| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC |
Banc of America Securities LLC | J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. | One Boston Place |
One Bryant Park | 270 Park Avenue | Boston, MA 02108 |
New York, NY 10036 | New York, NY 10017 | |
AMENDED AND RESTATED COMMITMENT LETTER
August 7, 2009
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
122 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
Attention: Joseph J. Lombardi, Chief Financial Officer
Maria Florez, Vice President and Treasurer
$1.0 Billion Senior Secured Credit Facility
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter and the Summary of Terms and Conditions (the "Summary of Terms") attached as Exhibit A hereto (which Summary of Terms is incorporated herein by reference and referred to collectively with this letter as, the "Commitment Letter") is being delivered by Bank of America, N.A. ("Bank of America"), Banc of America Securities LLC ("BAS"), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ("JPMorgan"), J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. ("JPMS"), and Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC ("WFRF") in connection with the Transaction (defined below). Bank of America, BAS, JPMorgan, JPMS, and WFRF are referred to collectively herein as the "Engagement Parties" and each as an "Engagement Party" and Bank of America, JPMorgan and WFRF are collectively referred to herein as the "Initial Lenders" and each as an "Initial Lender". This Commitment Letter amends and restates in its entirety the letter agreement, dated as of July 22, 2009, by and between you and the Engagement Parties (such letter, together with the Summary of Terms and Conditions, attached as Exhibit A thereto, the "Existing Commitment Letter").
You have advised the Engagement Parties that Barnes & Noble, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company" and a "Borrower"), intends to acquire from the holders thereof (the "Sellers") all of the equity interests of Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, Inc. (the "Target"), including the payment of certain indebtedness of the Target and certain fees and expenses in connection therewith, all for certain cash consideration and the issuance to the Sellers of the Seller Notes referred to below (the "Acquisition").
You have also advised the Engagement Parties that the Company intends to finance the Acquisition, refinance the Existing Facility (as defined below) and fund all costs and expenses related to the Transaction (as hereinafter defined) (collectively, the "Financing") from the following sources: (a) unsecured seller notes (collectively, the "Seller Notes") issued by the Company and (b) a combination of (i) revolving loans funded under a $1.0 billion Senior Secured Credit Facility (the "Senior Credit Facility"), all as described in the Summary of Terms, and (ii) cash of the Target. The Senior Credit Facility will also be available to support the ongoing working capital and other general corporate purposes of the Company and its subsidiaries after consummation of the Acquisition. The Acquisition, the Financing, the Senior Credit Facility, the issuance of the Seller Notes, and all related transactions are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Transaction ." The "Existing Facility" is that certain Credit Agreement dated as of June 17, 2005, as amended (the "Existing Credit Agreement") by and among the
Commitment Letter, Page 2
Company, as borrower, certain of its subsidiaries, as co-borrowers, Bank of America, as administrative agent, JPMorgan, as syndication agent, and the other agents and lenders parties thereto.
1. Commitments and Other Agreements. In connection with the Transaction, (a) Bank of America is pleased to offer to be the sole administrative agent (in such capacity, the "Administrative Agent") for the Senior Credit Facility and to offer its commitment to lend up to $200 million of the Senior Credit Facility, (b) JPMorgan is pleased to offer to be a co-syndication agent (in such capacity, a "Co- Syndication Agent") for the Senior Credit Facility and to offer its commitment to lend up to $200 million of the Senior Credit Facility, and (c) WFRF is pleased to offer to be a co-syndication agent (in such capacity, a "Co-Syndication Agent" and collectively with the other Co-Syndication Agent, the "Syndication Agents") for the Senior Credit Facility and to offer its commitment to lend up to $200 million of the Senior Credit Facility, each of the foregoing upon and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Commitment Letter. Each of BAS, JPMS and WFRF is pleased to advise you of its willingness, as a joint lead arranger and a joint book runner (in such capacities, the "Joint Lead Arrangers" and each a "Joint Lead Arranger") for the Senior Credit Facility, to use its best efforts to form a syndicate of financial institutions (including the Initial Lenders) (collectively, the "Lenders") reasonably acceptable to you for the Senior Credit Facility. No additional agents, co-agents or arrangers will be appointed without our prior approval. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, only BAS and JPMS will receive credit as Joint Lead Arrangers in the ABL League Tables with respect to the Senior Credit Facility. You hereby agree that, effective upon your acceptance of this Commitment Letter and continuing through the earlier of (i) the Closing Date (defined in paragraph 4 below) and (ii) the Outside Date (as hereinafter defined), you shall not solicit any other bank investment bank, financial institution, person or entity to structure, arrange or syndicate any component of the Senior Credit Facility or any other senior financing similar to or as a replacement of any component of the Senior Credit Facility.
2. Conditions Precedent. The commitments of the Initial Lenders and the undertakings of the Joint Lead Arrangers to provide the services described herein are subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions precedent: (a) the accuracy and completeness in all material respects of all representations that you and your affiliates make to the Engagement Parties and your compliance in all material respects with the terms of this Commitment Letter and the amended and restated fee letter, dated as of the date hereof, between you and each of the Engagement Parties (the "Fee Letter") and (b) the satisfaction of each of the conditions set forth in the Summary of Terms and the negotiation, execution and delivery of definitive documentation for the Financing consistent with the Summary of Terms and otherwise satisfactory to each Engagement Party.
3. Syndication. The Joint Lead Arrangers commenced syndication efforts promptly upon the effective date of the Existing Commitment Letter to effect the Financing. The Company acknowledges that a portion of the commitments of the Initial Lenders may be allocated to and funded on the Closing Date by other Lenders joining in the Senior Credit Facility through the syndication process if commitments are received from the other Lenders in excess of the remaining $400 million of the Senior Credit Facility (the "Minimum Commitments"); provided, however, that such allocation shall not impair the commitment of each Initial Lender to fund the full amount of its commitment hereunder if the conditions thereto are met and such other Lenders fail to fund their allocated portion over the Minimum Commitments. You agree to continue to actively assist the Joint Lead Arrangers in obtaining a syndication of the Senior Credit Facility that is reasonably satisfactory to the Joint Lead Arrangers. Such assistance shall include (a) your providing and causing your advisors to provide the Engagement Parties and the other Lenders upon request with all information reasonably deemed necessary by the Engagement Parties to complete such syndication; (b) your assistance in the preparation of a confidential offering memorandum (the "Offering Memorandum") to be used in connection with such syndication; (c) your
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Commitment Letter, Page 3
using reasonable efforts to ensure that the syndication efforts of the Joint Lead Arrangers benefit materially from your existing banking relationships; (d) the attendance by one or more senior officers of the Company, and your using reasonable efforts to cause the attendance by one or more senior officers of the Target, at one or more meetings with prospective Lenders; and (e) otherwise assisting the Engagement Parties in their syndication efforts.
It is understood and agreed that the Joint Lead Arrangers will manage and control all aspects of the syndication in consultation with you, including decisions as to the selection of prospective Lenders, when commitments will be accepted and the final allocations of the commitments among the Lenders.
4. Borrower Covenants. You hereby represent, warrant and covenant that (a) all written information, other than the Projections (defined below), in the Offering Memorandum or which otherwise has been or is hereafter made available to the Engagement Parties or the Lenders by you or any of your representatives (or on your or their behalf) in connection with the Transaction (the "Information"), taken as a whole and to your knowledge to the extent that the Information relates to the Target and its subsidiaries, is and will be complete and correct in all material respects and does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not materially misleading, and (b) all financial projections concerning the Target, the Company and its subsidiaries that have been or are hereafter made available to the Engagement Parties or the Lenders by you or any of your representatives (the "Projections") have been or will be prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed by you to be reasonable at the time such Projections were made. You agree to furnish us with such Information and Projections as we may reasonably request and to supplement the Information and the Projections from time to time until the date of the initial borrowing under the Senior Credit Facility (the "Closing Date") so that the representation, warranty and covenant in the preceding sentence is correct on the Closing Date as if the Information were being furnished, and such representation, warranty and covenant were being made, on such date. In issuing this commitment and in arranging and syndicating the Senior Credit Facility, the Engagement Parties are and will be using and relying on the Information and the Projections without independent verification thereof.
5. Company Materials. You hereby acknowledge and agree that (a) the Engagement Parties, on your behalf, will make available the Information and, if necessary, Projections (collectively, "Company Materials") to the proposed syndicate of Lenders by posting the Company Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the "Platform") and (b) none of the proposed Lenders will be "public-side" Lenders (i.e., Lenders that do not wish to receive material non-public information (within the meaning of United States federal securities laws, "MNPI") with respect to the Company, the Target, their subsidiaries, their affiliates or any of their respective securities) (each, a "Public Lender"). You hereby agree that (x) no Company Materials are to be made available to Public Lenders, (y) all Company Materials shall be treated as private and may contain MNPI with respect to the Company, the Target, their subsidiaries, their affiliates or their respective securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws and (z) the Engagement Parties shall treat all Company Materials as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated "Public Investor". You further agree, however, that the definitive credit documentation will contain provisions concerning Company Materials to be provided to Public Lenders and the absence of MNPI therefrom. Prior to distribution of the Offering Memorandum to prospective Lenders, if requested, you shall provide us with a customary letter authorizing the dissemination thereof.
6. Expenses. The Company shall reimburse the Engagement Parties from time to time on demand for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable syndication expenses, reasonable due diligence expenses, reasonable travel expenses, reasonable fees for external
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
August 7, 2009
Commitment Letter, Page 4
appraisers and commercial finance examinations, and reasonable fees, disbursements and charges of their respective counsel), in each instance incurred in connection with the Transaction and the preparation of this Commitment Letter and the definitive documentation for the Transaction, whether or not the Financing or any other aspect of the Transaction is closed.
7. Indemnification. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Engagement Party, each Lender and each of their affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors and other representatives (each, an "Indemnified Party") from and against (and will reimburse each Indemnified Party as the same are incurred for) any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel) that may be incurred by or awarded against any Indemnified Party, in each case arising out of or in connection with or by reason of (including, without limitation, in connection with any investigation, litigation or proceeding or preparation of a defense in connection therewith) (a) any matters contemplated by the Existing Commitment Letter, this Commitment Letter or the Fee Letter or (b) the Transaction, including the Senior Credit Facility or any use made or proposed to be made with the proceeds thereof, in each case, except to the extent such claim, damage, loss, liability or expense is found in a final, nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Party’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. In the case of an investigation, litigation or proceeding to which the indemnity in this paragraph applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by you, your equity holders or creditors or an Indemnified Party, whether or not an Indemnified Party is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not any aspect of the Transaction is consummated. You also agree that no Indemnified Party shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to you or your subsidiaries or affiliates or to your or their respective equity holders or creditors arising out of, related to or in connection with any aspect of the Transaction, except to the extent of direct, as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive, damages determined in a final, nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Party’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. Without limitation of the immediately preceding sentence, it is further agreed that each of the Engagement Parties shall only have liability to you (as opposed to any other person), and that each of the Engagement Parties shall be liable solely in respect of its own commitment to the Senior Credit Facility on a several, and not joint, basis with any other Lender, and that such liability shall only arise to the extent damages have been caused by a such party’s failure to negotiate in good faith definitive documentation for the Senior Credit Facility on the terms set forth herein, in each case, as determined in a final, nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Commitment Letter, no Indemnified Party shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through electronic telecommunications or other information transmission systems, except to the extent any damages resulting therefrom are found in a final, nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Party’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.
8. Confidentiality. This Commitment Letter and the contents hereof and the Fee Letter and the contents thereof are confidential and, except for disclosure hereof or thereof on a confidential basis to your officers, directors, and employees, and to accountants, attorneys and other professional advisors retained by you in connection with the Transaction or as otherwise required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process may not be disclosed in whole or in part to any person or entity without our prior written consent; provided, however, it is understood and agreed that you may disclose this Commitment Letter (including the Summary of Terms), but not the Fee Letter, (i) after your acceptance of this Commitment Letter, in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other applicable regulatory authorities and stock exchanges and (ii) to the Target, its officers, directors,
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Commitment Letter, Page 5
employees, accountants, attorneys and other professional advisors. The Engagement Parties shall be permitted to use information related to the Transaction in connection with marketing, press releases or other transactional announcements or updates provided to investor or trade publications, provided that the content of any such press releases/transactional updates shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company.
9. PATRIOT Act. The Engagement Parties hereby notify you that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001) (the "PATRIOT Act"), each of them is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies you, which information includes your name and address and other information that will allow the Engagement Parties, as applicable, to identify you in accordance with the PATRIOT Act. The Company agrees to furnish the Engagement Parties, promptly after request therefor but in any event prior to the Closing Date, all documentation and other information so requested by the Engagement Parties and required by regulatory authorities under applicable "know your customer" and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the PATRIOT Act and the results of any investigation undertaken in connection therewith shall be reasonably satisfactory to each of the Engagement Parties.
10. Conflicts of Interest. You acknowledge that the Engagement Parties or their respective affiliates may be providing financing or other services to parties whose interests may conflict with yours. Each Engagement Party agrees that it will not furnish confidential information obtained from you to any of their other customers and shall only use such information in connection with the Transaction and that they will treat confidential information relating to you and your affiliates with the same degree of care as they treat their own confidential information. Each Engagement Party further advises you that they will not make available to you confidential information that they have obtained or may obtain from any other customer. In connection with the services and transactions contemplated hereby, you agree that the Engagement Parties are each permitted to access, use and share with any of their bank or non-bank affiliates, agents, advisors (legal or otherwise) or representatives any information concerning you or any of your affiliates that is or may come into the possession of the Engagement Parties, or any of such affiliates, provided that such bank or non-bank affiliates, agents, advisors or representatives are informed of the confidential nature of the information and agree to treat such information as confidential in the same manner as required of the Engagement Parties under this Commitment Letter.
11. Arm’s Length Transactions. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated by this Commitment Letter, you acknowledge and agree, and acknowledge your affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) the Financing and the Senior Credit Facility and any related arranging or other services described in this letter is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between you and your affiliates, on the one hand, and the Engagement Parties, on the other hand, and you are capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the Financing and the Senior Credit Facility and such other services; (ii) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, except as otherwise agreed by the Borrower and any Engagement Party in writing, each of the Engagement Parties is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary, for you or any of your affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other party; (iii) unless otherwise agreed by the Borrower and any Engagement Party in writing, no Engagement Party has assumed or will assume an advisory responsibility in your or your affiliates’ favor with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Engagement Party has advised or is currently advising you or your affiliates on other matters); (iv) no Engagement Party has assumed or will assume an agency responsibility (except as may otherwise be agreed in writing by the Borrower and any Engagement Party) or fiduciary responsibility in your or your affiliates’ favor with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Engagement Party has advised or is currently advising you or your affiliates
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Commitment Letter, Page 6
on other matters); (v) no Engagement Party has any obligation to you or your affiliates with respect to the Transaction except those obligations expressly set forth in this letter or in any other express writing executed and delivered by such Engagement Party and the Borrower; (vi) the Engagement Parties and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from yours and your affiliates and the Engagement Parties have no obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (vii) the Engagement Parties have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any aspect of the Transaction and you have consulted your own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent you have deemed appropriate. You hereby waive and release, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that you may have against any Engagement Party with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency (except for any agency responsibilities otherwise agreed by the Borrower and any Engagement Party in writing) or fiduciary duty relating to the Transaction.
12. Survival. The provisions of paragraphs 6 through 11 hereof shall remain in full force and effect regardless of whether any definitive documentation for the Financing or the other Transactions shall be executed and delivered, and notwithstanding the termination of this letter or any undertaking hereunder, provided that upon the execution, delivery and effectiveness of the definitive documentation for the Senior Credit Facility, the provisions of paragraphs 6 through 9 shall be superseded by the corresponding provisions of such definitive documentation and shall therefore cease to be of any further force and effect.
13. Execution and Delivery. This Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter may be executed in counterparts which, taken together, shall constitute an original. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Commitment Letter or the Fee Letter by facsimile or email of a .pdf copy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof.
14. Governing Law. This Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York (including, without limitation, Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law of the State of New York), without regard to conflicts of laws principles. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court or federal court sitting in the County of New York in respect of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the provisions of this Commitment Letter or the Fee Letter and irrevocably agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, that all claims in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court. The Company hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court, and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or document by registered mail addressed to the Company shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court. Each of the Company and each Engagement Party hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based on contract, tort or otherwise) arising out of or relating to this Commitment Letter or the Fee Letter, the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby or the actions of any Engagement Party in the negotiation, performance or enforcement hereof. The commitments and undertakings of the Engagement Parties may be terminated by us, if you fail to perform in any material respect any of your material obligations under this Commitment Letter or the Fee Letter on a timely basis.
15. Miscellaneous. (a) This Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter embody the agreement and understanding among the Engagement Parties and you with respect to the Transaction and supersede
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Commitment Letter, Page 7
all prior agreements (including, without limitation, the Existing Commitment Letter) and understandings relating to the matters expressly set forth in the Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter. However, please note that the terms and conditions of the undertaking of the Engagement Parties hereunder are not limited to those set forth herein or in the Summary of Terms. Those matters that are not covered or made clear herein or in the Summary of Terms are subject to mutual agreement of the applicable parties.
(b) This Commitment Letter is not assignable by the Company without our prior written consent and is intended to be solely for the benefit of the Company, the Engagement Parties and the Indemnified Parties.
(c) This Commitment Letter does not constitute an unconditional commitment to lend. Such a commitment will exist only upon satisfaction of all conditions precedent referenced herein, in the Summary of Terms, or in any of the loan documents.
16. Expiration. This Commitment Letter will expire at 5:00 p.m. New York time on August 11, 2009 unless you execute this Commitment Letter and return it to us prior to that time (which may be by facsimile or email transmission). Thereafter, this undertaking will expire on the earlier of (a) receipt of (i) written notice from the Company on or prior to August 17, 2009 that it has not executed and no longer intends to execute the Purchase Agreement and does not intend to consummate the Acquisition and (ii) all fees, expenses and other amount due hereunder as of such date and (b) November 15, 2009, as such date may be extended in writing pursuant to the immediately following sentence (the "Outside Date"), unless definitive documentation for the Transaction is executed and delivered prior to such date. The Engagement Parties acknowledge that they will use reasonable efforts to obtain internal credit approval to extend their commitments hereunder so that the date in clause (b) of this paragraph may be modified in writing to correspond to the final deadline for consummation of the Acquisition set forth in the Purchase Agreement, when executed.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign three counterparts of this Commitment Letter in the space indicated below and return one executed original to each of the Initial Lenders.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
We look forward to working with you on this transaction and continuing our mutually beneficial relationship with you.
Very truly yours, | |
| |
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. | |
| | | |
By: | /s/ Andrew Cerussi | |
| Name: | Andrew Cerussi | |
| Title: | Senior Vice President | |
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC | |
| | | |
By: | /s/ Matt Holbrook | |
| Name: | Matt Holbrook | |
| Title: | Vice President | |
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. | |
| | | |
By: | /s/ Kathleen C. Maggi | |
| Name: | Kathleen C. Maggi | |
| Title: | Senior Vice President | |
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC. | |
| | | |
By: | /s/ Mac Fowle | |
| Name: | Mac Fowle | |
| Title: | Executive Director | |
WELLS FARGO RETAIL FINANCE, LLC | |
| | | |
By: | /s/ Cory Loftus | |
| Name: | Cory Loftus | |
| Title: | Vice President | |
ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO
AS OF THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN:
BARNES & NOBLE, INC. | |
| | | |
By: | /s/ Joseph J. Lombardi | |
| Name: | Joseph J. Lombardi | |
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |
Commitment Letter
Signature Page
Barnes & Noble, Inc. - $1.0 Billion Senior Secured Credit Facility