CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
December 23, 2005
among
STANDEX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION,
as Borrower,
THE LENDING INSTITUTIONS NAMED HEREIN,
as Lenders,
KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as an LC Issuer, Swing Line Lender,
Co-Lead Arranger, Sole Bookrunner
and Administrative Agent,
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,
as Co-Lead Arranger,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Syndication Agent,
and
SOVEREIGN BANK
and
CITIZENS BANK NEW HAMPSHIRE,
as Co-Documentation Agents
$150,000,000 Revolving Facility
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND TERMS
1
Section 1.01
Certain Defined Terms
1
Section 1.02
Computation of Time Periods
22
Section 1.03
Accounting Terms
22
Section 1.04
Terms Generally
22
Section 1.05
Currency Equivalents
22
ARTICLE II.
THE TERMS OF THE CREDIT FACILITY
22
Section 2.01
Establishment of the Credit Facility
22
Section 2.02
Revolving Facility.
22
Section 2.03
Swing Line Facility
23
Section 2.04
Letters of Credit
25
Section 2.05
Notice of Borrowing
29
Section 2.06
Funding Obligations; Disbursement of Funds.
30
Section 2.07
Evidence of Obligations
31
Section 2.08
Interest; Default Rate
32
Section 2.09
Conversion and Continuation of Loans
33
Section 2.10
Fees
33
Section 2.11
Termination and Reduction of Revolving Commitments
34
Section 2.12
Voluntary, Scheduled and Mandatory Prepayments of Loans
35
Section 2.13
Method and Place of Payment
36
ARTICLE III.
INCREASED COSTS, ILLEGALITY AND TAXES
37
Section 3.01
Increased Costs, Illegality, etc
37
Section 3.02
Breakage Compensation
39
Section 3.03
Net Payments
39
Section 3.04
Increased Costs to LC Issuers
41
Section 3.05
Change of Lending Office; Replacement of Lenders
41
ARTICLE IV.
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
42
Section 4.01
Conditions Precedent at Closing Date
42
Section 4.02
Conditions Precedent to All Credit Events
44
ARTICLE V.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
44
Section 5.01
Corporate Status
44
Section 5.02
Corporate Power and Authority
44
Section 5.03
No Violation
45
Section 5.04
Governmental Approvals
45
Section 5.05
Litigation
45
Section 5.06
Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations
45
Section 5.07
Financial Statements
45
Section 5.08
Solvency
46
Section 5.09
No Material Adverse Change
46
Section 5.10
Tax Returns and Payments
46
Section 5.11
Title to Properties, etc
47
Section 5.12
Lawful Operations, etc
47
Section 5.13
Environmental Matters
47
Section 5.14
Compliance with ERISA
48
Section 5.15
Intellectual Property, etc
48
Section 5.16
Investment Company Act, etc
48
Section 5.17
Insurance
48
Section 5.18
True and Complete Disclosure
48
Section 5.19
Defaults
49
Section 5.20
Anti-Terrorism Law Compliance
49
ARTICLE VI.
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
49
Section 6.01
Reporting Requirements
49
Section 6.02
Books, Records and Inspections
51
Section 6.03
Insurance
52
Section 6.04
Payment of Taxes and Claims
52
Section 6.05
Corporate Franchises
52
Section 6.06
Compliance with Statutes, etc
52
Section 6.07
Compliance with Environmental Laws
52
Section 6.08
Most Favored Covenant Status
53
Section 6.09
Senior Debt
53
Section 6.10
Post-Closing Covenant
53
ARTICLE VII.
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
54
Section 7.01
Changes in Business
54
Section 7.02
Consolidation, Merger, Acquisitions, Asset Sales, etc
54
Section 7.03
Liens
55
Section 7.04
Indebtedness
55
Section 7.05
Investments and Guaranty Obligations
56
Section 7.06
Restricted Payments
57
Section 7.07
Financial Covenants
57
Section 7.08
Limitation on Certain Restrictive Agreements
58
Section 7.09
Transactions with Affiliates
58
Section 7.10
Plan Terminations, Minimum Funding, etc
58
Section 7.11
Anti-Terrorism Laws
59
Section 7.12
Amendment of Material Documents
59
ARTICLE VIII.
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
59
Section 8.01
Events of Default
59
Section 8.02
Remedies
61
Section 8.03
Application of Certain Payments and Proceeds
61
ARTICLE IX.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
62
Section 9.01
Appointment
62
Section 9.02
Delegation of Duties
62
Section 9.03
Exculpatory Provisions
62
Section 9.04
Reliance by Administrative Agent
63
Section 9.05
Notice of Default
63
Section 9.06
Non-Reliance
63
Section 9.07
No Reliance on Administrative Agent’s Customer Identification Program
64
Section 9.08
USA Patriot Act
64
Section 9.09
Indemnification
64
Section 9.10
The Administrative Agent in Individual Capacity
65
Section 9.11
Successor Administrative Agent
65
Section 9.12
Other Administrative Agents
65
ARTICLE X.
GUARANTY
65
Section 10.01
Guaranty by the Borrower
65
Section 10.02
Additional Undertaking
66
Section 10.03
Guaranty Unconditional
66
Section 10.04
Borrower Obligations to Remain in Effect; Restoration
67
Section 10.05
Waiver of Acceptance, etc
67
Section 10.06
Subrogation
67
Section 10.07
Effect of Stay
67
ARTICLE XI.
MISCELLANEOUS
67
Section 11.01
Payment of Expenses, etc
67
Section 11.02
Indemnification
68
Section 11.03
Right of Setoff
68
Section 11.04
Equalization
69
Section 11.05
Notices
69
Section 11.06
Successors and Assigns
70
Section 11.07
No Waiver; Remedies Cumulative
72
Section 11.08
Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial
73
Section 11.09
Counterparts
73
Section 11.10
Integration
73
Section 11.11
Headings Descriptive
74
Section 11.12
Amendment or Waiver
74
Section 11.13
Survival of Indemnities
75
Section 11.14
Domicile of Loans
75
Section 11.15
Confidentiality
75
Section 11.16
Limitations on Liability of the LC Issuers
76
Section 11.17
General Limitation of Liability
77
Section 11.18
No Duty
77
Section 11.19
Lenders and Administrative Agent Not Fiduciary to Borrower, etc
77
Section 11.20
Survival of Representations and Warranties
77
Section 11.21
Severability
77
Section 11.22
Independence of Covenants
77
Section 11.23
Interest Rate Limitation
78
Section 11.24
USA Patriot Act
78
Section 11.25
Press Releases and Related Matters
78
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A-1
Form of Revolving Facility Note
Exhibit A-2
Form of Swing Line Note
Exhibit B-1
Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit B-2
Form of Notice of Continuation or Conversion
Exhibit B-3
Form of LC Request
Exhibit C
Form of Closing Certificate
Exhibit D
Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit E
Form of Assignment Agreement
SCHEDULES
SCHEDULE 1
Revolving Commitments
SCHEDULE 5.01
Subsidiaries
SCHEDULE 5.14
Multi-Employer Plans and Multiple Employer Plans
SCHEDULE 7.03
Existing Liens
SCHEDULE 7.04
Existing Indebtedness
SCHEDULE 7.05
Existing Investments
THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of December 23, 2005 among the following: (i) Standex International Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”); (ii) the lenders from time to time party hereto (each a “Lender” and collectively, the “Lenders”); (iii) KeyBank National Association, as co-lead arranger, sole bookrunner and administrative agent (in such capacity as administrative agent, the “Administrative Agent”), as the Swing Line Lender (as hereinafter defined) and an LC Issuer (as hereafter defined); (iv) Banc of America Securities LLC, as co-lead arranger; (v) Bank of America, N.A., as syndication agent; and (vi) Sovereign Bank and Citizens Bank New Hampshire, as co-documentation agents.
RECITALS:
(1)
The Borrower has requested that the Lenders, the Swing Line Lender and each LC Issuer extend credit to the Borrower to refinance certain of the Borrower’s existing indebtedness and to provide working capital and funds for other lawful purposes.
(2)
Subject to and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Lenders, the Swing Line Lender and each LC Issuer are willing to extend credit and make available to the Borrower the credit facility provided for herein for the foregoing purposes.
AGREEMENT:
In consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND TERMS
Section 1.01
Certain Defined Terms. As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings herein specified unless the context otherwise requires:
“Acquisition” means any transaction or series of related transactions for the purpose of or resulting, directly or indirectly, in (i) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of any Person, or any business or division of any Person, (ii) the acquisition or ownership of in excess of 50% of the Equity Interest of any Person, or (iii) the acquisition of another Person by a merger, consolidation, amalgamation or any other combination with such Person.
“Adjusted Eurodollar Rate” means with respect to each Interest Period for a Eurodollar Loan, (i) the rate per annum equal to the offered rate appearing on the applicable electronic page of Reuters (or on the appropriate page of any successor to or substitute for such service, or, if such rate is not available, on the appropriate page of any generally recognized financial information service, as selected by the Administrative Agent from time to time) that displays an average British Bankers Association Interest Settlement Rate at approximately 11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for deposits in Dollars with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period, divided (and rounded to the nearest 1/16th of 1%) by (ii) a percentage equal to 100%minus the then stated maximum rate of all reserve requirements (including, wit hout limitation, any marginal, emergency, supplemental, special or other reserves and without benefit of credits for proration, exceptions or offsets that may be available from time to time) applicable to any member bank of the Federal Reserve System in respect of Eurocurrency liabilities as defined in Regulation D (or any successor category of liabilities under Regulation D);provided,however, that if the rate referred to in
clause (i) above is not available at any such time for any reason, then the rate referred to in clause (i) shall instead be the interest rate per annum, as determined by the Administrative Agent, to be the average (rounded to the nearest 1/16th of 1%) of the rates per annum at which deposits in Dollars in an amount equal to the amount of such Eurodollar Loan are offered to major banks in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 A.M. (London time), two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for contracts that would be entered into at the commencement of such Interest Period for the same duration as such Interest Period.
“Administrative Agent” has the meaning provided in the first paragraph of this Agreement and includes any successor to the Administrative Agent appointed pursuant to Section 9.11.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with such Person, or, in the case of any Lender that is an investment fund, the investment advisor thereof and any investment fund having the same investment advisor. A Person shall be deemed to control a second Person if such first Person possesses, directly or indirectly, the power (i) to vote 10% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or managers of such second Person or (ii) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such second Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall in any event be considered an Affiliate of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (i) the Aggregate Revolving Facility Exposure at such time and (ii) the principal amount of Swing Loans outstanding at such time.
“Aggregate Revolving Facility Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (i) the principal amounts of all Revolving Loans made by all Lenders and outstanding at such time and (ii) the aggregate amount of the LC Outstandings at such time.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified.
“Anti-Terrorism Law” means the USA Patriot Act or any other law pertaining to the prevention of future acts of terrorism, in each case as such laws may be amended from time to time.
“Applicable Facility Fee Rate” means:
(i)
On the Closing Date and thereafter until changed in accordance with the provisions set forth in this definition, the Applicable Facility Fee Rate shall be 17.5 basis points;
(ii)
Commencing with the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended on March 31, 2006, and continuing with each fiscal quarter thereafter, the Administrative Agent shall determine the Applicable Facility Fee Rate in accordance with the following matrix, based on the Leverage Ratio:
Leverage Ratio | Applicable Facility Fee Rate |
Greater than or equal to 3.00 to 1.00 | 20.00 bps |
Greater than or equal to 2.50 to 1.00, but less than 3.00 to 1.00 | 17.50 bps |
Greater than or equal to 2.00 to 1.00, but less than 2.50 to 1.00 | 15.00 bps |
Greater than or equal to 1.50 to 1.00, but less than 2.00 to 1.00 | 12.50 bps |
Less than 1.50 to 1.00 | 10.00 bps |
(iii)
Changes in the Applicable Facility Fee Rate based upon changes in the Leverage Ratio shall become effective on the third Business Day following the receipt by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b), as the case may be, of the financial statements of the Borrower for the Testing Period most recently ended, accompanied by a Compliance Certificate required pursuant to Section 6.01(c), demonstrating the computation of the Leverage Ratio. Notwithstanding the foregoing, during any period when (A) the Borrower has failed to deliver timely its consolidated financial statements referred to in Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b), accompanied by a Compliance Certificate required pursuant to Section 6.01(c) or (B) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Applicable Facility Fee Rate shall be the highest number of basis points indicated therefor in the above matrix, regardless of the Leverage Ratio at such time. The above matrix does not modify or waive, in any respect, the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to charge any default rate of interest or any of the other rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder.
“Applicable Lending Office” means, with respect to each Lender, the office designated by such Lender to the Administrative Agent as such Lender’s lending office for all purposes of this Agreement. A lender may have a different Applicable Lending Office for Base Rate Loans and Eurodollar Loans.
“Applicable Margin” means:
(i)
On the Closing Date and thereafter, until changed in accordance with the following provisions, the Applicable Margin shall be (A) 105.00 basis points for Base Rate Loans and Swing Loans, and (B) 87.5 basis points for Eurodollar Loans;
(ii)
Commencing with the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended on March 31, 2006, and continuing with each fiscal quarter thereafter, the Administrative Agent shall determine the Applicable Margin in accordance with the following matrix, based on the Leverage Ratio:
Leverage Ratio | Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans and Swing Loans | Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Loans |
Greater than or equal to 3.00 to 1.00 | 125.00 bps | 105.00 bps |
Greater than or equal to 2.50 to 1.00, but less than 3.00 to 1.00 | 105.00 bps | 87.50 bps |
Greater than or equal to 2.00 to 1.00, but less than 2.50 to 1.00 | 92.50 bps | 77.50 bps |
Greater than or equal to 1.50 to 1.00, but less than 2.00 to 1.00 | 82.50 bps | 70.00 bps |
Less than 1.50 to 1.00 | 62.50 bps | 52.50 bps |
(iii)
Changes in the Applicable Margin based upon changes in the Leverage Ratio shall become effective on the third Business Day following the receipt by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b), as the case may be, of the financial statements of the Borrower for the Testing Period most recently ended, accompanied by a Compliance Certificate in accordance with Section 6.01(c), demonstrating the computation of the Leverage Ratio. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, during any period when (A) the Borrower has failed to deliver timely its consolidated financial statements referred to in Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b), accompanied by a Compliance Certificate in accordance
with Section 6.01(c), or (B) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Applicable Margin shall be the highest number of basis points indicated therefor in the above matrix, regardless of the Leverage Ratio at such time. The above matrix does not modify or waive, in any respect, the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to charge any default rate of interest or any of the other rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder.
“Approved Bank” has the meaning provided in subpart (ii) of the definition of “Cash Equivalents.”
“Approved Fund” means a fund that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit and that is administered or managed by a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.
“Asset Sale” means the sale, lease, transfer or other disposition (including by means of Sale and Lease-Back Transactions, and by means of mergers, consolidations, amalgamations and liquidations of a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, of the interests therein of the Borrower or any Subsidiary) by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to any Person of any of the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s respective assets,provided that the term Asset Sale specifically excludes any sales, transfers or other dispositions of inventory, or obsolete, worn-out or excess furniture, fixtures, equipment or other property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, in each case in the ordinary course of business.
“Assignment Agreement” means an Assignment Agreement substantially in the form ofExhibit E.
“Augmenting Lender” has the meaning provided in Section 2.02(b).
“Authorized Officer” means with respect to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, any of the following officers: the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer or the Controller or, in the case of any of the foregoing, such other Person as is authorized in writing to act on behalf of the Borrower or such Subsidiary and is acceptable to the Administrative Agent. Unless otherwise qualified, all references herein to an Authorized Officer shall refer to an Authorized Officer of the Borrower.
“Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code entitled “Bankruptcy,” as now or hereafter in effect, or any successor thereto, as hereafter amended.
“Base Rate” means, for any day, a fluctuating interest rate per annum as shall be in effect from time to time which rate per annum shall at all times be equal to the greater of (i) the rate of interest established by KeyBank National Association, from time to time, as its “prime rate,” whether or not publicly announced, which interest rate may or may not be the lowest rate charged by it for commercial loans or other extensions of credit; or (ii) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect from time to time, determined one Business Day in arrears,plus 1/2 of 1% per annum.
“Base Rate Loan” means any Loan bearing interest at a rate based upon the Base Rate in effect from time to time.
“Benefited Creditors” means, with respect to the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations pursuant to Article X, each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, each LC Issuer and the Swing Line Lender and each Designated Hedge Creditor, and the respective successors and assigns of each of the foregoing.
“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Agreement.
“Borrower Guaranteed Obligations” has the meaning provided in Section 10.01.
“Borrowing” means a Revolving Borrowing or the incurrence of a Swing Loan.
“Business Day” means (i) any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in Cleveland, Ohio are authorized or required by law to close and (ii) with respect to any matters relating to Eurodollar Loans, any day on which dealings in U.S. Dollars are carried on in the London interbank market.
“Capital Distribution” means a payment made, liability incurred or other consideration given for the purchase, acquisition, repurchase, redemption or retirement of any Equity Interest of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or as a dividend, return of capital or other distribution in respect of any of the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s Equity Interest.
“Capital Lease” as applied to any Person means any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) by that Person as lessee that, in conformity with GAAP, should be accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of that Person.
“Capitalized Lease Obligations” means all obligations under Capital Leases of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, without duplication, in each case taken at the amount thereof accounted for as liabilities identified as “capital lease obligations” (or any similar words) on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.
“Cash Dividend” means a Capital Distribution of the Borrower payable in cash to the shareholders of the Borrower with respect to any class or series of Equity Interest of the Borrower.
“Cash Equivalents” means any of the following:
(i)
securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged in support thereof) having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition;
(ii)
U.S. dollar denominated time deposits, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances of (x) any Lender, (y) any domestic commercial bank of recognized standing having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 or (z) any bank (or the parent company of such bank) whose short-term commercial paper rating from S&P is at least A-1, A-2 or the equivalent thereof or from Moody’s is at least P-1, P-2 or the equivalent thereof (any such bank, an “Approved Bank”), in each case with maturities of not more than 180 days from the date of acquisition;
(iii)
commercial paper issued by any Lender or Approved Bank or by the parent company of any Lender or Approved Bank and commercial paper issued by, or guaranteed by, any industrial or financial company with a short-term commercial paper rating of at least A-1 or the equivalent thereof by S&P or at least P-1 or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s, or guaranteed by any industrial company with a long-term unsecured debt rating of at least A or A2, or the equivalent of each thereof, from S&P or Moody’s, as the case may be, and in each case maturing within 180 days after the date of acquisition;
(iv)
fully collateralized repurchase agreements entered into with any Lender or Approved Bank having a term of not more than 30 days and covering securities described in clause (i) above;
(v)
investments in money market funds substantially all the assets of which are comprised of securities of the types described in clauses (i) through (iv) above;
(vi)
investments in money market funds access to which is provided as part of “sweep” accounts maintained with a Lender or an Approved Bank;
(vii)
investments in industrial development revenue bonds that (A) “re-set” interest rates not less frequently than quarterly, (B) are entitled to the benefit of a remarketing arrangement with an established broker dealer, and (C) are supported by a direct pay letter of credit covering principal and accrued interest that is issued by an Approved Bank; and
(viii)
investments in pooled funds or investment accounts consisting of investments of the nature described in the foregoing clause (vii).
“CERCLA” means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as the same may be amended from time to time, 42 U.S.C. § 9601et seq.
“Change in Control” means (i) the acquisition of, or, if earlier, the shareholder or director approval of the acquisition of, ownership or voting control, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, on or after the Closing Date, by any Person or group (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the SEC under the 1934 Act, as then in effect), of shares representing more than 21% of the aggregate ordinary Voting Power represented by the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Borrower; (ii) the occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (A) nominated by the Board of Directors of the Borrower nor (B) appointed by directors so nominated; or (iii) the occurrence of a “change in control”, or other similar provision, under or with respect to any Material Indebtednes s Agreement.
“Charges” has the meaning provided in Section 11.23.
“CIP Regulations” has the meaning provided in Section 9.07.
“Claims” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Environmental Claims.”
“Closing Date” means December 23, 2005.
“Closing Fee Letter” means the Closing Fee Letter dated as of the Closing Date between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and the rulings issued thereunder. Section references to the Code are to the Code as in effect at the Closing Date and any subsequent provisions of the Code, amendatory thereof, supplemental thereto or substituted therefor.
“Commercial Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit or similar instrument issued for the purpose of providing the primary payment mechanism in connection with the purchase of materials, goods or services in the ordinary course of business.
“Commitment” means (i) with respect to each Lender, its Revolving Commitment, and (ii) with respect to the Swing Line Lender, its Swing Line Commitment.
“Commodities Hedge Agreement” means a commodities contract purchased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, and not for speculative purposes, with respect to raw materials necessary to the manufacturing or production of goods in connection with the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
“Compliance Certificate” has the meaning provided in Section 6.01(c).
“Confidential Information” has the meaning provided in Section 11.15(b).
“Consideration” means, in connection with an Acquisition, the aggregate consideration paid, including borrowed funds, cash, the issuance of securities or notes, the assumption or incurring of liabilities (direct or contingent), the payment of consulting fees (excluding any fees payable to any investment banker in connection with such Acquisition) or fees for a covenant not to compete and any other consideration paid for the purchase.
“Consolidated Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, the aggregate of all expenditures (whether paid in cash or accrued as liabilities) made by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to acquire or lease (pursuant to a Capital Lease) fixed or capital assets, or additions to equipment (including replacements, capitalized repairs and improvements during such period).
“Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense” means, for any period, all depreciation and amortization expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, all as determined for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated EBIT” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period,plus (i) the sum of the amounts for such period included in determining such Consolidated Net Income of (A) Consolidated Interest Expense, (B) Consolidated Income Tax Expense, and (C) extraordinary and other non-recurring non-cash losses and charges (including non-cash charges associated with the write-off of goodwill in accordance with SFAS 142),less (ii) gains on sales of assets and other extraordinary gains and other non-recurring non-cash gains, all as determined for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP;provided, however, that Consolidated EBIT for any Testing Period shall (y) include the EBIT for any Person or business unit that has been acquired by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries for any portio n of such Testing Period prior to the date of acquisition, so long as such EBIT has been verified by appropriate audited financial statements or other financial statements acceptable to the Administrative Agent and (z) exclude the EBIT for any Person or business unit that has been disposed of by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, for the portion of such Testing Period prior to the date of disposition.
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, (i) Consolidated EBIT,plus (ii) Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Charges;provided, however, that Consolidated EBITDA for any Testing Period shall (y) include the EBITDA for any Person or business unit that has been acquired by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries for any portion of such Testing Period prior to the date of acquisition, so long as such EBITDA has been verified by appropriate audited financial statements or other financial statements acceptable to the Administrative Agent and (z) exclude the EBITDA for any Person or business unit that has been disposed of by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, for the portion of such Testing Period prior to the date of disposition.
“Consolidated Funded Debt” means, for any period, as determined for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (without duplication) (i) all Indebtedness for borrowed money and capitalized leases, including, but not limited to, current, long-term and Subordinated Indebtedness, if any, (ii) all Indebtedness in respect of Synthetic Leases, (iii) all obligations under conditional sales or other title retention agreements (other than a true consignment), and (iv) all Indebtedness that constitutes deferred purchase price of capital assets or services that in accordance with GAAP would be shown on the liability side of the balance sheet of such Person, in each case, for such period and in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Income Tax Expense” means, for any period, all provisions for taxes based on the net income of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, any additions to such taxes, and any penalties and interest with respect thereto), all as determined for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, total interest expense (including, without limitation, that which is capitalized and that which is attributable to Capital Leases or Synthetic Leases) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for such period taken as a single accounting period determined in conformity with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net Worth” means, at any time, the excess of Consolidated Total Assets over Consolidated Total Liabilities, but excluding (i) any adjustments to the liabilities of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries in respect of any unfunded Single Employer Plan made in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Statement No. 87 but only to the extent that the net after-tax impact on stockholders’ equity of such adjustments does not exceed $40,000,000 and (ii) any adjustments to the value of foreign assets and liabilities attributable to changes in foreign exchange rates made in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Statement No. 52.
“Consolidated Total Assets” means, at any time, all assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Total Liabilities” means, at any time, all liabilities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (including all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries).
“Consumer Group Division” means any of the Borrower’s religious publishing, religious bookstore and mail-order fruit sale divisions.
“Continue,” “Continuation” and “Continued” each refers to a continuation of a Eurodollar Loan for an additional Interest Period as provided in Section 2.10.
“Convert,” “Conversion” and “Converted” each refers to a conversion of Loans of one Type into Loans of another Type.
“Credit Event” means the making of any Borrowing, any Conversion or Continuation or any LC Issuance.
“Credit Facility” means the credit facility established under this Agreement pursuant to which (i) the Lenders shall make Revolving Loans to the Borrower, and shall participate in LC Issuances, pursuant to the Revolving Commitment of each such Lender, (ii) the Swing Line Lender shall make Swing Loans to the Borrower pursuant to the Swing Line Commitment, and (iii) each LC Issuer shall issue Letters of Credit for the account of the LC Obligors in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
“Credit Facility Exposure” means, for any Lender at any time, the sum of (i) such Lender’s Revolving Facility Exposure at such time, and (ii) in the case of the Swing Line Lender, the principal amount of Swing Loans outstanding at such time.
“Default” means any event, act or condition that with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
“Default Rate” means, for any day, (i) with respect to any Loan, a rate per annum equal to 2% per annum above the interest rate that is or would be applicable from time to time to such Loan pursuant to Section 2.08(a) or Section 2.08(b), as applicable and (ii) with respect to any other amount, a rate per annum equal to 2% per annum above the rate that would be applicable to Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans pursuant to Section 2.08(a)(i).
“Designated Hedge Agreement” means any Hedge Agreement (other than a Commodities Hedge Agreement) to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a party and as to which a Lender or any of its Affiliates is a counterparty.
“Designated Hedge Creditor” means each Lender or Affiliate of a Lender that participates as a counterparty to the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower pursuant to any Designated Hedge Agreement with such Lender or Affiliate of such Lender.
“Dollar Equivalent” means, (i) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, such amount and (ii) with respect to any amount denominated in a currency other than Dollars, the Dollar equivalent of such amount, determined by the Administrative Agent on the basis of its spot rate at approximately 11:00 A.M. London time on the date for which the Dollar equivalent of such amount is being determined for the purchase of such currency with Dollars for delivery on such date.
“Dollars,” “U.S. Dollars” and the sign “$” each means lawful money of the United States.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof, or the District of Columbia.
“EBIT” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the net income for such Person for such periodplus the sum of the amounts for such period included in determining such net income in respect of (i) interest expense and (ii) income tax expense, in each case as determined in accordance with GAAP.
“EBITDA” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the net income for such Person for such periodplus the sum of the amounts for such period included in determining such net income in respect of (i) interest expense, (ii) income tax expense, and (iii) depreciation and amortization expense, in each case as determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Eligible Assignee” means (i) a Lender, (ii) an Affiliate of a Lender, (iii) an Approved Fund, and (iv) any other Person (other than a natural Person) approved by (A) the Administrative Agent, and (B) unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower (each such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld or delayed);provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, “Eligible Assignee” shall not include the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.
“Environmental Claims” means any and all global, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of non-compliance or violation, investigations or proceedings relating in any way to any Environmental Law or any permit issued under any such law (hereafter “Claims”), including, without limitation, (i) any and all Claims by any Governmental Authority for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages pursuant to any applicable Environmental Law, and (ii) any and all Claims by any third party seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief resulting from the storage, treatment or Release (as defined in CERCLA) of any Hazardous Materials or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to health, safety or the environment.
“Environmental Law” means any applicable Federal, state, foreign or local statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, binding and enforceable guideline, binding and enforceable written policy and rule of common law now or hereafter in effect and in each case as amended, and any binding and enforceable judicial or global interpretation thereof, including any judicial or global order, consent, decree or judgment issued to or rendered against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the environment, employee health and safety or Hazardous Materials, including, without limitation, CERCLA; RCRA; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251et seq.; the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401et seq.; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.; the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, 33 U.S.C. § 2701et seq .; the Emergency Planning and the Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. § 11001et seq.; the Hazardous Material Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. § 5101et seq.; and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. § 651 et seq. (to the extent it regulates occupational exposure to Hazardous Materials); and any state and local or foreign counterparts or equivalents, in each case as amended from time to time.
“Equity Interest” means with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents, including membership interests (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) of equity of such Person, including, if such Person is a partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, such partnership, but in no event will Equity Interest include any debt securities convertible or exchangeable into equity unless and until actually converted or exchanged.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder. Section references to ERISA are to ERISA, as in effect at the Closing Date and any subsequent provisions of ERISA, amendatory thereof, supplemental thereto or substituted therefor.
“ERISA Affiliate” means each Person (as defined in Section 3(9) of ERISA), which together with the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower, would be deemed to be a “single employer” (i) within the meaning of Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section 4001(a)(14) or 4001(b)(i) of ERISA or (ii) as a result of the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower being or having been a general partner of such Person.
“Eurodollar Loan” means each Loan bearing interest at a rate based upon the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate.
“Event of Default” has the meaning provided in Section 8.01.
“Existing Credit Agreement” means the Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of February 7, 2003, by and among the Borrower, the financial institutions from time to time party thereto, Fleet National Bank, as agent, and Fleet Securities, Inc., as the arranger, as the same may have been amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and in effect on the date hereof.
“Facility Fees” has the meaning provided in Section 2.10(a).
“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate equal for each day during such period to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal Funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal Funds brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next preceding 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 of the quotations for such day on such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal Funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Administrative Agent.
“Fee Letter” means the letter, dated November 4, 2005, from KeyBank National Association to the Borrower, which details certain fees payable by the Borrower in connection with this Agreement.
“Fees” means all amounts payable pursuant to, or referred to in, Section 2.10.
“Financial Projections” has the meaning provided in Section 5.07(b).
“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time.
“Governmental Authority” means any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, global tribunal, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or global powers or functions of or pertaining to government.
“Guaranty Obligations” means as to any Person (without duplication) any obligation of such Person guaranteeing any Indebtedness (“primary Indebtedness”) of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, any obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent, (i) to purchase any such primary Indebtedness or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (ii) to advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of any such primary Indebtedness or to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (iii) to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary Indebtedness of the ability of the primary obligor to m ake payment of such primary Indebtedness, or (iv) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of such primary Indebtedness against loss in respect thereof,provided,however, that the definition of Guaranty Obligation shall not include endorsements of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business. The amount of any Guaranty Obligation shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the primary Indebtedness in respect of which such Guaranty Obligation is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof (assuming such Person is required to perform thereunder).
“Hazardous Materials” means (i) any petrochemical or petroleum products, radioactive materials, asbestos in any form that is or could become friable, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, transformers or
other equipment that contain dielectric fluid containing levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, and radon gas; and (ii) any chemicals, materials or substances defined as or included in the definition of “hazardous substances,” “hazardous wastes,” “hazardous materials,” “restricted hazardous materials,” “extremely hazardous wastes,” “restrictive hazardous wastes,” “toxic substances,” “toxic pollutants,” “contaminants” or “pollutants,” or words of similar meaning and regulatory effect, under any applicable Environmental Law.
“Hedge Agreement” means (i) any interest rate swap agreement, any interest rate cap agreement, any interest rate collar agreement or other similar interest rate management agreement or arrangement, (ii) any currency swap or option agreement, foreign exchange contract, forward currency purchase agreement or similar currency management agreement or arrangement or (iii) any Commodities Hedge Agreement.
“IDB” has the meaning provided in Section 7.04 (j).
“Increasing Lender” has the meaning provided in Section 2.02(b).
“Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (i) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money; (ii) all bonds, notes, debentures and similar debt securities of such Person; (iii) the deferred purchase price of capital assets or services that in accordance with GAAP would be shown on the liability side of the balance sheet of such Person; (iv) the face amount of all letters of credit issued for the account of such Person and, without duplication, all drafts drawn thereunder; (v) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances; (vi) all indebtedness of a second Person secured by any Lien on any property owned by such first Person, whether or not such indebtedness has been assumed; (vii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (viii) the present value, determined on the basis of the implicit interest rate, of all basic rental obligations under all Synthetic Leases of such Person; (ix) all obligations of such Person with respect to asset securitization financing; (x) all obligations of such Person to pay a specified purchase price for goods or services whether or not delivered or accepted,i.e., take-or-pay and similar obligations; (xi) all net obligations of such Person under Hedge Agreements; (xii) the full outstanding balance of trade receivables, notes or other instruments sold with full recourse (and the portion thereof subject to potential recourse, if sold with limited recourse), other than in any such case any thereof sold solely for purposes of collection of delinquent accounts; and (xiii) all Guaranty Obligations of such Person;provided,however, that (y) neither trade payables, deferred revenue, taxes nor other similar accrued expenses, in each case arising in the ordinary course of business, shall constitute Indebtedness; and (z) the Indebtedness of any Person shall in any e vent include (without duplication) the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any general partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable thereon 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 expressly that such Person is not liable thereon.
“Indemnitees” has the meaning provided in Section 11.02.
“Insolvency Event” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the commencement of a voluntary case by such Person under the Bankruptcy Code or the seeking of relief by such Person under any bankruptcy or insolvency or analogous law in any jurisdiction outside of the United States; (ii) the commencement of an involuntary case against such Person under the Bankruptcy Code and the petition is not controverted within 10 days, or is not dismissed within 60 days, after commencement of the case; (iii) a custodian (as defined in the Bankruptcy Code) is appointed for, or takes charge of, all or substantially all of the property of such Person; (iv) such Person commences (including by way of applying for or consenting to the appointment of, or the taking of possession by, a rehabilitator, receiver, custodian, trustee, conservator or liquidator (collectively, a “conservator”) of such Person or all or any substantial portion of its property)
any other proceeding under any reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debt, relief of debtors, dissolution, insolvency, liquidation, rehabilitation, conservatorship or similar law of any jurisdiction whether now or hereafter in effect relating to such Person; (v) any such proceeding of the type set forth in clause (iv) above is commenced against such Person to the extent such proceeding is consented to by such Person or remains undismissed for a period of 60 days; (vi) such Person is adjudicated insolvent or bankrupt; (vii) any order of relief or other order approving any such case or proceeding is entered; (viii) such Person suffers any appointment of any conservator or the like for it or any substantial part of its property that continues undischarged or unstayed for a period of 60 days; (ix) such Person makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or generally does not pay its debts as such debts b ecome due; or (x) any corporate (or similar organizational) action is taken by such Person for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing.
“Interest Coverage Ratio” means, for any Testing Period, the ratio of (i) Consolidated EBIT to (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense.
“Interest Period” means, with respect to each Eurodollar Loan, a period of one, two, three or six months (or, with respect to any Eurodollar Loan made on the Closing Date, a period of 45 days) as selected by the Borrower;provided, however, that (i) the initial Interest Period for any Borrowing of such Eurodollar Loan shall commence on the date of such Borrowing (the date of a Borrowing resulting from a Conversion or Continuation shall be the date of such Conversion or Continuation) and each Interest Period occurring thereafter in respect of such Borrowing shall commence on the day on which the next preceding Interest Period expires; (ii) if any Interest Period begins on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period, such Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such calendar month; (iii) if an y Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall expire on the next succeeding Business Day;provided, however, that if any Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day but is a day of the month after which no further Business Day occurs in such month, such Interest Period shall expire on the next preceding Business Day; (iv) no Interest Period for any Eurodollar Loan may be selected that would end after the Revolving Facility Termination Date; and (v) if, upon the expiration of any Interest Period, the Borrower has failed to (or may not) elect a new Interest Period to be applicable to the respective Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans as provided above, the Borrower shall be deemed to have elected to Convert such Borrowing to Base Rate Loans effective as of the expiration date of such current Interest Period.
“Investment” means (i) any direct or indirect purchase or other acquisition by a Person of any Equity Interest of any other Person; (ii) any loan, advance (other than deposits with financial institutions available for withdrawal on demand) or extension of credit to, guarantee or assumption of debt or purchase or other acquisition of any other Indebtedness of, any Person by any other Person; or (iii) the purchase, acquisition or investment of or in any stocks, bonds, mutual funds, notes, debentures or other securities, or any deposit account, certificate of deposit or other investment of any kind.
“IRB” has the meaning provided in Section 7.04 (j).
“LC Commitment Amount” means $20,000,000.
“LC Documents” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, any documents executed in connection with such Letter of Credit, including the Letter of Credit itself.
“LC Fee” means any of the fees payable pursuant to Section 2.10(b) or Section 2.10(c) in respect of Letters of Credit.
“LC Issuance” means the issuance of any Letter of Credit by any LC Issuer for the account of an LC Obligor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and shall include any amendment thereto that increases the Stated Amount thereof or extends the expiry date of such Letter of Credit.
“LC Issuer” means KeyBank National Association or any of its Affiliates, or such other Lender that is requested by the Borrower and agrees to be an LC Issuer hereunder and is approved by the Administrative Agent.
“LC Obligor” means, with respect to each LC Issuance, the Borrower or the Domestic Subsidiary for whose account such Letter of Credit is issued.
“LC Outstandings” means, at any time, the sum, without duplication, of (i) the aggregate Stated Amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit and (ii) the aggregate amount of all Unpaid Drawings with respect to Letters of Credit.
“LC Participant” has the meaning provided in Section 2.04(g)(i).
“LC Participation” has the meaning provided in Section 2.04(g).
“LC Request” has the meaning provided in Section 2.04(b).
“Leaseholds” of any Person means all the right, title and interest of such Person as lessee or licensee in, to and under leases or licenses of land, improvements and/or fixtures.
“Lender” and “Lenders” have the meaning provided in the first paragraph of this Agreement and includes any other Person that becomes a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment Agreement, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment Agreement. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swing Line Lender.
“Lender Register” has the meaning provided in Section 2.07(b).
“Letter of Credit” means any Standby Letter of Credit or Commercial Letter of Credit, in each case issued by any LC Issuer under this Agreement pursuant to Section 2.04 for the account of any LC Obligor.
“Leverage Ratio” means, for any Testing Period, the ratio of (i) Consolidated Funded Debt to (ii) Consolidated EBITDA.
“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, hypothecation, encumbrance, lien or charge of any kind (including any agreement to give any of the foregoing, any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or any lease in the nature thereof).
“Loan” means any Revolving Loan or Swing Loan.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Notes, the Fee Letter, the Closing Fee Letter, and each Letter of Credit and each other LC Document.
“Margin Stock” has the meaning provided in Regulation U.
“Material Adverse Effect” means any or all of the following: (i) any material adverse effect on the business, operations, property, assets, liabilities, financial or other condition or prospects of the Borrower or the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (ii) any material adverse effect on the
ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under any of the Loan Documents; (iii) any material adverse effect on the ability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to pay their liabilities and obligations as they mature or become due; or (iv) any material adverse effect on the validity, effectiveness or enforceability, as against the Borrower, of any of the Loan Documents.
“Material Indebtedness” means, as to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, any particular Indebtedness of the Borrower or such Subsidiary (including any Guaranty Obligations) in excess of the aggregate principal amount of $10,000,000.
“Material Indebtedness Agreement” means any agreement governing or evidencing any Material Indebtedness, including, without limitation, (a) the Note Purchase Agreements and (b) agreements entered into in connection with Money Market Indebtedness.
“Maximum Rate” has the meaning provided in Section 11.23.
“Minimum Borrowing Amount” means (i) with respect to any Revolving Loan, $2,000,000, with minimum increments thereafter of $1,000,000, and (ii) with respect to any Swing Loan, $100,000, with minimum increments thereafter of $100,000.
“Money Market Indebtedness” means Indebtedness in respect of loans that (a) have been or may be advanced to the Borrower from time to time by any financial institution, (b) bear interest at prevailing money market rates and (c) are unsecured.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and its successors.
“Multi-Employer Plan” means a multi-employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is making or accruing an obligation to make contributions or has within any of the preceding five plan years made or accrued an obligation to make contributions.
“Multiple Employer Plan” means an employee benefit plan, other than a Multi-Employer Plan, to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate, and one or more employers other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate, is making or accruing an obligation to make contributions or, in the event that any such plan has been terminated, to which the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate made or accrued an obligation to make contributions during any of the five plan years preceding the date of termination of such plan.
“1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Non-Increasing Lender” has the meaning provided in Section 2.02(b).
“Note” means a Revolving Facility Note or a Swing Line Note, as applicable.
“Note Purchase Agreements” means, collectively, (a) the Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 14, 1998, among the Borrower and Allstate Life Insurance Company, United of Omaha Life Insurance Company and Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company for the purchase of the Borrower’s 6.80% Senior Notes and (b) the Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 17, 2002, among the Borrower and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and Allstate Insurance Company for the purchase of the Borrower’s 5.94% Senior Notes, in each case, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified;provided that such modification does not increase the principal amount outstanding thereunder, the interest rate applicable thereto or the maturity date thereof.
“Notice of Borrowing” has the meaning provided in Section 2.05(b).
“Notice of Continuation or Conversion” has the meaning provided in Section 2.09(b).
“Notice of Swing Loan Refunding” has the meaning provided in Section 2.03(b).
“Notice Office” means the office of the Administrative Agent at Key Center, 127 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio 44114-1306, Attention: Larry Brown (facsimile: 216-689-5962), or such other office as the Administrative Agent may designate in writing to the Borrower from time to time.
“Obligations” means all amounts, indemnities and reimbursement obligations, direct or indirect, contingent or absolute, of every type or description, and at any time existing, owing by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Swing Line Lender or any LC Issuer pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (including, but not limited to, interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any insolvency proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding or subject to an automatic stay under Section 362(a) of the Bankruptcy Code).
“Operating Lease” as applied to any Person means any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) by that Person as lessee that, in conformity with GAAP, is not accounted for as a Capital Lease on the balance sheet of that Person.
“Organizational Documents” means, with respect to any Person (other than an individual), such Person’s Articles (Certificate) of Incorporation, or equivalent formation documents, and Regulations (Bylaws), or equivalent governing documents, and, in the case of any partnership, includes any partnership agreement and any amendments to any of the foregoing.
“Payment Office” means the office of the Administrative Agent at Key Center, 127 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio 44114-1306, Attention: Larry Brown (facsimile: 216-689-5962), or such other office(s), as the Administrative Agent may designate to the Borrower in writing from time to time.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Section 4002 of ERISA, or any successor thereto.
“Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition as to which all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(i)
such Acquisition involves a line or lines of business that is or are complementary to the lines of business in which the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, considered as an entirety, are engaged on the Closing Date;
(ii)
such Acquisition is not being consummated on a hostile basis and has been approved by the Board of Directors of the target Person (or officer, committee or other governing body that has been authorized to approve such Acquisition in accordance with the Organizational Documents of such Person) and no material challenge to such Acquisition shall be pending or threatened by any shareholder or director of the seller or Person to be acquired;
(iii)
no Default or Event of Default shall exist prior to or immediately after giving effect to such Acquisition;
(iv)
the Borrower would, after giving effect to such Acquisition, on a pro forma basis (as determined in accordance with subpart (v) below), be in compliance with the financial covenants contained in Section 7.07; and
(v)
at least five Business Days prior to the consummation of any such Acquisition in which the Consideration exceeds $25,000,000, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (A) a certificate of an Authorized Officer demonstrating, in reasonable detail, the computation of the financial covenants referred to in Section 7.07 on apro forma basis, suchpro forma ratios being determined as if (y) such Acquisition had been completed at the beginning of the most recent Testing Period for which financial information for the Borrower and the business or Person to be acquired, is available, and (z) any such Indebtedness, or other Indebtedness incurred to finance such Acquisition, had been outstanding for such entire Testing Period, and (B) historical financial statements relating to the business or Person to be acquired and such other informatio n as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.
“Permitted Creditor Investment” means any securities (whether debt or equity) received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of any customer or supplier of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary and in settlement of delinquent obligations of, and other disputes with, customers and suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business.
“Permitted Lien” means any Lien permitted by Section 7.03.
“Person” means any individual, partnership, joint venture, firm, corporation, limited liability company, association, trust or other enterprise or any government or political subdivision or any agency, department or instrumentality thereof.
“Plan” means any Multi-Employer Plan or Single-Employer Plan.
“primary Indebtedness” has the meaning provided in the definition of “Guaranty Obligations.”
“primary obligor” has the meaning provided in the definition of “Guaranty Obligations.”
“Prohibited Transaction” means a transaction with respect to a Plan that is prohibited under Section 4975 of the Code or Section 406 of ERISA and not exempt under Section 4975 of the Code or Section 408 of ERISA.
“Purchase Date” has the meaning provided in Section 2.03(c).
“Quoted Rate” means, with respect to any Swing Loan, the interest rate quoted to the Borrower by the Swing Line Lender and agreed to by the Borrower as being the interest rate applicable to such Swing Loan.
“RCRA” means the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as the same may be amended from time to time, 42 U.S.C. § 6901et seq.
“Real Property” of any Person shall mean all of the right, title and interest of such Person in and to land, improvements and fixtures, including Leaseholds.
“Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as from time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof establishing reserve requirements.
“Regulation U” means Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as from time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof establishing margin requirements.
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.
“Reportable Event” means an event described in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations thereunder with respect to a Plan, other than those events as to which the notice requirement is waived under subsection .22, .23, .25, .27, .28, .29, .30, .31, .32, .34, .35, .62, .63, .64, .65 or .67 of PBGC Regulation Section 4043.
“Required Lenders” means, (i) at any time prior to the date on which the Commitments have been terminated, the Lender or Lenders whose Credit Facility Exposure and Unused Revolving Commitments constitute more than50%of the sum of the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure and the Unused Total Revolving Commitment, and (ii) at any time on or after the date on which the Commitments have been terminated, the Lender or Lenders that hold more than 50% of the sum of (A) the Aggregate Revolving Facility Exposure, and (B) the outstanding principal amount of Swing Loans;provided, however, that if there are two or more Lenders, then Required Lenders shall never be less than two Lenders.
“Restricted Payment” means (i) any Capital Distribution; or (ii) any amount paid by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in repayment, redemption, retirement, repurchase, direct or indirect, of any Subordinated Indebtedness.
“Revolving Borrowing” means the incurrence of Revolving Loans consisting of one Type of Revolving Loan by the Borrower from all of the Lenders having Revolving Commitments in respect thereof on apro rata basis on a given date (or resulting from Conversions or Continuations on a given date) in the same currency, having in the case of any Eurodollar Loans the same Interest Period.
“Revolving Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the obligation of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to participate in Letters of Credit in the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name inSchedule 1 as its “Revolving Commitment” or in the case of any Lender that becomes a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment Agreement, the amount set forth in such Assignment Agreement, as such commitment may be reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.12(c) or increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.02(b) or adjusted from time to time as a result of assignments to or from such Lender pursuant to Section 11.06.
“Revolving Facility Availability Period” means the period from the Closing Date until the Revolving Facility Termination Date.
“Revolving Facility Exposure” means, for any Lender at any time, the sum of (i) the principal amount of Revolving Loans made by such Lender and outstanding at such time, and (ii) such Lender’s share of the LC Outstandings at such time.
“Revolving Facility Note” means a promissory note substantially in the form ofExhibit A-1.
“Revolving Facility Percentage” means, at any time for any Lender, the percentage obtained by dividing such Lender’s Revolving Commitment by the Total Revolving Commitment,provided, however, that if the Total Revolving Commitment has been terminated, the Revolving Facility Percentage for each Lender shall be determined by dividing such Lender’s Revolving Commitment immediately prior to such termination by the Total Revolving Commitment immediately prior to such termination. The Revolving Facility Percentage of each Lender as of the Closing Date is set forth onSchedule 1.
“Revolving Facility Termination Date” means the earlier of (i) December 23, 2010, or (ii) the date that the Commitments have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02.
“Revolving Loan” means, with respect to each Lender, any loan made by such Lender pursuant to Section 2.02.
“Sale and Lease-Back Transaction” means any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower of any property (except for temporary leases for a term, including any renewal thereof, of not more than one year and except for leases between the Borrower and a Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries), which property has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Borrower or such Subsidiary to such Person.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of McGraw Hill, Inc., and its successors.
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“SEC Regulation D” means Regulation D as promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as the same may be in effect from time to time.
“Single Employer Plan” means a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, to which the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is making or accruing an obligation to make contributions or, in the event that any such plan has been terminated, to which the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate made or accrued an obligation to make contributions during any of the five plan years preceding the date of termination of such plan.
“Standard Permitted Lien” means any of the following: (i) Liens for taxes not yet delinquent or Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP have been established; (ii) Liens in respect of property or assets imposed by law that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, such as carriers’, suppliers’, warehousemen’s, materialmen’s and mechanics’ Liens and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business, that do not in the aggregate materially detract from the value of such property or assets or materially impair the use thereof in the operation of the business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and do not secure any Indebtedness; (iii) Liens created by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents; (iv) Liens ari sing from judgments, decrees or attachments in circumstances not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(g); (v) Liens (other than any Lien imposed by ERISA) incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, and mechanic’s Liens, carrier’s Liens, and other Liens to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, contract bids, government contracts, surety, appeal, customs, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations, incurred in the ordinary course of business (exclusive of obligations in respect of the payment for borrowed money), whether pursuant to statutory requirements, common law or consensual arrangements; (vi) leases or subleases granted in the ordinary course of business to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and any interest or title of a lessor under any lease no t in violation of this Agreement; (vii) easements, rights-of-way, zoning or other restrictions, charges, encumbrances, defects in title, prior rights of other persons, and obligations contained in similar instruments, in each case that do not secure Indebtedness and do not involve, and are not likely to involve at any future time, either individually or in the aggregate, (A) a substantial and prolonged interruption or disruption of the business activities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries considered as an entirety, or (B) a Material Adverse Effect; (viii) Liens arising from the rights of lessors
under leases (including financing statements regarding property subject to lease) not in violation of the requirements of this Agreement,provided that such Liens are only in respect of the property subject to, and secure only, the respective lease (and any other lease with the same or an affiliated lessor); and (ix) rights of consignors of goods, whether or not perfected by the filing of a financing statement under the UCC.
“Standby Letter of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued for the purpose of supporting workers compensation, liability insurance, releases of contract retention obligations, contract performance guarantee requirements and other bonding obligations or for other lawful purposes.
“Stated Amount” of each Letter of Credit shall mean the maximum amount available to be drawn thereunder (regardless of whether any conditions or other requirements for drawing could then be met).
“Subordinated Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness that has been subordinated to the prior payment in full of all of the Obligations pursuant to a written agreement or written terms acceptable to the Administrative Agent (acting on instructions from the Required Lenders).
“Subsidiary” of any Person means (i) any corporation more than 50% of whose stock of any class or classes having by the terms thereof ordinary Voting Power to elect a majority of the directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of any class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have Voting Power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time owned by such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries, and (ii) any partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or other entity in which such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries, owns more than 50% of the Equity Interests of such Person at the time or in which such Person, one or more other Subsidiaries of such Person or such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, directly or indirectly, has the power to direct the polici es, management and affairs thereof. Unless otherwise expressly provided, all references herein to “Subsidiary” shall mean a Subsidiary of the Borrower.
“Swing Line Commitment” means $5,000,000.
“Swing Line Lender” means KeyBank National Association.
“Swing Line Note” means a promissory note substantially in the form ofExhibit A-2.
“Swing Loan” means any loan made by the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.03.
“Swing Loan Maturity Date” means, with respect to any Swing Loan, the earlier of (i) the last day of the period for such Swing Loan as established by the Swing Line Lender and agreed to by the Borrower, which shall be less than 30 days, and (ii) the Revolving Facility Termination Date.
“Swing Loan Participation” has the meaning provided in Section 2.03(c).
“Swing Loan Participation Amount” has the meaning provided in Section 2.03(c).
“Synthetic Lease” means any lease (i) that is accounted for by the lessee as an Operating Lease, and (ii) under which the lessee is intended to be the “owner” of the leased property for federal income tax purposes.
“Taxes” has the meaning provided in Section 3.03(a).
“Testing Period” means a single period consisting of the four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower then last ended (whether or not such quarters are all within the same fiscal year),except that if a particular provision of this Agreement indicates that a Testing Period shall be of a different specified duration, such Testing Period shall consist of the particular fiscal quarter or quarters then last ended that are so indicated in such provision.
“Total Revolving Commitment” means the sum of the Revolving Commitments of the Lenders as the same may be decreased pursuant to Section 2.11(b) or increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.02(b). As of the Closing Date, the amount of the Total Revolving Commitment is $150,000,000.
“Type” means any type of Loan determined with respect to the interest option and currency denomination applicable thereto, which in each case shall be a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Loan.
“UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time. Unless otherwise specified, the UCC shall refer to the UCC as in effect in the State of New York.
“Unfunded Benefit Liabilities” of any Plan means the amount, if any, of its unfunded benefit liabilities, as defined in Section 4001(a)(18) of ERISA.
“United States” and “U.S.” each means United States of America.
“Unpaid Drawing” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the aggregate Dollar amount of the draws made on such Letter of Credit that have not been reimbursed by the Borrower or the applicable LC Obligor or converted to a Revolving Loan pursuant to Section 2.04(f)(i), and, in each case, all interest that accrues thereon pursuant to this Agreement.
“Unused Revolving Commitment” means, for any Lender at any time, the excess of (i) such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at such time over (ii) such Lender’s Revolving Facility Exposure at such time.
“Unused Total Revolving Commitment” means, at any time, the excess of (i) the Total Revolving Commitment at such time over (ii) the Aggregate Revolving Facility Exposure at such time.
“USA Patriot Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT Act) Act of 2001.
“Voting Power” means, with respect to any Person, the exclusive ability to control, through the ownership of shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests or otherwise, the election of members of the board of directors or other similar governing body of such Person, and the holding of a designated percentage of Voting Power of a Person means the ownership of shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests or other interests of such Person sufficient to control exclusively the election of that percentage of the members of the board of directors or similar governing body of such Person.
Section 1.02
Computation of Time Periods. In this Agreement in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including,” the words “to” and “until” each means “to but excluding” and the word “through” means “through and including.”
Section 1.03
Accounting Terms. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time.
Section 1.04
Terms 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, restated, 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 Sections, Schedules and Exhibits shall be construed to refer to Sections of, and Schedules and Exhibits to, this Agreement, (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all Real Property, tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights, and interests in any of the foregoing, and (f) any reference to a statute, rule or regulation is to that statute, rule or regulation as now enacted or as the same may from time to time be amended, re-enacted or expressly replaced.
Section 1.05
Currency Equivalents. Except as otherwise specified herein, all references herein or in any other Loan Document to a dollar amount shall mean such amount in U.S. Dollars or, if the context so requires, the Dollar Equivalent of such amount.
ARTICLE II.
THE TERMS OF THE CREDIT FACILITY
Section 2.01
Establishment of the Credit Facility. On the Closing Date, and subject to and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Swing Line Lender and each LC Issuer agree to establish the Credit Facility for the benefit of the Borrower;provided,however, that at no time will (i) the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure exceed the Total Revolving Commitment, or (ii) the Credit Facility Exposure of any Lender exceed the aggregate amount of such Lender’s Commitment.
Section 2.02
Revolving Facility.
(a)
Generally. During the Revolving Facility Availability Period, each Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, to make a Revolving Loan or Revolving Loans to the Borrower from time to time pursuant to such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, which Revolving Loans (i) may, except as set forth herein, at the option of the Borrower, be incurred and maintained as, or Converted into, Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Loans, in each case denominated in Dollars; (ii) may be repaid or prepaid and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof; and (iii) shall not be made if, after giving effect to any such Revolving Loan, (A) the Revolving Facility Exposure of any Lender would exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, (B) the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure would exceed the Total Revolving Commitment, or (C)&nbs p;the Borrower would be required to prepay Loans or cash collateralize Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.12(b).
(b)
Increase in Revolving Commitments. The Borrower may, by written notice to the Administrative Agent, request that the Total Revolving Commitment be increased by an amount not to exceed $75,000,000 in the aggregate for all such increases from the Closing Date until the date that is 180 days prior to the Revolving Facility Termination Date,provided that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such request and on the date of any such increase. The Administrative Agent shall deliver a copy of such request to each Lender. The Borrower shall set forth in such request the amount of the requested increase in the Total Revolving Commitment (which shall be in a minimum amount of $25,000,000 and in minimum increments thereafter of $5,000,000) and the date on which such increase is requested to become effective (which shall be not less than 1 0 Business Days nor more than 60 days after the date of such notice and that, in any event, must be at least 180 days prior to the Revolving Facility Termination Date), and shall offer each Lender the opportunity to increase its Revolving Commitment by its Revolving Facility Percentage of the proposed increased amount. Each Lender shall, by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent given not more than 10 days after the date of delivery by the Administrative Agent of the Borrower’s request referred to above , either agree to increase its Revolving Commitment by all or a portion of the offered amount (each such Lender so agreeing being an “Increasing Lender”) or decline to increase its Revolving Commitment (and any such Lender that does not deliver such a notice within such period of 10 days shall be deemed to have declined to increase its Revolving Commitment and each Lender so declining or being deemed to have declined being a “Non-Increasing Lender”). & nbsp;If, on the 10th day after the Administrative Agent shall have delivered a copy of a request by the Borrower as set forth above, the Increasing Lenders shall have agreed pursuant to the preceding sentence to increase their Revolving Commitments by an aggregate amount less than the increase in the Total Revolving Commitment so requested by the Borrower, the Borrower may arrange for one or more banks or other entities that are Eligible Assignees, in each case reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (each such Person so agreeing being an “Augmenting Lender”), to commit to making Revolving Loans pursuant to a Revolving Commitment hereunder in an amount no less than $10,000,000, and the Borrower and each Augmenting Lender shall execute all such documentation as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably specify to evidence such Augmenting Lender’s Revolving Commitment and/or its status as a Lender with a Revolving Commitment hereunder. Any increase in the Total Revolving Commitment may be made in an amount that is less than the increase requested by the Borrower if the Borrower is unable to arrange for, or chooses not to arrange for, Augmenting Lenders.
Each of the parties hereto agrees that the Administrative Agent may take any and all actions as may be reasonably necessary to ensure that after giving effect to any increase in the Total Revolving Commitment pursuant to this Section 2.02, the outstanding Revolving Loans (if any) are held by the Lenders with Revolving Commitments in accordance with their new Revolving Facility Percentages. This may be accomplished at the discretion of the Administrative Agent: (w) by requiring the outstanding Loans to be prepaid with the proceeds of new Borrowings; (x) by causing the Non-Increasing Lenders to assign portions of their outstanding Loans to Increasing Lenders and Augmenting Lenders; or (y) by any combination of the foregoing. Any prepayment or assignment described in this paragraph (b) shall be subject to Section 3.02, but otherwise without premium or penalty.
Section 2.03
Swing Line Facility.
(a)
Swing Loans. During the Revolving Facility Availability Period, the Swing Line Lender agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, to make a Swing Loan or Swing Loans to the Borrower from time to time, which Swing Loans (i) shall be payable on the Swing Loan Maturity Date applicable to each such Swing Loan; (ii) shall be made in Dollars; (iii) may be repaid or prepaid and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof; (iv) may only be made if after giving effect thereto (A) the aggregate principal amount of Swing Loans outstanding does not exceed the Swing Line Commitment, and (B) the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure would not exceed the Total Revolving Commitment; (v) shall not be made if, after giving effect thereto, the Borrower would be required to
prepay Loans or cash collateralize Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.12(b) hereof; and (vi) shall not be made if the proceeds thereof would be used to repay, in whole or in part, any outstanding Swing Loan.
(b)
Swing Loan Refunding. The Swing Line Lender may at any time, in its sole and absolute discretion, direct that the Swing Loans owing to it be refunded by delivering a notice to such effect to the Administrative Agent, specifying the aggregate principal amount thereof (a “Notice of Swing Loan Refunding”). Promptly upon receipt of a Notice of Swing Loan Refunding, the Administrative Agent shall give notice of the contents thereof to the Lenders with Revolving Commitments and, unless an Event of Default specified in Section 8.01(h) in respect of the Borrower has occurred, the Borrower. Each such Notice of Swing Loan Refunding shall be deemed to constitute delivery by the Borrower of a Notice of Borrowing requesting Revolving Loans consisting of Base Rate Loans in the amount of the Swing Loans to which it relates. Each Lender with a Revolving Commitment (i ncluding the Swing Line Lender) hereby unconditionally agrees (notwithstanding that any of the conditions specified in Section 4.02 or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not have been satisfied, but subject to the provisions of paragraph (d) below) to make a Revolving Loan to the Borrower in the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage of the aggregate amount of the Swing Loans to which such Notice of Swing Loan Refunding relates. Each such Lender shall make the amount of such Revolving Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Payment Office not later than 2:00 P.M. (local time at the Payment Office), if such notice is received by such Lender prior to 11:00 A.M. (local time at its Applicable Lending Office), or not later than 2:00 P.M. (local time at the Payment Office) on the next Business Day, if such notice is received by such Lender after such time. The proceeds of such Revolving Loans shall be made immediately available to the Swing Li ne Lender and applied by it to repay the principal amount of the Swing Loans to which such Notice of Swing Loan Refunding relates.
(c)
Swing Loan Participation. If prior to the time a Revolving Loan would otherwise have been made as provided above as a consequence of a Notice of Swing Loan Refunding, any of the events specified in Section 8.01(h) shall have occurred in respect of the Borrower or one or more of the Lenders with Revolving Commitments shall determine that it is legally prohibited from making a Revolving Loan under such circumstances, each Lender (other than the Swing Line Lender), or each Lender (other than such Swing Line Lender) so prohibited, as the case may be, shall, on the date such Revolving Loan would have been made by it (the “Purchase Date”), purchase an undivided participating interest (a “Swing Loan Participation”) in the outstanding Swing Loans to which such Notice of Swing Loan Refunding relates, in an amount (the “Swing Loan Participation Amount”) equal to such Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage of such outstanding Swing Loans. On the Purchase Date, each such Lender or each such Lender so prohibited, as the case may be, shall pay to the Swing Line Lender, in immediately available funds, such Lender’s Swing Loan Participation Amount, and promptly upon receipt thereof the Swing Line Lender shall, if requested by such other Lender, deliver to such Lender a participation certificate, dated the date of the Swing Line Lender’s receipt of the funds from, and evidencing such Lender’s Swing Loan Participation in, such Swing Loans and its Swing Loan Participation Amount in respect thereof. If any amount required to be paid by a Lender to the Swing Line Lender pursuant to the above provisions in respect of any Swing Loan Participation is not paid on the date such payment is due, such Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender on demand interest on the amount not so paid at the overnight Federal Funds Effective Rate fro m the due date until such amount is paid in full. Whenever, at any time after the Swing Line Lender has received from any other Lender such Lender’s Swing Loan Participation Amount, the Swing Line Lender receives any payment from or on behalf of the Borrower on account of the related Swing Loans, the Swing Line Lender will promptly distribute to such Lender its ratable share of such amount based on its Revolving Facility Percentage of such amount on such date on account of its Swing Loan Participation (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s participating interest was outstanding and funded);provided, however, that if such payment received by the Swing Line Lender is required to be returned, such Lender will return to the Swing Line Lender any portion thereof previously distributed to it by the Swing Line Lender.
(d)
Obligations Unconditional. Each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to Section 2.03(b) and/or to purchase Swing Loan Participations in connection with a Notice of Swing Loan Refunding shall be subject to the conditions that (i) such Lender shall have received a Notice of Swing Loan Refunding complying with the provisions hereof and (ii) at the time the Swing Loans that are the subject of such Notice of Swing Loan Refunding were made, the Swing Line Lender making the same had no actual written notice from another Lender that an Event of Default had occurred and was continuing, but otherwise shall be absolute and unconditional, shall be solely for the benefit of the Swing Line Lender that gives such Notice of Swing Loan Refunding, and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including, without limitation, (A) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, d efense or other right that such Lender may have against any other Lender, the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower, or any other Person, or the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may have against any Lender or other Person, as the case may be, for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or Event of Default; (C) any event or circumstance involving a Material Adverse Effect; (D) any breach of any Loan Document by any party thereto; or (E) any other circumstance, happening or event, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing.
Section 2.04
Letters of Credit.
(a)
LC Issuances. During the Revolving Facility Availability Period, the Borrower may request an LC Issuer at any time and from time to time to issue, for the account of the Borrower or any other eligible LC Obligor, and subject to and upon the terms and conditions herein set forth each LC Issuer agrees to issue from time to time, Letters of Credit denominated and payable in Dollars and in such form as may be approved by such LC Issuer and the Administrative Agent;provided,however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, no LC Issuance shall be made if, after giving effect thereto, (i) the LC Outstandings would exceed the LC Commitment Amount, (ii) the Revolving Facility Exposure of any Lender would exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, (iii) the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure would exceed the Total Revolving Commitment, or (iv) the Borrower would be required to p repay Loans or cash collateralize Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.12(b) hereof. Subject to Section 2.04(c) below, each Letter of Credit shall have an expiry date (including any renewal periods) occurring not later than the earlier of (y) one year from the date of issuance thereof, or (z) 30 Business Days prior to the Revolving Facility Termination Date.
(b)
LC Requests. Whenever the Borrower desires that a Letter of Credit be issued for its account or the account of any other eligible LC Obligor, the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent and the applicable LC Issuer written or telephonic notice (in the case of telephonic notice, promptly confirmed in writing if so requested by the Administrative Agent) which, if in the form of written notice, shall be substantially in the form ofExhibit B-3 (each such request, a “LC Request”), or transmit by electronic communication (if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the applicable LC Issuer), prior to 11:00 A.M. (local time at the Notice Office) at least three Business Days (or such shorter period as may be acceptable to the relevant LC Issuer) prior to the proposed date of issuance (which shall be a Business Day), which LC Request shall include such suppo rting documents that such LC Issuer customarily requires in connection therewith (including, in the case of a Letter of Credit for an account party other than the Borrower, an application for, and if applicable a reimbursement agreement with respect to, such Letter of Credit). In the event of any inconsistency between any of the terms or provisions of any LC Document and the terms and provisions of this Agreement respecting Letters of Credit, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall control.
(c)
Auto-Renewal Letters of Credit. If an LC Obligor so requests in any applicable LC Request, each LC Issuer shall agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions;provided,however, that any Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions must permit such LC Issuer to prevent any such renewal at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date
of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Once any such Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) such LC Issuer to permit the renewal of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than 30 Business Days prior to the Revolving Facility Termination Date;provided,however, that such LC Issuer shall not permit any such renewal if (i) such LC Issuer has determined that it would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its renewed form under the terms hereof, or (ii) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is two Business Days before the date that suc h LC Issuer is permitted to send a notice of non-renewal from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied.
(d)
Applicability of ISP98 and UCP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the applicable LC Issuer and the applicable LC Obligor, when a Letter of Credit is issued, (i) the rules of the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance) shall apply to each Standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance (including the International Chamber of Commerce’s decision published by the Commission on Banking Technique and Practice on April 6, 1998 regarding the European single currency (euro)) shall apply to each Commercial Letter of Credit.
(e)
Notice of LC Issuance. Each LC Issuer shall, on the date of each LC Issuance by it, give the Administrative Agent, each applicable Lender and the Borrower written notice of such LC Issuance, accompanied by a copy to the Administrative Agent of the Letter of Credit or Letters of Credit issued by such LC issuer. Each LC Issuer shall provide to the Administrative Agent a quarterly (or monthly if requested by any applicable Lender) summary describing each Letter of Credit issued by such LC Issuer and then outstanding and an identification for the relevant period of the daily aggregate LC Outstandings represented by Letters of Credit issued by such LC Issuer.
(f)
Reimbursement Obligations.
(i)
The Borrower hereby agrees to reimburse (or cause any LC Obligor for whose account a Letter of Credit was issued to reimburse) each LC Issuer, by making payment directly to such LC Issuer in immediately available funds at the payment office of such LC Issuer, for any Unpaid Drawing with respect to any Letter of Credit immediately after, and in any event on the date on which, such LC Issuer notifies the Borrower (or any such other LC Obligor for whose account such Letter of Credit was issued) of the payment or disbursement resulting in such Unpaid Drawing (which notice to the Borrower (or such other LC Obligor) shall be delivered reasonably promptly after any such payment or disbursement), such payment by the Borrower in respect of such Unpaid Drawing to be made in Dollars, with interest on the amount so paid or disbursed by such LC Issuer, to the extent not reimbursed prior to 1: 00 P.M. (local time at the payment office of the applicable LC Issuer) on the date of such payment or disbursement, from and including the date paid or disbursed to but not including the date such LC Issuer is reimbursed therefor at a rate per annum that shall be the rate then applicable to Revolving Loans pursuant to Section 2.08(a)(i) that are Base Rate Loans or, if not reimbursed on the date of such payment or disbursement, at the Default Rate, any such interest also to be payable on demand. If by 11:00 A.M. on the Business Day immediately following notice to it of its obligation to make reimbursement in respect of an Unpaid Drawing, the Borrower or the relevant LC Obligor has not made such reimbursement out of its available cash on hand or, in the case of the Borrower, a contemporaneous Borrowing hereunder (if such Borrowing is otherwise available to the
Borrower), (x) the Borrower will in each case be deemed to have given a Notice of Borrowing for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans in an aggregate amount sufficient to reimburse such Unpaid Drawing (and the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice to the Lenders of such deemed Notice of Borrowing), (y) the Lenders shall, unless they are legally prohibited from doing so, make the Revolving Loans contemplated by such deemed Notice of Borrowing (which Revolving Loans shall be considered made under Section 2.02), and (z) the proceeds of such Revolving Loans shall be disbursed directly to the applicable LC Issuer to the extent necessary to effect such reimbursement and repayment of the Unpaid Drawing, with any excess proceeds to be made available to the Borrower in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement.
(ii)
Obligations Absolute. Each LC Obligor’s obligation under this Section to reimburse each LC Issuer with respect to Unpaid Drawings (including, in each case, interest thereon) shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances and irrespective of any setoff, counterclaim or defense to payment that such LC Obligor may have or have had against such LC Issuer, the Administrative Agent or any Lender, including, without limitation, any defense based upon the failure of any drawing under a Letter of Credit to conform to the terms of the Letter of Credit or any non-application or misapplication by the beneficiary of the proceeds of such drawing;provided,however, that no LC Obligor shall be obligated to reimburse an LC Issuer for any wrongful payment made by such LC Issuer under a Letter of Credit as a result of acts or omissions constitut ing willful misconduct or gross negligence on the part of such LC Issuer.
(g)
LC Participations.
(i)
Immediately upon each LC Issuance, the LC Issuer of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to have sold and transferred to each Lender with a Revolving Commitment, and each such Lender (each an “LC Participant”) shall be deemed irrevocably and unconditionally to have purchased and received from such LC Issuer, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation (an “LC Participation”), to the extent of such Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage of the Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time of issuance, in such Letter of Credit, each substitute Letter of Credit, each drawing made thereunder, the obligations of any LC Obligor under this Agreement with respect thereto (although LC Fees relating thereto shall be payable directly to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders as provided in Sec tion 2.10 and the LC Participants shall have no right to receive any portion of any fees of the nature contemplated by Section 2.10(c) or Section 2.10(d)), the obligations of any LC Obligor under any LC Documents pertaining thereto, and any security for, or guaranty pertaining to, any of the foregoing.
(ii)
In determining whether to pay under any Letter of Credit, an LC Issuer shall not have any obligation relative to the LC Participants other than to determine that any documents required to be delivered under such Letter of Credit have been delivered and that they appear to comply on their face with the requirements of such Letter of Credit. Any action taken or omitted to be taken by an LC Issuer under or in connection with any Letter of Credit, if taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct, shall not create for such LC Issuer any resulting liability.
(iii)
If an LC Issuer makes any payment under any Letter of Credit and the applicable LC Obligor shall not have reimbursed such amount in full to such LC Issuer pursuant to Section 2.04(f), such LC Issuer shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each LC Participant of such failure, and each LC Participant shall promptly and unconditionally pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such LC Issuer,
the amount of such LC Participant’s Revolving Facility Percentage of such payment in Dollars and in same-day funds;provided,however, that no LC Participant shall be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent its Revolving Facility Percentage of such unreimbursed amount for any wrongful payment made by such LC Issuer under a Letter of Credit as a result of acts or omissions constituting willful misconduct or gross negligence on the part of such LC Issuer. If the Administrative Agent so notifies an LC Participant required to fund a payment under a Letter of Credit prior to 11:00 A.M. (local time at its Notice Office) on any Business Day, such LC Participant shall make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant LC Issuer such LC Participant’s Revolving Facility Percentage of the amount of such payment on such Business Day in same-day funds. If and to the extent such LC Participant shall not have so made its Revolving Facility Percentage of the amount of such payment available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant LC Issuer, such LC Participant agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such LC Issuer, forthwith on demand, such amount, together with interest thereon, for each day from such date until the date such amount is paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of such LC Issuer at the Federal Funds Effective Rate. The failure of an LC Participant to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant LC Issuer its Revolving Facility Percentage of any payment under any Letter of Credit shall not relieve any other LC Participant of its obligation hereunder to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of such LC Issuer its Revolving Facility Percentage of any payment under any Letter of Credit on the date required, as specified above, but no LC Participant shall be responsible for the failure of any other LC Participant to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of such LC Issuer such other LC Participant’s Revolving Facility Percentage of any such payment.
(iv)
Whenever an LC Issuer receives a payment from the Borrower of a reimbursement obligation as to which the Administrative Agent has received for the account of such LC Issuer any payments from the LC Participants pursuant to subpart (iii) above, such LC Issuer shall pay to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to each LC Participant that has paid its Revolving Facility Percentage thereof, in same-day funds, an amount equal to such LC Participant’s Revolving Facility Percentage of the principal amount thereof and interest thereon accruing after the purchase of the respective LC Participations, as and to the extent so received.
(v)
The obligations of the LC Participants to make payments to the Administrative Agent for the account of each LC Issuer with respect to Letters of Credit shall be irrevocable and not subject to counterclaim, set-off or other defense or any other qualification or exception whatsoever and shall be made in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement under all circumstances, including, without limitation, any of the following circumstances:
(A)
any lack of validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents;
(B)
the existence of any claim, set-off defense or other right that any LC Obligor may have at any time against a beneficiary named in a Letter of Credit, any transferee of any Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such transferee may be acting), the Administrative Agent, any LC Issuer, any Lender, or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, the transactions contemplated herein or any unrelated transactions (including any underlying transaction between the applicable LC Obligor and the beneficiary named in any such Letter of Credit), other than any claim that the applicable LC Obligor may have against any
applicable LC Issuer for gross negligence or willful misconduct of such LC Issuer in making payment under any applicable Letter of Credit;
(C)
any draft, certificate or other document presented under the Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect;
(D)
the surrender or impairment of any security for the performance or observance of any of the terms of any of the Loan Documents; or
(E)
the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default.
(vi)
To the extent any LC Issuer is not indemnified by the Borrower or any LC Obligor, the LC Participants will reimburse and indemnify such LC Issuer, in proportion to their respective Revolving Facility Percentages, for and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, actions, judgments, costs, expenses or disbursements of whatsoever kind or nature that may be imposed on, asserted against or incurred by such LC Issuer in performing its respective duties in any way related to or arising out of LC Issuances by it;provided, however,that no LC Participants shall be liable for any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, actions, judgments, costs, expenses or disbursements resulting from such LC Issuer’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Section 2.05
Notice of Borrowing.
(a)
Time of Notice. Each Borrowing of a Loan (other than a Continuation or Conversion) shall be made upon notice in the form provided for below which shall be provided by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent at its Notice Office not later than (i) in the case of each Borrowing of a Eurodollar Loan, 11:00 A.M. (local time at its Notice Office) at least three Business Days’ prior to the date of such Borrowing, (ii) in the case of each Borrowing of a Base Rate Loan, prior to 11:00 A.M. (local time at its Notice Office) on the proposed date of such Borrowing, and (iii) in the case of any Borrowing of a Swing Loan, prior to 1:00 P.M. (local time at its Notice Office) on the proposed date of such Borrowing.
(b)
Notice of Borrowing. Each request for a Borrowing (other than a Continuation or Conversion) shall be made by an Authorized Officer of the Borrower by delivering written notice of such request substantially in the form ofExhibit B-1 (each such notice, a “Notice of Borrowing”) or by telephone (to be confirmed immediately in writing by delivery by an Authorized Officer of the Borrower of a Notice of Borrowing), and in any event each such request shall be irrevocable and shall specify (i) the aggregate principal amount of the Loans to be made pursuant to such Borrowing, (ii) the date of the Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the Type of Loans such Borrowing will consist of, and (iv) if applicable, the initial Interest Period and the Swing Loan Maturity Date (which shall be less than 30 days) applicable thereto. Without in any way limiting t he obligation of the Borrower to confirm in writing any telephonic notice permitted to be given hereunder, the Administrative Agent may act prior to receipt of written confirmation without liability upon the basis of such telephonic notice believed by the Administrative Agent in good faith to be from an Authorized Officer of the Borrower entitled to give telephonic notices under this Agreement on behalf of the Borrower. In each such case, the Administrative Agent’s record of the terms of such telephonic notice shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(c)
Minimum Borrowing Amount. The aggregate principal amount of each Borrowing by the Borrower shall not be less than the Minimum Borrowing Amount.
(d)
Maximum Borrowings. More than one Borrowing may be incurred by the Borrower on any day;provided, however, that (i) if there are two or more Borrowings on a single day by the Borrower that consist of Eurodollar Loans, each such Borrowing shall have a different initial Interest Period, and (ii) at no time shall there be more thaneight Borrowings of Eurodollar Loans outstanding hereunder.
Section 2.06
Funding Obligations; Disbursement of Funds.
(a)
Several Nature of Funding Obligations. The Commitments of each Lender hereunder and the obligation of each Lender to make Loans, acquire and fund Swing Loan Participations, and LC Participations, as the case may be, are several and not joint obligations. No Lender shall be responsible for any default by any other Lender in its obligation to make Loans or fund any participation hereunder and each Lender shall be obligated to make the Loans provided to be made by it and fund its participations required to be funded by it hereunder, regardless of the failure of any other Lender to fulfill any of its Commitments hereunder. Nothing herein and no subsequent termination of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.11 shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to fulfill its commitments hereunder and in existence from time to time or to prejudice any rights that the Borr ower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder.
(b)
BorrowingsPro Rata. Except with respect to the making of Swing Loans by the Swing Line Lender, all Loans hereunder shall be made and LC Participations acquired by each Lender on apro rata basis based upon each Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage of the amount of such Revolving Borrowing or Letter of Credit in effect on the date the applicable Revolving Borrowing is to be made or the Letter of Credit is to be issued.
(c)
Notice to Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall promptly give each Lender, as applicable, written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) of each proposed Borrowing, or Conversion or Continuation thereof, and LC Issuance, and of such Lender’s proportionate share thereof or participation therein and of the other matters covered by the Notice of Borrowing, Notice of Continuation or Conversion, or LC Request, as the case may be, relating thereto.
(d)
Funding of Loans.
(i)
Loans Generally. No later than 2:00 P.M. (local time at the Payment Office) on the date specified in each Notice of Borrowing, each Lender will make available to the Administrative Agent at the Payment Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds such Lender’s amount, if any, of each Borrowing requested to be made on such date and the Administrative Agent promptly will make available to the Borrower by depositing to its account at the Payment Office (or such other account as the Borrower shall specify) the aggregate of the amounts so made available in the type of funds received.
(ii)
Swing Loans. No later than 2:00 P.M. (local time at the Payment Office) on the date specified in each Notice of Borrowing, the Swing Line Lender will make available to the Borrower by depositing to its account at the Payment Office (or such other account as the Borrower shall specify) the aggregate amount of Swing Loans requested in such Notice of Borrowing.
(e)
Advance Funding. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by any Lender prior to the date of Borrowing that such Lender does not intend to make available to the Administrative Agent its portion of the Borrowing or Borrowings to be made on such date, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such amount available to the Administrative Agent on such date of Borrowing, and the Administrative Agent, in reliance upon such
assumption, may (in its sole discretion and without any obligation to do so) make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. If such corresponding amount is not in fact made available to the Administrative Agent by such Lender and the Administrative Agent has made the same available to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover such corresponding amount from such Lender. If such Lender does not pay such corresponding amount forthwith upon the Administrative Agent’s demand therefor, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower, and the Borrower shall immediately pay such corresponding amount to the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall also be entitled to recover from such Lender or the Borrower, as the case may be, interest on such corresponding amount in respect of each day from the date such corresponding amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower to the date such corresponding amount is recovered by the Administrative Agent at a rate per annum equal to (i) if paid by such Lender, the overnight Federal Funds Effective Rate or (ii) if paid by the Borrower, the then applicable rate of interest, calculated in accordance with Section 2.08, for the respective Loans (but without any requirement to pay any amounts in respect thereof pursuant to Section 3.02).
Section 2.07
Evidence of Obligations.
(a)
Loan Accounts of Lenders. Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the Obligations 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.
(b)
Loan Accounts of Administrative Agent; Lender Register. The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan and Borrowing made hereunder, the Type thereof, the currency in which such Loan is denominated, the Interest Period and applicable interest rate and, in the case of a Swing Loan, the Swing Loan Maturity Date applicable thereto, (ii) the amount and other details with respect to each Letter of Credit issued hereunder, (iii) the amount of any principal due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder, (iv) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof, and (v) the other details relating to the Loans, Letters of Credit and other Obligations. In addition, the Administrative Agent shall maintain a regis ter (the “Lender Register”) on or in which it will record the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments from time to time of each of the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make the Lender Register available to any Lender or the Borrower upon its request.
(c)
Effect of Loan Accounts, etc. The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to Section 2.07(b) shall beprima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the Obligations recorded therein;provided, that the failure of the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error (other than manifest error) therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay or prepay the Loans or the other Obligations in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(d)
Notes. Upon request of any Lender or the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower will execute and deliver to such Lender or the Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, (i) a Revolving Facility Note with blanks appropriately completed in conformity herewith to evidence the Borrower’s obligation to pay the principal of, and interest on, the Revolving Loans made to it by such Lender, and (ii) a Swing Line Note with blanks appropriately completed in conformity herewith to evidence the Borrower’s obligation to pay the principal of, and interest on, the Swing Loans made to it by the Swing Line Lender;provided, however,that the decision of any Lender or the Swing Line Lender to not request a Note shall in no way detract from the Borrower’s obligation to repay the Loans and other amounts owing by the Borrower to such Lender or the Swing Line Lender.
Section 2.08
Interest; Default Rate.
(a)
Interest on Revolving Loans. The outstanding principal amount of each Revolving Loan made by each Lender shall bear interest at a fluctuating rate per annum that shall at all times be equal to (i) during such periods as such Revolving Loan is a Base Rate Loan, the Base Rateplus the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time, and (ii) during such periods as such Revolving Loan is a Eurodollar Loan, the relevant Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for such Eurodollar Loan for the applicable Interest Periodplus the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time.
(b)
Interest on Swing Loans. The outstanding principal amount of each Swing Loan shall bear interest from the date of the Borrowing at a fluctuating rate per annum that shall be equal to the Base Rateplus the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time.
(c)
Default Interest. Notwithstanding the above provisions, if an Event of Default is in existence, upon written notice by the Administrative Agent (which notice the Administrative Agent shall give at the direction of the Required Lenders), (i) all outstanding amounts of principal and, to the extent permitted by law, all overdue interest, in respect of each Loan shall bear interest, payable on demand, at a rate per annum equal to the Default Rate, and (ii) the LC Fees shall be increased by an additional 2% per annum in excess of the LC Fees otherwise applicable thereto. In addition, if any amount (other than amounts as to which the foregoing subparts (i) and (ii) are applicable) payable by the Borrower under the Loan Documents is not paid when due, upon written notice by the Administrative Agent (which notice the Administrative Agent shall give at the direction of the Required Lender s), such amount shall bear interest, payable on demand, at a rate per annum equal to the Default Rate.
(d)
Accrual and Payment of Interest. Interest shall accrue from and including the date of any Borrowing to but excluding the date of any prepayment or repayment thereof and shall be payable by the Borrower: (i) in respect of each Base Rate Loan, quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, (ii) in respect of each Eurodollar Loan, on the last day of each Interest Period applicable thereto and, in the case of an Interest Period in excess of three months, on the dates that are successively three months after the commencement of such Interest Period, and (iii) in respect of any Swing Loan, on the Swing Loan Maturity Date applicable thereto, and (iv) in respect of all Loans, other than Revolving Loans accruing interest at the Base Rate, on any repayment, prepayment or Conversion (on the amount repaid, prepaid or Converted), at maturity (whether by a cceleration or otherwise), and, after such maturity or, in the case of any interest payable pursuant to Section 2.08(c), on demand.
(e)
Computations of Interest. All computations of interest on Eurodollar Loans hereunder shall be made on the actual number of days elapsed over a year of 360 days. All computations of interest on Base Rate Loans, Swing Loans and Unpaid Drawings hereunder shall be made on the actual number of days elapsed over a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable.
(f)
Information as to Interest Rates. The Administrative Agent, upon determining the interest rate for any Borrowing, shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders thereof. Any changes in the Applicable Margin shall be determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the provisions set forth in the definition of “Applicable Margin” and the Administrative Agent will promptly provide notice of such determinations to the Borrower and the Lenders. Any such determination by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error.
Section 2.09
Conversion and Continuation of Loans.
(a)
Conversion and Continuation of Revolving Loans. The Borrower shall have the right, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, to (i) Convert all or a portion of the outstanding principal amount of Loans of one Type made to it into a Borrowing or Borrowings of another Type of Loans that can be made to it pursuant to this Agreement and (ii) Continue a Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans at the end of the applicable Interest Period as a new Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans with a new Interest Period;provided, however, that any Conversion of Eurodollar Loans into Base Rate Loans shall be made on, and only on, the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Loans.
(b)
Notice of Continuation and Conversion. Each Continuation or Conversion of a Loan shall be made upon notice in the form provided for below provided by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent at its Notice Office not later than (i) in the case of each Continuation of or Conversion into a Eurodollar Loan, prior to 11:00 A.M. (local time at its Notice Office) at least three Business Days’ prior to the date of such Continuation or Conversion, and (ii) in the case of each Conversion to a Base Rate Loan, prior to 11:00 A.M. (local time at its Notice Office) on the proposed date of such Conversion. Each such request shall be made by an Authorized Officer of the Borrower delivering written notice of such request substantially in the form ofExhibit B-2 (each such notice, a “Notice of Continuation or Conversion”) or by telephone (to be confirmed immediately in writing by delivery by an Authorized Officer of the Borrower of a Notice of Continuation or Conversion), and in any event each such request shall be irrevocable and shall specify (A) the Borrowings to be Continued or Converted, (B) the date of the Continuation or Conversion (which shall be a Business Day), and (C) the Interest Period or, in the case of a Continuation, the new Interest Period. Without in any way limiting the obligation of the Borrower to confirm in writing any telephonic notice permitted to be given hereunder, the Administrative Agent may act prior to receipt of written confirmation without liability upon the basis of such telephonic notice believed by the Administrative Agent in good faith to be from an Authorized Officer of the Borrower entitled to give telephonic notices under this Agreement on behalf of the Borrower. In each such case, the Administrative Agent’s record of the terms of such telephonic notice shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
Section 2.10
Fees.
(a)
Facility Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of each Lender based upon each such Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage, as consideration for the Revolving Commitments of the Lenders, facility fees (the “Facility Fees”) for the period from the Closing Date to, but not including, the Revolving Facility Termination Date, computed for each day at a rate per annum equal to (i) the Applicable Facility Fee Rate in effect on such daytimes (ii) the Total Revolving Commitment in effect on such day. Accrued Facility Fees shall be due and payable in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and on the Revolving Facility Termination Date.
(b)
LC Fees.
(i)
Standby Letters of Credit. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of each Lender with a Revolving Commitment based upon each such Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage, a fee in respect of each Letter of Credit issued hereunder that is a Standby Letter of Credit for the period from the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit until the expiration date thereof (including any extensions of such expiration date that may be made at the election of the account party or the beneficiary), computed for each day at a rate per annum equal to (A) the Applicable Margin for Revolving Loans that are Eurodollar Loans in effect on such daytimes (B) the Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit on such day.
The foregoing fees shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and on the Revolving Facility Termination Date.
(ii)
Commercial Letters of Credit. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of each Lender based upon each such Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage, a fee in respect of each Letter of Credit issued hereunder that is a Commercial Letter of Credit in an amount equal to (A) the Applicable Margin for Revolving Loans that are Eurodollar Loans in effect on the date of issuancetimes (B) the Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit. The foregoing fees shall be payable on the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit.
(c)
Fronting Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay directly to each LC Issuer, for its own account, a fee in respect of each Letter of Credit issued by it, payable on the date of issuance (or any increase in the amount, or renewal or extension) thereof, computed at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the Stated Amount thereof for the period from the date of issuance (or increase, renewal or extension) to the expiration date thereof (including any extensions of such expiration date which may be made at the election of the beneficiary thereof).
(d)
Additional Charges of LC Issuer. The Borrower agrees to pay directly to each LC Issuer upon each LC Issuance, drawing under, or amendment, extension, renewal or transfer of, a Letter of Credit issued by it such amount as shall at the time of such LC Issuance, drawing under, amendment, extension, renewal or transfer be the processing charge that such LC Issuer is customarily charging for issuances of, drawings under or amendments, extensions, renewals or transfers of, letters of credit issued by it.
(e)
Administrative Agent Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, on the Closing Date and thereafter, for its own account, the fees set forth in the Fee Letter.
(f)
Computations and Determination of Fees. Any changes in the Applicable Facility Fee Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the provisions set forth in the definition of “Applicable Facility Fee Rate” and the Administrative Agent will promptly provide notice of such determination to the Borrower and the Lenders. Any such determination by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error. All computations of Facility Fees, LC Fees and other Fees hereunder shall be made on the actual number of days elapsed over a year of 360 days.
Section 2.11
Termination and Reduction of Revolving Commitments.
(a)
Mandatory Termination of Revolving Commitments. All of the Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the Revolving Facility Termination Date.
(b)
Voluntary Termination of the Total Revolving Commitment. Upon at least three Business Days’ prior irrevocable written notice (or telephonic notice confirmed in writing) from an Authorized Officer to the Administrative Agent at its Notice Office (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the Lenders), the Borrower shall have the right to terminate in whole the Total Revolving Commitment,provided that (i) all outstanding Revolving Loans and Unpaid Drawings are contemporaneously prepaid in accordance with Section 2.12 and (ii) either there are no outstanding Letters of Credit or the Borrower shall contemporaneously cause all outstanding Letters of Credit to be surrendered for cancellation (any such Letters of Credit to be replaced by letters of credit issued by other financial institutions acceptable to each LC Issuer and the Revolving Lenders),provided further, that a notice of termination of the Total Revolving Commitment may state that such notice is conditioned on 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.
(c)
Partial Reduction of Total Revolving Commitment. Upon at least three Business Days’ prior irrevocable written notice (or telephonic notice confirmed in writing) from an Authorized Officer to the Administrative Agent at its Notice Office (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the Lenders), the Borrower shall have the right to partially and permanently reduce the Unused Total Revolving Commitment;provided, however, that (i) any such reduction shall apply to proportionately (based on each Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage) and permanently reduce the Revolving Commitment of each Lender, (ii) such reduction shall apply to proportionately and permanently reduce the LC Commitment Amount, but only to the extent that the Unused Total Revolving Commitment would be reduced below any such limits, (iii) no such reduction shall be permit ted if the Borrower would be required to make a mandatory prepayment of Loans or cash collateralize Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.12, and (iv) any partial reduction shall be in the amount of at least $5,000,000 (or, if greater, in integral multiples of $1,000,000).
Section 2.12
Voluntary, Scheduled and Mandatory Prepayments of Loans.
(a)
Voluntary Prepayments. The Borrower shall have the right to prepay any of the Loans owing by it, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty,except as specified in subparts (d) and (e) below, from time to time. The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent at the Notice Office written or telephonic notice (in the case of telephonic notice, promptly confirmed in writing if so requested by the Administrative Agent) of its intent to prepay the Loans, the amount of such prepayment and (in the case of Eurodollar Loans) the specific Borrowing(s) pursuant to which the prepayment is to be made, which notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent by (y) 11:00 A.M. (local time at the Notice Office) three Business Days prior to the date of such prepayment, in the case of any prepayment of Eurodollar Loans, or (z) 11:00 A.M. (local time at the Notice Office) one Busines s Day prior to the date of such prepayment, in the case of any prepayment of Base Rate Loans, and which notice shall promptly be transmitted by the Administrative Agent to each of the affected Lenders,provided that:
(i)
each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount of at least (A) in the case of any prepayment of a Revolving Loan, $2,000,000 (or, if less, the full amount of such Borrowing), or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, and (B) in the case of any prepayment of a Swing Loan, in the full amount thereof; and
(ii)
no partial prepayment of any Loans made pursuant to a Borrowing shall reduce the aggregate principal amount of such Loans outstanding pursuant to such Borrowing to an amount less than the Minimum Borrowing Amount applicable thereto,
(b)
Mandatory Payments. The Loans shall be subject to mandatory repayment or prepayment (in the case of any partial prepayment conforming to the requirements as to the amounts of partial prepayments set forth in Section 2.12(a) above), and the LC Outstandings shall be subject to cash collateralization requirements, in accordance with the following provisions:
(i)
Revolving Facility Termination Date. The entire principal amount of all outstanding Revolving Loans shall be repaid in full on the Revolving Facility Termination Date.
(ii)
Loans Exceed the Commitments. If on any date (after giving effect to any other payments on such date) (A) the Revolving Facility Exposure of any Lender exceeds such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, (B) the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure exceeds the Total Revolving Commitment, or (C) the aggregate principal amount of Swing Loans outstanding
exceeds the Swing Line Commitment,then, in the case of each of the foregoing, the Borrower shall, on such day, prepay on such date the principal amount of Loans and, after the Loans have been paid in full, Unpaid Drawings, in an aggregate amount at least equal to such excess.
(iii)
LC Outstandings Exceed LC Commitment If on any date the LC Outstandings exceed the LC Commitment Amount,then the applicable LC Obligor or the Borrower shall, on such day, pay to the Administrative Agent an amount in cash equal to such excess and the Administrative Agent shall hold such payment as security for the reimbursement obligations of the applicable LC Obligors hereunder in respect of Letters of Credit pursuant to a cash collateral agreement to be entered into in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Borrower (which shall permit certain investments in Cash Equivalents satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Borrower until the proceeds are applied to any Unpaid Drawings or to any other Obligations in accordance with any such cash collateral agreement).
(c)
Applications of Certain Prepayment Proceeds. Each prepayment required to be made pursuant to Section 2.12(b)(i) or (ii) above shall be applied as a mandatory prepayment of principal offirst, the outstanding Swing Loans, andsecond, the outstanding Revolving Loans.
(d)
Particular Loans to be Prepaid. With respect to each repayment or prepayment of Loans made or required by this Section, the Borrower shall designate the Types of Loans that are to be repaid or prepaid and the specific Borrowing(s) pursuant to which such repayment or prepayment is to be made;provided, however, that (i) the Borrower shall first so designate all Loans that are Base Rate Loans and Eurodollar Loans with Interest Periods ending on the date of repayment or prepayment prior to designating any other Eurodollar Loans for repayment or prepayment, and (ii) if the outstanding principal amount of Eurodollar Loans made pursuant to a Borrowing is reduced below the applicable Minimum Borrowing Amount as a result of any such repayment or prepayment, then all the Loans outstanding pursuant to such Borrowing shall be Converted into Base Rate Loans. In the absence of a design ation by the Borrower as described in the preceding sentence, the Administrative Agent shall, subject to the above, make such designation in its sole discretion with a view, but no obligation, to minimize breakage costs owing under Article III.
(e)
Breakage and Other Compensation. Any prepayment made pursuant to this Section 2.12 shall be accompanied by any amounts payable in respect thereof under Article III hereof.
Section 2.13
Method and Place of Payment.
(a)
Generally. All payments made by the Borrower hereunder (including any payments made with respect to the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations under Article X) under any Note or any other Loan Document, shall be made without setoff, counterclaim or other defense.
(b)
Application of Payments. Except as specifically set forth elsewhere in this Agreement and subject to Section 8.03, (i) all payments and prepayments of Revolving Loans and Unpaid Drawings with respect to Letters of Credit shall be applied by the Administrative Agent on apro rata basis based upon each Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage of the amount of such payment, and (ii) all payments or prepayments of Swing Loans shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to pay or prepay such Swing Loans.
(c)
Payment of Obligations. Except as specifically set forth elsewhere in this Agreement, all payments under this Agreement with respect to any of the Obligations shall be made to the Administrative
Agent on the date when due and shall be made at the Payment Office in immediately available funds and shall be made in Dollars.
(d)
Timing of Payments. Any payments under this Agreement that are made later than 11:00 A.M. (local time at the Payment Office) shall be deemed to have been made on the next succeeding Business Day. Whenever any payment to be made hereunder shall be stated to be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the due date thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day and, with respect to payments of principal, interest shall be payable during such extension at the applicable rate in effect immediately prior to such extension.
(e)
Distribution to Lenders. Upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt of payments hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall immediately distribute to each Lender or the applicable LC Issuer, as the case may be, its ratable share, if any, of the amount of principal, interest, and Fees received by it for the account of such Lender. Payments received by the Administrative Agent shall be delivered to the Lenders or the applicable LC Issuer, as the case may be, in Dollars in immediately available funds;provided, however, that if at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, Unpaid Drawings, interest and Fees then due hereunder then, except as specifically set forth elsewhere in this Agreement and subject to Section 8.03, such funds shall be applied,first, towards payment of interest and F ees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and Fees then due to such parties, andsecond, towards payment of principal and Unpaid Drawings then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and Unpaid Drawings then due to such parties.
ARTICLE III.
INCREASED COSTS, ILLEGALITY AND TAXES
Section 3.01
Increased Costs, Illegality, etc.
(a)
In the event that (y) in the case of clause (i) below, the Administrative Agent or (z) in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) below, any Lender, shall have determined on a reasonable basis (which determination shall, absent manifest error, be final and conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto):
(i)
on any date for determining the interest rate applicable to any Eurodollar Loan for any Interest Period that, by reason of any changes arising after the Closing Date, adequate and fair means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable interest rate on the basis provided for in this Agreement for such Eurodollar Loan; or
(ii)
at any time, that such Lender shall incur increased costs or reductions in the amounts received or receivable by it hereunder in an amount that such Lender reasonably deems material with respect to any Eurodollar Loans (other than any increased cost or reduction in the amount received or receivable resulting from the imposition of or a change in the rate of taxes or similar charges) because of (x) any change since the Closing Date in any applicable law, governmental rule, regulation, guideline, order or request (whether or not having the force of law), or in the interpretation or administration thereof and including the introduction of any new law or governmental rule, regulation, guideline, order or request (such as, for example, but not limited to, a change in official reserve requirements, but, in all events, excluding reserves already includable in the interest rate applicabl e to such Eurodollar Loan pursuant to this Agreement) or (y) other circumstances adversely affecting the London interbank market or the position of such Lender in any such market; or
(iii)
at any time, that the making or continuance of any Eurodollar Loan has become unlawful by compliance by such Lender in good faith with any change since the Closing Date in any law, governmental rule, regulation, guideline or order, or the interpretation or application thereof, or would conflict with any thereof not having the force of law but with which such Lender customarily complies, or has become impracticable as a result of a contingency occurring after the Closing Date that materially adversely affects the London interbank market;
then, and in each such event, such Lender (or the Administrative Agent in the case of clause (i) above) shall (1) on or promptly following such date or time and (2) within 10 Business Days of the date on which such event no longer exists give notice (by telephone confirmed in writing) to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent of such determination (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the other Lenders). Thereafter (x) in the case of clause (i) above, the affected Type of Eurodollar Loans shall no longer be available until such time as the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice by the Administrative Agent no longer exist, and any Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Continuation or Conversion given by the Borrower with respect to such Type of Eurodollar Loans that have not yet been incurred, Converted or Continued shall be deemed rescinded by the Borrower or, in the case of a Notice of Borrowing, shall, at the option of the Borrower, be deemed converted into a Notice of Borrowing for Base Rate Loans to be made on the date of Borrowing contained in such Notice of Borrowing, (y) in the case of clause (ii) above, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender, upon written demand therefor, such additional amounts (in the form of an increased rate of, or a different method of calculating, interest or otherwise as such Lender shall determine) as shall be required to compensate such Lender for such increased costs or reductions in amounts receivable hereunder (a written notice as to the additional amounts owed to such Lender, showing the basis for the calculation thereof, which basis must be reasonable, submitted to the Borrower by such Lender shall, absent manifest error, be final and conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto) and (z) in the case of clause (iii) above, the Borrower shall take one of the actions specified in Section 3.01(b) as promptly as possible and, in any event, within the time period required by law.
(b)
At any time that any Eurodollar Loan is affected by the circumstances described in Section 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii), the Borrower may (and in the case of a Eurodollar Loan affected pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(iii) the Borrower shall) either (i) if the affected Eurodollar Loan is then being made pursuant to a Borrowing, by giving the Administrative Agent telephonic notice (confirmed promptly in writing) thereof on the same date that the Borrower was notified by a Lender pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii), cancel said Borrowing, or, in the case of any Borrowing, convert the related Notice of Borrowing into one requesting a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans or require the affected Lender to make its requested Loan as a Base Rate Loan, or (ii) if the affected Eurodollar Loan is then outstanding, upon at least one Business Day’s notice to the Administrative Agent, require the affected Lender to C onvert each such Eurodollar Loan into a Base Rate Loanprovided, however, that if more than one Lender is affected at any time, then all affected Lenders must be treated the same pursuant to this Section 3.01(b).
(c)
If any Lender shall have determined that after the Closing Date the adoption of any applicable law, rule or regulation regarding capital adequacy, or any change therein, or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged by law with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by such Lender or its parent corporation with any request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank, or comparable agency, in each case made subsequent to the Closing Date, has or would have the effect of reducing by an amount reasonably deemed by such Lender to be material to the rate of return on such Lender’s or its parent corporation’s capital or assets as a consequence of such Lender’s commitments or obligations hereunder to a level be low that which such Lender or its parent corporation could have achieved but for such adoption, effectiveness, change or compliance (taking into consideration such Lender’s or its parent corporation’s policies with respect to
capital adequacy), then from time to time, within 15 days after demand by such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or its parent corporation for such reduction. Each Lender, upon determining in good faith that any additional amounts will be payable pursuant to this Section 3.01(c), will give prompt written notice thereof to the Borrower, which notice shall set forth, in reasonable detail, the basis of the calculation of such additional amounts, which basis must be reasonable, although the failure to give any such notice shall not release or diminish any of the Borrower’s obligations to pay additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01(c) upon the subsequent receipt of such notice.
Section 3.02
Breakage Compensation. The Borrower shall compensate each Lender (including the Swing Line Lender), upon its written request (which request shall set forth the detailed basis for requesting and the method of calculating such compensation), for all reasonable losses, costs, expenses and liabilities (including, without limitation, any loss, cost, expense or liability incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds required by such Lender to fund its Eurodollar Loans or Swing Loans) which such Lender may sustain in connection with any of the following: (i) if for any reason (other than a default by such Lender or the Administrative Agent) a Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans or Swing Loans does not occur on a date specified therefor in a Notice of Borrowing or a Notice of Continuation or Conversion (whether or not withdrawn by the Borrower or deemed withdrawn pursuant to Section 3.01(a)); (ii) if any repayment, prepayment, Conversion or Continuation of any Eurodollar Loan occurs on a date that is not the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto or any Swing Loan is paid prior to the Swing Loan Maturity Date applicable thereto; (iii) if any prepayment of any of its Eurodollar Loans is not made on any date specified in a notice of prepayment given by the Borrower; (iv) as a result of an assignment by a Lender of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto pursuant to a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.05(b); or (v) as a consequence of (y) any other default by the Borrower to repay or prepay any Eurodollar Loans when required by the terms of this Agreement or (z) an election made pursuant to Section 3.05(b). The written request of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be c onclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such request within 10 days after receipt thereof.
Section 3.03
Net Payments.
(a)
Except as provided for in Section 3.03(b), all payments made by the Borrower hereunder, under any Note or any other Loan Document, including all payments made by the Borrower pursuant to its guaranty obligations under Article X, will be made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for, any present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, fees, assessments or other charges of whatever nature now or hereafter imposed by any jurisdiction or by any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein with respect to such payments (but excluding, except as provided in this Section 3.03(a), any tax imposed on or measured by the net income or net profits of a Lender and franchise taxes imposed on it pursuant to the laws of the jurisdiction under which such Lender is organized or the jurisdiction in which the principal office or Applicable Lending Office of such Lender, as app licable, is located or any subdivision thereof or therein) and all interest, penalties or similar liabilities with respect to such non-excluded taxes, levies imposts, duties, fees, assessments or other charges (all such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, duties, fees, assessments or other charges being referred to collectively as “Taxes”). If any Taxes are so levied or imposed, the Borrower agrees to pay the full amount of such Taxes and such additional amounts (including additional amounts to compensate for withholding on amounts paid pursuant to this Section 3.03) as may be necessary so that every payment by it of all amounts due hereunder, under any Note or under any other Loan Document, after withholding or deduction for or on account of any Taxes will not be less than the amount provided for herein or in such Note or in such other Loan Document. The Borrower will indemnify and hold harmless
the Administrative Agent and each Lender, and reimburse the Administrative Agent or such Lender upon its written request, for the amount of any Taxes imposed on and paid by such Lender. If any amounts are payable in respect of Taxes pursuant to this Section 3.03(a), the Borrower agrees to reimburse each Lender, upon the written request of such Lender, for taxes imposed on or measured by the net income, profits or franchise of such Lender pursuant to the laws of the jurisdiction in which such Lender is organized or in which the principal office or Applicable Lending Office of such Lender is located, as the case may be, or under the laws of any political subdivision or taxing authority therein, and for any withholding of taxes as such Lender shall determine are payable by, or withheld from, such Lender in respect of such reimbursement of taxes, which request shall be accompanied by a statement from such Lender s etting forth, in reasonable detail, the computations used in determining such amounts. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent within 45 days after the date the payment of any Taxes, or any withholding or deduction on account thereof, is due pursuant to applicable law certified copies of tax receipts, or other evidence satisfactory to the respective Lender, evidencing such payment by the Borrower.
(b)
Each Lender that is not a United States Person (as such term is defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) for federal income tax purposes and that is entitled to claim an exemption from or reduction in United States withholding tax with respect to a payment by Borrower agrees to provide to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Closing Date, or in the case of a Lender that is an assignee or transferee of an interest under this Agreement pursuant to Section 11.06 (unless the respective Lender was already a Lender hereunder immediately prior to such assignment or transfer and such Lender is in compliance with the provisions of this Section), on the date of such assignment or transfer to such Lender, and from time to time thereafter if required by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent two accurate and complete original signed copies of Internal Revenue Service Forms W-8BEN, W-8ECI, W-8EXP or W-8IMY (or successor, substitute or other appropriate forms and, in the case of Form W-8IMY, complete with accompanying Forms W-8BEN with respect to beneficial owners of the payment) certifying to such Lender’s entitlement to exemption from or a reduced rate of withholding of United States withholding tax with respect to payments to be made under this Agreement, any Note or any other Loan Document, along with any other appropriate documentation establishing such exemption or reduction (such as statements certifying qualification for exemption with respect to portfolio interest). In addition, each Lender agrees that from time to time after the Closing Date, when a lapse in time or change in circumstances renders the previous certification obsolete or inaccurate in any material respect, it will deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent two new accurate and complete original signed copies of the applicable Internal Revenue Service form establishing such exemption or reduc tion (such as statements certifying qualification for exemption with respect to portfolio interest) and any related documentation as may be required in to confirm or establish the entitlement of such Lender to a continued exemption from or reduction in United States withholding tax if the Lender continues to be so entitled. No Lender shall be required by this Section 3.03(b) to deliver a form or certificate that it is not legally entitled to deliver. The Borrower shall not be obligated pursuant to Section 3.03(a) hereof to pay additional amounts on account of or indemnify with respect to United States withholding taxes to the extent that such taxes arise solely due to a Lender’s failure to deliver forms that it was legally entitled to but failed to deliver under this Section 3.03(b). The Borrower agrees to pay additional amounts and indemnify each Lender in the manner set forth in Section 3.03(a) in respect of any Taxes deducted or withheld by it as a result of any changes after the Cl osing Date in any applicable law, treaty, governmental rule, regulation, guideline or order, or in the interpretation thereof, relating to the deducting or withholding of income or similar Taxes.
(c)
If any Lender, in its sole opinion, determines that it has finally and irrevocably received or been granted a refund in respect of any Taxes as to which indemnification has been paid by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 3.03, it shall promptly remit such refund (including any interest received in respect thereof), net of all out-of-pocket costs and expenses to the Borrower;provided,
however, that the Borrower agrees to promptly return any such refund (plus interest) to such Lender in the event such Lender is required to repay such refund to the relevant taxing authority. Any such Lender shall provide the Borrower with a copy of any notice of assessment from the relevant taxing authority (redacting any unrelated confidential information contained therein) requiring repayment of such refund. Nothing contained herein shall impose an obligation on any Lender to apply for any such refund.
Section 3.04
Increased Costs to LC Issuers. If after the Closing Date, the adoption of any applicable law, rule or regulation, or any change therein, or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any LC Issuer or any Lender with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any such authority, central bank or comparable agency (in each case made subsequent to the Closing Date) shall either (i) impose, modify or make applicable any reserve, deposit, capital adequacy or similar requirement against Letters of Credit issued by such LC Issuer or such Lender’s participation therein, or (ii) impose on such LC Issuer or any Lender any other conditions affecting this Agreement, any Letter of Credit or such Lender’s part icipation therein; and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the cost to such LC Issuer or such Lender of issuing, maintaining or participating in any Letter of Credit, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such LC Issuer or such Lender hereunder (other than any increased cost or reduction in the amount received or receivable resulting from the imposition of or a change in the rate of taxes or similar charges), then, upon demand to the Borrower by such LC Issuer or such Lender (a copy of which demand shall be sent by such LC Issuer or such Lender to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such LC Issuer or such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate any such LC Issuer or such Lender for such increased cost or reduction. A certificate submitted to the Borrower by any LC Issuer or any Lender, as the case may be (a copy of which certificate shall be sent by such LC Issuer or such Lender to the Administrative Agent), setting forth, in rea sonable detail, the basis for the determination of such additional amount or amounts necessary to compensate any LC Issuer or such Lender as aforesaid shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower absent manifest error, although the failure to deliver any such certificate shall not release or diminish the Borrower’s obligations to pay additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.04.
Section 3.05
Change of Lending Office; Replacement of Lenders.
(a)
Each Lender agrees that, upon the occurrence of any event giving rise to the operation of Sections 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii), 3.01(c), 3.03 or 3.04 requiring the payment of additional amounts to the Lender, such Lender will, if requested by the Borrower, use reasonable efforts (subject to overall policy considerations of such Lender) to designate another Applicable Lending Office for any Loans or Commitments affected by such event;provided, however, that such designation is made on such terms that such Lender and its Applicable Lending Office suffer no economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage, with the object of avoiding the consequence of the event giving rise to the operation of any such Section.
(b)
If (i) any Lender requests any compensation, reimbursement or other payment under Sections 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii), 3.01(c) or 3.04 with respect to such Lender, or (ii) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or Governmental Authority pursuant to Section 3.03, 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 the restrictions contained in Section 11.06(c)), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations;provided, however, that (1) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, (2) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equa l to the outstanding principal of its 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, including any breakage compensation under Section 3.02 hereof), and (3) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation, reimbursement or other payments required to be made under Section 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii), Section 3.01(c) or Section 3.04 with respect to such Lender, or resulting from any required payments to any Lender or Governmental Authority pursuant to Section 3.03, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation, reimbursement 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)
Nothing in this Section 3.05 shall affect or postpone any of the obligations of the Borrower or the rights of any Lender provided in Sections 3.01, 3.03 or 3.04.
ARTICLE IV.
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
Section 4.01
Conditions Precedent at Closing Date. The obligation of the Lenders to make Loans, and of any LC Issuer to issue Letters of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions on or prior to the Closing Date:
(i)
Credit Agreement. This Agreement shall have been executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and each of the Lenders.
(ii)
Notes. The Borrower shall have executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent the appropriate Note or Notes for the account of each Lender that has requested the same.
(iii)
Fees and Fee Letters. The Borrower shall have (A) paid to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, the fees required to be paid by it on the Closing Date described in the Fee Letter, (B) paid all fees payable to the Lenders on the Closing Date agreed to by the Borrower on or prior to the Closing Date, and (C) paid or caused to be paid all reasonable fees and expenses of the Administrative Agent and of special counsel to the Administrative Agent that have been invoiced on or prior to the Closing Date in connection with the preparation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
(iv)
Corporate Resolutions and Approvals. The Administrative Agent shall have received certified copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Borrower approving the Loan Documents to which the Borrower is or may become a party, and of all documents evidencing other necessary corporate action and governmental approvals, if any, with respect to the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of the Loan Documents.
(v)
Incumbency Certificates. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower certifying the names and true signatures of the officers of the Borrower authorized to sign the Loan Documents and any other documents to which the Borrower is a party that may be executed and delivered in connection herewith.
(vi)
Opinions of Counsel. The Administrative Agent shall have received such opinions of counsel from counsel to the Borrower as the Administrative Agent shall request, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders and dated the Closing Date and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(vii)
Search Reports. The Administrative Agent shall have received the results of UCC and other search reports from one or more commercial search firms acceptable to the Administrative Agent, listing all of the effective financing statements filed against the Borrower, together with copies of such financing statements.
(viii)
Corporate Charter and Good Standing Certificates. The Administrative Agent shall have received: (A) an original certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation or of the Borrower and any and all amendments and restatements thereof, certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware; (B) an original good standing certificate from the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, dated as of a recent date, listing all charter documents affecting the Borrower and certifying as to the good standing of the Borrower; and (C) original certificates of good standing from each other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is authorized or qualified to do business.
(ix)
Closing Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate substantially in the form ofExhibit C, dated the Closing Date, of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower to the effect that, at and as of the Closing Date and both before and after giving effect to the initial Credit Events hereunder and the application of the proceeds thereof, if applicable: (A) no Default or Event of Default has occurred or is continuing; and (B) all representations and warranties of the Borrower contained herein or in the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date.
(x)
Existing Indebtedness. On the Closing Date, after giving effect to the transactions contemplated herein, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have no Indebtedness outstanding other than (A) the Loans and (B) Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.04. All other Indebtedness and agreements in respect thereof, including, without limitation, the Existing Credit Agreement, shall be terminated and all Liens securing such Indebtedness shall be released or arrangements, to the satisfaction of the Administrative Agent, shall have been made for such release.
(xi)
Material Adverse Change. No material adverse change since June 30, 2005 shall have occurred in the business, operations, property, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of (A) the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (B) in any of the information regarding the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that has been provided to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on or before the Closing Date.
(xii)
Proceedings and Documents. All corporate and other proceedings and all documents incidental to the transactions contemplated hereby shall be satisfactory in substance and form to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and its special counsel and the Lenders shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such documents as the Administrative Agent or its special counsel or any Lender may reasonably request.
(xiii)
Miscellaneous. The Borrower shall have provided to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders such other items and shall have satisfied such other conditions as may be reasonably required by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders.
Section 4.02
Conditions Precedent to All Credit Events. The obligations of the Lenders, the Swing Line Lender and each LC Issuer to make or participate in each Credit Event is subject, at the time thereof, to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a)
Notice. The Administrative Agent (and in the case of subpart (iii) below, the applicable LC Issuer) shall have received, as applicable, (i) a Notice of Borrowing meeting the requirements of Section 2.05(b) with respect to any Borrowing (other than a Continuation or Conversion), (ii) a Notice of Continuation or Conversion meeting the requirements of Section 2.09(b) with respect to a Continuation or Conversion, or (iii) an LC Request meeting the requirements of Section 2.04(b) with respect to each LC Issuance.
(b)
No Default; Representations and Warranties. At the time of each Credit Event and also after giving effect thereto, (i) there shall exist no Default or Event of Default and (ii) all representations and warranties of the Borrower contained herein or in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made on and as of the date of such Credit Event, except to the extent that such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier specified date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made.
The acceptance of the benefits of each Credit Event shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender, each LC Issuer and each of the Lenders that all of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.01 and Section 4.02 have been satisfied as of the times referred to in such Sections.
ARTICLE V.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
To induce the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and each LC Issuer to enter into this Agreement and to make the Loans and to issue and to participate in the Letters of Credit provided for herein, the Borrower makes the following representations and warranties to, and agreements with, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and each LC Issuer, all of which shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and each Credit Event:
Section 5.01
Corporate Status. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (i) is a duly organized or formed and validly existing corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, in good standing or in full force and effect under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation and has the corporate, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, power and authority to own its property and assets and to transact the business in which it is engaged and presently proposes to engage, and (ii) has duly qualified and is authorized to do business in all jurisdictions where it is required to be so qualified or authorized except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Schedule 5.01 hereto lists, as of the Closing Date, each Subsidiary of the Borrower (and the direct and indirect ownership interest of the Borrower therein).
Section 5.02
Corporate Power and Authority. The Borrower has the corporate or other organizational power and authority to execute, deliver and carry out the terms and provisions of the Loan Documents and has taken all necessary corporate or other organizational action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents. The Borrower has duly executed and delivered each Loan Document and each Loan Document constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement and obligation of the Borrower enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that the enforceability thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws generally affecting creditors’ rights and by equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law).
Section 5.03
No Violation. Neither the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of the Loan Documents nor compliance with the terms and provisions thereof (i) will contravene in any material respect any provision of any law, statute, rule, regulation, order, writ, injunction or decree of any Governmental Authority applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or its or their respective properties and assets, (ii) will conflict with or result in any breach of, any of the material terms, covenants, conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of (or the obligation to create or impose) any Lien upon any of the property or assets of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any promissory note, bond, debenture, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, credit or loan agreement, or any other agreement or other inst rument, to which the Borrower or such Subsidiary is a party or by which it or any of its property or assets are bound or to which it may be subject, or (iii) will violate any provision of the Organizational Documents of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries.
Section 5.04
Governmental Approvals. No order, consent, approval, license, authorization, or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, or exemption by, any Governmental Authority is required to authorize or is required as a condition to (i) the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of any Loan Document or any of its obligations thereunder, or (ii) the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of any Loan Document.
Section 5.05
Litigation. There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened with respect to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) that have had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) that question the validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents, or of any action to be taken by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to any of the Loan Documents.
Section 5.06
Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations.
(a)
The proceeds of all Loans and LC Issuances shall be utilized to refinance the Existing Credit Agreement, provide funds for Permitted Acquisitions and provide working capital and funds for general corporate purposes, in each case, not inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement.
(b)
No part of the proceeds of any Credit Event will be used directly or indirectly to purchase or carry Margin Stock, or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock, in violation of any of the provisions of Regulations T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Borrower is not engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock. At no time would more than 25% of the value of the assets of the Borrower or of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries that are subject to any “arrangement” (as such term is used in Section 221.2(g) of such Regulation U) hereunder be represented by Margin Stock.
Section 5.07
Financial Statements.
(a)
The Borrower has furnished to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders complete and correct copies of (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005 and the related audited consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the fiscal year of the Borrower then ended, accompanied by the report thereon of Deloitte & Touche LLP; and (ii) the condensed consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2005 and the related condensed consolidated statements of income and of cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for each of the fiscal period then ended. All such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied
(except as stated therein), and fairly present the financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates indicated and the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for the respective periods indicated, subject in the case of any such financial statements that are unaudited, to normal audit adjustments, none of which will involve a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries did not have, as of the date of the latest financial statements referred to above, and will not have as of the Closing Date after giving effect to the incurrence of Loans or LC Issuances hereunder, any material or significant contingent liability or liability for taxes, long-term lease or unusual forward or long-term commitment that is not reflected in the foregoing financial statements or the notes thereto in accordance with GAAP and that in any such case is material in relation to the business, operations, properties, assets, financial or other condition or prospects of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
(b)
The financial projections of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal years 2006 through 2010 prepared by the Borrower and delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (the “Financial Projections”) were prepared on behalf of the Borrower in good faith after taking into account historical levels of business activity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, known trends, including general economic trends, and all other information, assumptions and estimates considered by management of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to be pertinent thereto;provided,however, that no representation or warranty is made as to the impact of future general economic conditions or as to whether the Borrower’s projected consolidated results as set forth in the Financial Projections will actually be realized, it being recognized by the Lenders that such projections as to fu ture events are not to be viewed as facts and that actual results for the periods covered by the Financial Projections may differ materially from the Financial Projections. No facts are known to the Borrower as of the Closing Date which, if reflected in the Financial Projections, would result in a material adverse change in the assets, liabilities, results of operations or cash flows reflected therein.
Section 5.08
Solvency. The Borrower has received consideration that is the reasonable equivalent value of the obligations and liabilities that the Borrower has incurred to the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Lenders under the Loan Documents. The Borrower now has capital sufficient to carry on its business and transactions and all business and transactions in which it is about to engage and is now solvent and able to pay its debts as they mature and the Borrower, as of the Closing Date, owns property having a value, both at fair valuation and at present fair salable value, greater than the amount required to pay the Borrower’s debts; and the Borrower is not entering into the Loan Documents with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud its creditors.
Section 5.09
No Material Adverse Change. Since June 30, 2005, there has been no change in the condition, business, affairs or prospects of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or their properties and assets considered as an entirety,exceptfor changes none of which, individually or in the aggregate, has had or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.10
Tax Returns and Payments. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has filed all federal income tax returns and all other tax returns, domestic and foreign, required to be filed by it and has paid all taxes and assessments payable by it that have become due, other than those not yet delinquent and except for those contested in good faith. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has established on its books such charges, accruals and reserves in respect of taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges for all fiscal periods as are required by GAAP. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries knows of any proposed assessment for additional federal, foreign or state taxes for any period, or of any basis therefor, which, individually or in the aggregate, taking into account such charges, accruals and reserves in respect thereof as the Borrower and its Subsidi aries have made, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.11
Title to Properties, etc. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has good and marketable title, in the case of Real Property, and good title (or valid Leaseholds, in the case of any leased property), in the case of all other property, to all of its properties and assets free and clear of Liens other than Permitted Liens. The interests of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the properties reflected in the most recent balance sheet referred to in Section 5.07(a), taken as a whole, were sufficient, in the judgment of the Borrower, as of the date of such balance sheet for purposes of the ownership and operation of the businesses conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
Section 5.12
Lawful Operations, etc. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries: (i) hold all necessary foreign, federal, state, local and other governmental licenses, registrations, certifications, permits and authorizations necessary to conduct its business; and (ii) is in full compliance with all requirements imposed by law, regulation or rule, whether foreign, federal, state or local, that are applicable to it, its operations, or its properties and assets, including, without limitation, applicable requirements of Environmental Laws,except for any failure to obtain and maintain in effect, or noncompliance that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.13
Environmental Matters.
(a)
The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, except to the extent that any such failure to comply (together with any resulting penalties, fines or forfeitures) would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All licenses, permits, registrations or approvals required for the conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries under any Environmental Law have been secured and the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in substantial compliance therewith, except for such licenses, permits, registrations or approvals the failure to secure or to comply therewith is not reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice, or otherwise knows, that it is in any respect in noncompliance with, breach of or default under any applicable writ, ord er, judgment, injunction, or decree to which the Borrower or such Subsidiary is a party or that would affect the ability of the Borrower or such Subsidiary to operate any Real Property and no event has occurred and is continuing that, with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both, would constitute noncompliance, breach of or default thereunder, except in each such case, such noncompliance, breaches or defaults as would not reasonably be expected to, in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. There are no Environmental Claims pending or, to the best knowledge of any Borrower, threatened wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There are no facts, circumstances, conditions or occurrences on any Real Property now or at any time owned, leased or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or on any property adjacent to any such Real Property, that are known by the Borrower or as to which the Borrower o r any such Subsidiary has received written notice, that could reasonably be expected: (i) to form the basis of an Environmental Claim against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any Real Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; or (ii) to cause such Real Property to be subject to any restrictions on the ownership, occupancy, use or transferability of such Real Property under any Environmental Law, except in each such case, such Environmental Claims or restrictions that individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b)
Hazardous Materials have not at any time been (i) generated, used, treated or stored on, or transported to or from, any Real Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) released on any such Real Property, in each case where such occurrence or event is not in compliance with Environmental Laws and is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.14
Compliance with ERISA. Compliance by the Borrower with the provisions hereof and Credit Events contemplated hereby will not involve any prohibited transaction within the meaning of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries and each ERISA Affiliate (i) has fulfilled all obligations under the minimum funding standards of ERISA and the Code with respect to each Plan that is not a Multi-Employer Plan or a Multiple Employer Plan, (ii) has satisfied all contribution obligations in respect of each Multi-Employer Plan and each Multiple Employer Plan, except where the failure to do so could not individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) is in compliance in all material respects with all other applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code with respect to each Plan, each Multi-Employer Plan and each Mult iple Employer Plan, and (iv) has not incurred any liability under Title IV of ERISA to the PBGC with respect to any Plan, any Multi-Employer Plan, any Multiple Employer Plan, or any trust established thereunder. No Plan or trust created thereunder has been terminated, and there have been no Reportable Events, with respect to any Plan or trust created thereunder or with respect to any Multi-Employer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan, which termination or Reportable Event will or could give rise to a material liability of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in respect thereof. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary of the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate is at the date hereof, or has been at any time within the five years preceding the date hereof, an employer required to contribute to any Multi-Employer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan, or a “contributing sponsor” (as such term is defined in Section 4001 of ERISA) in any Multi-Employer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan, except, in each case, wi th respect to those Multi-Employer Plans and Multiple Employer Plans set forth onSchedule 5.14. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary of the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has any contingent liability with respect to any post-retirement “welfare benefit plan” (as such term is defined in ERISA) except as has been disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in writing.
Section 5.15
Intellectual Property, etc. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has obtained or has the right to use all material patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, licenses and other rights with respect to the foregoing necessary for the present and planned future conduct of its business, without any known conflict with the rights of others,except for such patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, licenses and rights, the loss of which, and such conflicts which, in any such case individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.16
Investment Company Act, etc. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to regulation with respect to the creation or incurrence of Indebtedness under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended, the Federal Power Act, as amended, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended, or any applicable state public utility law.
Section 5.17
Insurance. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries maintains insurance coverage by such insurers and in such forms and amounts and against such risks as are generally consistent with industry standards and in each case in compliance with the terms of Section 6.03.
Section 5.18
True and Complete Disclosure. All factual information (taken as a whole) heretofore or contemporaneously furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in writing to the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of or in connection with this Agreement or any transaction contemplated herein, other than the Financial Projections (as to which representations are made only as provided in Section 5.07(b)), is, and all other such factual information (taken as a whole) hereafter furnished by or on behalf of such Person in writing to the Administrative Agent or any Lender will be, true and accurate in all material respects on the date as of which such information is dated or certified and not incomplete by omitting to state any material fact necessary to make such information (taken as a whole) not misleading at such time in light of the circumstances under which s uch information
was provided, except that any such future information consisting of financial projections prepared by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is only represented herein as being based on good faith estimates and assumptions believed by such persons to be reasonable at the time made, it being recognized by the Lenders that such projections as to future events are not to be viewed as facts and that actual results during the period or periods covered by any such projections may differ materially from the projected results.
Section 5.19
Defaults. No Default or Event of Default exists as of the Closing Date hereunder, nor will any Default or Event of Default begin to exist immediately after the execution and delivery hereof.
Section 5.20
Anti-Terrorism Law Compliance. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any law or regulation, or is identified in any list of any government agency (including, without limitation, the U.S. Office of Foreign Asset Control list, Executive Order No. 13224 or the USA Patriot Act), in each case, that prohibits or limits the conduct of business with or the receiving of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of certain Persons specified therein or that prohibits or limits any Lender or LC Issuer from making any advance or extension of credit to the Borrower or from otherwise conducting business with the Borrower.
ARTICLE VI.
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
The Borrower hereby covenants and agrees, on the Closing Date and thereafter for so long as this Agreement is in effect and until such time as the Commitments have been terminated, no Notes remain outstanding and the Loans, together with interest, Fees and all other Obligations incurred hereunder and under the other Loan Documents have been paid in full, as follows:
Section 6.01
Reporting Requirements. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a)
Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available and in any event within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year and the related consolidated statements of income, of stockholders’ equity and of cash flows for such fiscal year, in each case setting forth comparative figures for the preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and accompanied by the opinion with respect to such consolidated financial statements of independent public accountants of recognized national standing selected by the Borrower, which opinion shall be unqualified and shall (i) state that such accountants audited such consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, that such accountants believe that such audit provides a reasonable basis for their opinion, and that in their opinion such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Borrower and its consolidated subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year and the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for such fiscal year in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, or (ii) contain such statements as are customarily included in unqualified reports of independent accountants in conformity with the recommendations and requirements of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (or any successor organization).
(b)
Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available and in any event within 45 days after the close of each of the quarterly accounting periods in each fiscal year of the Borrower, the unaudited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of
such quarterly period and the related unaudited consolidated statements of income and of cash flows for such quarterly period and/or for the fiscal year to date, and setting forth, in the case of such unaudited consolidated statements of income and of cash flows, comparative figures for the related periods in the prior fiscal year, and which shall be certified on behalf of the Borrower by the Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower, subject to changes resulting from normal year-end audit adjustments.
(c)
Officer’s Compliance Certificates. At the time of the delivery of the financial statements provided for in subparts (a) and (b) above, a certificate (a “Compliance Certificate”), substantially in the form ofExhibit D, signed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower or any other Authorized Officer who is the chief accounting officer of the Borrower to the effect that (i) no Default or Event of Default exists or, if any Default or Event of Default does exist, specifying the nature and extent thereof and the actions the Borrower has taken or proposes to take with respect thereto, and (ii) the representations and warranties of the Borrower are true and correct in all material respects, except to the extent that any relate to an earlier specified date, in which case, such representations shall be true and correct in all material respects as of t he date made, which certificate shall set forth the calculations required to establish compliance with the provisions of Section 7.07.
(d)
Budgets and Forecasts. Not later than 30 days prior to the commencement of any fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, at the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, a consolidated budget in reasonable detail for each of the four fiscal quarters of such fiscal year, and (if and to the extent prepared by management of the Borrower) for any subsequent fiscal years, as customarily prepared by management for its internal use, setting forth, with appropriate discussion, the forecasted balance sheet, income statement, operating cash flows and capital expenditures of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the period covered thereby, and the principal assumptions upon which forecasts and budget are based.
(e)
Notices. Promptly, and in any event within three Business Days, after the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries obtains knowledge thereof, notice of:
(i)
the occurrence of any event that constitutes a Default or Event of Default, which notice shall specify the nature thereof, the period of existence thereof and what action the Borrower proposes to take with respect thereto;
(ii)
the commencement of, or any other material development concerning, any litigation or governmental or regulatory proceeding pending against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the occurrence of any other event, if the same would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; or
(iii)
any significant adverse change (in the Borrower’s reasonable judgment) in the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s relationship with, or any significant event or circumstance which is (in the Borrower’s reasonable judgment) likely to adversely affect the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s relationship with, (A) any customer (or related group of customers) representing more than 10% of the Borrower’s consolidated revenues during its most recent fiscal year, or (B) any supplier which is material to the operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries considered as an entirety.
(f)
ERISA. Promptly, and in any event within 10 Business Days after an Authorized Officer of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries obtains knowledge of the occurrence of any of the following, the Borrower will, if the applicable event or condition, together with all other such events or conditions, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, deliver to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders a certificate on behalf of the Borrower of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower
setting forth the details as to such occurrence and the action, if any, that the Borrower or such Subsidiary of the Borrower or such ERISA Affiliate is required or proposes to take, together with any notices required or proposed to be given by the Borrower or such Subsidiary of the Borrower or the ERISA Affiliate to or filed with the PBGC, a Plan participant or the Plan administrator with respect thereto: (i) that a Reportable Event has occurred with respect to any Plan; (ii) the institution of any steps by the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower, any ERISA Affiliate, the PBGC or any other Person to terminate any Plan or the occurrence of any event or condition described in Section 4042 of ERISA that constitutes grounds for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer a Plan; (iii) the institution of any steps by the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to wi thdraw from any Multiemployer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan, if such withdrawal could result in withdrawal liability (as described in Part 1 of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA or in Section 4063 of ERISA); (iv) a non-exempt “prohibited transaction” within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA in connection with any Plan; (v) that a Plan has Unfunded Benefit Liabilities; (vi) the cessation of operations at a facility of the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in the circumstances described in Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (vii) the conditions for imposition of a lien under Section 302(f) of ERISA shall have been met with respect to a Plan; (viii) the adoption of an amendment to a Plan requiring the provision of security to such Plan pursuant to Section 307 of ERISA; (ix) the insolvency of or commencement of reorganization proceedings with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; or (x) the taking of any action by the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor or the PBGC w ith respect to any of the foregoing.
(g)
SEC Reports and Registration Statements. Promptly after transmission thereof or other filing with the SEC, copies of all registration statements (other than the exhibits thereto and any registration statement on Form S-8 or its equivalent) and all annual, quarterly or current reports that the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries files with the SEC on Form 10-K, 10-Q or 8-K (or any successor forms).
(h)
Annual, Quarterly and Other Reports. Promptly after transmission thereof to its stockholders, copies of all annual, quarterly and other reports and all proxy statements that the Borrower furnishes to its stockholders generally.
(i)
Press Releases. Promptly after the release thereof to any news organization or news distribution organization, copies of any press releases and other similar statements intended to be made available generally by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the public concerning material developments relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
(j)
Other Notices. Promptly after the transmission or receipt thereof, as applicable, copies of all notices received or sent by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to or from the holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee with respect thereto.
(k)
Other Information. Within 10 days after a request therefor, such other information or documents (financial or otherwise) relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request from time to time.
Section 6.02
Books, Records and Inspections. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) keep proper books of record and account, in which full and correct entries shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, in accordance with GAAP; and (b) not more than twice during any fiscal year, permit officers and designated representatives of the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders to visit and inspect any of the properties or assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in whomsoever’s possession (but only to the extent the Borrower or such Subsidiary has the right to do so to the extent in the
possession of another Person), to examine the books of account of the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries, and make copies thereof and take extracts therefrom, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Borrower and of its Subsidiaries with, and be advised as to the same by, its and their officers and independent accountants and independent actuaries, if any, all at such reasonable times and to such reasonable extent as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may request;provided, however, that, if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, such visitations or inspections may be conducted any number of times during any fiscal year.
Section 6.03
Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) maintain insurance coverage by such insurers and in such forms and amounts and against such risks as are generally consistent with the insurance coverage maintained by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date, and (b) forthwith upon the Administrative Agent’s or any Lender’s written request, furnish to the Administrative Agent or such Lender such information about such insurance as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may from time to time reasonably request, which information shall be prepared in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or such Lender and certified by an Authorized Officer of the Borrower.
Section 6.04
Payment of Taxes and Claims. The Borrower will pay and discharge, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay and discharge, all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its income or profits, or upon any properties belonging to it, prior to the date on which penalties attach thereto, and all lawful claims that, if unpaid, might become a Lien or charge upon any properties of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to pay any such tax, assessment, charge, levy or claim that is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings if it has maintained adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay in full all o f its wage obligations to its employees in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. Sections 206-207) and any comparable provisions of applicable law.
Section 6.05
Corporate Franchises. The Borrower will do, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence, rights and authority;provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall be deemed to prohibit any transaction permitted by Section 7.02.
Section 6.06
Compliance with Statutes, etc. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all applicable statutes, regulations and orders of, and all applicable restrictions imposed by, all Governmental Authorities in respect of the conduct of its business and the ownership of its property, other than those the noncompliance with which would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 6.07
Compliance with Environmental Laws. Without limitation of the covenants contained in Section 6.06:
(a)
The Borrower will comply, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply, with all Environmental Laws applicable to the ownership, lease or use of all Real Property now or hereafter owned, leased or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and will promptly pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incurred in connection with such compliance,except to the extent that such compliance with Environmental Laws is being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established to the extent required by GAAP, and an adverse outcome in such proceedings is not reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b)
The Borrower will keep or cause to be kept, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to keep or cause to be kept, all such Real Property free and clear of any Liens imposed pursuant to such Environmental Laws other than Permitted Liens.
(c)
Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries will generate, use, treat, store, release or dispose of, or permit the generation, use, treatment, storage, release or disposal of, Hazardous Materials on any Real Property now or hereafter owned, leased or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or transport or permit the transportation of Hazardous Materials to or from any such Real Property other than in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws and in the ordinary course of business, except for such noncompliance as would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d)
If required to do so under any applicable order of any Governmental Authority, the Borrower will undertake, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to undertake, any clean up, removal, remedial or other action necessary to remove and clean up any Hazardous Materials from any Real Property owned, leased or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in accordance with, in all material respects, the requirements of all applicable Environmental Laws and in accordance with, in all material respects, such orders of all Governmental Authorities, except to the extent that the Borrower or such Subsidiary is contesting such order in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established to the extent required by GAAP.
Section 6.08
Most Favored Covenant Status. If the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries at any time after the Closing Date enters into or modifies any Material Indebtedness Agreement, such that such Material Indebtedness Agreementincludes affirmative or negative covenants (or any events of default or other type of restriction that would have the practical effect of any affirmative or negative business or financial covenant, including, without limitation, any “put” or mandatory prepayment of such Indebtedness upon the occurrence of a “change of control”) that are applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, other than those set forth herein or in any of the other Loan Documents, the Borrower shall promptly so notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and, if the Administrative Agent shall so request by written notice to the Borrower (after a determination h as been made by the Required Lenders that such Material Indebtedness Agreement contains any such provisions that either individually or in the aggregate are more favorable to the holders of such Indebtedness than any of the provisions set forth herein), the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall promptly amend this Agreement to incorporate some or all of such provisions, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders, into this Agreement and, to the extent necessary and reasonably desirable to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders, into any of the other Loan Documents, all at the election of the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders.
Section 6.09
Senior Debt. The Obligations shall, and the Borrower shall take all necessary action to ensure that the Obligations shall, at all times rank at leastpari passu in right of payment (to the fullest extent permitted by law) with all other senior Indebtedness of the Borrower and each Subsidiary of the Borrower.
Section 6.10
Post-Closing Covenant. On or before January 31, 2006, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders original certificates of good standing from each of the follow jurisdictions in which the Borrower is authorized or qualified to do business: (a) the State of Arizona; (b) the State of Alabama; (c) the State of New Jersey; (d) the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and (e) the Commonwealth of Virginia.
ARTICLE VII.
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
The Borrower hereby covenants and agrees on the Closing Date and thereafter for so long as this Agreement is in effect and until such time as the Commitments have been terminated, no Notes remain outstanding and the Loans, together with interest, Fees and all other Obligations incurred hereunder and under the other Loan Documents have been paid in full, as follows:
Section 7.01
Changes in Business. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries will engage in any business if, as a result, the general nature of the business, taken on a consolidated basis, which would then be engaged in by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, would be substantially changed from the general nature of the business engaged in by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date.
Section 7.02
Consolidation, Merger, Acquisitions, Asset Sales, etc. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, (i) wind up, liquidate or dissolve its affairs, (ii) enter into any transaction of merger or consolidation, (iii) make or otherwise effect any Acquisition, (iv) sell or otherwise dispose of any of its property or assets outside the ordinary course of business, or otherwise make or otherwise effect any Asset Sale, or (v) agree to do any of the foregoing at any future time,except that, if no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, each of the following shall be permitted:
(a)
the merger, consolidation or amalgamation of (i) any Subsidiary of the Borrower with or into the Borrower,provided the Borrower is the surviving or continuing or resulting corporation; or (ii) any Subsidiary of the Borrower with or into any wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower;
(b)
the voluntary liquidation of any Subsidiary of the Borrower into the Borrower or into a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower,provided that contemporaneously with such liquidation or immediately thereafter the Subsidiary so liquidated is wound up or dissolved;
(c)
any Asset Sale by (i) any Subsidiary of the Borrower to the Borrower; or (ii) any Subsidiary of the Borrower to any wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower;
(d)
the Borrower or any Subsidiary may make any Acquisition that is a Permitted Acquisition,provided that all of the conditions contained in the definition of the term Permitted Acquisition are satisfied;
(e)
any Asset Sale by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower of any or all of the assets of any of the Consumer Group Divisions; and
(f)
in addition to any Asset Sale permitted above, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may consummate any Asset Sale,providedthat (i) the consideration for each such Asset Sale represents fair value and, with respect to Asset Sales the consideration for which is in excess of $5,000,000, at least 90% of such consideration consists of cash; (ii) in the case of any Asset Sale involving consideration in excess of 5% of the Consolidated Net Worth of the Borrower as of the most recent Testing Period then ended, prior to the date of completion of such Asset Sale, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate executed by an Authorized Officer, which certificate shall contain (A) a description of the proposed transaction, the date such transaction is scheduled to be consummated, the estimated sale price or other consideration for such transaction, and ( B) a certification that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or would result from consummation of
such transaction; and (iii) the aggregate amount of all Asset Sales (determined at the greater of the fair value of the assets sold, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary, and the book value of the assets sold at the time of such Asset Sale) made pursuant to this subpart during any fiscal year of the Borrower shall not exceed 10% of the Consolidated Net Worth of the Borrower as of the most recent Testing Period then ended.
Section 7.03
Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon or with respect to any property or assets of any kind of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary whether now owned or hereafter acquired,except:
(a)
any Standard Permitted Lien;
(b)
Liens in existence on the Closing Date that are listed inSchedule 7.03 hereto;
(c)
Liens (i) that are placed upon fixed or capital assets, acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary,provided that (A) such Liens only secure Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.04(c), (B) such Liens and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 120 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (C) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 90% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets; and (D) such Liens shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; or (ii) arising out of the refinancing, extension, renewal or refunding of any Indebtedness secured by any such Liens,provided that the principal amount of such Indebtedness is not increased and such Indebtedness is not secured by any additional assets;
(d)
any Lien granted to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, securing any of the Obligations or any other Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under the Loan Documents or any Indebtedness under any Designated Hedge Agreement.
Section 7.04
Indebtedness. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, contract, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries,except:
(a)
Indebtedness incurred under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;
(b)
the Indebtedness set forth onSchedule 7.04 hereto, and any refinancing, extension, renewal or refunding of any such Indebtedness not involving an increase in the principal amount thereof;
(c)
(i) Indebtedness consisting of Capital Lease Obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (ii) Indebtedness secured by a Lien referred to in Section 7.03(c), and (iii) any refinancing, extension, renewal or refunding of any such Indebtedness not involving an increase in the principal amount thereof,provided the aggregate outstanding principal amount (using Capitalized Lease Obligations in lieu of principal amount, in the case of any Capital Lease) of Indebtedness permitted by this subpart (c), together with all Indebtedness outstanding under subpart (m) below, shall not exceed $15,000,000 at any time;
(d)
Indebtedness of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries not exceeding the aggregate amount of $20,000,000 at any time;
(e)
Indebtedness of one or more Subsidiaries of the Borrower owing to the Borrower not exceeding the aggregate amount of $50,000,000 at any time;
(f)
Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries under Hedge Agreements,provided such Hedge Agreements have been entered into in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;
(g)
Indebtedness constituting Guaranty Obligations permitted by Section 7.05;
(h)
Indebtedness outstanding on the Closing Date under the Note Purchase Agreements;
(i)
Money Market Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $20,000,000;
(j)
Indebtedness incurred in connection with the financing of industrial revenue bonds (“IRB”) or industrial development bonds (“IDB”), including any letters of credit issued in connection with such IRBs or IDBs;provided such Indebtedness does not exceed $15,000,000 in the aggregate at any time;
(k)
Indebtedness in respect of standby letters of credit (including Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement but excluding letters of credit issued in connection with IRBs or IDBs to the extent permitted under Section 7.04(j)) so long as the aggregate amount available for drawing thereunderplus unpaid reimbursement amounts with respect thereto does not exceed $20,000,000 at any time;
(l)
other Indebtedness of the Borrower to the extent not permitted by any of the foregoing subparts,provided that(i) all such Indebtedness constitutes Subordinated Indebtedness, (ii) no Default or Event of Default shall then exist or immediately after incurring any of such Indebtedness will exist, (iii) the documentation with respect to such Indebtedness shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and (iv) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.07 both immediately before and after givingpro forma effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness; and
(m)
additional Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the extent not permitted by any of the foregoing clauses,provided that the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all such Indebtedness, together with all Indebtedness outstanding under subpart (c) above, does not exceed $15,000,000 at any time.
Section 7.05
Investments and Guaranty Obligations. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, (i) make or commit to make any Investment or (ii) be or become obligated under any Guaranty Obligations,except:
(a)
Investments by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in cash and Cash Equivalents;
(b)
any endorsement of a check or other medium of payment for deposit or collection, or any similar transaction in the normal course of business;
(c)
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may acquire and hold receivables and similar items owing to them in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms;
(d)
any Permitted Creditor Investment;
(e)
loans and advances to employees for business-related travel expenses, moving expenses, costs of replacement homes, business machines or supplies, automobiles and other similar expenses, in
each case incurred in the ordinary course of business,provided the aggregate outstanding amount of all such loans and advances shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time;
(f)
to the extent not permitted by any of the other subparts in this Section, Investments existing as of the Closing Date and described onSchedule 7.05 hereto;
(g)
any Guaranty Obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in favor of the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer, the Lenders and the Designated Hedge Creditors pursuant to the Loan Documents;
(h)
Investments of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in Hedge Agreements permitted to be entered into pursuant to this Agreement;
(i)
Investments consisting of intercompany loans permitted by Section 7.04(e);
(j)
the Acquisitions permitted by Section 7.02;
(k)
any Guaranty Obligations of the Borrower of Indebtedness of a Foreign Subsidiary not in excess at any time of $250,000 in the aggregate for all such Guaranty Obligations; and
(l)
other Investments by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower in any other Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) made after the Closing Date and not permitted pursuant to the foregoing subparts,provided that (i) at the time of making any such Investment no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, or would result therefrom, and (ii) the maximum cumulative amount of all such Investments that are so made pursuant to this subpart and outstanding at any time shall not exceed an aggregate of $5,000,000, taking into account the repayment of any loans or advances comprising such Investments.
Section 7.06
Restricted Payments. 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:
(a)
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may declare and pay or make Capital Distributions that are payable solely in additional shares of its common stock (or warrants, options or other rights to acquire additional shares of its common stock);
(b)
any Subsidiary of the Borrower may declare and pay or make Capital Distributions to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, as applicable; and
(c)
the Borrower may declare and pay or make Cash Dividends,provided that (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, and (ii) the Borrower will be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.07 after givingpro forma effect to each such Cash Dividend.
Section 7.07
Financial Covenants.
(a)
Consolidated Net Worth. The Borrower will not permit its Consolidated Net Worth at any time to be less than the sum of (i) $163,725,000plus (ii) 50% of Consolidated Net Income (to the extent a positive number) for each fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Dateplus (iii) 100% of the net proceeds of any equity offering (or any debt offering to the extent converted into equity) by the Borrower.
(b)
Leverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit at any time the Leverage Ratio to be greater than 3.50 to 1.00.
(c)
Interest Coverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit at any time the Interest Coverage Ratio to be less than 3.50 to 1.00.
Section 7.08
Limitation on Certain Restrictive Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist or become effective, any “negative pledge” covenant or other agreement, restriction or arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets as security for Indebtedness, or (b) the ability of any such Subsidiary to make Capital Distributions or any other interest or participation in its profits owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower, or to make loans or advances to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s other Subsidiaries, or transfer any of its property or ass ets to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s other Subsidiaries,except for such restrictions existing under or by reason of (i) applicable law, (ii) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (iii) customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest, (iv) customary provisions restricting assignment of any licensing agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business, (v) customary provisions restricting the transfer or further encumbering of assets subject to Liens permitted under Section 7.03(c), (vi) customary restrictions affecting only a Subsidiary of the Borrower under any agreement or instrument governing any of the Indebtedness of a Subsidiary permitted pursuant to Section 7.04, (vii) any document relating to Indebtedness secured by a Lien permitted by Section 7.03, insofar as the provisions thereof limit grants of junior liens on the assets securing such Indebtedness, (viii) the Note Purchase Agreements, and (x) any Operating Leas e or Capital Lease, insofar as the provisions thereof limit grants of a security interest in, or other assignments of, the related leasehold interest to any other Person.
Section 7.09
Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any transaction or series of transactions with any Affiliate (other than, in the case of the Borrower, any Subsidiary, and in the case of a Subsidiary, the Borrower or another Subsidiary) other than in the ordinary course of business of and pursuant to the reasonable requirements of the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s business and upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than would be obtained in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate,except (i) sales of goods to an Affiliate for use or distribution outside the United States that in the good faith judgment of the Borrower comply with any applicable legal requirements of the Code, or (ii) agreements and transactions with and payments to officers, directors and shareholders that are either (A) entered into in the ordinary course of business and not prohibited by any of the provisions of this Agreement, or (B) entered into outside the ordinary course of business, approved by the directors or shareholders of the Borrower, and not prohibited by any of the provisions of this Agreement or in violation of any law, rule or regulation.
Section 7.10
Plan Terminations, Minimum Funding, etc. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary of the Borrower or ERISA Affiliate to, (i) terminate any Plan or Plans so as to result in liability of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to the PBGC in excess of, in the aggregate, the amount that is equal to 5% of the Borrower’s Consolidated Net Worth as of the date of the then most recent financial statements furnished to the Lenders pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) permit to exist one or more events or conditions that present a material risk of the termination by the PBGC of any Plan or Plans with respect to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or ERISA Affiliate would, in the event of such termination, incur liability to the PBGC in excess of such amount in the aggregate, (iii) fail to comply with the minimum funding standards of ERI SA and the Code
with respect to any Plan, or (iv) incur an obligation to contribute to, or become a contributing sponsor (as such term is defined in Section 4001 of ERISA) in, any Multi-Employer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan, other than those Multi-Employer Plans and Multiple Employer Plans set forth onSchedule 5.14.
Section 7.11
Anti-Terrorism Laws. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be in violation of any law or regulation, or identified in any list of any government agency (including, without limitation, the U.S. Office of Foreign Asset Control list, Executive Order No. 13224 or the USA Patriot Act), in each case, that prohibits or limits the conduct of business with or the receiving of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of certain Persons specified therein or that prohibits or limits any Lender or LC Issuer from making any advance or extension of credit to the Borrower or from otherwise conducting business with the Borrower.
Section 7.12
Amendment of Material Documents. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive any of its rights under (a) any agreement relating to any Subordinated Indebtedness, (b) its certificate of incorporation, bylaws, operating, management or partnership agreement or other organizational documents or (c) any Note Purchase Agreement or any other Material Indebtedness Agreement, in each case, to the extent any such amendment, modification or waiver would be adverse to the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
ARTICLE VIII.
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
Section 8.01
Events of Default. Any of the following specified events shall constitute an Event of Default (each an “Event of Default”):
(a)
Payments: the Borrower shall (i) default in the payment when due (whether at maturity, on a date fixed for a scheduled repayment, on a date on which a mandatory prepayment is to be made, upon acceleration or otherwise) of any principal of the Loans or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any Unpaid Drawing; or (ii) default, and such default shall continue for five or more Business Days, in the payment when due of any interest on the Loans, any Fees or any other Obligations; or
(b)
Representations, etc.: any representation, warranty or statement made by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries in this Agreement or any other Loan Document and/or any other statement or certificate delivered or required to be delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, shall prove to be untrue in any material respect on the date as of which made or deemed made; or
(c)
Certain Covenants: the Borrower shall default in the due performance or observance by it of any term, covenant or agreement contained in Sections 6.01, 6.02(b), 6.05, 6.10 or Article VII; or
(d)
Other Covenants: the Borrower shall default in the due performance or observance by it of any term, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than those referred to in Section 8.01(a) or (b) or (c) above) and such default is not remedied within 30 days after the earlier of (i) an Authorized Officer of the Borrower obtaining knowledge of such default or (ii) the Borrower receiving written notice of such default from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (any such notice to be identified as a “notice of default” and to refer specifically to this paragraph); or
(e)
Cross Default Under Other Agreements: the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall (i) default in any payment with respect to any Material Indebtedness (other than the Obligations), and such default shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument
relating to such Material Indebtedness, or (ii) default in the observance or performance of any agreement or condition relating to any such Material Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto (and all grace periods applicable to such observance, performance or condition shall have expired), or any other event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Material Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause any such Material Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity; or any such Material Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall be declared to be due and payable, or shall be required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment or redemption, prior to the stated maturity thereof); or (iii) without limitation of the foregoing clauses, default in any payment obligation under a Designated Hedge Agreement, and such default shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such Designated Hedge Agreement or any other agreement or instrument relating thereto; or
(f)
Invalidity of Loan Documents: any provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or under such Loan Document or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or the Borrower denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or
(g)
Judgments: (i) one or more judgments, orders or decrees shall be entered against the Borrower and/or any of its Subsidiaries involving a liability (other than a liability covered by insurance, as to which the carrier has adequate claims paying ability and has not effectively reserved its rights) of $25,000,000 or more in the aggregate for all such judgments, orders and decrees for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and any such judgments or orders or decrees shall not have been vacated, discharged or stayed or bonded pending appeal within 30 days (or such longer period, not in excess of 60 days, during which enforcement thereof, and the filing of any judgment lien, is effectively stayed or prohibited) from the entry thereof; or (ii) one or more judgments, orders or decrees shall be entered against the Borrower and/or any of its Subsidiaries involving a required divestiture of any mater ial properties, assets or business reasonably estimated to have a fair value in excess of $25,000,000, and any such judgments, orders or decrees shall not have been vacated, discharged or stayed or bonded pending appeal within 30 days (or such longer period, not in excess of 60 days, during which enforcement thereof, and the filing of any judgment lien, is effectively stayed or prohibited) from the entry thereof; or
(h)
Insolvency Event: any Insolvency Event shall occur with respect to the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower; or
(i)
ERISA: an event or condition specified in Section 6.01(f) shall occur or exist with respect to any Plan or Multiple Employer Plan and as a result of such event or condition, together with all other such events or conditions, the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate shall incur or in the reasonable opinion of the Required Lenders shall be reasonably likely to incur a liability to a Plan, a Multiple Employer Plan or PBGC (or any combination of the foregoing) that, in the determination of the Required Lenders, would (either individually or in the aggregate) have a Material Adverse Effect; or
(j)
Change of Control: if there occurs a Change of Control.
Section 8.02
Remedies. Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default, and at any time thereafter, if any Event of Default shall then be continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, upon the written request of the Required Lenders, by written notice to the Borrower, take any or all of the
following actions, without prejudice to the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to enforce its claims against the Borrower in any manner permitted under applicable law:
(a)
declare the Commitments terminated, whereupon the Commitment of each Lender shall forthwith terminate immediately without any other notice of any kind;
(b)
declare the principal of and any accrued interest in respect of all Loans, all Unpaid Drawings and all other Obligations (other than any Obligations under any Designated Hedge Agreement) owing hereunder and thereunder to be, whereupon the same shall become, forthwith due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower;
(c)
terminate any Letter of Credit that may be terminated in accordance with its terms; or
(d)
exercise any other right or remedy available under any of the Loan Documents or applicable law;
provided that, if an Event of Default specified in Section 8.01(h) shall occur, the result that would occur upon the giving of written notice by the Administrative Agent as specified in clauses (a) and/or (b) above shall occur automatically without the giving of any such notice.
Section 8.03
Application of Certain Payments and Proceeds. All payments and other amounts received by the Administrative Agent or any Lender through the exercise of remedies hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall, unless otherwise required by the terms of the other Loan Documents or by applicable law, be applied as follows:
(i)
first, to the payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and expenses and other amounts (including attorneys’ fees and amounts due under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
(ii)
second, to the payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and expenses (including attorneys’ fees and amounts due under Article III) payable to each Lender or each LC Issuer, ratably among them in proportion to the aggregate of all such amounts;
(iii)
third, to the payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and Unpaid Drawings with respect to Letters of Credit, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the aggregate of all such amounts;
(iv)
fourth,pro rata to the payment of (A) that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and Unpaid Drawings, ratably among the Lenders and each LC Issuer in proportion to the aggregate of all such amounts, and (B) the amounts due to Designated Hedge Creditors under Designated Hedge Agreements subject to confirmation by the Administrative Agent that any calculations of termination or other payment obligations are being made in accordance with normal industry practice;
(v)
fifth, to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of each LC Issuer to cash collateralize the Stated Amount of outstanding Letters of Credit;
(vi)
sixth, to the payment of all other Obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owing under or in respect of the Loan Documents that are then due and payable to the
Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer, the Swing Line Lender, the Lenders and the Designated Hedge Creditors, ratably based upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Obligations owing to them on such date; and
(vii)
finally, any remaining surplus after all of the Obligations have been paid in full, to the Borrower or to whomsoever shall be lawfully entitled thereto.
ARTICLE IX.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Section 9.01
Appointment. Each Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints KeyBank National Association to act as specified herein and in the other Loan Documents, and each such Lender hereby irrevocably authorizes KeyBank National Association as the Administrative Agent for such Lender, to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The Administrative Agent agrees to act as such upon the express conditions contained in this Article. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those e xpressly set forth herein or in the other Loan Documents, nor any fiduciary relationship with any Lender or LC Issuer, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have any rights as a third-party beneficiary of any of the provisions hereof. In performing its functions and duties under this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall act solely as agent of the Lenders and does not assume and shall not be deemed to have assumed any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with or for the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
Section 9.02
Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement or any other Loan Document by or through agents, sub-agents or attorneys-in-fact, and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents, sub-agents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it with reasonable care except to the extent otherwise required by Section 9.03.
Section 9.03
Exculpatory Provisions. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be (a) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by it or such Person under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except for its or such Related Parties’ own gross negligence or willful misconduct) or (b) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers contained in this Agreement, any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for any failure of the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of their respective offic ers to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. The Administrative Agent shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible to any Lender for the effectiveness, genuineness, validity, enforceability, collectibility or sufficiency of this Agreement or any Loan Document or for any representations,
warranties, recitals or statements made herein or therein or made in any written or oral statement or in any financial or other statements, instruments, reports, certificates or any other documents in connection herewith or therewith furnished or made by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders or by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or be required to ascertain or inquire as to the performance or observance of any of the terms, conditions, provisions, covenants or agreements contained herein or therein or as to the use of the proceeds of the Loans or of the existence or possible existence of any Default or Event of Default.
Section 9.04
Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any note, writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, cablegram, telegram, e-mail or other electronic transmission, facsimile transmission, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other document or conversation believed by it, in good faith, to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including, without limitation, counsel to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement or any other Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders as it deems appropriate or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in accordance with a request of the Required Lenders or all of the Lenders, as applicable, as to any matter that, pursuant to Section 11.12, can only be effectuated with the consent of all Required Lenders, or all applicable Lenders, as the case may be), and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders.
Section 9.05
Notice of Default. The Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder unless the Administrative Agent has received notice from a Lender or the Borrower referring to this Agreement, describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default.” If the Administrative Agent receives such a notice, the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice thereof to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Required Lenders;provided, however, that unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders.
Section 9.06
Non-Reliance. Each Lender expressly acknowledges that neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties has made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by the Administrative Agent hereinafter taken, including, without limitation, any review of the affairs of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the Administrative Agent to any Lender. Each Lender represents to the Administrative Agent 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 appraisal of and investigation into the business, assets, operations, property, financial and other conditions, prospects and creditworthiness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and made its own decision to make its Loans hereunder and enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement, and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, assets, operations, property, financial and other
conditions, prospects and creditworthiness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, operations, assets, property, financial and other conditions, prospects or creditworthiness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties.
Section 9.07
No Reliance on Administrative Agent’s Customer Identification Program. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that neither such Lender, nor any of its Affiliates, participants or assignees, may rely on the Administrative Agent to carry out such Lender’s, Affiliate’s, participant’s or assignee’s customer identification program, or other obligations required or imposed under or pursuant to the USA Patriot Act or the regulations thereunder, including the regulations contained in 31 CFR 103.121 (as hereafter amended or replaced, the “CIP Regulations”), or any other Anti-Terrorism Law, including any programs involving any of the following items relating to or in connection with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, any of their respective Affiliates or agents, the Loan Documents or the transactions hereunder: (a) any identity verifi cation procedures, (b) any record keeping, (c) any comparisons with government lists, (d) any customer notices or (e) any other procedures required under the CIP Regulations or such other laws.
Section 9.08
USA Patriot Act. Each Lender or assignee or participant of a Lender that is not organized under the laws of the United States of America or a state thereof (and is not excepted from the certification requirement contained in Section 313 of the USA Patriot Act and the applicable regulations because it is both (a) an affiliate of a depository institution or foreign bank that maintains a physical presence in the United States or foreign country, and (b) subject to supervision by a banking authority regulating such affiliated depository institution or foreign bank) shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the certification, or, if applicable, recertification, certifying that such Lender is not a “shell” and certifying to other matters as required by Section 313 of the USA Patriot Act and the applicable regulations: (i) within 10 days after the Clo sing Date, and (ii) at such other times as are required under the USA Patriot Act.
Section 9.09
Indemnification. The Lenders agree to indemnify the Administrative Agent and its Related Parties, ratably according to theirpro rata share of the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure (excluding Swing Loans), from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, reasonable expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (including, without limitation, at any time following the payment of the Obligations) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent or such Related Parties in any way relating to or arising out of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or the transactions contemplated hereby or any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Administrative Agent or such Related Parties under or in connection with a ny of the foregoing, but only to the extent that any of the foregoing is not paid by the Borrower;provided, however, that no Lender shall be liable to the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements to the extent resulting solely from the Administrative Agent’s or such Related Parties’ gross negligence or willful misconduct. If any indemnity furnished to the Administrative Agent or any such Related Parties for any purpose shall, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, be insufficient or become impaired, the Administrative Agent may call for additional indemnity and cease, or not commence, to do the acts indemnified against until such additional indemnity is furnished. The agreements in this Section shall survive the payment of all Obligations.
Section 9.10
The Administrative Agent in Individual Capacity. The Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their Affiliates as though not acting as the Administrative Agent
hereunder. With respect to the Loans made by it and all Obligations owing to it, the Administrative Agent shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” shall include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity.
Section 9.11
Successor Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may resign at any time upon not less than 30 days notice to the Lenders, each LC Issuer and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may on behalf of the Lenders and each LC Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent;provided, however, that if the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no such successor is willing to accept such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or any LC Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (ii) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and LC Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this paragraph. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrati ve Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this paragraph). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.02 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 the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
Section 9.12
Other Administrative Agents. Any Lender identified herein as a Co-Administrative Agent, Syndication Agent, Documentation Agent, Managing Agent, Manager, Lead Arranger, Arranger or any other corresponding title, other than “Administrative Agent,” shall have no right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement or any other Loan Document except those applicable to all Lenders as such. Each Lender acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on any Lender so identified in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking any action hereunder.
ARTICLE X.
GUARANTY
Section 10.01
Guaranty by the Borrower. The Borrower hereby unconditionally guarantees, for the benefit of the Benefited Creditors, all of the following (collectively, the “Borrower Guaranteed Obligations”): (a) all reimbursement obligations and Unpaid Drawings with respect to Letters of Credit issued for the benefit of any LC Obligor (other than the Borrower) under this Agreement, and (b) all amounts, indemnities and reimbursement obligations, direct or indirect, contingent
or absolute, of every type or description, and at any time existing owing by any Subsidiary of the Borrower under any Designated Hedge Agreement or any other document or agreement executed and delivered in connection therewith to any Designated Hedge Creditor, in all cases under subparts (a) or (b) above, whether now existing, or hereafter incurred or arising, including any such interest or other amounts incurred or arising during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership or similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding or subject to an automatic stay under Section 362(a) of the Bankruptcy Code). Upon failure of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to pay punctually any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations, the Borrower shall forthwith on demand by the Administrative Agent pay the amount not so paid at the place and in the currency and oth erwise in the manner specified in this Agreement or any other applicable agreement or instrument.
Section 10.02
Additional Undertaking. As a separate, additional and continuing obligation, the Borrower unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes and agrees, for the benefit of the Benefited Creditors that, should any Borrower Guaranteed Obligations not be recoverable from the Borrower under Section 10.01 for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation, by reason of any provision of any Loan Document or any other agreement or instrument executed in connection therewith being or becoming void, unenforceable, or otherwise invalid under any applicable law) then, notwithstanding any notice or knowledge thereof by any Lender, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Affiliates, or any other person, at any time, the Borrower as sole, original and independent obligor, upon demand by the Administrative Agent, will make payment to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Benefited Creditors, of all such obligations not so recoverable by way of full indemnity, in such currency and otherwise in such manner as is provided in the Loan Documents or any other applicable agreement or instrument.
Section 10.03
Guaranty Unconditional. The obligations of the Borrower under this Article shall be unconditional and absolute and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing shall not be released, discharged or otherwise affected by the occurrence, one or more times, of any of the following:
(a)
any extension, renewal, settlement, compromise, waiver or release in respect to the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations under any agreement or instrument, by operation of law or otherwise;
(b)
any modification or amendment of or supplement to this Agreement, any Note, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument evidencing or relating to any Borrower Guaranteed Obligation;
(c)
any release, non-perfection or invalidity of any direct or indirect security for the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations under any agreement or instrument evidencing or relating to any Borrower Guaranteed Obligations;
(d)
any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective assets or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries contained in any agreement or instrument evidencing or relating to any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations;
(e)
the existence of any claim, set-off or other rights which the Borrower may have at any time against any of its Subsidiaries, the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Affiliate of any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection herewith or any unrelated transactions;
(f)
any invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against any other Person for any reason of any agreement or instrument evidencing or relating to any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations, or
any provision of applicable law or regulation purporting to prohibit the payment by any Person of any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations; or
(g)
any other act or omission of any kind by any other Person, the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other Person or any other circumstance whatsoever which might, but for the provisions of this Article, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of the Borrower’s obligations under this Section other than the irrevocable payment in full of all Borrower Guaranteed Obligations.
Section 10.04
Borrower Obligations to Remain in Effect; Restoration. The Borrower’s obligations under this Article shall remain in full force and effect until the Commitments shall have terminated, and the principal of and interest on the Notes and other Borrower Guaranteed Obligations, and all other amounts payable by the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any other Person, under the Loan Documents or any other agreement or instrument evidencing or relating to any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations, shall have been indefeasibly paid in full. If at any time any payment of any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of such Person, the Borrower’s obligations under this Article with respect to such payment shall be reinstated at such time as though such payment had been due but not made at such time.
Section 10.05
Waiver of Acceptance, etc. The Borrower irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest and any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any person against any other Person, or against any collateral or guaranty of any other Person.
Section 10.06
Subrogation. Until the indefeasible payment in full of all of the Obligations and the termination of the Commitments hereunder, the Borrower shall have no rights, by operation of law or otherwise, upon making any payment under this Section to be subrogated to the rights of the payee against any other Person with respect to such payment or otherwise to be reimbursed, indemnified or exonerated by any such Person in respect thereof.
Section 10.07
Effect of Stay. In the event that acceleration of the time for payment of any amount payable by any Person under any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations is stayed upon insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of such Person, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of any applicable agreement or instrument evidencing or relating to any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations shall nonetheless be payable by the Borrower under this Article forthwith on demand by the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE XI.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 11.01
Payment of Expenses, etc. The Borrower agrees to pay (or reimburse the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or their Affiliates, as the case may be, for) all of the following: (i) whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent in connection with the negotiation, preparation, syndication, administration and execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the documents and instruments referred to therein and the syndication of the Commitments; (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with any amendment, waiver or consent relating to any of the Loan Documents that are requested by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) all out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and their A ffiliates in connection with the enforcement of any of the Loan Documents or the other documents and
instruments referred to therein, including, without limitation, the fees and disbursements of any individual counsel to the Administrative Agent and any Lender (including, without limitation, allocated costs of internal counsel); (iv) any and all present and future stamp and other similar taxes with respect to the foregoing matters and save the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders harmless from and against any and all liabilities with respect to or resulting from any delay or omission (other than to the extent attributable to any such indemnified Person) to pay such taxes.
Section 11.02
Indemnification. The Borrower agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender, and their respective Related Parties (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and hold each of them harmless against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses incurred by any of them as a result of, or arising out of, or in any way related to, or by reason of (i) any investigation, litigation or other proceeding (whether or not any Lender is a party thereto) related to the entering into and/or performance of any Loan Document or the use of the proceeds of any Loans hereunder or the consummation of any transactions contemplated in any Loan Document, other than any such investigation, litigation or proceeding arising out of transactions solely between any of the Lenders or the Administrative Agent, transactions solely involving the assignment by a Lender of all or a portion of its Loans and Commitments, or the granting of participations therein, as provided in this Agreement, or arising solely out of any examination of a Lender by any regulatory or other Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over it, or (ii) the actual or alleged presence of Hazardous Materials in the air, surface water or groundwater or on the surface or subsurface of any Real Property owned, leased or at any time operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, the release, generation, storage, transportation, handling or disposal of Hazardous Materials at any location, whether or not owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, if the Borrower or any such Subsidiary could have or is alleged to have any responsibility in respect thereof, the non-compliance of any such Real Property with foreign, federal, state and local laws, regulations and ordinances (including applicable permits thereunder) applicable thereto, or any Environmental Claim asserted against the Borrower or an y of its Subsidiaries, in respect of any such Real Property, including, in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, without limitation, the documented fees and disbursements of counsel incurred in connection with any such investigation, litigation or other proceeding (but excluding any such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses to the extent incurred by reason of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Person to be indemnified or of any other Indemnitee who is such Person or an Affiliate of such Person). To the extent that the undertaking to indemnify, pay or hold harmless any Person set forth in the preceding sentence may be unenforceable because it is violative of any law or public policy, the Borrower shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the indemnified liabilities that is permissible under applicable law.
Section 11.03
Right of Setoff. In addition to any rights now or hereafter granted under applicable law or otherwise, and not by way of limitation of any such rights, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Lender and each LC Issuer is hereby authorized at any time or from time to time, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind to the Borrower or to any other Person, any such notice being hereby expressly waived, to set off and to appropriate and apply any and all deposits (general or special) and any other Indebtedness at any time held or owing by such Lender or such LC Issuer (including, without limitation, by branches, agencies and Affiliates of such Lender or LC Issuer wherever located) to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against and on account of the Obligations and liabilities of the Borrower to such Lender or LC Issuer under this Agreement or under any of the other Loan Documents, including, without limitation, all claims of any nature or description arising out of or connected with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or LC Issuer shall have made any demand hereunder and although said Obligations, liabilities or claims, or any of them, shall be contingent or unmatured. Each Lender and LC Issuer agrees to promptly notify the Borrower after any such set off and
application,provided,however, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set off and application.
Section 11.04
Equalization.
(a)
Equalization. If at any time any Lender receives any amount hereunder (whether by voluntary payment, by realization upon security, by the exercise of the right of setoff or banker’s lien, by counterclaim or cross action, by the enforcement of any right under the Loan Documents, or otherwise) that is applied to the payment of the principal of, or interest on, the Loans (other than Swing Loans), LC Participations, Swing Loan Participations or Fees (other than Fees that are intended to be paid solely to the Administrative Agent or an LC Issuer and amounts payable to a Lender under Article III), of a sum that with respect to the related sum or sums received by other Lenders is in a greater proportion than the total of such Obligation then owed and due to such Lender bears to the total of such Obligation then owed and due to all of the Lenders immediately prior to such receipt,then s uch Lender receiving such excess payment shall purchase for cash without recourse or warranty from the other Lenders an interest in the Obligations to such Lenders in such amount as shall result in a proportional participation by all of the Lenders in such amount.
(b)
Recovery of Amounts. If any amount paid to any Lender pursuant to subparts (i) or (ii) above is recovered in whole or in part from such Lender, such original purchase shall be rescinded, and the purchase price restored ratably to the extent of the recovery.
(c)
Consent of Borrower. 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.
Section 11.05
Notices.
(a)
Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subpart (c) 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 telecopier as follows:
(i)
if to the Borrower, to it at 6 Manor Parkway, Salem New Hampshire, 03079, Attention: Christian Storch, Chief Financial Officer (Telecopier No. (603) 893-7324);
(ii)
if to the Administrative Agent, to it at the Notice Office; and
(iii)
if to a Lender, to it at its address (or telecopier number) set forth next to its name on the signature pages hereto or, in the case of any Lender that becomes a party to this Agreement by way of assignment under Section 11.06, to it at the address set forth in the Assignment Agreement to which it is a party;
(b)
Receipt of Notices. Notices and communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent and receipt has been confirmed by telephone. Notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subpart (c) below shall be effective as provided in said subpart (c).
(c)
Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Administrative Agent, an LC Issuer or any Lender hereunder and required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 6.01 (a), (b), (c), (d), (g) (h), (i) or (j) may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet web sites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and the Borrower may, in their discretion, agree in a separate writing to accept notices and other communications to them hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it,provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender ’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement),provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet web site shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the web site address therefor.
(d)
Change of Address, Etc. Any party hereto may change its address or telecopier number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to each of the other parties hereto in accordance with Section 11.05(a).
Section 11.06
Successors and Assigns.
(a)
Successors and Assigns Generally. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns;provided, however, that the Borrower may not assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all the Lenders,provided,further, that any assignment or participation by a Lender of any of its rights and obligations hereunder shall be effected in accordance with this Section 11.06.
(b)
Participations. Each Lender may at any time grant participations in any of its rights hereunder or under any of the Notes to an Eligible Assignee,provided that in the case of any such participation,
(i)
the participant shall not have any rights under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, including rights of consent, approval or waiver (the participant’s rights against such Lender in respect of such participation to be those set forth in the agreement executed by such Lender in favor of the participant relating thereto),
(ii)
such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, its Commitments hereunder) shall remain unchanged,
(iii)
such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations,
(iv)
such Lender shall remain the holder of the Obligations owing to it and of any Note issued to it for all purposes of this Agreement, and
(v)
the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with the selling Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and
obligations under this Agreement, and all amounts payable by the Borrower hereunder shall be determined as if such Lender had not sold such participation, except that the participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Article III to the extent that such Lender would be entitled to such benefits if the participation had not been entered into or sold,
and,provided further, that no Lender shall transfer, grant or sell any participation under which the participant shall have rights to approve any amendment to or waiver of this Agreement or any other Loan Document except to the extent such amendment or waiver would (x) extend the final scheduled maturity of the date of any of the Loans in which such participant is participating, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest or Fees thereon (except in connection with a waiver of the applicability of any post-default increase in interest rates), or reduce the principal amount thereof, or increase such participant’s participating interest in any Commitment over the amount thereof then in effect (it being understood that a waiver of any Default or Event of Default shall not constitute a change in the terms of any such Commitment), (y) release all or any substantial portion of any collateral s ecuring the Obligations, or release any guarantor from its guaranty of any of the Obligations, except strictly in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, or (z) consent to the assignment or transfer by the Borrower of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement.
(c)
Assignments by Lenders.
(i)
Any Lender may assign all, or if less than all, a fixed portion, of its Loans, LC Participations, Swing Loan Participations and/or Commitments and its rights and obligations hereunder to one or more Eligible Assignees, each of which shall become a party to this Agreement as a Lender by execution of an Assignment Agreement;provided, however, that
(A)
except in the case of (x) an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Loans and/or Commitments or (y) an assignment to another Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender, the aggregate amount of the Commitment so assigned (which for this purpose includes the Loans outstanding thereunder) shall not be less than $5,000,000;
(B)
in the case of any assignment to an Eligible Assignee at the time of any such assignment the Lender Register shall be deemed modified to reflect the Commitments of such new Lender and of the existing Lenders;
(C)
upon surrender of the old Notes, if any, upon request of the new Lender, new Notes will be issued, at the Borrower’s expense, to such new Lender and to the assigning Lender, to the extent needed to reflect the revised Commitments; and
(D)
unless waived by the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall receive at the time of each such assignment, from the assigning or assignee Lender, the payment of a non-refundable assignment fee of $3,500.
(ii)
To the extent of any assignment pursuant to this subpart (c), the assigning Lender shall be relieved of its obligations hereunder with respect to its assigned Commitments.
(iii)
At the time of each assignment pursuant to this subpart (c), to a Person that is not already a Lender hereunder and that is not a United States Person (as such term is defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) for Federal income tax purposes, the respective assignee Lender shall provide to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent the applicable Internal Revenue Service Forms (and any necessary additional documentation) described in Section 3.03(b).
(iv)
With respect to any Lender, the transfer of any Commitment of such Lender and the rights to the principal of, and interest on, any Loan made pursuant to such Commitment shall not be effective until such transfer is recorded on the Lender Register maintained by the Administrative Agent with respect to ownership of such Commitment and Loans and prior to such recordation all amounts owing to the transferor with respect to such Commitment and Loans shall remain owing to the transferor. The registration of assignment or transfer of all or part of any Commitments and Loans shall be recorded by the Administrative Agent on the Lender Register only upon the acceptance by the Administrative Agent of a properly executed and delivered Assignment Agreement pursuant to this subpart (c).
(v)
Nothing in this Section shall prevent or prohibit (A) any Lender that is a bank, trust company or other financial institution from pledging its Notes or Loans to a Federal Reserve Bank in support of borrowings made by such Lender from such Federal Reserve Bank, or (B) any Lender that is a trust, limited liability company, partnership or other investment company from pledging its Notes or Loans to a trustee or agent for the benefit of holders of certificates or debt securities issued by it. No such pledge, or any assignment pursuant to or in lieu of an enforcement of such a pledge, shall relieve the transferor Lender from its obligations hereunder.
(d)
No SEC Registration or Blue Sky Compliance. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, no transfer or assignment of the interests or obligations of any Lender hereunder or any grant of participation therein shall be permitted if such transfer, assignment or grant would require the Borrower to file a registration statement with the SEC or to qualify the Loans under the “Blue Sky” laws of any State.
(e)
Representations of Lenders. Each Lender initially party to this Agreement hereby represents, and each Person that becomes a Lender pursuant to an assignment permitted by this Section will, upon its becoming party to this Agreement, represents that it is a commercial lender, other financial institution or other “accredited” investor (as defined in SEC Regulation D) that makes or acquires loans in the ordinary course of its business and that it will make or acquire Loans for its own account in the ordinary course of such business;provided, however, that subject to the preceding Sections 11.06(b) and (c), the disposition of any promissory notes or other evidences of or interests in Indebtedness held by such Lender shall at all times be within its exclusive control.
Section 11.07
No Waiver; Remedies Cumulative. No failure or delay on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document and no course of dealing between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege hereunder or thereunder. No notice to or demand on the Borrower in any case shall entitle the Borrower to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances or constitute a waiver of the rights of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to any other or further action in any circumstances without notice or demand. Without limit ing the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or any LC Issuance shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default or Event of Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any LC Issuer may have had notice or knowledge of such Default or Event of Default at the time. The rights and remedies herein expressly provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies that the Administrative Agent or any Lender would otherwise have.
Section 11.08
Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial.
(a)
THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER AND THEREUNDER SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND BE GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES (OTHER THAN SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW). TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE BORROWER HEREBY UNCONDITIONALLY AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY CLAIM TO ASSERT THAT THE LAW OF ANY JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE STATE OF NEW YORK GOVERNS THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS. Any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or any other Loan Document may be brought in the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County or in the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and, by execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Borrower hereby irre vocably accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts. The Borrower hereby further irrevocably consents to the service of process out of any of the aforementioned courts in any such action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to the Borrower at its address for notices pursuant to Section 11.05, such service to become effective 30 days after such mailing or at such earlier time as may be provided under applicable law. Nothing herein shall affect the right of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to serve process in any other manner permitted by law or to commence legal proceedings or otherwise proceed against the Borrower in any other jurisdiction.
(b)
The Borrower hereby irrevocably waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any of the aforesaid actions or proceedings arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document brought in the courts referred to in Section 11.08(a) above and hereby further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
(c)
EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY AMENDMENTS, WAIVERS OR OTHER MODIFICATIONS RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING), OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY (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 BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS PARAGRAPH.
Section 11.09
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the different parties hereto on separate counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall together constitute one and the same agreement. A set of counterparts executed by all the parties hereto shall be lodged with the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
Section 11.10
Integration. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent, for its own account and benefit and/or for the account, benefit of, and distribution to, the Lenders, constitute the entire contract
among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof or thereof.
Section 11.11
Headings Descriptive. The headings of the several Sections and other portions of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or construction of any provision of this Agreement.
Section 11.12
Amendment or Waiver.
(a)
Neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document, nor any terms hereof or thereof may be amended, changed, waived or otherwise modifiedunless such amendment, change, waiver or other modification is in writing and signed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and the Required Lenders or by the Administrative Agent acting at the written direction of the Required Lenders;provided, however, that
(i)
no change, waiver or other modification shall:
(A)
increase the amount of any Commitment of any Lender hereunder (other than as provided in Section 2.02(b)), without the written consent of such Lender or increase the Total Revolving Commitment without the consent of all the Lenders;
(B)
extend or postpone the Revolving Facility Termination Date or the maturity date provided for herein that is applicable to any Loan of any Lender, extend or postpone the expiration date of any Letter of Credit as to which such Lender is an LC Participant beyond the latest expiration date for a Letter of Credit provided for herein, or extend or postpone any scheduled expiration or termination date provided for herein that is applicable to a Commitment of any Lender, without the written consent of such Lender;
(C)
reduce the principal amount of any Loan made by any Lender, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of, or excuse the payment of, interest thereon (other than as a result of (x) waiving the applicability of any post-default increase in interest rates or (y) any amendment or modification of defined terms used in financial covenants), without the written consent of such Lender;
(D)
reduce the amount of any Unpaid Drawing as to which any Lender is an LC Participant, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of, or excuse the payment of, interest thereon (other than as a result of waiving the applicability of any post-default increase in interest rates), without the written consent of such Lender; or
(E)
reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of, or excuse the payment of, any Fees to which any Lender is entitled hereunder, without the written consent of such Lender; and
(ii)
no change, waiver or other modification or termination shall, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby,
(A)
release the Borrower from any of its obligations hereunder;
(B)
release the Borrower from its guaranty obligations under Article X,
(C)
release all or any substantial portion of the collateral (if any) securing the Obligations,except in connection with a transaction permitted under this Agreement;
(D)
release any guarantor from any guaranty (if any) entered into in respect of the Obligations;
(E)
amend, modify or waive any provision of this Section 11.12, Section 8.03, or any other provision of any of the Loan Documents pursuant to which the consent or approval of all Lenders, or a number or specified percentage or other required grouping of Lenders or Lenders having Commitments, is by the terms of such provision explicitly required;
(F)
reduce the percentage specified in, or otherwise modify, the definition of Required Lenders; or
(G)
consent to the assignment or transfer by the Borrower of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement.
Any waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement given or made in accordance with this Section shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which it was given or made.
(b)
No provision of Section 2.04 or any other provision in this Agreement specifically relating to Letters of Credit may be amended without the consent of any LC Issuer adversely affected thereby.
(c)
No provision of Article IX may be amended without the consent of the Administrative Agent and no provision of Section 2.03 may be amended without the consent of the Swing Line Lender.
Section 11.13
Survival of Indemnities. All indemnities set forth herein including, without limitation, in Article III (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9.09 or Section 11.02 shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making and repayment of the Obligations.
Section 11.14
Domicile of Loans. Each Lender may transfer and carry its Loans at, to or for the account of any branch office, subsidiary or affiliate of such Lender;provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be responsible for costs arising under Section 3.01 resulting from any such transfer (other than a transfer pursuant to Section 3.05) to the extent not otherwise applicable to such Lender prior to such transfer.
Section 11.15
Confidentiality.
(a)
Each of the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Confidential Information,except that Confidential Information may be disclosed (1) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors and consultants (it being understood that the persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Confidential Information and instructed to keep such Confidential Information confidential), (2) to any direct or indirect contractual counterparty in any Hedge Agreement (or to any such contractual counterparty’s professional advisor), so long as such contractual counterparty (or such professional advisor) agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Section, (3) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (4) t o the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (5) to any other party to this Agreement, (6) in connection with the administration and management of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (7) to any
other creditor of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is a direct or intended beneficiary of any of the Loan Documents, (8) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents, or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (9) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to any assignee of or participant in any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, (10) in connection with any Lender’s general portfolio information to the extent such disclosure does not specifically identify Borrower, (11) to ratings agencies, insurance industry associations and portfolio management services, (12) as provided in Section 11.25, (13) with the consent of the Borrower, or (14) to the extent such Confidential Infor mation (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section, or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any LC Issuer or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrower and not otherwise in violation of this Section;provided, that, in no event shall a Lender share any Confidential Information with any of its employees or Affiliates if to do so would violate such Lender’s internal policies, ethical walls or other information barriers regarding the separation of its commercial lending and investment banking functions.
(b)
As used in this Section, “Confidential Information” shall mean 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, any LC Issuer or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower;provided, however, that, in the case of information received from the Borrower after the Closing Date, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential.
(c)
Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Confidential 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 Confidential Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information. The Borrower hereby agrees that the failure of the Administrative Agent, any LC Issuer or any Lender to comply with the provisions of this Section shall not relieve the Borrower, or any of its Subsidiaries, of any of its obligations under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents.
Section 11.16
Limitations on Liability of the LC Issuers. The Borrower assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee of any Letter of Credit with respect to its use of such Letters of Credit. Neither any LC Issuer nor any of its officers or directors shall be liable or responsible for: (a) the use that may be made of any Letter of Credit or any acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee in connection therewith; (b) the validity, sufficiency or genuineness of documents, or of any endorsement thereon, even if such documents should prove to be in any or all respects invalid, insufficient, fraudulent or forged; (c) payment by an LC Issuer against presentation of documents that do not comply with the terms of a Letter of Credit, including failure of any documents to bear any reference or adequate reference to such Letter of Credit; or (d) any other circum stances whatsoever in making or failing to make payment under any Letter of Credit,except that the LC Obligor shall have a claim against an LC Issuer, and an LC Issuer shall be liable to such LC Obligor, to the extent of any direct, but not consequential, damages suffered by such LC Obligor that such LC Obligor proves were caused by (i) such LC Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence in determining whether documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or (ii) such LC Issuer’s willful failure to make lawful payment under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it of documentation strictly complying with the terms and conditions of such Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, an LC Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation.
Section 11.17
General Limitation of Liability. No claim may be made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, any Lender, the Administrative Agent, any LC Issuer or any other Person against the Administrative Agent, any LC Issuer, or any other Lender or the Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, attorneys or agents of any of them for any damages other than actual compensatory damages in respect of any claim for breach of contract or any other theory of liability arising out of or related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, or any act, omission or event occurring in connection therewith; and the Borrower, each Lender, the Administrative Agent and each LC Issuer hereby, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, waive, release and agree not to sue or counterclaim upon any such claim for any special, consequential or punitive damages, whether or not accrued and whether or not known or suspected to exist in their favor.
Section 11.18
No Duty. All attorneys, accountants, appraisers, consultants and other professional persons (including the firms or other entities on behalf of which any such Person may act) retained by the Administrative Agent or any Lender with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents shall have the right to act exclusively in the interest of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, and shall have no duty of disclosure, duty of loyalty, duty of care, or other duty or obligation of any type or nature whatsoever to the Borrower, to any of its Subsidiaries, or to any other Person, with respect to any matters within the scope of such representation or related to their activities in connection with such representation. The Borrower agrees, on behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries, not to assert any claim or counterclaim against any such persons with regard to such matters, all such claims and counterclaims, now existing or hereafter arising, whether known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseeable, being hereby waived, released and forever discharged.
Section 11.19
Lenders and Administrative Agent Not Fiduciary to Borrower, etc. The relationship among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Lenders, on the other hand, is solely that of debtor and creditor, and the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Lenders have no fiduciary or other special relationship with the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and no term or provision of any Loan Document, no course of dealing, no written or oral communication, or other action, shall be construed so as to deem such relationship to be other than that of debtor and creditor.
Section 11.20
Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties herein shall survive the making of Loans and all LC Issuances hereunder, the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Notes and the other documents the forms of which are attached as Exhibits hereto, the issue and delivery of the Notes, any disposition thereof by any holder thereof, and any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any other holder of any of the Notes or on its behalf. All statements contained in any certificate or other document delivered to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any holder of any Notes by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant hereto or otherwise specifically for use in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall constitute representations and warranties by the Borrower hereunder, made as of the respective dates specified therein or, if no date is specified, as of the respective dates furnished to the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
Section 11.21
Severability. 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 11.22
Independence of Covenants. All covenants hereunder shall be given independent effect so that if a particular action, event, condition or circumstance is not permitted by any
of such covenants, the fact that it would be permitted by an exception to, or would otherwise be within the limitations or restrictions of, another covenant, shall not avoid the occurrence of a Default or an Event of Default if such action is taken or event, condition or circumstance exists.
Section 11.23
Interest 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 that are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively, the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) that may be 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 Base Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.
Section 11.24
USA Patriot Act. Each Lender subject to the USA Patriot Act hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA 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 USA Patriot Act.
Section 11.25
Press Releases and Related Matters. The Borrower hereby authorizes and consents to the publication by each Lender of customary advertising materials relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents using Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ names, product photographs, logos and/or trademarks. The Borrower agrees that neither it nor its Affiliates will in the future issue any press releases or other public disclosure using the name of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or their respective Affiliates or referring to this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents without the prior written consent of such Person unless (and only to the extent that) the Borrower or such Affiliate is required to do so under law and then, in any event, the Borrower or such Affiliate, as the case may be, will consult with such Person before issuin g such press release or other public disclosure.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused a counterpart of this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
STANDEX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION /s/ Christian Storch By: _________________________________ Name: Christian Storch Title: Vice President/CFO | |
KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender, LC Issuer, Swing Line Lender, and as Co-Lead Arranger, Sole Bookrunner and Administrative Agent /s/ Donald Carmichael, Jr. By: Name: Donald Carmichael, Jr. Title: Vice President |
[Signature pages of other Lenders follow.]
Signature Page to the
Credit Agreement
Among
Standex International Corporation,
the Lenders party thereto
and
KeyBank National Association,
as the Administrative Agent
BANK HAPOALIM BM
Address:
117 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
Attention: Charles McLaughlin
/s/ Charles McLaughlin
/s/ James P. Surless
By:
_________________________________
By:
_______________________________
Charles McLaughlin
James P. Surless
Senior Vice President
Vice President
Signature Page to the
Credit Agreement
Among
Standex International Corporation,
the Lenders party thereto
and
KeyBank National Association,
as the Administrative Agent
Address:
100 Federal Street
Bank of America, N.A.
MA5-100-09-04
Boston, MA 02110
/s/ Peter van der Horst
Attention: Peter van der Horst
By:
_______________________________
Peter van der Horst
Title: Principal
Signature Page to the
Credit Agreement
Among
Standex International Corporation,
the Lenders party thereto
and
KeyBank National Association,
as the Administrative Agent
Address:
Citizens Bank
Citizens Bank of New Hampshire
238 Main Street
Nashua, NH 03060
/s/ Timothy J. Whitaker
Attention: Timothy J. Whitaker
By:
_____________________________
Name:
Timothy J. Whitaker
Title:
Senior Vice President
Signature Page to the
Credit Agreement
Among
Standex International Corporation,
the Lenders party thereto
and
KeyBank National Association,
as the Administrative Agent
Address:
Two Corporate Drive – Suite 730
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Shelton, CT 06484
/s/ D. Scott Farquhar
Attention: Pete Killea
By:
_______________________________
D. Scott Farquhar
Title:
Vice President
Signature Page to the
Credit Agreement
Among
Standex International Corporation,
the Lenders party thereto
and
KeyBank National Association,
as the Administrative Agent
Address:
Lloyds TSB Bank Plc
1251 Avenue of the Americas
39th Floor
/s/ Windsor Davies
New York, NY 10020
Attention: Windsor Davies
By:
_______________________________
Name:
Windsor Davies
Title:
Director, Corporate Banking
/s/ Candi Obrentz
By:
_______________________________
Name:
Candi Obrentz
Title:
AVP, Financial Institutions
Signature Page to the
Credit Agreement
Among
Standex International Corporation,
the Lenders party thereto
and
KeyBank National Association,
as the Administrative Agent
Address:
75 Hale Street
SOVEREIGN BANK
Boston, MA 02109
MA1 SST 04-10
/s/ Daniel M. Grondin
Attnetion: Dan Grondin
By:
_______________________________
Name:
Daniel M. Grondin
Title:
Senior Vice President
Signature Page to the
Credit Agreement
Among
Standex International Corporation,
the Lenders party thereto
and
KeyBank National Association,
as the Administrative Agent
Address:
T.D. Banknorth, N.A.
T. D. Banknorth, N.A.
Corporate Banking Group
5 Commerce Park North
/s/ John Mercier
Bedford, NH 03110
Attention: John Mercier, SVP
By:
_______________________________
Name:
John Mercier
Title:
Senior Vice President
Signature Page to the
Credit Agreement
Among
Standex International Corporation,
the Lenders party thereto
and
KeyBank National Association,
as the Administrative Agent
Address:
One Liberty Plaza, 26th Floor
The Bank of Nova Scotia
New York, New York,
10006
/s/ Todd S. Meller
By:
_______________________________
Name:
Todd S. Meller
Title:
Managing Director
Schedule 1
Lenders and Commitments
Lender | Revolving | Revolving Facility Percentage as of the Closing Date |
KeyBank National Association | $26,000,000 | 17.33% |
Bank of America, N.A. | $24,000,000 | 16.00% |
Citizens Bank New Hampshire | $20,000,000 | 13.33% |
Sovereign Bank | $20,000,000 | 13.33% |
T.D. Banknorth, N.A. | $15,000,000 | 10.00% |
Lloyds TSB Bank plc | $15,000,000 | 10.00% |
Bank of Nova Scotia | $10,000,000 | 6.67% |
Bank Hapoalim B.M. | $10,000,000 | 6.67% |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | $10,000,000 | 6.67% |
Total: | $150,000,000 | 100.00% |