold interest (each a “Real Property Lease”), each of the following is true except to the extent that, if not true, the consequences of same would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect:
(i) such Real Property Leases are in full force and effect;
(ii) to the best knowledge of Borrower, all rent, additional rent and/or other charges reserved in or payable by Borrower or its applicable Subsidiary, as tenant, under the Real Property Leases, have been paid to the extent that they have been determined and are payable to the date hereof and are not being contested in good faith by Borrower, any such amounts being contested have been paid or rescinded for by Borrower or its applicable Subsidiary, and no such contest may reasonably be expected to result in the exercise by the applicable landlord of a remedy of termination of such Real Property Lease;
(iii) to the actual knowledge of Borrower, no Person has questioned Borrower’s or its applicable Subsidiary’s quiet and peaceful possession of the premises which are the subject of such Real Property Lease;
(iv) no default by Borrower or its applicable Subsidiary, as tenant, under any of the material terms of any Real Property Lease has occurred and remains uncured; nor, to the best knowledge of Borrower, is there any existing condition which, with the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would result in a default by Borrower or its applicable Subsidiary under the terms of any Real Property Lease;
(v) Borrower covenants and agrees that it shall, or shall cause its applicable Subsidiary to, other than in the ordinary course of business and if such action would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect: (A) promptly and faithfully observe, perform and comply with all the material terms, covenants and provisions of each Real Property Lease on its part to be observed, performed and complied with, within the applicable grace periods, if any; (B) refrain from doing anything, as a result of which, there could be a material default under or a breach of any of the terms of any Real Property Lease; (C) not do, permit or suffer any event or omission as a result of which there would occur a default or breach under any Real Property Lease after the passing of the applicable grace periods, if any; (D) not cancel, terminate, surrender, modify, amend
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or in any way alter or permit the alteration of any of the provisions of any Real Property Lease or grant any material consents or waivers thereunder; and not exercise any right it may have under any Real Property Lease to cancel or surrender the same without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed; and (E) give the Administrative Agent any notice of any default under any Material Real Property Leases received or sent by Borrower or its applicable Subsidiary, within three (3) Business Days and promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent a copy of all responses to default notices, similar instruments received or delivered by Borrower or its applicable Subsidiary, in connection with any Material Real Property Leases. As used herein, “Material Real Property Lease” means the office lease for Borrower’s headquarters at 5555 Glenridge Connector, Atlanta, Georgia and any other lease the Borrower or its Subsidiaries may enter into with an aggregate value of rental payments exceeding $100,000 in any 12 month period.
(c) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) The properties listed onSchedule 1.1A are all of Borrower’s material existing fee owned real property assets as of the Closing Date.
SECTION 3.06Litigation and Environmental Matters. (a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Loan Documents.
(b) Except for with respect to any matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.
SECTION 3.07Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No material default has occurred and is continuing with respect to any of the aforementioned in this Section 3.07.
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SECTION 3.08Investment Company Status. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.
SECTION 3.09Taxes. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.10ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of such Plan.
SECTION 3.11Disclosure. The Borrower has disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries 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. None of the financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (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 in any material respect;provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
SECTION 3.12Licenses, etc. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries have obtained and hold in full force and effect, all franchises, licenses, permits, certificates, authorizations, qualifications, accreditations, easements, rights of way and other rights, consents and approvals which are necessary for the operation of their respective businesses as presently conducted, except where the failure to obtain and hold the same, individually or in the aggregate, may not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.13Labor Matters. As of the Closing Date, there are no strikes, lockouts, slowdowns or any other material labor disputes against the Borrower or any Subsidiary pending or threatened. All payments due from the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or for which any claim may be made against the Borrower or any Subsidiary, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of the Borrower or such Subsidiary. The consummation of the Agreement will not give rise to any right of termination or right of renegotiation on the part of any union under any collective bargaining agreement to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is bound.
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SECTION 3.14Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations. All proceeds of each Loan, and each Letter of Credit, will be used by the Borrower only in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.08. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used by the Borrower to purchase or carry any Margin Stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock. Neither the making of any Loan nor the use of the proceeds thereof will violate or be inconsistent with the provisions of Regulations U or X.
SECTION 3.15Subsidiaries.Schedule 3.15 sets forth the name of, and the ownership interest of the Borrower in, each Subsidiary of the Borrower and identifies each Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary Loan Party, in each case as of the Closing Date.
SECTION 3.16Security Interests. The representations and warranties in the Security Documents are true and correct in all material respects.
SECTION 3.17Insurance.Schedule 3.17 sets forth a description of all insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date. Except as noted onSchedule 3.17, as of the Closing Date, all premiums in respect of such insurance have been paid. The Borrower believes that the insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is adequate.
SECTION 3.18Solvency. Immediately after the consummation of the Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, (a) the fair value of the assets of all of the Loan Parties, at a fair valuation, will exceed their collective debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (b) Borrower and its Subsidiaries are able to pay their collective debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (c) Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, do not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct their respective businesses in which they are engaged, as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted following the Closing Date.
ARTICLE IV
Conditions
SECTION 4.01Conditions Precedent to Closing Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):
(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party, or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy or electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Closing Date) of (i) Bingham McCutchen LLP, substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1, (ii) Monroe Moxness Berg, P.A., substantially in the form of Exhibit B-2 and (iii) Cohen Pollock Merlin & Small,
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P.C., substantially in the form of Exhibit B-3, in each case counsel for the Borrower, and, in the case of each such opinion required by this paragraph, covering such other matters relating to the Loan Parties or the Loan Documents as the Required Lenders shall reasonably request. The Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinions.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of each Loan Party, the authorization of the Loan Documents and any other legal matters relating to the Loan Parties or the Loan Documents, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02 and such other matters (including, without limitation, the accuracy of the representation set forth in Section 3.18) as may be reasonably required by the Administrative Agent.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Closing Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
(f) All governmental and third party approvals (if any) necessary or, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, advisable in connection with the Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and the continuing operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect, and all applicable waiting periods shall have expired without any action being taken or threatened by any competent authority that would restrain, prevent or otherwise impose adverse conditions on the Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby.
(g) The Lenders shall have received (i) audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the two most recent fiscal years ended prior to the Closing Date and (ii) unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for each fiscal quarterly period ended subsequent to the date of the latest financial statements delivered pursuant to subclause (i) of this paragraph (g) as to which such financial statements are available.
(h) The Collateral and Guarantee Requirement shall have been satisfied (other than with respect to paragraph (e) of such defined term) and the Administrative Agent shall have received a completed Perfection Certificate dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer or Financial Officer of the Borrower, together with all attachments contemplated thereby, including the results of a search of the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent) filings made with respect to the Loan Parties in the jurisdictions contemplated by the Perfection Certificate and copies of the financing statements (or similar documents) disclosed by such search and evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the Liens indicated by such financing statements (or similar documents) are permitted by Section 6.02 or have been released or delivered to Administrative Agent for filing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set
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forth in this paragraph (h), the Administrative Agent shall be satisfied in its sole discretion that the Borrower shall be taking all action reasonably necessary to comply with paragraph (e) of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement within the period set forth therein.
(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence that on the Closing Date (including concurrently with the occurrence thereof) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have (i) repaid in full all amounts outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement, (ii) terminated any commitments to lend or make other extensions of credit under the Existing Credit Agreement, (iii) delivered to the Administrative Agent all documents or instruments necessary to release all Liens securing all amounts owed under the Existing Credit Agreement or other obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries thereunder being repaid on the Closing Date, and (iv) made arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent with respect to the continuance of the Existing Letters of Credit onSchedule 1.1C outstanding thereunder or the issuance of Letters of Credit to support the obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with respect thereto.
(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that the insurance required by Section 5.09 and the Security Documents is in full force and effect and that the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, has been named as additional insured and loss payee thereunder.
(k) The consummation of the Agreement and the other transactions contemplated hereby shall not (i) violate any applicable law, statute, rule or regulation or (ii) conflict with, or result in a default or event of default under, any agreement of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries after giving effect to the Agreement and the other transactions hereby, except such as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(l) Except to the extent disclosed onSchedule 4.01(l), there shall be no litigation or administrative proceeding that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Closing Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on December 31, 2010 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).
SECTION 4.02Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, except to the extent such representations and warranties specifically
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relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true, correct and complete in all material respects on and as of such earlier date.
(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(c) The parties understand and acknowledge that with respect to any of the Financial Covenants, Borrower may continue to make Borrowings hereunder until the delivery of financial information pursuant to Section 5.01(a), as applicable,unless, the Borrower has actual knowledge that there has been a Default or Event of Default with respect to any of such covenants (it being understood that Section 4.02(b) shall apply with respect to any Default or Event of Default).
Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.
ARTICLE V
Affirmative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 5.01Financial Statements; Ratings Change and Other Information. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;
(b) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and
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results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with the Financial Covenants and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;
(d) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) above, a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating whether they obtained knowledge during the course of their examination of such financial statements of any Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or guidelines);
(e) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports (including any accountants’ reports, comment letters and material press releases or press releases relating to financial matters), proxy statements and other materials filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange Commission or with any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be;provided that with respect to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, only a notice of such filing shall be provided;
(f) within 75 days of the commencement of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a detailed consolidated budget for such fiscal year (including a projected consolidated balance sheet and related statements of projected operations and cash flow as of the end of and for such fiscal year and setting forth the assumptions used for purposes of preparing such budget) and, promptly when available, any significant revisions of such budget;
(g) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a summary of the insurance coverage in full force and effect; and
(h) promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender, acting through the Administrative Agent, may reasonably request.
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, commencing ninety days after Borrower’s fiscal year end 2010, until the Borrower has delivered all the
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financial information and statements required to be delivered by Section 5.01 hereunder in accordance therewith, the Borrower shall provide to the Lenders, not later than thirty (30) days after the end of each of the Borrower’s twenty-eight (28) day fiscal periods, a financial report containing, without limitation, information regarding domestic comparative store sales, system sales, total revenues, Indebtedness, Cash, Cash Equivalents, and any other information the Administrative Agent may reasonably request from time to time, in each case to at least the level of detail as customarily provided to executive management and/or the board of directors of the Borrower.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, to the extent the delivery deadlines for Sections 5.01(a), (b), (f) and (g) fall on a non-Business Day, the Borrower may deliver such items on the Business Day next succeeding such day.
SECTION 5.02Notices of Material Events. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:
(a) the occurrence of any Default;
(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $1,000,000;
(d) the occurrence of any environmental event that, alone or together with any other environmental events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $1,000,000; and
(e) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.
SECTION 5.03Existence; Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business;provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation, disposition or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.
SECTION 5.04Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities and Material Indebtedness, that,
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if not paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.05Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear, casualty and condemnation (subject to restoration obligations) excepted.
SECTION 5.06Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in accordance with sound business practices sufficient to permit the preparation of financial statements auditable in accordance with GAAP, in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested. Borrower shall have the right to have its representatives present during any such examinations and conferences.
SECTION 5.07Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.08Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit. The proceeds of the Term Loan and the Revolving Loan will be used only to refinance certain existing indebtedness (including indebtedness outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement), to finance acquisitions and working capital needs, and for other general corporate purposes (including, without limitation, payment of fees, expenses, and other transaction costs contemplated hereunder). No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X.
SECTION 5.09Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies (a) insurance in such amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations including, without limitation, appropriate environmental liability insurance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and in any case no less favorable than that which the Borrower has in place on the Closing Date, to a date not less than six months following the Term Loan Maturity Date and (b) all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Security Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower will maintain or cause to be maintained flood insurance with respect to each Flood Hazard Property that is located in a community that participates in the National Flood
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Insurance Program, in each case in compliance with any applicable regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Borrower will furnish to the Lenders, upon request of the Administrative Agent, information in reasonable detail as to the insurance so maintained.
SECTION 5.10Information Regarding Collateral. (a) The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of any changes as required by the Collateral Agreement (i) in any Loan Party’s corporate name or in any trade name used to identify it in the conduct of its business or in the ownership of its properties, (ii) in the location of any Loan Party’s chief executive office, its principal place of business, any office in which it maintains books or records relating to Collateral owned by it or any office or facility at which Collateral owned by it is located (including the establishment of any such new office or facility), (iii) in any Loan Party’s identity, jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, or corporate or organizational structure or (iv) in any Loan Party’s Organization Identification Number. The Borrower agrees not to effect or permit any change referred to in the preceding sentence unless all filings have been made under the Uniform Commercial Code or otherwise that are required in order for the Administrative Agent to continue at all times following such change to have a valid, legal and perfected security interest in all the Collateral. The Borrower also agrees promptly to notify the Administrative Agent if any material portion of the Collateral is damaged or destroyed.
(b) Each year, at the time of delivery of annual financial statements with respect to the preceding fiscal year pursuant to clause (a) of Section 5.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower setting forth the information required pursuant to the Perfection Certificate or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the date of the Perfection Certificate delivered on the Closing Date or the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to this Section.
SECTION 5.11Additional Subsidiaries and Real Property Assets. (a) If any additional Subsidiary is formed or acquired after the Closing Date, the Borrower will notify the Administrative Agent thereof and, within ten Business Days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may permit in light of the circumstances) after such Subsidiary is formed or acquired, cause the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be satisfied with respect to such Subsidiary (if it is a Subsidiary Loan Party) and to any Equity Interest in or Indebtedness of such Subsidiary owned by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the extent required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement. The Borrower shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, use reasonable efforts to have domestic Subsidiaries that are not Subsidiary Loan Parties comply with the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, including, without limitation, having third party stockholders of any such Subsidiary provide any necessary consents to such compliance.
(b) With respect to any Real Property Asset that is acquired after the Closing Date and has a book value upon acquisition in excess of $250,000 (each an “Acquisition Property” and collectively, the “Acquisition Properties”) Borrower shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, (i) not less than ten (10) Business Days after the acquisition thereof, notify Administrative Agent in writing of such acquisition; (ii) not later than 90 days after the acquisition thereof (unless extended by the Administrative Agent to 120 days after the acquisition thereof in its sole discretion), execute and deliver a Mortgage to Administrative Agent (each an “Additional Mortgage” and collectively the “Additional Mortgages”) duly
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executed by the Borrower or applicable Subsidiary together with evidence that such Additional Mortgage has been recorded in all places to the extent necessary or desirable, in the reasonable judgment of Administrative Agent, so as to effectively create a valid and enforceable first priority lien, subject to Permitted Encumbrances, on such Acquisition Property in favor of Administrative Agent (or such other trustee as may be required or desired under local law) for the benefit of Lenders; and (iii) not later than the date on which such Mortgage is delivered, have delivered to Administrative Agent a title report in respect of any such Acquisition Property, together with such other instruments and documents that the Administrative Agent may reasonably request (consistent with paragraph (e) of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, if a Default has occurred and is continuing, Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be obligated to comply with this Section 5.11 with respect to all Real Property Assets and all Real Property Leases within 60 days of receipt of notice of such Default from the Administrative Agent; provided, however, with respect to Real Property Leases, Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ obligation to deliver a Mortgage for such leasehold interest shall be subject to obtaining the consent of the lessor thereof to the encumbering by Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary of its leasehold interest after exercising commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such consent. The Borrower will, no less than once during each six month period, provide the Administrative Agent with a list of real property acquired by Borrower and its Subsidiaries since the date of the last list provided pursuant to this Section 5.11.
(c) If Borrower or any Subsidiary is required to deliver an Additional Mortgage with respect to any Acquisition Property (or any Real Property Lease), Borrower shall deliver or shall cause such Subsidiary to deliver to Administrative Agent such Additional Mortgage, and promptly thereafter evidence that such Additional Mortgage has been recorded in all places to the extent necessary or desirable, in the reasonable judgment of Administrative Agent, so as to effectively create a valid and enforceable first priority lien, subject to Permitted Encumbrances, on such Acquisition Property (or such Real Property Lease) in favor of Administrative Agent (or such other trustee as may be required or desired under local law) for the benefit of Lenders; an ALTA mortgage title insurance policy if available in the jurisdiction in which the Acquisition Property is located (each an “Additional Mortgagee Policy” and collectively, the “Additional Mortgagee Policies”) issued by the Title Company, in an amount reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent (but not in excess of Administrative Agent’s reasonable determination of the fair market value of the Acquisition Property (or the Real Property Lease)), assuring Administrative Agent that the Additional Mortgage in connection with the acquisition thereof creates a valid and enforceable first priority mortgage lien on such Acquisition Property (or such Real Property Lease), free and clear of all defects and encumbrances except Permitted Encumbrances, and subject to a standard survey exception, and which Additional Mortgagee Policy shall provide for affirmative insurance and such reinsurance as Administrative Agent may reasonably request, all of the foregoing in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent. If any Real Property Asset of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is to be leased or subleased by the Borrower or applicable Subsidiary to a non-Affiliate of Borrower, Administrative Agent agrees to deliver, on behalf of itself and all Lenders an agreement of subordination, non-disturbance and attornment substantially in the form attached hereto asExhibit E (subject to such necessary modifications to comply with the laws of the applicable jurisdiction in which it will be filed), subordinating the leasehold interest of such third party to the Additional Mortgage and the Lien created thereby, which agreement shall be
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executed by Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary as lessor (or sublessor, as the case may be) and the lessee (or sublessee, as the case may be).
(d) If no Default has occurred and is continuing and Borrower or any Subsidiary Loan Party sells any Mortgaged Property (including any Acquisition Property or Real Property Lease) to a franchisee or non-Affiliate of Borrower in connection with the sale of the land and/or improvements (building, furniture, fixtures and equipment) thereon to such franchisee or non-Affiliate of Borrower, then Administrative Agent shall deliver a release of the Mortgage or Additional Mortgage to Borrower’s counsel or to the relevant Title Company, to be held in trust pending the closing of any such sale.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Administrative Agent may in its sole discretion exclude particular Real Property Assets or Real Property Leases from the Collateral if it determines that the cost or impracticality of including such assets would be excessive or disproportionate in relation to (i) the benefits to the Lenders and (ii) the value of such Real Property Asset or Real Property Lease.
SECTION 5.12Compliance with Contractual Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply in all material respects with its obligations under each agreement to which it is a party and enforce its rights thereunder in a commercially reasonable manner, to the extent a failure to do so could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.13Further Assurances. (a) The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary Loan Party to, execute any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements and instruments, and take all such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements, fixture filings, mortgages, deeds of trust and other documents), which may be required under any applicable law, or which the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request, to cause the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be and remain satisfied, all at the expense of the Loan Parties. The Borrower also agrees to provide to the Administrative Agent, from time to time upon request, evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent as to the perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created by the Security Documents.
(b) If any material assets other than Real Property Assets addressed in Section 5.11 are acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary Loan Party after the Closing Date (other than assets constituting Collateral under the Collateral Agreement that become subject to the Lien of the Collateral Agreement upon acquisition thereof), the Borrower will notify the Administrative Agent thereof, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, the Borrower will cause such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the Obligations and will take, and cause the Subsidiary Loan Parties to take, such actions as shall be necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant and perfect such Liens, including actions described in paragraph (a) of this Section, all at the expense of the Loan Parties.
SECTION 5.14Casualty and Condemnation. The Borrower (a) will furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders prompt written notice of any casualty or other insured damage to any material portion of any Collateral or the commencement of any action or
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proceeding for the taking of any Collateral or any part thereof or interest therein under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding and (b) will ensure that the Net Proceeds of any such event (whether in the form of insurance proceeds, condemnation awards or otherwise) are collected and applied in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Security Documents;provided,however, so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred or be continuing, Borrower or its Subsidiaries may retain and apply such Net Proceeds in accordance with the provision of Section 2.10(c).
SECTION 5.15End of Fiscal Years; Fiscal Quarters. The Borrower will, for financial reporting purposes, cause each of its fiscal years and quarters to end on the dates shown on the period calendar attached hereto asSchedule 5.15.
ARTICLE VI
Negative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 6.01Indebtedness. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness with respect to the Loans and Obligations;
(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth inSchedule 6.01, and any extensions, renewals or replacements of any such Indebtedness as long as the principal amount thereof is not increased and the Indebtedness remains unsecured to the extent originally unsecured;
(c) Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Subsidiary and of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary,provided that (i) the proceeds from such Indebtedness shall not be issued by a Subsidiary that is subject to a restrictive agreement permitted under Section 6.08; (ii) all such intercompany Indebtedness shall be evidenced by intercompany notes; (iii) the obligations of each obligor on such Indebtedness shall be subordinated in right of payment to the payment and performance of such obligor’s obligations, if any, (whether as a borrower, guarantor or pledgor of Collateral under the Loan Documents to which such obligor is a party) pursuant to the terms of the intercompany notes; (iv) such intercompany Indebtedness shall be reduced pro tanto by the amount of any payments made by such obligor in respect of its Obligations under any guarantee of the Obligations; and (v) the intercompany notes evidencing such indebtedness shall be pledged to Lenders;
(d) (i) Guarantees by the Borrower of any Indebtedness of its Subsidiaries permitted under this Section 6.01 (including, without limitation, assumed Indebtedness
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permitted under Section 6.01(f)) or (ii) Guarantees by Borrower or any of its Subsidiary Loan Parties of loans to franchisees which together with Investments consist of direct loans to franchisees as permitted in Sections 6.03 or 6.04, non-cash consideration received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the extent permitted under Section 6.03(vi) and other Investments permitted under Section 6.04(c) not to exceed an aggregate amount of $35,000,000 at any time outstanding;provided, that such Guarantees (i) are unsecured, (ii) shall constitute debt for the purpose of compliance with Section 6.04(c) herein, (iii) would not create a Default and (iv) have terms and conditions that are substantially similar to or consistent with those customarily offered by the Borrower to such franchisees and provided further that the aggregate amount of obligations Guaranteed shall not exceed in any event $20,000,000;
(e) Borrower and its Subsidiaries may become and remain liable with respect to Indebtedness incurred in connection with the re-imaging or construction of properties for its “turnkey” and re-imaging programs, including loans to franchisees for re-imaging purposes, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $15,000,000 outstanding at any time;
(f) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof or assumption of any Indebtedness subject to prepayment premiums in connection with a Permitted Acquisition,provided that (i) such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or at such time the Permitted Acquisition is consummated and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with either such Person becoming a Subsidiary or the consummation of such Permitted Acquisition and (ii) after giving effect to the Permitted Acquisition (and the assumption of Indebtedness in connection therewith) and after giving pro forma effect thereto, the Total Leverage Ratio of Borrower shall be less than 2:50 to 1.00, and the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent a certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, showing calculations in reasonable detail to demonstrate compliance with this clause (f), at least five Business Days prior to the date of making such Permitted Acquisition and incurrence of Indebtedness;
(g) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary as an account party in respect of trade letters of credit;
(h) Indebtedness of the Borrower that constitutes Subordinated Debt or subordinated guarantees of Subordinated Debt subordinated to the same extent as the underlying indebtedness;provided that with respect to future Subordinated Debt, at the time of the incurrence of such Indebtedness and after giving effect thereto (i) no Default shall occur or be continuing, (ii) such Indebtedness shall mature after the Term Loan Maturity Date and (iii) the amortization of such Indebtedness shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;
(i) Indebtedness consisting of contingent obligations in respect of Letters of Credit;
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(j) Indebtedness consisting of contingent obligations under interest rate cap, collar or similar hedging agreements designed to protect Borrower or its Subsidiaries against fluctuations in interest rates with respect to the Loans and with respect to commodity and currency hedging arrangements entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(k) Permitted Earnout Agreements;
(l) Permitted Investments to the extent also constituting Indebtedness;
(m) Indebtedness otherwise permitted under Sections 6.04 and 6.05;
(n) Indebtedness for guaranties of operating leases in the ordinary course of business; the aggregate net rental expense with respect to such leases not to exceed $5,000,000;
(o) unsecured Indebtedness regarding any note or similar debt instrument issued to A1 Copeland and certain of his family members with regard to the Popeye’s spice royalty purchase in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $30,000,000; and
(p) other Indebtedness (including without limitation pursuant to Capital Lease Obligations) not falling within another exception listed above, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $20,000,000 at any time outstanding;provided that such Indebtedness may be secured by Liens on any assets purchased, constructed or financed with such Indebtedness and the proceeds of such Indebtedness shall be used to provide not less than 70% of the original purchase price of such asset or the amount expended to construct or improve such asset as the case may be.
SECTION 6.02Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:
(a) Permitted Encumbrances and Liens securing the Obligations;
(b) any Lien (other than Permitted Encumbrances) on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary either existing on the date hereof and set forth inSchedule 6.02 or on any property acquired in connection with a Permitted Acquisition and which secures Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(f) above;provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof or as of the date acquired in connection with a Permitted Acquisition in which Indebtedness is assumed as permitted in Section 6.01(f) above;
(c) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted by Sections 6.01(e) and (n);
(d) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that
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becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary;provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be; and
(e) any Lien arising from put or call options in connection with Permitted Joint Venture Investments.
SECTION 6.03Fundamental Changes and Asset Sales. (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or any substantial part of its assets, or all or substantially all of the stock of any of the Subsidiary Loan Parties (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Event of Default or Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any Subsidiary may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary may merge into any Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary; provided that to the extent either such Subsidiary is a Subsidiary Loan Party, the surviving entity shall be a Subsidiary Loan Party, (iii) any Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary, (iv) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders;provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04, (v) Borrower and its Subsidiaries may sell or otherwise dispose of assets in transactions that do not constitute Asset Sales; provided that the consideration received for such assets shall be in amount at least equal to the fair market value thereof, (vi) Borrower or its Subsidiaries may make Specified Asset Sales provided that, such Specified Asset Sales can be made for Cash or non-Cash consideration until the amount of non-Cash consideration exceeds $10,000,000 in the aggregate; thereafter, such Specified Asset Sales shall be made for at least 66 2/3% in Cash (provided that the limitation with respect to Cash consideration set forth in this Section 6.03(vi) shall not apply to the asset sales described under clause (iv) of the definition of Specified Asset Sales), (vii) Borrower or its Subsidiaries may take any action permitted by Section 6.04 below to the extent constituting an Asset Sale, (viii) subject to Section 6.14, Borrower and its Subsidiaries may make Asset Sales (other than Specified Asset Sales) having an aggregate fair market value not in excess of $20,000,000 in any fiscal year; provided that (A) the consideration received for each such Asset Sale shall be in an amount at least equal to the fair market value thereof; (B) the consideration for each such Asset Sale is at least 66 2/3% in Cash and (C) the proceeds of such Asset Sales shall be applied as required by Section 2.10(c), (ix) any Person may merge into the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower in connection with a Permitted Acquisition that is permitted under Section 6.04 so long as such Borrower or Subsidiary of the Borrower is the surviving corporation, and (x) Borrower may reorganize for the purpose of changing its jurisdiction of incorporation to the State of Delaware or the State of Georgia.
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(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related thereto and that will not materially change its or its Subsidiary’s material lines of business taken as a whole as of the Closing Date. For the avoidance of doubt, the type of business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date is the franchising of food-service related businesses and the provision of directly related services and products and the distribution, wholesale and retailing of food and food related products.
SECTION 6.04Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any Investment, except:
(a) Permitted Investments;
(b) (i) Permitted Joint Venture Investments and (ii) Investments by Subsidiaries in capital expenditures, all of which in the aggregate shall not exceed initially $25,000,000.
(c) Investments consisting of extensions of credit to franchisees as permitted by Section 6.01 or which otherwise provide credit support to franchisees in respect of the deferral of royalty payments, rental payments, taxes, equipment sales, financing of restaurant properties, franchise agreements and development or territory agreements of such franchisees which together with Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(d) shall not exceed $20,000,000 in the aggregate;
(d) Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01;
(e) Permitted Acquisitions if after giving effect to the making of such Permitted Acquisition (and all transactions in connection therewith) and after giving pro forma effect thereto, the Total Leverage Ratio shall be less than 2:50 to 1.00, and the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent a certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, showing calculations in reasonable detail to demonstrate compliance with this clause (e), at least five Business Days prior to the date of making such Permitted Acquisition;
(f) any matter permitted in Section 6.03 to the extent it is an Investment; and
(g) other Investments not addressed above in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10,000,000,provided that such Investment permitted by the this clause (g) shall reduce the Investments permitted pursuant to Section 6.04(b) on a dollar for dollar basis.
SECTION 6.05Swap Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business to hedge or mitigate risks with respect to commodities or currencies to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) Swap Agreements
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entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate, from floating to fixed rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;provided, that in the event that the Total Leverage Ratio exceeds 2.00 to 1.0 at any date of determination, then if on such date less than 30% of the funded Indebtedness of Borrower as reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower for the most recent ended fiscal quarter accrues interest at a fixed rate of interest, the Borrower shall promptly enter into Swap Agreements, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, to the extent necessary so that the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have consolidated floating rate interest exposure in respect of not more than 70% of its consolidated funded Indebtedness.
SECTION 6.06Restricted Payments. (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except, so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Borrower may declare and make Restricted Payments if at the time of declaring and making such Restricted Payment, and after giving pro forma effect thereto, the Total Leverage Ratio shall be less than 2:00 to 1.00. The Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent a certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, showing calculations in reasonable detail to demonstrate compliance with this clause (a), at least five Business Days prior to the date of making any such Restricted Payment that is in excess of $250,000.
(b) The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any subordinated Indebtedness, or any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, prepayment, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Indebtedness, except (i) payment or prepayment of Indebtedness created or permitted under the Loan Documents, (ii) the scheduled interest payments on Subordinated Debt permitted pursuant to this Agreement in accordance with the terms thereof and only to the extent required thereby, provided that at the time of any payment of such restricted payment pursuant to this clause (ii) and immediately after giving effect thereto, (A) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing under clause (a) of Article VII, or (B) no Event of Default shall have occurred under clause (e) or (f) of Article VII, provided further that before prohibiting payment for such Event of Default under (e) or (f) of Article VII, the Administrative Agent shall have given the notice required under the Subordinated Debt indenture of its election to block such payments, subject to the subordination provisions of the permitted Subordinated Debt and (iii) other payments or distributions not addressed above so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and if at the time of making such payment or distribution, and after giving pro forma effect thereto, the Total Leverage Ratio shall be less than 2:00 to 1.00, and the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent a certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, showing calculations in reasonable detail to demonstrate compliance with this clause (iii), at least five Business Days prior to the date of making such payment or distribution.
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SECTION 6.07Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its wholly owned Subsidiaries or between wholly owned Subsidiaries not involving any other non-Affiliate and between Borrower and other non-wholly owned Subsidiaries on a commercially reasonable basis, (c) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.06, (d) reasonable and customary compensation or employee benefit arrangements with any officer or member of the Board of Directors of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices, and (e) employee stock purchase plans.
SECTION 6.08Restrictive Agreements. The Borrower will not, will not permit Subsidiary Loan Parties to and will use reasonable commercial efforts to prohibit any of its Subsidiaries that are not Subsidiary Loan Parties to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its Capital Stock or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary;provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by the Loan Documents, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iii) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and are no more restrictive in any material respect than these provisions and (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in contracts and leases entered into in the ordinary course restricting the assignment thereof.
SECTION 6.09Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement (other than with or between Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries), directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereinafter 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 sold or transferred, except for sale leasebacks to the extent such sale leasebacks and other Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(p) do not exceed $30,000,000 and in no event shall such sale leasebacks exceed $15,000,000 in the aggregate, it being understood that any such sale leaseback shall constitute a Prepayment Event.
SECTION 6.10Amendment of Material Documents. The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary Loan Party to, amend, modify or waive any of its rights under (a) its
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certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents if such amendment, modification or waiver would materially and adversely affect the interests of the Lenders or (b) any indenture, credit agreement or other document entered into to evidence or govern the terms of any Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 6.01(h) if the effect of such amendment, modification or waiver is to increase the interest rate on the Indebtedness, change (to earlier dates) any dates upon which payments of principal or interest are due thereon, change any event of default or condition to an event of default (other than to delay, waive or eliminate any such event of default), change the redemption, prepayment or defeasance provisions thereof, change the subordination provisions thereof (or of any guaranty thereof), or if the effect of such amendment or change, together with all other amendments or changes made, is to increase materially the obligations of the obligor thereunder or to confer any additional rights on the holders of the Indebtedness (or a trustee or other representative on their behalf) which would be adverse to Borrower or Lenders.
SECTION 6.11Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. As of the last day of any fiscal quarter ending on or after the Closing Date, the Borrower will not permit the ratio of (i) Consolidated EBITDAR less provisions for current taxes based upon or determined by reference to income of Borrower and its Subsidiaries and payable in cash with respect to such periodless Consolidated Capital Expenditures to (ii) Consolidated Fixed Charges, in each case for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on or most recently ended prior to such day to be less than 1.25:1.00.
SECTION 6.12Total Leverage Ratio. As of the last day of any fiscal quarter, the Borrower will not permit the Total Leverage Ratio as of such day (to be calculated for the purposes of this Section 6.12 only using Consolidated Total Indebtedness less the balance sheet amount of Cash and Cash Equivalents on such date of determination in an amount in excess of $3,000,000,provided that such Cash and Cash Equivalents shall exclude funds drawn from the Revolving Loan on such date) to exceed 2.75:1.00.
SECTION 6.13Certain Calculations. With respect to any period during which a Permitted Acquisition or an Asset Sale has occurred (each, a “Subject Transaction”), for purposes of determining compliance with Total Leverage Ratio, Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated with respect to such period on a pro forma basis (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to a specific transaction, are factually supportable and are expected to have a continuing impact, in each case determined on a basis consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act and as interpreted by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which would include cost savings resulting from head count reduction, closure of facilities and similar restructuring charges, which pro forma adjustments shall be certified by the chief financial officer of Borrower) using the historical audited financial statements (or, if audited statements are not available (other than in the case of a Permitted Acquisition of a non-franchisee in excess of $30,000,000), using the best available financial statements) of any business so acquired or to be acquired or sold or to be sold and the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries which shall be reformulated as if such Subject Transaction, and any Indebtedness incurred or repaid in connection therewith, had been consummated or incurred or repaid at the beginning of such period (and assuming that such Indebtedness bears interest during any portion
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of the applicable measurement period prior to the relevant acquisition at the weighted average of the interest rates applicable to outstanding Loans incurred during such period).
SECTION 6.14Disposal of Subsidiary Stock. Except for any sale of any Regulatory Shares or all of the Capital Stock of a Subsidiary owned by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, in each case in compliance with the provisions of Section 6.03 hereof, Borrower shall not directly or indirectly sell, assign, pledge or otherwise encumber or dispose of any shares of Capital Stock or other equity securities of any of its Subsidiaries, except to qualify directors if required by applicable law; or permit any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly to sell, assign, pledge or otherwise encumber or dispose of any shares of Capital Stock or other equity securities of any of its Subsidiaries (including such Subsidiary), except to Borrower, a Subsidiary Loan Party, or to qualify directors if required by applicable law.
ARTICLE VII
Events of Default
If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:
(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;
(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three Business Days;
(c) [Reserved];
(d) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver hereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver hereunder, shall prove to have been materially incorrect when made or deemed made;
(e) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.03 (with respect to the Borrower’s existence), 5.08 or in Article VI or in paragraph (e) of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement;
(f) the Borrower or any Subsidiary Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a), (b), (d) or (e) of this Article) or in any of the Security Documents (other than with respect to Collateral with an aggregate fair market value of which does not exceed $1,000,000), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty
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days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
(g) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable and such failure continues beyond applicable cure periods;
(h) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity;provided that this clause (h) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;
(i) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;
(j) the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (i) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
(k) the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;
(l) any money judgments, writ or warrant of attachment or similar process which is beyond all rights of appeal involving (i) in any individual case an amount in excess of $2,500,000 or (ii) in the aggregate at any time an amount in excess of $5,000,000 (in either case not adequately covered by insurance as to which a solvent and unaffiliated insurance company has acknowledged coverage) shall be rendered against
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the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;
(m) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(n) a Change in Control shall occur;
(o) any Lien purported to be created under any Security Document shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by any Loan Party not to be, a valid and perfected Lien on any Collateral having an aggregate fair market value of $1,000,000 or more, with the priority required by the applicable Security Document, except (i) as a result of the sale or other disposition of the applicable Collateral in a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents or (ii) as a result of the Administrative Agent’s failure to maintain possession of any stock certificates, promissory notes or other instruments delivered to it under any Security Document;
(p) at any time after the execution and delivery thereof, (i) the Collateral Agreement for any reason, other than the satisfaction in full of all Obligations and termination of the Commitments, shall cease to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with its terms) or shall be declared to be null and void or any Subsidiary Loan Party shall repudiate its obligations thereunder, (ii) this Agreement or any Security Document ceases to be in full force and effect (other than by reason of a release of Collateral in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof or the satisfaction in full of the Obligations in accordance with the terms hereof) or shall be declared null and void (other than with respect to Collateral with an aggregate fair market value of which does not exceed $1,000,000) or (iii) any Loan Party shall contest the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document in writing or deny in writing that it has any further liability, including with respect to future advances by Lenders, under any Loan Document to which it is a party;
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (i) or (j) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (i) or (j) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with
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accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.
Notwithstanding anything contained in the preceding paragraph, if at any time within 60 days after an acceleration of the Loans pursuant to such paragraph Borrower shall pay all arrears of interest and all payments on account of principal which shall have become due otherwise than as a result of such acceleration (with interest on principal and, to the extent permitted by law, on overdue interest, at the rates specified in this Agreement) and all Events of Default (other than non-payment of the principal of and accrued interest on the Loans, in each case which is due and payable solely by virtue of acceleration) shall be remedied or waived, then Required Lenders, by written notice to Borrower, may at their option rescind and annul such acceleration and its consequences; but such action shall not affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. The provisions of this paragraph are intended merely to bind Lenders to a decision which may be made at the election of Required Lenders and are not intended to benefit Borrower and do not grant Borrower the right to require Lenders to rescind or annul any acceleration hereunder or preclude Lenders from exercising any of their rights and remedies under the Loan Documents, even if the conditions set forth herein are met.
ARTICLE VIII
The Administrative Agent
SECTION 8.01General.
Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent 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, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
Each Lender hereby further authorizes Collateral Agent to enter into each Security Document as secured party on behalf of and for the benefit of Lenders and agrees to be bound by the terms of each Security Document;provided that Collateral Agent shall not enter into or consent to any amendment, modification, termination or waiver of any provision contained in any Security Document, subject to the last paragraph of Section 5.11, without the prior consent of Required Lenders;providedfurther,however, that, without further written consent or authorization from Lenders, Collateral Agent may execute any documents or instruments necessary to effect the release of any asset constituting Collateral from the Lien of the applicable Security Document in the event that such asset is sold or otherwise disposed of in a transaction effected in accordance with Sections 6.03 or 6.04 (and shall, at the reasonable request of Borrower execute such documents and instruments).
The bank 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 such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
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The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) 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.
The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent 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 be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers 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 its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.
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Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. 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 Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring 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 while it was acting as Administrative Agent.
Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender 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 also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender 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 related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder. Each Lender further acknowledges that each Arranger shall have no obligations under this Agreement.
SECTION 8.02Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account.
(a) Within sixty (60) days following the Closing Date, the Borrower shall establish with the Administrative Agent (i) an account (the “Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account”) in the name of the Administrative Agent (for the benefit of the Lenders), into which the Borrower may from time to time deposit dollars pursuant to, and in accordance with Sections 2.10(c) and 2.10(e) hereof. The Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account shall be under the sole dominion and control of the Administrative Agent and shall be subject to a control agreement entered into between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. In the case of funds deposited in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account (i) in accordance with Section 2.10(c), unless a Default has occurred and is continuing, the Administrative Agent will release such funds as set forth in Section 2.10(c) and (ii) in accordance with Section 2.10(e), the Administrative Agent will apply such funds as set forth in Section 2.10(e).
(b) The Administrative Agent is hereby authorized and directed to invest and reinvest the funds from time to time deposited into the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, on the instructions of the Borrower (provided, that any such instructions given verbally shall be confirmed promptly in
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writing) or, if the Borrower shall fail to give such instructions upon delivery of any such funds, in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent;provided, that in no event may the Borrower give instructions to the Administrative Agent to, or may the Administrative Agent in its discretion, invest or reinvest funds in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account in anything other than Cash Equivalents.
(c) Any net income or gain on the investment of funds from time to time held in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account, shall be promptly reinvested by the Administrative Agent as a part of the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account; and any net loss on any such investment shall be charged against the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account.
(d) None of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any of the Lenders shall be a trustee for any of the Loan Parties, or shall have any obligations or responsibilities, or shall be liable for anything done or not done, in connection with the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account, except as expressly provided herein and except that the Administrative Agent shall have the obligations of a secured party under the Uniform Commercial Code. None of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any of the Lenders shall have any obligation or responsibility or shall be liable in any way for any investment decision made in accordance with this Section 8.02 or for any decrease in the value of the investments held in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account.
(e)Grant of Security Interest. For value received and to induce the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit and the Lenders to enter into this Agreement, as security for the payment of all of the Obligations, each of the Loan Parties hereby assigns to the Administrative Agent (for the benefit of the Lenders) and grants to the Administrative Agent (for the benefit of the Lenders), a first priority Lien upon all of such Loan Party’s rights in and to the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account, all cash, documents, instruments and securities from time to time held therein, and all rights pertaining to investments of funds in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account and all products and proceeds of any of the foregoing. All Cash, documents, instruments and securities from time to time on deposit in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account, and all rights pertaining to investments of funds in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account shall immediately and without any need for any further action on the part of any of the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders, become subject to the Lien set forth in this Section, be deemed Collateral for all purposes hereof and be subject to the provisions of this Credit Agreement.
(f)Remedies. At any time during the continuation of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may sell any documents, instruments and securities held in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account and may immediately apply the proceeds thereof and any other cash held in the Breakage Cost Cash Collateral Account in accordance with Section 2.10.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
SECTION 9.01Notices. (a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b)
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below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:
(b) if to the Borrower, to it at 5555 Glenridge Connector, Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30342, Attention of Treasurer (Telecopy No. (404) 459-4539); and in the case of any notice of default or an Event of Default, concurrently to each of AFC Enterprises, Inc., 5555 Glenridge Connector, Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30342, Attention of General Counsel (Telecopy No. (404) 459-4649) and to Cohen Pollock Merlin & Small, P.C., 3350 Riverwood Parkway, SE, Suite 1600, Atlanta, GA 30339-3359, Attention of Steven A. Fetter, Esq. (Telecopy No. (770) 857-4825; email: sfetter@cpmas.com);
(c) if to the Administrative Agent, to JPMCB, Loan and Agency Services, 10 S. Dearborn, 7th Floor, Chase Tower, Chicago, IL 60601, Attention of Sabana Johnson (Telecopy No. (888) 292-9533), with a copy to JPMCB, 712 Main Street, 8th Floor North, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention of Debra Harris (Telecopy No. (713) 216-6710);
(d) if to the Issuing Bank, to JPMCB, Loan and Agency Services, 10 S. Dearborn, 7th Floor, Chase Tower, Chicago, IL 60601, Attention of Sabana Johnson (Telecopy No. (888) 292-9533), with a copy to JPMCB, 712 Main Street, 8th Floor North, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention of Debra Harris (Telecopy No. (713) 216-6710);
(e) if to the Swingline Lender, to JPMCB, Loan and Agency Services, 10 S. Dearborn, 7th Floor, Chase Tower, Chicago, IL 60601, Attention of Sabana Johnson (Telecopy No. (888) 292-9533), with a copy to JPMCB, 712 Main Street, 8th Floor North, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention of Debra Harris (Telecopy No. (713) 216-6710); and
(f) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
(g) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, 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.
(h) Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.
SECTION 9.02Waivers; Amendments. (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power,
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preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document, nor any provision hereof or thereof, may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders (or, in the case of any Security Document, by the Collateral Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders);provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment or Applicable Percentage of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.10 or Section 2.18(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the percentage set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders (or Lenders of any Class) required to waive, amend or modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (or each Lender of such Class, as the case may be), (vi) release any Subsidiary Loan Party from its Guarantee under the Collateral Agreement (except as expressly provided in the Collateral Agreement), or limit its liability in respect of such Guarantee, without the written consent of each Lender, (vii) release all or substantially all of the Collateral from the Liens of the Security Documents, without the written consent of each Lender or (viii) change any provisions of any Loan Document in a manner that by its terms adversely affects the rights in respect of payments due to Lenders holding Loans of any Class differently than those holding Loans of any other Class, without the written consent of Lenders holding a majority in interest of the outstanding Loans and unused Commitments of each adversely affected Class (in addition to any consent required under any other clause of this Section);provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 2.20 without the consent of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender and no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be.
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SECTION 9.03Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and each Arranger and their respective Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, 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 Issuing Bank 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, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the 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.
(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Arranger, the Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee 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 any other transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Bank 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 presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower 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 and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto;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.
(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount;provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted
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against the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such.
(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, 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 or thereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.
(e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.
SECTION 9.04Successors and Assigns.
(a)Assignments Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. 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 (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b)Assignments by Lenders.
(i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:
(A) the Borrower,provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund (as defined below) or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee;
(B) the Administrative Agent,provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment to an assignee that is a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment;
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(C) the Issuing Bank, in the case of any assignment in respect of the Revolving Loan Commitments; and
(D) the Swingline Lender, in the case of any assignment in respect of the Revolving Loan Commitments.
(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment, the amount of the Commitment 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) shall not be less than $5,000,000 for the Revolving Loan or the Revolving Loan Commitments or $2,000,000 for the Term Loans unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent,provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default under Article VII has occurred and is continuing;
(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement,provided that this Section 9.04(b)(ii)(B) shall not be construed to prohibit assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;
(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500;
(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire; and
(E) in the case of an assignment by a Lender to a CLO (as defined below) managed by such Lender or by an Affiliate of such Lender, unless such assignment (or an assignment to a CLO managed by the same manager or an Affiliate of such manager) shall have been approved by the Borrower (the Borrower hereby agreeing that such approval, if requested will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), the assigning Lender shall retain the sole right to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement,provided that the Assignment and Assumption between such Lender and such CLO may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of such CLO, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such CLO.
For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the terms “Approved Fund” and “CLO” have the following meanings:
“Approved Fund” means (a) with respect to any Lender, a CLO managed by such Lender or by an Affiliate of such Lender and (b) with respect to any Lender that is a fund which invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit, any other fund that invests in bank loans
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and similar extensions of credit and is managed by the same investment advisor as such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor.
“CLO” means any entity (whether a corporation, partnership, trust or otherwise) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and is administered or managed by a Lender or an Affiliate of such Lender.
“Eligible Assignee” means (a) a Lender; (b) an Affiliate of any Lender; (c) an Approved Fund; (d) a commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, and having total assets in excess of $500,000,000; (e) a savings and loan association or savings bank organized under the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, and having total assets in excess of $500,000,000; (f) a commercial bank organized under the laws of any other country that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development or has concluded special lending arrangements with the International Monetary Fund associated with its General Arrangements to Borrow or of the Cayman Islands, or a political subdivision of any such country, and having total assets in excess of $500,000,000 so long as such bank is acting through a branch or agency located in the United States or in the country in which it is organized or another country that is described in this clause (f); (g) the central bank of any country that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; (h) if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other finance company, fund or similar entity and (i) any other Person (other than a natural person) approved by Administrative Agent and the Borrower, except that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; provided, however, that neither the Borrower nor an Affiliate of the Borrower shall qualify as an Eligible Assignee.
(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto 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 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.04 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 paragraph (c) of this Section.
(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders may treat each Person whose
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name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.
(c)Participations.
(i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it);provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement;provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender.
(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.17 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Sections 2.17(e) and (f) as though it were a Lender.
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(d) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or Administrative Agent, at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including, without limitation, any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest;provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
SECTION 9.05Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.
SECTION 9.06Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent 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 which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION 9.07Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
SECTION 9.08Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general
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or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.
SECTION 9.09Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.
(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court 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, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action 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 shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(c) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION 9.10WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY 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 THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE
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BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
SECTION 9.11Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
SECTION 9.12Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors who have a legitimate need to know such information (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), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower;provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower after the date hereof, 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 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.
The Administrative Agent and each Lender may, with the prior written consent of the Borrower in each instance (not to be unreasonably withheld), include references to the Borrower and any other Loan Party and utilize any logo or other distinctive symbol associated with the Borrower or any other Loan Party, in connection with any advertising, promotion or marketing undertaken by the Administrative Agent or such Lender to the extent and in the context so approved by Borrower.
SECTION 9.13Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be
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contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.
SECTION 9.14USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower 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, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
AFC ENTERPRISES, INC. | ||||
By | /s/ H. Melville Hope, III | |||
Name: | H. Melville Hope, III | |||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually and as Administrative Agent | ||||
By | /s/ Sean J. Lynch | |||
Name: | Sean J. Lynch | |||
Title: | Senior Vice President |
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BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. | ||||
By | /s/ John H. Schmidt | |||
Name: | John H. Schmidt | |||
Title: | Vice President |
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AMEGY BANK N.A. | ||||
By | /s/ William B. Pyle | |||
Name: | William B. Pyle | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President |
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FIFTH THIRD BANK | ||||
By | /s/ Dan Komitor | |||
Name: | Dan Komitor | |||
Title: | Senior Relationship Manager/VP |
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CAPITAL ONE, N.A. | ||||
By | /s/ Jacob Villere | |||
Name: | Jacob Villere | |||
Title: | VP - US Corporate Banking |
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WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. | ||||
By | /s/ Andrew C. Hessick | |||
Name: | Andrew C. Hessick | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
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