EXHIBIT 10.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF NOVEMBER 22, 2002
AMONG
AMERICAN HEALTHWAYS, INC.
AS BORROWER
THE LENDERS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO
AND
SUNTRUST BANK
AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS; CONSTRUCTION.............................................................1
Section 1.1 Definitions..................................................................1
Section 1.2 Classifications of Loans and Borrowings.....................................16
Section 1.3 Accounting Terms and Determination..........................................16
Section 1.4 Terms Generally.............................................................16
ARTICLE II AMOUNT AND TERMS OF THE COMMITMENTS..................................................17
Section 2.1 General Description of Facilities...........................................17
Section 2.2 Revolving Loans.............................................................17
Section 2.3 Procedure for Borrowings....................................................17
Section 2.4 Funding of Borrowings.......................................................18
Section 2.5 Interest Elections..........................................................18
Section 2.6 Optional Reduction and Termination of Commitments...........................19
Section 2.7 Repayment of Loans..........................................................20
Section 2.8 Evidence of Indebtedness....................................................20
Section 2.9 Optional Prepayments........................................................20
Section 2.10 Interest on Loans...........................................................21
Section 2.11 Fees........................................................................21
Section 2.12 Computation of Interest and Fees............................................22
Section 2.13 Inability to Determine Interest Rates.......................................22
Section 2.14 Illegality..................................................................23
Section 2.15 Increased Costs.............................................................23
Section 2.16 Funding Indemnity...........................................................24
Section 2.17 Taxes.......................................................................25
Section 2.18 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-Offs.................26
Section 2.19 Mitigation of Obligations...................................................28
Section 2.20 Letters of Credit...........................................................28
ARTICLE III CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO LOANS AND LETTERS OF CREDIT..................................32
Section 3.1 Conditions To Effectiveness.................................................32
Section 3.2 Each Credit Event...........................................................33
Section 3.3 Delivery of Documents.......................................................34
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ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.......................................................34
Section 4.1 Existence; Power............................................................34
Section 4.2 Organizational Power; Authorization.........................................34
Section 4.3 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts........................................34
Section 4.4 Financial Statements........................................................35
Section 4.5 Litigation and Environmental Matters........................................35
Section 4.6 Compliance with Laws and Agreements.........................................35
Section 4.7 Investment Company Act, Etc.................................................36
Section 4.8 Taxes.......................................................................36
Section 4.9 Margin Regulations..........................................................36
Section 4.10 ERISA.......................................................................36
Section 4.11 Ownership of Property.......................................................36
Section 4.12 Disclosure..................................................................37
Section 4.13 Labor Relations.............................................................37
Section 4.14 Subsidiaries................................................................37
ARTICLE V AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS................................................................37
Section 5.1 Financial Statements and Other Information..................................37
Section 5.2 Notices of Material Events..................................................39
Section 5.3 Existence; Conduct of Business..............................................40
Section 5.4 Compliance with Laws, Etc...................................................40
Section 5.5 Payment of Obligations......................................................40
Section 5.6 Books and Records...........................................................40
Section 5.7 Visitation, Inspection, Etc.................................................40
Section 5.8 Maintenance of Properties; Insurance........................................40
Section 5.9 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit.......................................41
Section 5.10 Bank Accounts...............................................................41
Section 5.11 Additional Subsidiaries.....................................................41
Section 5.12 Additional Assets...........................................................41
ARTICLE VI FINANCIAL COVENANTS..................................................................41
Section 6.1 Leverage Ratio..............................................................42
Section 6.2 Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio....................................42
Section 6.3 Consolidated Net Worth......................................................42
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ARTICLE VII NEGATIVE COVENANTS...................................................................42
Section 7.1 Indebtedness................................................................42
Section 7.2 Negative Pledge.............................................................43
Section 7.3 Fundamental Changes.........................................................43
Section 7.4 Investments, Loans, Etc.....................................................44
Section 7.5 Restricted Payments.........................................................45
Section 7.6 Sale of Assets..............................................................45
Section 7.7 Transactions with Affiliates................................................45
Section 7.8 Restrictive Agreements......................................................46
Section 7.9 Sale and Leaseback Transactions.............................................46
Section 7.10 Hedging Agreements..........................................................46
Section 7.11 Status of Incorporation.....................................................46
Section 7.12 Accounting Changes..........................................................46
ARTICLE VIII EVENTS OF DEFAULT....................................................................46
Section 8.1 Events of Default...........................................................46
ARTICLE IX THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT.............................................................49
Section 9.1 Appointment of Administrative Agent.........................................49
Section 9.2 Nature of Duties of Administrative Agent....................................50
Section 9.3 Lack of Reliance on the Administrative Agent................................50
Section 9.4 Certain Rights of the Administrative Agent..................................50
Section 9.5 Reliance by Administrative Agent............................................51
Section 9.6 The Administrative Agent in its Individual Capacity.........................51
Section 9.7 Successor Administrative Agent..............................................51
ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS........................................................................52
Section 10.1 Notices.....................................................................52
Section 10.2 Waiver; Amendments..........................................................53
Section 10.3 Expenses; Indemnification...................................................54
Section 10.4 Successors and Assigns......................................................55
Section 10.5 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process..................58
Section 10.6 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL........................................................58
Section 10.7 Right of Setoff.............................................................59
Section 10.8 Counterparts; Integration...................................................59
Section 10.9 Survival....................................................................59
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Section 10.10 Severability................................................................60
Section 10.11 Confidentiality.............................................................60
Section 10.12 Interest and Loan Charges Not to Exceed Maximum Amounts Allowed by Law......60
Schedules
Schedule 4.5(a) - Litigation
Schedule 4.14 - Subsidiaries
Schedule 7.1 - Outstanding Indebtedness
Schedule 7.2 - Existing Liens
Schedule 7.4 - Existing Investments
Exhibits
Exhibit A - Revolving Credit Note
Exhibit B - Form of Assignment and Acceptance
Exhibit C - Form of Subsidiary Guarantee Agreement
Exhibit D - Form of Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution Agreement
Exhibit E - Borrowing Base Certificate
Exhibit 2.3 - Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit 2.5 - Form of Notice of Continuation/Conversion
Exhibit 3.1(b)(iv) - Form of Secretary's Certificate
Exhibit 3.1(b)(vii) - Form of Officer's Certificate
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT
THIS REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is made and entered
into as of November 22, 2002, by and among AMERICAN HEALTHWAYS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Borrower"), SUNTRUST BANK, and the several banks and other
financial institutions from time to time party hereto (the "Lenders"), and
SUNTRUST BANK, in its capacity as Administrative Agent for the Lenders (the
"Administrative Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders establish a
$35,000,000 revolving credit facility, with a Letter of Credit sublimit for
stand-by Letters of Credit.
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the
Lenders severally, to the extent of their respective Commitments, are willing to
establish the requested revolving credit facility with a Letter of Credit
sublimit for stand-by letters of credit.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants herein contained, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative
Agent agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS; CONSTRUCTION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions. In addition to the other terms defined herein,
the following terms used herein shall have the meanings herein specified (to be
equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):
"ADJUSTED LIBO RATE" shall mean, with respect to each Interest Period
for a Eurodollar Borrowing, the rate per annum obtained by dividing (i) LIBOR
for such Interest Period by (ii) a percentage equal to 1.00 minus the Eurodollar
Reserve Percentage, to the extent Eurodollar reserves are actually maintained.
"ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT" shall have the meaning assigned to such term in
the opening paragraph hereof.
"ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE" shall mean, with respect to each Lender,
an administrative questionnaire in the form prepared by the Administrative Agent
and submitted to the Administrative Agent duly completed by such Lender.
"AFFILIATE" shall mean, as to any Person, any other Person that
directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls, is
Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such Person.
"AGGREGATE REVOLVING COMMITMENTS" shall mean the sum of the Revolving
Commitments of all Lenders at any time outstanding. On the Closing Date, the
Aggregate Revolving Commitments equal $35,000,000.00.
"APPLICABLE LENDING OFFICE" shall mean, for each Lender and for each
Type of Loan, the "Lending Office" of such Lender (or an Affiliate of such
Lender) designated for such Type of Loan in the Administrative Questionnaire
submitted by such Lender or such other office of such Lender (or an Affiliate of
such Lender) as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Administrative
Agent and the Borrower as the office by which its Loans of such Type are to be
made and maintained.
"APPLICABLE MARGIN" shall mean with respect to Eurodollar Loans and
Letters of Credit an amount equal to two hundred (200) basis points per annum.
"APPLICABLE PERCENTAGE" shall mean, with respect to the Facility Fee an
amount equal to one quarter of one percent (.25%) per annum.
"ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE" shall mean an assignment and acceptance
entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose
consent is required by Section 10.4(b)) and accepted by the Administrative
Agent, in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto or any other form approved by
the Administrative Agent.
"AVAILABILITY PERIOD" shall mean the period from the Closing Date to
the Commitment Termination Date.
"BASE RATE" shall mean the higher of (i) the per annum rate which the
Administrative Agent publicly announces from time to time to be its prime
lending rate, as in effect from time to time, and (ii) the Federal Funds Rate,
as in effect from time to time, plus one-half of one percent (0.50%). The
Administrative Agent's prime lending rate is a reference rate and does not
necessarily represent the lowest or best rate charged to customers. The
Administrative Agent may make commercial loans or other loans at rates of
interest at, above or below the Administrative Agent's prime lending rate. Each
change in the Administrative Agent's prime lending rate shall be effective from
and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
"BORROWER" shall have the meaning in the introductory paragraph hereof.
"BORROWING" shall mean a borrowing consisting of Loans of the same
Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and in case of Eurodollar
Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.
"BORROWING BASE" means the sum of: (i) Borrower's Unrestricted Cash and
Cash Equivalents, plus (ii) an amount equal to eighty percent (80%) of Eligible
Accounts Receivable, plus (iii) an amount equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of
Borrower's net property and equipment values, all as set forth on Borrower's
consolidated financial statements.
"BORROWING BASE CERTIFICATE" means the Certificate in the form of
Exhibit E provided by Borrower to Lender pursuant to Section 5.1(g).
"BUSINESS DAY" shall mean (i) any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
other day on which commercial banks in Nashville, Tennessee are authorized or
required by law to close and (ii) if such day relates to a Borrowing of, a
payment or prepayment of principal or interest on, a
conversion of or into, or an Interest Period for, a Eurodollar Loan or a notice
with respect to any of the foregoing, any day on which dealings in Dollars are
carried on in the London interbank market.
"CAPITAL EXPENDITURES" shall mean for any period, without duplication,
(a) the additions to property, plant and equipment and other capital
expenditures of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that are (or would be) set
forth on a consolidated statement of cash flows of the Borrower for such period
prepared in accordance with GAAP, and (b) Capital Lease Obligations incurred by
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during such period.
"CAPITAL LEASE OBLIGATIONS" of any Person shall mean all obligations of
such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease (or other arrangement
conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof,
which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital
leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such
obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance
with GAAP.
"CHANGE IN CONTROL" shall mean the occurrence of one or more of the
following events: (a) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in a single
transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of
the assets of the Borrower to any Person or "group" (within the meaning of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission thereunder in effect on the date hereof), (b) the acquisition of
ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or
"group" (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules
of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date
hereof) of 50% or more of the outstanding shares of the voting stock of the
Borrower; or (c) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats)
on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i)
nominated by the current board of directors, or (ii) appointed by directors so
nominated.
"CHANGE IN LAW" shall mean (i) the adoption of any applicable law, rule
or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (ii) any change in any
applicable law, rule or regulation, or any change in the interpretation or
application thereof, by any Governmental Authority after the date of this
Agreement, or (iii) compliance by any Lender (or its Applicable Lending Office)
or the Issuing Bank (or for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by such Lender's or the
Issuing Bank's holding company, if applicable) with any request, guideline or
directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority
made or issued after the date of this Agreement.
"CLOSING DATE" shall mean the date on which the conditions precedent
set forth in Section 3.1 and Section 3.2 have been satisfied or waived in
accordance with Section 10.2.
"CODE" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in
effect from time to time.
"COMMITMENT" shall mean the Revolving Commitment.
"COMMITMENT TERMINATION DATE" shall mean the earliest of (i) May 31,
2005, (ii) the date on which the Revolving Commitments are terminated pursuant
to Section 2.6, and (iii) the
date on which all amounts outstanding under this Agreement have been declared or
have automatically become due and payable (whether by acceleration or
otherwise).
"CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW" shall mean the sum of Consolidated EBITDAR,
less Maintenance Capital Expenditures.
"CONSOLIDATED EBITDA" shall mean, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
for any period, an amount equal to the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income for
such period plus (b) to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net
Income for such period, (i) Consolidated Interest Expense, (ii) provisions for
taxes based on income, (iii) depreciation expense, and (iv) amortization
expense, all determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP in each
case for such period.
"CONSOLIDATED EBITDAR" shall mean, for the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries for any period, an amount equal to the sum of (a) Consolidated
EBITDA, and (b) Consolidated Lease Expense.
"CONSOLIDATED FIXED CHARGE COVERAGE RATIO" shall mean the ratio of: (a)
Consolidated Cash Flow to (b) Consolidated Fixed Charges.
"CONSOLIDATED FIXED CHARGES" shall mean, for the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries for any period, the sum (without duplication) of: (a) Consolidated
Interest Expense for such period, (b) scheduled principal payments made in
respect of Consolidated Total Debt and Capital Lease Obligations during such
period, (c) Restricted Payments paid during such period, and (d) Consolidated
Lease Expense for such period.
"CONSOLIDATED INTEREST EXPENSE" shall mean, for the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries for any period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance
with GAAP, the sum of: (i) total interest expense and Letter of Credit fees and
expenses as set forth in Section 2.11(d) herein, including without limitation
the interest component of any payments in respect of Capital Lease Obligations
capitalized or expensed during such period (whether or not actually paid during
such period) plus (ii) the net amount payable (or minus the net amount
receivable) under Hedging Agreements during such period (whether or not actually
paid or received during such period).
"CONSOLIDATED LEASE EXPENSE" shall mean, for any period, the aggregate
amount of fixed and contingent rentals payable by the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries with respect to leases of real and personal property (excluding
Capital Lease Obligations) determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with
GAAP for such period.
"CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME" shall mean, for any period, the net income
(or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, but excluding therefrom (to the
extent otherwise included therein) (i) any extraordinary gains or losses, (ii)
any gains attributable to write-ups of assets, and (iii) any equity interest of
the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower in the unremitted earnings of any
Person that is not a Subsidiary, and (iv) any income (or loss) of any Person
accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary or is merged into or
consolidated with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or the date that such Person's
assets are acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
"CONSOLIDATED NET WORTH" shall mean, as of any date, (i) the total
assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that would be reflected on the
Borrower's consolidated balance sheet as of such date prepared in accordance
with GAAP, after eliminating all amounts properly attributable to minority
interests, if any, in the stock and surplus of Subsidiaries, minus the sum of
(i) the total liabilities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that would be
reflected on the Borrower's consolidated balance sheet as of such date prepared
in accordance with GAAP and (ii) the amount of any write-up in the book value of
any assets resulting from a revaluation thereof or any write-up in excess of the
cost of such assets acquired reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the
Borrower as of such date prepared in accordance with GAAP.
"CONSOLIDATED TOTAL DEBT" shall mean, as of any date of determination,
all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that would be reflected on
a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower prepared in accordance with GAAP as
of such date.
"CONTROL" shall mean the power, directly or indirectly, either to (i)
vote 50% or more of securities having ordinary voting power for the election of
directors (or persons performing similar functions) of a Person, or (ii) direct
or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether
through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. The
terms "CONTROLLING", "CONTROLLED BY", and "UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH" have
meanings correlative thereto.
"DEFAULT" shall mean any condition or event that, with the giving of
notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
"DEFAULT INTEREST" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(a).
"DOLLAR(S)" and the sign "$" shall mean lawful money of the United
States of America.
"ELIGIBLE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE" shall mean accounts receivable owed to
Borrower by non-Affiliated Persons for services rendered by Borrower and which
shall exclude:
(a) accounts receivable which are due and owing for more
than 90 days from the date of invoice;
(b) accounts receivable owed by any federal, state, or
local governmental agency or authority;
(c) accounts receivable owed by a Person who is insolvent
or the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding in state or
federal court;
(d) accounts receivable owed by any Person who has other
accounts receivable owing to Borrower if: (i) those other accounts
receivable are more than 90 days past due, (ii) such past due accounts
receivable constitute more than 20% of the aggregate accounts
receivable owed by such Person, and (iii) such past due accounts are
not being disputed reasonably and in good faith; or
(e) accounts receivable subject to any dispute,
counterclaim, or objection.
"ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS" shall mean all laws, rules, regulations, codes,
ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding
agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by or with any Governmental
Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation
of natural resources, the management, Release or threatened Release of any
Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.
"ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY" shall mean any liability, contingent or
otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental
investigation and remediation, costs of administrative oversight, fines, natural
resource damages, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary
directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) any actual or alleged
violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling,
transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c)
any actual or alleged exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the Release or
threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials, or (e) any contract, agreement or
other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed
with respect to any of the foregoing.
"ERISA" shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.
"ERISA AFFILIATE" shall mean any trade or business (whether or not
incorporated), which, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single
employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for the purposes of
Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single
employer under Section 414 of the Code.
"ERISA EVENT" shall mean (a) any "reportable event", as defined in
Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a
Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the
existence with respect to any Plan of an "accumulated funding deficiency" (as
defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not
waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d)
of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with
respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA
Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the
termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate
from the PBGC or a plan administrator appointed by the PBGC of any notice
relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee
to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA
Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal
from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any
ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of
Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is
expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV
of ERISA.
"EURODOLLAR" when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to
whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bears interest at a
rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
"EURODOLLAR RESERVE PERCENTAGE" shall mean the aggregate of the maximum
reserve percentages (including, without limitation, any emergency, supplemental,
special or other
marginal reserves) expressed as a decimal (rounded upwards to the next 1/100th
of 1%) in effect on any day to which the Administrative Agent is subject with
respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate pursuant to regulations issued by the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any Governmental Authority
succeeding to any of its principal functions) with respect to eurocurrency
funding (currently referred to as "eurocurrency liabilities" under Regulation
D). Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to
be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for
proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any
Lender under Regulation D. The Eurodollar Reserve Percentage shall be adjusted
automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve
percentage.
"EVENT OF DEFAULT" shall have the meaning provided in Article VIII.
"EXCLUDED TAXES" shall mean with respect to the Administrative Agent,
any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by
or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income, excise or
franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income or assets, (b) any
branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax
imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in
the case of a Foreign Lender, any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts
payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party
to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to
such Foreign Lender's failure to comply with Section 2.17(e), except to the
extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the
time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive
additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax
pursuant to Section 2.17(a).
"FACILITY FEE" shall mean a fee payable quarterly in arrears and
determined by calculating the Applicable Percentage on the total Revolving
Commitments.
"FEDERAL FUNDS RATE" shall mean, for any day, the rate per annum
(rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100th of 1%) equal to the weighted
average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with member banks
of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published by
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the next succeeding Business Day or if
such rate is not so published for any Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for
such day shall be the average rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100th
of 1% 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.
"FOREIGN LENDER" shall mean any Lender that is organized under the laws
of a jurisdiction other than that of the Borrower. For purposes of this
definition, the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of
Columbia shall constitute one jurisdiction.
"GAAP" shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States applied on a consistent basis and subject to the terms of Section
1.3.
"GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY" shall mean the government of the United States
of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state
or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court,
central bank or other entity exercising
executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or
functions of or pertaining to government.
"GUARANTEE" of or by any Person (the "GUARANTOR") shall mean any
obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the
economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any
other Person (the "PRIMARY OBLIGOR") in any manner, whether directly or
indirectly and including any obligation, direct or indirect, of the guarantor
(a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment
of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or
supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to
purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring
the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c)
to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement
condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary
obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (d) as an account party
in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued in support of
such Indebtedness or obligation; provided that the term "Guarantee" shall not
include endorsements for collection or deposits in the ordinary course of
business. The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to
the stated or determinable amount of the primary obligation in respect of which
Guarantee is made or, if not so stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably
anticipated liability in respect thereof (assuming such Person is required to
perform thereunder) as determined by such Person in good faith. The term
"Guarantee" used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
"HAZARDOUS MATERIALS" means all explosive or radioactive substances or
wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants,
including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing
materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes
and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any
Environmental Law.
"HEDGING AGREEMENTS" shall mean interest rate swap, cap or collar
agreements, interest rate future or option contracts, currency swap agreements,
currency future or option contracts, commodity agreements and other similar
agreements or arrangements designed to protect against fluctuations in interest
rates, currency values or commodity values.
"INDEBTEDNESS" of any Person shall mean, without duplication (i) all
obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (ii) all obligations of such
Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, (iii)
all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of
property or services (other than trade payables incurred in the ordinary course
of business; provided that for purposes of Section 8.1(f), trade payables
overdue by more than one hundred twenty (120) days shall be included in this
definition except to the extent that any of such trade payables are being
disputed in good faith and by appropriate measures), (iv) all obligations of
such Person under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement(s)
relating to property acquired by such Person, (v) all Capital Lease Obligations
of such Person, (vi) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in
respect of letters of credit, acceptances or similar extensions of credit, (vii)
all Guarantees of such Person of the type of Indebtedness described in clauses
(i) through (vi) above, (viii) all Indebtedness of a third party secured by any
Lien on property owned by such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness has been
assumed by such Person, (ix) all obligations of such Person, contingent or
otherwise, to
purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire for value any common stock of such
Person, and (x) Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities. The Indebtedness of any Person
shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture in which such
Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent that
applicable law or the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not
liable therefor.
"INDEMNIFIED TAXES" shall mean Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
"INDEMNITY AND CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT" shall mean the Indemnity,
Subrogation and Contribution Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit G,
among the Borrower, the Subsidiary Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent.
"INTEREST PERIOD" shall mean with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing,
a period of one, two, three, or six months, provided that:
(i) the initial Interest Period for such Borrowing shall
commence on the date of such Borrowing (including the date of any
conversion from a Borrowing of another Type) 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 would otherwise end on a day
other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to
the next succeeding Business Day, unless, in the case of a Eurodollar
Borrowing, such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which
case such Interest Period would end on the next preceding Business Day;
(iii) any Interest Period in respect of a Eurodollar
Borrowing which begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month or
on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the
calendar month at the end of such Interest Period shall end on the last
Business Day of such calendar month;
(iv) no Interest Period may extend beyond the Commitment
Termination Date.
"ISSUING BANK" shall mean SunTrust Bank in its capacity as an issuer of
Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.20.
"LC COMMITMENT" shall mean that portion of the Aggregate Revolving
Commitments that may be used by the Borrower for the issuance of Letters of
Credit in an aggregate face amount not to exceed $35,000,000.00.
"LC COMMITMENT DATE" shall mean May 31, 2004.
"LC DISBURSEMENT" shall mean a payment made by the Issuing Bank
pursuant to and in compliance with a Letter of Credit.
"LC DOCUMENTS" shall mean the Letters of Credit and all applications,
agreements and instruments relating to the Letters of Credit.
"LC EXPOSURE" shall mean, at any time, the sum of (i) the aggregate
undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time, plus (ii) the
aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not been reimbursed by or on
behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender shall be its
Pro Rata Share of the total LC Exposure at such time.
"LENDERS" shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the opening
paragraph of this Agreement.
"LETTER OF CREDIT" shall mean any letter of credit issued pursuant to
Section 2.20 by the Issuing Bank for the account of the Borrower pursuant to the
LC Commitment.
"LEVERAGE RATIO" shall mean, as of any date of determination with
respect to the Borrower, the ratio of (i) Consolidated Total Debt as of such
date to (ii) Consolidated EBITDA as of such date.
"LIBOR" shall mean, for any applicable Interest Period with respect to
any Eurodollar Loan, the rate per annum for deposits in Dollars for a period
equal to such Interest Period appearing on the display designated as Page 3750
on the Dow Jones Markets Service (or such other page on that service or such
other service designated by the British Banker's Association for the display of
such Association's Interest Settlement Rates for Dollar deposits) as of 11:00
a.m. (London, England time) on the day that is two Business Days prior to the
first day of the Interest Period or if such Page 3750 is unavailable for any
reason at such time, the rate which appears on the Reuters Screen ISDA Page as
of such date and such time; provided that if the Administrative Agent determines
that the relevant foregoing sources are unavailable for the relevant Interest
Period, LIBOR shall mean the rate of interest determined by the Administrative
Agent to be the average (rounded upward, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100th of
1%) of the rates per annum at which deposits in Dollars are offered to the
Administrative Agent two (2) Business Days preceding the first day of such
Interest Period by leading banks in the London interbank market as of 10:00 a.
m. for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period, for the number of days
comprised therein and in an amount comparable to the amount of the Eurodollar
Loan of the Administrative Agent.
"LIEN" shall mean any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien
(statutory or otherwise), charge, encumbrance, hypothecation, assignment,
deposit arrangement, or other arrangement having the practical effect of the
foregoing or any preference, priority or other security agreement or
preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any
conditional sale or other title retention agreement and any capital lease having
the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
"LOAN DOCUMENTS" shall mean, collectively, this Agreement, the Notes,
the LC Documents, all Notices of Borrowing, the Subsidiary Guarantee Agreements,
the Indemnity and Contribution Agreement, the Security Documents, and any and
all other instruments, agreements, documents and writings executed in connection
with any of the foregoing.
"LOAN PARTIES" shall mean the Borrower and the Subsidiary Loan Parties.
"LOANS" shall mean all Revolving Loans in the aggregate or any of them,
as the context shall require.
"MAINTENANCE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES" shall mean Capital Expenditures
incurred by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries for ordinary and necessary
maintenance of its property, computers, telecommunications equipment,
intellectual property, plant and equipment.
"MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT" shall mean, with respect to any event, act,
condition or occurrence of whatever nature (including any adverse determination
in any litigation, arbitration, or governmental investigation or proceeding),
whether singly or in conjunction with any other event or events, act or acts,
condition or conditions, occurrence or occurrences whether or not related, a
material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect on, (i) the business,
results of operations, financial condition, assets, liabilities or prospects of
the Borrower and of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) the
ability of the Loan Parties to perform any of their respective obligations under
the Loan Documents, (iii) the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent,
the Issuing Bank and the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents or (iv) the
legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents.
"MATERIAL INDEBTEDNESS" shall mean Indebtedness (other than the Loans
and Letters of Credit) or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging
Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in an
aggregate principal amount exceeding $500,000.00. For purposes of determining
Material Indebtedness, the "principal amount" of the obligations of the Borrower
or any Subsidiary in respect to any Hedging Agreement at any time shall be the
maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the
Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Hedging Agreement
were terminated at such time.
"MOODY'S" shall mean Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
"MULTIEMPLOYER PLAN" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
"NOTES" shall mean, collectively, the Revolving Credit Notes.
"NOTICE OF BORROWING" shall have the meaning as set forth in Section
2.3.
"NOTICE OF CONVERSION/CONTINUATION" shall mean the notice given by the
Borrower to the Administrative Agent in respect of the conversion or
continuation of an outstanding Borrowing as provided in Section 2.5(b) hereof.
"OBLIGATIONS" shall mean all amounts owing by the Borrower to the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender pursuant to or in
connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including without
limitation, principal, interest (including any interest accruing after the
filing of any petition in bankruptcy or the commencement of any insolvency,
reorganization or like proceeding relating to the Borrower, whether or not a
claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding),
reimbursement obligations, fees, expenses, indemnification and reimbursement
payments, costs and expenses (including all fees and expenses of counsel to the
Administrative Agent and any Lender incurred pursuant to this Agreement or any
other Loan Document), whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent,
liquidated or unliquidated, now existing or hereafter arising hereunder or
thereunder, together with all renewals, extensions, modifications or
refinancings thereof.
"OFF-BALANCE SHEET LIABILITIES" of any Person shall mean (i) any
repurchase obligation or liability of such Person with respect to accounts or
notes receivable sold by such Person, (ii) any liability of such Person under
any sale and leaseback transactions which do not create a liability on the
balance sheet of such Person, (iii) any liability of such Person under any
so-called "synthetic" lease transaction or (iv) any obligation arising with
respect to any other transaction which is the functional equivalent of or takes
the place of borrowing but which does not constitute a liability on the balance
sheet of such Person.
"PARTICIPANT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10.4(c).
"PAYMENT OFFICE" shall mean the office of the Administrative Agent
located at 201 Fourth Avenue North, Nashville, Tennessee 37219, or such other
location as to which the Administrative Agent shall have given written notice to
the Borrower and the other Lenders.
"PBGC" shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to
and defined in ERISA, and any successor entity performing similar functions.
"PERMITTED ENCUMBRANCES" shall mean
(i) Liens imposed by law for taxes not yet due or which
are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with
respect to which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance
with GAAP;
(ii) statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers,
warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and other Liens imposed by law
created in the ordinary course of business for amounts not yet due or
which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and
with respect to which adequate reserves are being maintained in
accordance with GAAP;
(iii) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of
business in compliance with workers' compensation, unemployment
insurance and other social security laws or regulations;
(iv) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade
contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds,
performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case
in the ordinary course of business;
(v) judgment and attachment liens not giving rise to an
Event of Default or Liens created by or existing from any litigation or
legal proceeding that are currently being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves are
being maintained in accordance with GAAP;
(vi) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and
similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the
ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations
and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property
or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole;
(vii) Capital Lease Obligations to the extent permitted
hereunder;
(viii) Liens securing purchase money indebtedness to the
extent permitted pursuant to Section 7.1 hereunder;
(x) Liens created by the Security Documents or otherwise
provided for in this Agreement for the benefit of the Lenders;
(xi) any Lien in favor of the United States of America or
any department or agency thereof, in favor of any state government or
political subdivision thereof, or in favor of a prime contractor under
a government contract of the United States, or of any political
subdivision thereof, and in each case, resulting from acceptance of
partial progress, advance or other payments in the ordinary course of
business under government contracts of the United States, or of any
state government or political subdivision thereof, or subcontracts
thereunder; and
(xii) statutory Liens arising under ERISA created in the
ordinary course of business for amounts not yet due and as to which
adequate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP.
"PERMITTED INVESTMENTS" shall mean:
(i) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal
of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United
States (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are
backed by the full faith and credit of the United States), in each case
maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;
(ii) commercial paper having the highest rating, at the
time of acquisition thereof, of S&P or Moody's and in either case
maturing within six months from the date of acquisition thereof;
(iii) certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and
time deposits maturing within 180 days of the date of acquisition
thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market
deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any
commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States or any
state thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided
profits of not less than $500,000,000;
(iv) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a
term of not more than 90 days for securities described in clause (i)
above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the
criteria described in clause (iii) above;
(v) mutual funds investing solely in any one or more of
the Permitted Investments described in clauses (i) through (iv) above;
(vi) investments in obligations the return with respect to
which is excludable from gross income under Section 103 of the Code,
having a maturity of not more than six (6) months or providing the
holder the right to put such obligations for purchase at par
upon not more than twenty-eight (28) days' notice, and which are rated
at least A-1 by S&P or P-1 by Moody's;
(vii) investments in tax free money market funds all of
whose assets consist of securities of the types described in the
foregoing clause (vi) above; and
(viii) investments, redeemable upon not more than seven (7)
days' notice, in money market preferred municipal bond funds that are
rated at least AAA by S&P or Aaa by Moody's.
"PERSON" shall mean any individual, partnership, firm, corporation,
association, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or other entity, or
any Governmental Authority.
"PLAN" means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a
Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section
412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or
any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section
4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an "employer" as defined in Section 3(5) of
ERISA.
"PRO RATA SHARE" shall mean, with respect to any Lender at any time, a
percentage, the numerator of which shall be the sum of such Lender's Revolving
Commitment and the denominator of which shall be the sum of all Lenders'
Revolving Commitments.
"REGULATION D" shall mean Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System, as the same may be in effect from time to time, and any
successor regulations.
"RELATED PARTIES" shall mean, with respect to any specified Person,
such Person's Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, and
agents of such Person and such Person's Affiliates.
"RELEASE" means any release, spill, emission, leaking, dumping,
injection, pouring, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, leaching or
migration into the environment (including ambient air, surface water,
groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or within any building,
structure, facility or fixture.
"REQUIRED LENDERS" shall mean, at any time, Lenders holding 66 2/3% of
the aggregate outstanding Revolving Credit Exposures at such time or if the
Lenders have no Revolving Credit Exposure outstanding, then Lenders holding 66
2/3% of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.
"RESPONSIBLE OFFICER" shall mean any of the president, the chief
executive officer, the chief operating officer, the chief financial officer, the
controller or a vice president of the Borrower or such other representative of
the Borrower as may be designated in writing by any one of the foregoing with
the consent of the Administrative Agent; and, with respect to the financial
covenants only, the president, the chief executive officer, the chief financial
officer or the controller of the Borrower.
"RESTRICTED PAYMENT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.5.
"REVOLVING COMMITMENT" shall mean, with respect to each Lender, the
obligation of such Lender to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower and to
participate in Letters of Credit in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding
the amount set forth with respect to such Lender on the signature pages to this
Agreement, or in the case of a Person becoming a Lender after the Closing Date,
the amount of the assigned "Revolving Commitment" as provided in the Assignment
and Acceptance Agreement executed by such Person as an assignee, as the same may
be changed pursuant to terms hereof.
"REVOLVING CREDIT EXPOSURE" shall mean, with respect to any Lender at
any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender's Revolving
Loans, plus such Lender's LC Exposure.
"REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE" shall mean a revolving credit note of the
Borrower payable to the order of a Lender in the principal amount of such
Lender's Revolving Commitment, in substantially the form of Exhibit A.
"REVOLVING LOAN" shall mean a loan made by a Lender to the Borrower
under its Revolving Commitment, which may either be a Base Rate Loan or a
Eurodollar Loan.
"S&P" shall mean Standard & Poor's.
"SECURITY DOCUMENTS" shall mean the Assignment and Security Agreements
executed by the Borrower and all other Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent
dated May 31, 2002, as amended by first amendments dated November 22, 2002, as
such may be further amended, from time to time, and all financing statements
filed in connection with such Security Agreements.
"SUBSIDIARY" shall mean, with respect to any Person (the "PARENT"), any
corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, association
or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the
parent in the parent's consolidated financial statements if such financial
statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of the date of preparation,
as well as any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
company, association or other entity (i) of which securities or other ownership
interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the
ordinary voting power, or in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the
general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, Controlled or held,
or (ii) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or
more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of
the parent. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to "Subsidiary" hereunder
shall mean a Subsidiary of the Borrower.
"SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEE AGREEMENT" shall mean the Subsidiary Guarantee
Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit F, made by the Subsidiary Loan
Parties in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders.
"SUBSIDIARY LOAN PARTY" shall mean any presently existing or hereafter
created Subsidiary.
"TAXES" shall mean any and all present or future taxes, levies,
imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental
Authority in respect of the
execution, delivery, or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this
Agreement or any other Loan Document or any payment to the Administrative Agent,
the Lenders, or the Issuing Bank hereunder or thereunder.
"TYPE", when used in reference to a Loan or Borrowing, refers to
whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such
Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Base
Rate.
"UNRESTRICTED CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS" means cash and cash
equivalents that are not subject to any lien, encumbrance, pledge, or escrow
arrangement, except for liens and encumbrances in favor of Administrative Agent
for the benefit of Lenders.
"WITHDRAWAL LIABILITY" shall mean liability to a Multiemployer Plan as
a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as
such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 1.2 Classifications of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of
this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g. a
"Eurodollar Loan" or "Base Rate Loan").
SECTION 1.3 Accounting Terms and Determination. Unless otherwise
defined or specified herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be
interpreted, all accounting determinations hereunder shall be made, and all
financial statements required to be delivered hereunder shall be prepared, in
accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time, applied on a basis
consistent (except for such changes approved by the Borrower's independent
public accountants) with the most recent audited consolidated financial
statement of the Borrower delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(a); provided that if
the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower wishes to amend
any covenant in Article VI to eliminate the effect of any change in GAAP on the
operation of such covenant (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower
that the Required Lenders wish to amend Article VI for such purpose), then the
Borrower's compliance with such covenant shall be determined on the basis of
GAAP in effect immediately before the relevant change in GAAP became effective,
until either such notice is withdrawn or such covenant is amended in a manner
satisfactory to the Borrower and the Required Lenders.
SECTION 1.4 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". In
the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified
date, the word "from" means "from and including" and the word "to" means "to but
excluding". Unless the context requires otherwise (i) 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 it was
originally executed or as it may from time to time be amended, supplemented or
otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements
or modifications set forth herein), (ii) any reference herein to any Person
shall be construed to include such Person's successors and permitted assigns,
(iii) the words "hereof", "herein" and
"hereunder" and words of similar import shall be construed to refer to this
Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision hereof, (iv) all
references to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to
refer to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules to this Agreement and (v)
all references to a specific time shall be construed to refer to the time in the
city and state of the Administrative Agent's principal office, unless otherwise
indicated.
ARTICLE II
AMOUNT AND TERMS OF THE COMMITMENTS
SECTION 2.1 General Description of Facilities. Subject to and upon the
terms and conditions herein set forth, (i) the Lenders hereby establish in favor
of the Borrower a revolving credit facility pursuant to which the Lenders
severally agree (to the extent of each Lender's Pro Rata Share up to such
Lender's Revolving Commitment) to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower in
accordance with Section 2.2, (ii) the Issuing Bank agrees to issue Letters of
Credit in accordance with Section 2.20, and (iii) each Lender agrees to purchase
a participation interest in the Letters of Credit pursuant to the terms and
conditions hereof; provided that in no event shall the aggregate principal
amount of all outstanding Revolving Loans, plus the outstanding LC Obligations
exceed at any time the lesser of: (a) the Borrowing Base, and (b) the Aggregate
Revolving Commitments from time to time in effect.
SECTION 2.2 Revolving Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set
forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make Revolving Loans to the
Borrower, from time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate
principal amount outstanding at any time that will not result in (a) such
Lender's Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender's Revolving Commitment
or (b) the sum of the Loans and the LC Exposure exceeding the lesser of: (i) the
Aggregate Revolving Commitments, or (ii) the Borrowing Base. During the
Availability Period, the Borrower shall be entitled to borrow, prepay and
reborrow Revolving Loans in accordance with the terms and conditions of this
Agreement; provided that the Borrower may not borrow or reborrow should there
exist a Default or Event of Default.
SECTION 2.3 Procedure for Borrowings. The Borrower shall give the
Administrative Agent written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in
writing) of each Borrowing substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.3 attached
hereto (a "NOTICE OF BORROWING") (x) prior to 11:00 a.m. one (1) Business Day
prior to the requested date of each Base Rate Borrowing and (y) prior to 11:00
a.m. three (3) Business Days prior to the requested date of each Eurodollar
Borrowing. Each Notice of Borrowing shall be irrevocable and shall specify: (i)
the aggregate principal amount of such Borrowing, (ii) the date of such
Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the Type of such Revolving Loan
comprising such Borrowing and (iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the
duration of the initial Interest Period applicable thereto (subject to the
provisions of the definition of Interest Period). Each Borrowing shall consist
entirely of Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Loans, as the Borrower may request.
The aggregate principal amount of each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be not less
than $1,000,000 or a larger multiple of $500,000, and the aggregate principal
amount of each Base Rate Borrowing shall not be less than $500,000 or a larger
multiple of $100,000; provided that Base Rate Loans made pursuant to Section
2.20(d) may be made in lesser amounts as provided therein. At no time shall the
total number of Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding at any time exceed five (5).
Promptly following the receipt of
a Notice of Borrowing in accordance herewith, the Administrative Agent shall
advise each Lender of the details thereof and the amount of such Lender's
Revolving Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
SECTION 2.4 Funding of Borrowings
(a) Each Lender will make available each Loan to be made
by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer in
immediately available funds by 11:00 a.m. to the Administrative Agent
at the Payment Office. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans
available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts that it
receives, in like funds by the close of business on such proposed date,
to an account maintained by the Borrower with the Administrative Agent.
(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been
notified by any Lender prior to 5 p.m. one (1) Business Day prior to
the date of a Borrowing in which such Lender is participating that such
Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such
Lender's share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume
that such Lender has made such amount available to the Administrative
Agent on such date, and the Administrative Agent, in reliance on such
assumption, may make available to the Borrower on such date a
corresponding amount. If such corresponding amount is not in fact made
available to the Administrative Agent by such Lender on the date of
such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover
such corresponding amount on demand from such Lender together with
interest at the Federal Funds Rate for up to two (2) days and
thereafter at the rate specified for such Borrowing. 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 together with
interest at the rate specified for such Borrowing. Nothing in this
subsection shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to
fund its Pro Rata Share of any Borrowing hereunder or to prejudice any
rights which the Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of
any default by such Lender hereunder.
(c) All Borrowings shall be made by the Lenders on the
basis of their respective Pro Rata Shares. No Lender shall be
responsible for any default by any other Lender in its obligations
hereunder, and each Lender shall be obligated to make its Loans
provided to be made by it hereunder, regardless of the failure of any
other Lender to make its Loans hereunder.
SECTION 2.5 Interest Elections.
(a) Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type
specified in the applicable Notice of Borrowing, and in the case of a
Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as
specified in such Notice of Borrowing. Thereafter, the Borrower may
elect to convert such Borrowing into a different Type or to continue
such Borrowing, and in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect
Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The
Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions
of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be
allocated
ratably among the Lenders holding Loans comprising such Borrowing, and
the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate
Borrowing.
(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the
Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent prior written notice (or
telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) of each Borrowing (a
"NOTICE OF CONVERSION/CONTINUATION") that is to be converted or
continued, as the case may be, (x) prior to 11:00 a.m. one (1) Business
Day prior to the requested date of a conversion into a Base Rate
Borrowing and (y) prior to 11:00 a.m. three (3) Business Days prior to
a continuation of or conversion into a Eurodollar Borrowing. Each such
Notice of Conversion/Continuation shall be irrevocable and shall
specify (i) the Borrowing to which such Notice of
Continuation/Conversion applies and if different options are being
elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions
thereof that are to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which
case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv)
shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing); (ii) the effective
date of the election made pursuant to such Notice of
Continuation/Conversion, which shall be a Business Day, (iii) whether
the resulting Borrowing is to be a Base Rate Borrowing or a Eurodollar
Borrowing; and (iv) if the resulting Borrowing is to be a Eurodollar
Borrowing, the Interest Period applicable thereto after giving effect
to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the
definition of "Interest Period". If any such Notice of
Continuation/Conversion requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not
specify an Interest Period, the Borrower shall be deemed to have
selected an Interest Period of one month. The principal amount of any
resulting Borrowing shall satisfy the minimum borrowing amount for
Eurodollar Borrowings and Base Rate Borrowings set forth in Section
2.3.
(c) If, on the expiration of any Interest Period in
respect of any Eurodollar Borrowing, the Borrower shall have failed to
deliver a Notice of Conversion/Continuation, then, unless such
Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, the Borrower shall be deemed to
have elected to convert such Borrowing to a Base Rate Borrowing. No
Borrowing may be converted into, or continued as, a Eurodollar
Borrowing if a Default or an Event of Default exists, unless the
Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders shall have otherwise
consented in writing. No conversion of any Eurodollar Loans shall be
permitted except on the last day of the Interest Period in respect
thereof.
(d) Upon receipt of any Notice of
Conversion/Continuation, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify
each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender's portion of each
resulting Borrowing.
SECTION 2.6 Optional Reduction and Termination of Commitments.
(a) Unless previously terminated, all Revolving
Commitments shall terminate on the Commitment Termination Date.
(b) Upon at least three (3) Business Days' prior written
notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) to the
Administrative Agent (which notice shall be irrevocable), the Borrower
may reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in part or terminate the
Aggregate Revolving Commitments in whole; provided that (i) any partial
reduction shall apply to reduce proportionately and permanently the
Revolving Commitment of each Lender, (ii) any partial reduction
pursuant to this Section 2.6 shall be in an amount of at least
$1,000,000 and any larger multiple of $1,000,000, and (iii) no such
reduction shall be permitted which would reduce the Aggregate Revolving
Commitments to an amount less than the outstanding Revolving Credit
Exposures of all Lenders. Any such reduction in the Aggregate Revolving
Commitments shall result in a proportionate reduction (rounded to the
next lowest integral multiple of $100,000) LC Commitment.
SECTION 2.7 Repayment of Loans. The outstanding principal amount of all
Revolving Loans shall be due and payable (together with accrued and unpaid
interest thereon) on the Commitment Termination Date.
SECTION 2.8 Evidence of Indebtedness.
(a) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its
usual practice appropriate records evidencing the indebtedness of the
Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender
from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest
payable thereon and paid to such Lender from time to time under this
Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall maintain appropriate records
in which shall be recorded (i) the Revolving Commitment of each Lender,
(ii) the amount of each Loan made hereunder by each Lender, the Type
thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (iii) the date of
each continuation thereof pursuant to Section 2.5, (iv) the date of
each conversion of all or a portion thereof to another Type pursuant to
Section 2.5, (v) the date and amount of any principal or interest due
and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each
Lender hereunder in respect of such Loans and (vi) both the date and
amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from
the Borrower in respect of the Loans and each Lender's Pro Rata Share
thereof. The entries made in such records shall be prima facie evidence
of the existence and amounts of the obligations of the Borrower therein
recorded; provided that the failure or delay of any Lender or the
Administrative Agent in maintaining or making entries into any such
record or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the
obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans (both principal and
unpaid accrued interest) of such Lender in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement.
(b) The Borrower agrees that it will execute and deliver
to each Lender a Revolving Credit Note, payable to the order of such
Lender, in the amount of such Lender's Revolving Commitment.
SECTION 2.9 Optional Prepayments. The Borrower shall have the right at
any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing, in whole or in part,
without premium or penalty, by giving irrevocable written notice (or telephonic
notice promptly confirmed in writing) to the Administrative Agent no later than
(i) in the case of prepayment of any Eurodollar Borrowing, 11:00 a.m. not less
than three (3) Business Days prior to any such prepayment, and (ii) in the case
of any prepayment of any Base Rate Borrowing, not less than one (1) Business Day
prior to the date of such prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and
shall specify the proposed date of such prepayment and the principal amount of
each Borrowing or portion thereof to be
prepaid. Upon receipt of any such notice, the Administrative Agent shall
promptly notify each affected Lender of the contents thereof and of such
Lender's Pro Rata Share of any such prepayment. If such notice is given, the
aggregate amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date
designated in such notice, together with accrued interest to such date on the
amount so prepaid in accordance with Section 2.10(b); provided that if a
Eurodollar Borrowing is prepaid on a date other than the last day of an Interest
Period applicable thereto, the Borrower shall also pay all amounts required
pursuant to Section 2.16. Each partial prepayment of any Loan shall be in an
amount not less than the minimum amount that would be permitted in the case of
an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type pursuant to Section 2.2. Each
prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans comprising such
Borrowing.
SECTION 2.10 Interest on Loans.
(a) While an Event of Default exists or after
acceleration, at the option of the Required Lenders, the Borrower shall
pay interest ("DEFAULT INTEREST") with respect to all Eurodollar Loans
at the rate otherwise applicable for the then-current Interest Period
plus an additional two percent (2%) per annum until the last day of
such Interest Period, and thereafter, and with respect to all Base Rate
Loans and all other Obligations hereunder (other than Loans), at the
rate in effect from time to time for Base Rate Loans, plus an
additional two percent (2%) per annum.
(b) Interest on the principal amount of all Loans shall
accrue from the date such Loans are made to the date of any repayment
thereof. Interest on all outstanding Base Rate Loans shall be payable
in arrears on the last day of each calendar month and on the Commitment
Termination Date. Interest on all outstanding Eurodollar Loans shall be
payable on the last day of each Interest Period applicable thereto,
and, in the case of any Eurodollar Loans having an Interest Period in
excess of three months or ninety (90) days, respectively, on each day
which occurs every three months or ninety (90) days, as the case may
be, after the initial date of such Interest Period, and on the
Commitment Termination Date. All Default Interest shall be payable on
demand.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall determine each
interest rate applicable to the Loans hereunder and shall promptly
notify the Borrower and the Lenders of such rate in writing (or by
telephone, promptly confirmed in writing). Any such determination shall
be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.11 Fees.
(a) Administrative Agent Fees. The Borrower shall pay to
the Administrative Agent for its own account fees in the amounts and at
the times previously agreed upon the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent.
(b) Facility Fee. The Borrower agrees to pay to the
Administrative Agent a facility fee equal to one quarter of one percent
(.25%) per annum on the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. The Facility
Fee shall be payable in arrears on the last day of each March, June,
September, and December of each year and on the Commitment Termination
Date.
(c) Payments. Accrued fees shall be payable quarterly in
arrears on the last day of each March, June, September, and December
(commencing June 30, 2002) of each year and on the Commitment
Termination Date.
(d) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay (i)
to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender, a letter
of credit fee with respect to its participation in each Letter of
Credit, which shall accrue at the Applicable Margin on the average
daily amount of such Lender's LC Exposure (excluding any portion
thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) attributable to
such Letter of Credit during the period from the date of issuance of
such Letter of Credit to the date on which such Letter of Credit
expires or is drawn in full (including without limitation any LC
Exposure that remains outstanding after the Commitment Termination
Date) and (ii) to the Issuing Bank for its own account a fronting fee,
which shall accrue at the rate of .125% per annum on the average daily
amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable
to Unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the Availability Period (or
until the date that such Letter of Credit is irrevocably canceled,
whichever is later), as well as the Issuing Bank's standard
administrative fees with respect to issuance, amendment, renewal or
extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder.
SECTION 2.12 Computation of Interest and Fees. All computations of
interest and fees hereunder shall be made on the basis of a year of 360 days for
the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day)
occurring in the period for which such interest or fees are payable (to the
extent computed on the basis of days elapsed). Each determination by the
Administrative Agent of an interest amount or fee hereunder shall be made in
good faith and, except for manifest error, shall be presumed correct for all
purposes.
SECTION 2.13 Inability to Determine Interest Rates. If prior to the
commencement of any Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing,
(a) the Administrative Agent shall have determined (which
determination shall be conclusive and binding upon the Borrower) that,
by reason of circumstances affecting the relevant interbank market,
adequate means do not exist for ascertaining LIBOR for such Interest
Period, or
(b) the Administrative Agent shall have received notice
from the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate does not
adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender, as
the case may be) of making, funding or maintaining their (or its, as
the case may be) Eurodollar Loans for such Interest Period,
the Administrative Agent shall give written notice (or telephonic notice,
promptly confirmed in writing) to the Borrower and to the Lenders as soon as
practicable thereafter. In the case of Eurodollar Loans, until the
Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the
circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) the obligations of
the Lenders to make Eurodollar Revolving Loans or to continue or convert
outstanding Loans as or into Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended and (ii) all
such affected Loans shall be converted into Base Rate Loans on the last day of
the then current Interest Period applicable thereto unless the
Borrower prepays such Loans in accordance with this Agreement. Unless the
Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent at least one Business Day before the
date of any Eurodollar Borrowing for which a Notice of Borrowing has previously
been given that it elects not to borrow on such date, then such Borrowing shall
be made as a Base Rate Borrowing.
SECTION 2.14 Illegality. If any Change in Law shall make it unlawful or
impossible for any Lender to make, maintain or fund any Eurodollar Loan and such
Lender shall so notify the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall
promptly give notice thereof to the Borrower and the other Lenders, whereupon
until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the
circumstances giving rise to such suspension no longer exist, the obligation of
such Lender to make Eurodollar Revolving Loans, or to continue or convert
outstanding Loans as or into Eurodollar Revolving Loans, shall be suspended. In
the case of the making of a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Lender's Loan shall be
made as a Base Rate Loan as part of the same Borrowing for the same Interest
Period and if the affected Eurodollar Loan is then outstanding, such Loan shall
be converted to a Base Rate Loan either (i) on the last day of the then current
Interest Period applicable to such Eurodollar Loan if such Lender may lawfully
continue to maintain such Loan to such date or (ii) immediately if such Lender
shall determine that it may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar
Loan to such date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the affected Lender shall,
prior to giving such notice to the Administrative Agent, designate a different
Applicable Lending Office if such designation would avoid the need for giving
such notice and if such designation would not otherwise be disadvantageous to
such Lender in the good faith exercise of its discretion.
SECTION 2.15 Increased Costs.
(a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any
reserve, special deposit or similar requirement that is not
otherwise included in the determination of the Adjusted LIBO
Rate hereunder against assets of, deposits with or for the
account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such
reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or
the Issuing Bank; or
(ii) impose on any Lender or on the Issuing Bank
or the eurodollar interbank market any other condition
affecting this Agreement or any Eurodollar Loans made by such
Lender or any Letter of Credit or any participation therein;
and the result of the foregoing is to increase the actual cost to such
Lender of making, converting into, continuing or maintaining a
Eurodollar Loan or to increase the cost to such Lender or the Issuing
Bank of participating in or issuing any Letter of Credit or to reduce
the amount received or receivable by such Lender or the Issuing Bank
hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount), then
the Borrower shall promptly pay, upon written notice from and demand by
such Lender on the Borrower (with a copy of such notice and demand to
the Administrative Agent), to the Administrative Agent for the account
of such Lender, within five (5) Business Days after the date of such
notice and demand, additional amount or amounts sufficient to
compensate such Lender or the
Issuing Bank, as the case may be, for such additional costs actually
incurred or reduction actually suffered.
(b) If any Lender or the Issuing Bank shall have
determined that on or after the date of this Agreement any Change in
Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of
actually reducing the rate of return on such Lender's or the Issuing
Bank's capital (or on the capital of such Lender's or the Issuing
Bank's parent corporation) as a consequence of its obligations
hereunder or under or in respect of any Letter of Credit to a level
below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender's or
the Issuing Bank's parent corporation could have achieved but for such
Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender's or the Issuing
Bank's policies or the policies of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's
parent corporation with respect to capital adequacy) then, from time to
time, within five (5) Business Days after receipt by the Borrower of
written demand by such Lender (with a copy thereof to the
Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such
additional amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank
or such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's parent corporation for any such
reduction actually suffered.
(c) A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting
forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the
Issuing Bank or such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's parent corporation,
as the case may be, specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section
shall be delivered to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative
Agent) and shall be presumed correct, absent manifest error. The
Borrower shall pay any such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may
be, such amount or amounts within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the
Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not
constitute a waiver of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's right to
demand such compensation.
SECTION 2.16 Funding Indemnity. In the event of: (a) the payment of any
principal of a Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period
applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the
conversion or continuation of a Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of
the Interest Period applicable thereto, or (c) the failure by the Borrower to
borrow, prepay, convert or continue any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in
any applicable Notice of Borrowing (regardless of whether such notice is
withdrawn or revoked), then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate
each Lender, within five (5) Business Days after written demand from such
Lender, for any loss, cost or expense attributable to such event. In the case of
a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense shall be deemed to include an
amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (A) the amount of
interest that would have accrued on the principal amount of such Eurodollar Loan
if such event had not occurred at the Adjusted LIBO Rate applicable to such
Eurodollar Loan for the period from the date of such event to the last day of
the then current Interest Period therefor (or in the case of a failure to
borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest
Period for such Eurodollar Loan) over (B) the amount of interest that would
accrue on the principal amount of such Eurodollar Loan for the same period if
the Adjusted LIBO Rate were set on the date such Eurodollar Loan was prepaid or
converted or the date on which the Borrower failed to
borrow, convert or continue such Eurodollar Loan. A certificate as to any
additional amount payable under this Section 2.16 submitted to the Borrower by
any Lender shall be presumed correct, absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.17 Taxes.
(a) Any and all payments by or on account of any
obligation of the Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of
and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes; provided that if the
Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes from such
payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so
that after making all required deductions (including deductions
applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the
Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank (as the case may
be) shall receive an amount equal to the sum it would have received had
no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such
deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to
the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In addition, the Borrower shall be responsible for
the payment of any Indemnified Taxes to the relevant Governmental
Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative
Agent, each Lender and the Issuing Bank, within five (5) Business Days
after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified
Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing
Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on
account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including
Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts
payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable
expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto as a result of the
Borrower's failure to comply with this Section 2.17(c) in a timely
manner. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability
delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the Issuing Bank, or by the
Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the
Issuing Bank, shall be presumed correct absent manifest error.
(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of
Indemnified Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the
Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a
certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority
evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or
other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent.
(e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption
from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction
in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such
jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement
shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative
Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law, such
properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable
law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such
payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Foreign Lender agrees
that it will deliver to
the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (or in the case of a
Participant, to the Lender from which the related participation shall
have been purchased) two (2) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue
Service Form 1001 or 4224, or any successor form thereto, as the case
may be, certifying in each case that such Foreign Lender is entitled to
receive payments made by the Borrower hereunder and under the Notes
payable to it, without deduction or withholding of any United States
federal income taxes and (ii) a duly completed Internal Revenue Service
Form W-8 or W-9, or any successor form thereto, as the case may be, to
establish an exemption from United State backup withholding tax. Each
such Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent such forms on or before the date that it becomes a
party to this Agreement (or in the case of a Participant, on or before
the date such Participant purchases the related participation). In
addition, each such Lender shall deliver such forms promptly upon the
obsolescence or invalidity of any form previously delivered by such
Lender. Each such Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent at any time that it determines that it is no
longer in a position to provide any previously delivered certificate to
the Borrower (or any other form of certification adopted by the U.S.
taxing authorities for such purpose).
SECTION 2.18 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of
Set-Offs.
(a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be
made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or
reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section
2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, on the Business
Day when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or
counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in
the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been
received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of
calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the
Administrative Agent at the Payment Office, except payments to be made
directly to the Issuing Bank as expressly provided herein and except
that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 and 10.3 shall
be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative
Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account
of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following
receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is
not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next
succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing
interest, interest thereon shall be made payable for the period of such
extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in Dollars.
(b) If at any time insufficient funds are received by and
available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of
principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due
hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of
interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties
entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees
then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal
and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the
parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal
and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.
(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of
set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any
principal of or interest on any of its Revolving Loans or
participations in LC Disbursements that would result in such Lender
receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of
its Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and accrued
interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then
the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash
at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans and participations
in LC Disbursements of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that
the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably
in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued
interest on their respective Revolving Loans and participations in LC
Disbursements; provided that (i) if any such participations are
purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is
recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase
price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and
(ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply
to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with
the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender
as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in
any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee
or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or
Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall
apply). The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the
extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender
acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may
exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with
respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct
creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
(d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received
notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due
to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the
Issuing Bank hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment,
the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such
payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon
such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the
case may be, the amount or amounts due. In such event, if the Borrower
has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the
Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the
Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to
such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from
and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but
excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the
greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by
the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on
interbank compensation.
(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required
to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.20(d) or (e), 2.18(d) or
10.3(d), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion
(notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts
thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such
Lender to satisfy such Lender's obligations under such Sections until
all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.
SECTION 2.19 Mitigation of Obligations. If any Lender requests
compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrower is required to pay any
additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of
any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall use reasonable
efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans
hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its
offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the sole judgment of such Lender, such
designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable under
Section 2.17 or Section 2.15, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would
not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not
otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay
all costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with such
designation or assignment.
SECTION 2.20 Letters of Credit.
(a) During the Availability Period, the Issuing Bank, in
reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders pursuant to Section
2.20(d), agrees to issue, at the request of the Borrower, Letters of
Credit for the account of the Borrower on the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth; provided that (i) each Letter of Credit shall
expire no later than five (5) days prior to the Commitment Termination
Date; (ii) each Letter of Credit shall be in a stated amount of at
least $250,000.00; and (iii) the Borrower may not request any Letter of
Credit, if, after giving effect to such issuance (A) the aggregate LC
Exposure would exceed the LC Commitment or (B) the aggregate LC
Exposure, plus the aggregate outstanding Revolving Loans of all
Lenders, would exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. Upon the
issuance of each Letter of Credit each Lender shall be deemed to, and
hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the
Issuing Bank without recourse a participation in such Letter of Credit
equal to such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the aggregate amount available
to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. Each issuance of a Letter of
Credit shall be deemed to utilize the Revolving Commitment of each
Lender by an amount equal to the amount of such participation.
(b) To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or any
amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit),
the Borrower shall give the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent
irrevocable written notice at least three (3) Business Days prior to
the requested date of such issuance specifying the date (which shall be
a Business Day) such Letter of Credit is to be issued (or amended,
extended or renewed, as the case may be), the expiration date of such
Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit , the name and
address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall
be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit.
In addition to the satisfaction of the conditions in Article III, the
issuance of such Letter of Credit (or any amendment which increases the
amount of such Letter of Credit) will be subject to the further
conditions that such Letter of Credit shall be in such form and contain
such terms as the Issuing Bank shall approve (such approval not to be
withheld unreasonably) and that the Borrower shall have executed and
delivered any additional applications, agreements and instruments
relating to such Letter of Credit as the Issuing Bank shall reasonably
require; provided that in the event of any conflict between such
applications, agreements or instruments and this Agreement, the terms
of this Agreement shall control.
(c) At least two (2) Business Days prior to the issuance
of any Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank will confirm with the
Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the
Administrative Agent has received such notice and if not, the Issuing
Bank will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless
the Issuing Bank has received notice from the Administrative Agent on
or before the Business Day immediately preceding the date the Issuing
Bank is to issue the requested Letter of Credit directing the Issuing
Bank not to issue the Letter of Credit because such issuance is not
then permitted hereunder because of the limitations set forth in
Section 2.20(a) or that one or more conditions specified in Article III
are not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions
hereof, the Issuing Bank shall, on the requested date, issue such
Letter of Credit in accordance with the Issuing Bank's usual and
customary business practices.
(d) The Issuing Bank shall examine all documents
purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit
promptly following its receipt thereof. The Issuing Bank shall notify
the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of such demand for payment
and whether the Issuing Bank has made or will make a LC Disbursement
thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such
notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse
the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to such LC Disbursement.
The Borrower shall be irrevocably and unconditionally obligated to
reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursements paid by the Issuing
Bank in respect of such drawing, without presentment, demand or other
formalities of any kind. Unless the Borrower shall have notified the
Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent prior to 11:00 a.m. on the
Business Day immediately prior to the date on which such drawing is
honored that the Borrower intends to reimburse the Issuing Bank for the
amount of such drawing in funds other than from the proceeds of
Revolving Loans, the Borrower shall be deemed to have timely given a
Notice of Borrowing to the Administrative Agent requesting the Lenders
to make a Base Rate Borrowing on the date on which such drawing is
honored in an exact amount due to the Issuing Bank; provided that for
purposes solely of such Borrowing, the conditions precedent set forth
in Section 3.2 hereof shall not be applicable. The Administrative Agent
shall notify the Lenders of such Borrowing in accordance with Section
2.3, and each Lender shall make the proceeds of its Base Rate Loan
included in such Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent for
the account of the Issuing Bank in accordance with Section 2.4. The
proceeds of such Borrowing shall be applied directly by the
Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for such LC
Disbursement.
(e) If for any reason a Base Rate Borrowing may not be
(as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent), or
is not, made in accordance with the foregoing provisions, then each
Lender (other than the Issuing Bank) shall be obligated to fund the
participation that such Lender purchased pursuant to subsection (a) in
an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of such LC Disbursement on and as
of the date which such Base Rate Borrowing should have occurred. Each
Lender's obligation to fund its participation shall be absolute and
unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including,
without limitation, (i) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense
or other right that such Lender or any other Person may have against
the Issuing Bank or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (ii)
the existence of a Default or an
Event of Default or the termination of the Aggregate Revolving
Commitments, (iii) any adverse change in the condition (financial or
otherwise) of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) any breach
of this Agreement by the Borrower or any other Lender, (v) any
amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit, or (vi) any
other circumstance, happening or event whatsoever, whether or not
similar to any of the foregoing. On the date that such participation is
required to be funded, each Lender shall promptly transfer, in
immediately available funds, the amount of its participation to the
Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuing Bank. Whenever, at
any time after the Issuing Bank has received from any such Lender the
funds for its participation in a LC Disbursement, the Issuing Bank (or
the Administrative Agent on its behalf) receives any payment on account
thereof, the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may
be, will distribute to such Lender its Pro Rata Share of such payment;
provided that if such payment is required to be returned for any reason
to the Borrower or to a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or
similar official in any bankruptcy proceeding, such Lender will return
to the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank any portion thereof
previously distributed by the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank
to it.
(f) To the extent that any Lender shall fail to pay any
amount required to be paid pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section
2.20 on the due date therefor, such Lender shall pay interest to the
Issuing Bank (through the Administrative Agent) on such amount from
such due date to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum
equal to the Federal Funds Rate; provided that if such Lender shall
fail to make such payment to the Issuing Bank within three (3) Business
Days of such due date, then, retroactively to the due date, such Lender
shall be obligated to pay interest on such amount at the Default Rate.
(g) If any Event of Default shall occur and be
continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from
the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders demanding the deposit
of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrower shall
deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the
Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in
cash equal to 105% of the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued
and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit
such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such
deposit shall become immediately due and payable, with demand or notice
of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect
to the Borrower described in clause (g) or (h) of Section 8.1. Such
deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the
payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrower under this
Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and
control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such
account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such
deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole
discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower's risk and
expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest and profits,
if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in
such account shall applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the
Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it had not been reimbursed
and to the extent so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the
reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such
time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, with the
consent of the Required Lenders, be
applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower under this
Agreement. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash
collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of
Default, such amount (to the extent not so applied as aforesaid) shall
be returned to the Borrower within three (3) Business Days after all
Events of Default have been cured or waived.
(h) Omitted by Agreement.
(i) The Borrower's obligation to reimburse LC
Disbursements hereunder shall be absolute, unconditional and
irrevocable and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement under all circumstances whatsoever and
irrespective of any of the following circumstances:
(i) Any lack of validity or enforceability of
any Letter of Credit or this Agreement;
(ii) The existence of any claim, set-off, defense
or other right which the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the
Borrower may have at any time against a beneficiary or any transferee
of any Letter of Credit (or any Persons or entities for whom any such
beneficiary or transferee may be acting), any Lender (including the
Issuing Bank) or any other Person, whether in connection with this
Agreement or the Letter of Credit or any document related hereto or
thereto or any unrelated transaction;
(iii) Any draft or other document presented under
a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any
respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any
respect, if such documents on their faces appear to be in order;
(iv) Payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter
of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document to the
Issuing Bank that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of
Credit;
(v) Any other event or circumstance whatsoever,
whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the
provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge
of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower's obligations
hereunder; or
(vi) The existence of a Default or an Event of
Default.
Neither the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Lenders nor any
Related Party of any of the foregoing shall have any liability or
responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or
transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any
payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred
to above), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in
transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication
under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document
required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of
technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the
control of the Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be
construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to
the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages,
claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the
extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are
caused by the Issuing Bank's failure to exercise care when determining
whether drafts or other documents presented under a Letter of Credit
comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree, that
in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of
the Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction), the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care
in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without
limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect
to documents presented that appear on their face to be in substantial
compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may,
in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such
documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless
of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and
make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict
compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.
(j) Each Letter of Credit shall be subject to the Uniform
Customs and Practices for Documentary Credits (1993 Revision),
International Chamber of Commerce Publication No.500, as the same may
be amended from time to time, and, to the extent not inconsistent
therewith, the governing law of this Agreement set forth in Section
10.5.
ARTICLE III
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO LOANS AND LETTERS OF CREDIT
SECTION 3.1 Conditions To Effectiveness. The obligations of the Lenders
to make Loans and the obligation of the Issuing Bank to issue any Letter of
Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the
following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 10.2).
(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees
and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Closing Date,
including reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses
(including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the
Administrative Agent) required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower
hereunder, under any other Loan Document and under any agreement with
the Administrative Agent.
(b) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have
received the following:
(i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed by or
on behalf of each party thereto or written evidence
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include
telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of this
Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this
Agreement;
(ii) duly executed Notes payable to such Lender;
(iii) a duly executed Subsidiary Guarantee
Agreement and Indemnity and Contribution Agreement;
(iv) duly executed Security Documents;
(v) a certificate of the Secretary or Assistant
Secretary of each Loan Party, attaching and certifying copies
of its bylaws and of the resolutions of its boards of
directors, authorizing the execution, delivery and performance
of the Loan Documents to which it is a party and certifying
the name, title and true signature of each officer of such
Loan Party executing the Loan Documents to which it is a
party;
(vi) certified copies of the articles of
incorporation or other charter documents of each Loan Party,
together with certificates of good standing or existence, as
may be available from the Secretary of State of the
jurisdiction of incorporation of such Loan Party and each
other jurisdiction where such Loan Party is required to be
qualified to do business as a foreign corporation;
(vii) a favorable written opinion of Bass, Berry &
Sims PLC, counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the
Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders, and covering
such matters relating to the Loan Parties, the Loan Documents
and the transactions contemplated therein as the
Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders shall reasonably
request;
(viii) a certificate, dated the Closing Date and
signed by a Responsible Officer, confirming compliance with
the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of
Section 3.2; and
(ix) duly executed Notices of Borrowing, if
applicable.
SECTION 3.2 Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a
Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend,
renew or extend any Letter of Credit is subject to the satisfaction of the
following conditions:
(a) at the time of and immediately after giving effect to
such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such
Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default or Event of Default shall
exist; and
(b) all representations and warranties of each Loan Party
set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all
material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date
of issuance, amendment, extension or renewal of such Letter of Credit,
in each case before and after giving effect thereto, except for (i)
representations and warranties effective as of a specified date, which
shall remain true and correct as of such specified date, and (ii)
changes in facts and circumstances that are not prohibited by the terms
of this Agreement;
(c) since the date of the most recent financial
statements of the Borrower described in Section 5.1(a), there shall
have been no change which has had or could reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect; and
(d) the Administrative Agent shall have received such
other documents, certificates, information or legal opinions as the
Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request,
all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent or the Required Lenders.
Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, extension or renewal of
any Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty
by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs
(a), (b) and (c) of this Section 3.2.
SECTION 3.3 Delivery of Documents. All of the Loan Documents,
certificates, legal opinions and other documents and papers referred to in this
Article III, unless otherwise specified, shall be delivered to the
Administrative Agent for the account of each of the Lenders and, except for the
Notes, in sufficient counterparts or copies for each of the Lenders and shall be
in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and
each Lender as follows:
SECTION 4.1 Existence; Power. The Borrower and each of its
Subsidiaries: (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing as a
corporation under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (ii) has all
requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted, and
(iii) is duly qualified to do business, and is in good standing, in each
jurisdiction where such qualification is required, except where a failure to be
so qualified could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
SECTION 4.2 Organizational Power; Authorization. The execution,
delivery and performance by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is
a party are within such Loan Party's organizational powers and have been duly
authorized by all necessary organizational action. This Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by the Borrower, and constitutes, and each other Loan
Document to which any Loan Party is a party, when executed and delivered by such
Loan Party, will constitute, valid and binding obligations of the Borrower or
such Loan Party (as the case may be), enforceable against it in accordance with
their respective terms, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws affecting the
enforcement of creditors' rights generally and by general principles of equity.
SECTION 4.3 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The execution,
delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement, and by each Loan
Party of the other Loan Documents to which it is a party (a) do not require any
consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any action by, any
Governmental Authority, except those as have been obtained or
made and are in full force and effect or where the failure to do so,
individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation
or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any
of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not
violate or result in a default under any indenture, material agreement or other
material instrument binding on the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of
its material assets or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to
be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and (d) will not result in
the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of
its Subsidiaries, except Liens (if any) created under the Loan Documents.
SECTION 4.4 Financial Statements. The Borrower has furnished to each
Lender: (i) the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries as of August 31, 2001 and the related consolidated statements of
income, shareholders' equity and cash flows for the fiscal year then ended
audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP and (ii) the unaudited consolidated balance
sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of February 28, 2002,
and the related unaudited consolidated statements of income and cash flows for
the fiscal quarter and year-to-date period then ending, certified by a
Responsible Officer. Such financial statements fairly present the consolidated
financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such dates and
the consolidated results of operations for such periods in conformity with GAAP
consistently applied, subject to year end audit adjustments and the absence of
footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii). Since August
31, 2001, there have been no changes with respect to the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries which have had or could reasonably be expected to have, singly or
in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 4.5 Litigation and Environmental Matters.
(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.5(a), no
litigation, investigation or proceeding of or before any arbitrators or
Governmental Authorities is pending against or, to the knowledge of the
Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries: (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an
adverse determination that could reasonably be expected to have, either
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii)
which in any manner draws into question the validity or enforceability
of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(b) Except as to any matter which would not have a Material Adverse Effect,
neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries: (i) has failed to
comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with
any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental
Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has
received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental
Liability, or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.
SECTION 4.6 Compliance with Laws and Agreements. The Borrower and each
Subsidiary is in compliance with (a) all applicable laws, rules, regulations and
orders of any Governmental Authority, and (b) all indentures, agreements or
other instruments binding upon it or its properties, except where
non-compliance, either singly or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 4.7 Investment Company Act, Etc. Neither the Borrower nor any
of its Subsidiaries is (a) an "investment company", as defined in, or subject to
regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (b) a "holding
company" as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended, or (c) otherwise subject to any other
regulatory scheme limiting its ability to incur debt.
SECTION 4.8 Taxes. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have timely filed
or caused to be filed (or have obtained permitted extensions for) all Federal
income tax returns and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, have filed or caused
to be filed (or have obtained permitted extensions for) all other material tax
returns that are required to be filed by them, and have paid all taxes shown to
be due and payable on such returns or on any assessments made against it or its
property and all other taxes, fees or other charges imposed on it or any of its
property by any Governmental Authority, except (i) to the extent the failure to
do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) where the same are
currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which
the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, has set aside on its books
adequate reserves.
SECTION 4.9 Margin Regulations. None of the proceeds of any of the
Loans or Letters of Credit will be used for "purchasing" or "carrying" any
"margin stock" within the respective meanings of each of such terms under
Regulation U as now and from time to time hereafter in effect or for any purpose
that violates the provisions of the applicable Margin Regulations.
SECTION 4.10 ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably
expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for
which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated
benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes
of Statement of Financial Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most
recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than
$300,000.00 the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, and the present
value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on
the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Standards No. 87)
did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such
amounts, exceed by more than $300,000.00 the fair market value of the assets of
all such underfunded Plans.
SECTION 4.11 Ownership of Property.
(a) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good
title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all of its real and personal
property material to the operation of its business.
(b) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is
licensed, or otherwise has the right, to use, all material patents,
trademarks, service marks, tradenames, copyrights and other
intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe on the rights of
any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually
or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 4.12 Disclosure.
(a) The Borrower has disclosed to the Lenders all
agreements, instruments, and corporate or other restrictions to which
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other
matters known to any of them, that, individually or in the aggregate,
could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
None of the reports (including without limitation all reports that the
Borrower is required to file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission), financial statements, certificates or other information
furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent
or any Lender in connection with the negotiation or syndication of this
Agreement or any other Loan Document or delivered hereunder or
thereunder (as modified or supplemented by any other information so
furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state
any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, taken as a
whole, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(b) The financial projections and other pro forma
financial information contained in the information referred to in
subsection (a) above were based on good faith estimates and assumptions
believed by the Borrower to be reasonable at the time made and at the
time furnished to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, it being
recognized by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that such
projections and other pro forma financial information as to future
events may differ from the actual results for such period or periods.
SECTION 4.13 Labor Relations. There are no strikes, lockouts or other
labor disputes or grievances against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries,
or, to the Borrower's knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries, and no unfair labor practice, charges or grievances are
pending against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or to the Borrower's
knowledge, threatened against any of them before any Governmental Authority,
which individually or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse
Effect. All payments due from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant
to the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement have been paid or
accrued as a liability on the books of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary,
except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 4.14 Subsidiaries. Schedule 4.14 sets forth the name of, the
ownership interest of the Borrower in, the jurisdiction of incorporation of, and
the type of, each Subsidiary and identifies each Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary
Loan Party, in each case as of the Closing Date.
ARTICLE V
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
The Borrower covenants and agrees that so long as any Lender has a
Commitment hereunder or the principal of and interest on any Loan or any fee or
any LC Disbursement remains unpaid or any Letter of Credit remains outstanding:
SECTION 5.1 Financial Statements and Other Information. The Borrower
will deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a) as soon as available and in any event within ninety
(90) days after the end of each fiscal year of Borrower, a copy of the
annual audited report for such fiscal year for the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, containing a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and the related
consolidated statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows
(together with all footnotes thereto) of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in
comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in
reasonable detail and reported on by Deloitte & Touche LLP or other
independent public accountants of nationally recognized standing
(without a "going concern" or like qualification, exception or
explanation and without any qualification or exception as to scope of
such audit) to the effect that such financial statements present fairly
in all material respects the financial condition and the results of
operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year on
a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP and that the examination
by such accountants in connection with such consolidated financial
statements has been made in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards;
(b) as soon as available and in any event within
forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal
quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, an unaudited consolidated
balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of
such fiscal quarter and the related unaudited consolidated statements
of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such
fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of such fiscal year,
setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the
corresponding quarter and the corresponding portion of Borrower's
previous fiscal year, all certified by a Responsible Officer as
presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and
results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end
audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(c) concurrently with the delivery of the financial
statements referred to in clauses (a) and (b) above, a certificate of a
Responsible Officer, (i) certifying as to whether there exists a
Default or Event of Default on the date of such certificate, and if a
Default or an Event of Default then exists, specifying the details
thereof and the action which the Borrower has taken or proposes to take
with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth in reasonable detail
calculations demonstrating compliance with Article VI, and (iii)
stating whether any change in GAAP or the application thereof has
occurred since the date of the Borrower's audited financial statements
referred to in Section 4.4 and, if any change has occurred, specifying
the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such
certificate;
(d) concurrently with the delivery of the financial
statements referred to in clause (a) above, a certificate of the
accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating
whether they obtained any knowledge during the course of their
examination of such financial statements of any Default or Event of
Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by
accounting rules or guidelines);
(e) promptly after the same become publicly available,
copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other
materials filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or
all functions of said Commission, or with any national securities
exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally,
as the case may be;
(f) concurrently with the delivery of the financial
statements referred to in clause (a) above, a copy of the Borrower's
proposed annual budget and financial projections;
(g) concurrently with a request for a Borrowing or a
request for the issuance of a Letter of Credit and on the fifteenth
(15th) day of each January, April, July, and October, the Borrower
shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a Borrowing Base Certificate;
(h) on the fifteenth (15th) day of each January, April,
July, and October, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative
Agent, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, a
listing and aging of Borrower's accounts receivable; and
(i) promptly following any request therefor, such other
information regarding the results of operations, business affairs and
financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary as the
Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.
SECTION 5.2 Notices of Material Events. The Borrower will furnish to
the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:
(a) the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;
(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or
proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority
against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, affecting the Borrower or
any Subsidiary which, if adversely determined, could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) the occurrence of any event or any other development
by which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) fails to comply
with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any
permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law,
(ii) becomes subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) receives
notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability, or
(iv) becomes aware of any basis for any Environmental Liability, and in
each of the preceding clauses, which individually or in the aggregate
could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(d) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that alone, or
together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could
reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $300,000.00; and
(e) any other development that results in, or could
reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a
written statement of a Responsible Officer setting forth the details of the
event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to
be taken with respect thereto.
SECTION 5.3 Existence; Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will
cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary
to preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and
its respective rights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises, patents,
copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its business,
where the failure to do so would have a Material Adverse Effect, and will
continue to engage in substantially the same business as presently conducted or
such other businesses that are reasonably related thereto; provided that nothing
in this Section shall prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or
dissolution permitted under Section 7.3.
SECTION 5.4 Compliance with Laws, Etc. The Borrower will, and will
cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and
requirements of any Governmental Authority applicable to its properties, except
where the failure to do so, either individually or in the aggregate, could not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.5 Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause
each of its Subsidiaries to, pay and discharge at or before maturity, all of its
obligations and liabilities (including without limitation all tax liabilities
and claims that could result in a statutory Lien) before the same shall become
delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or
such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect
thereto in accordance with GAAP, and (c) the failure to make payment pending
such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
SECTION 5.6 Books and Records. The Borrower will, and will cause each
of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full,
true and correct entries shall be made of all material dealings and transactions
in relation to its business and activities to the extent necessary to prepare
the consolidated financial statements of Borrower in conformity with GAAP.
SECTION 5.7 Visitation, Inspection, Etc. The Borrower will, and will
cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representative of the
Administrative Agent or any Lender, to visit and inspect its properties, to
examine its books and records and to make copies and take extracts therefrom,
and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with any of its officers and
with its independent certified public accountants, all at such reasonable times
and as often as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request
after reasonable prior notice to the Borrower.
SECTION 5.8 Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. The Borrower will,
and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all property
material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition,
except for ordinary wear and tear and except where the failure to do so, either
individually or it the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in
a Material Adverse Effect, and (b) maintain with financially sound and reputable
insurance companies, insurance with respect to its properties and business, and
the
properties and business of its Subsidiaries, against loss or damage of the kinds
customarily insured against by companies in the same or similar businesses
operating in the same or similar locations.
SECTION 5.9 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit. The Borrower will
use the proceeds of all Loans to finance working capital needs and for other
general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including, but
not limited to, the use of Letters of Credit to guarantee performance of fee
refund provisions under contracts entered into by Borrower with health plans. No
part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly,
for any purpose that would violate any rule or regulation of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, including Regulations T, U or X. All
Letters of Credit will be used for general corporate purposes.
SECTION 5.10 Bank Accounts. In consideration for the interest rate
offered herein and as additional collateral for the Loans, the Borrower shall,
and shall cause its Subsidiaries, to maintain its bank accounts and investment
accounts with the Administrative Agent; provided that it is understood and
agreed that the Borrower shall deposit as escrow monies up to $6,000,000 with
Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. pursuant to the terms of the Administrative Services
Agreement dated as of February 15, 2002, as amended, by and among American
Healthways Services, Inc., Oxford Health Plans, Inc. and related entities. Upon
the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent is authorized to
set-off (without prior notice to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries) against all
such bank accounts and to apply the proceeds thereof to the Obligations.
SECTION 5.11 Additional Subsidiaries. If any additional Subsidiary is
acquired or formed after the Closing Date, the Borrower will, within ten (10)
business days after such Subsidiary is acquired or formed, notify the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereof and will cause such Subsidiary to
become a Subsidiary Loan Party by executing agreements in the form of Annex I to
Exhibit F and Annex I to Exhibit G in form and substance satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders and will cause such Subsidiary to
deliver simultaneously therewith similar documents applicable to such Subsidiary
required under Section 3.1 as reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 5.12 Additional Assets. Within ten (10) days after receipt of
written notice from the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and any Subsidiary
Loan Party shall execute such security agreements, collateral assignments, deeds
of trust, mortgages, pledge agreements, or similar agreements, and take all such
necessary steps (including filings and recordings with appropriate governmental
offices), all at the Borrower's expense, as reasonably requested by the
Administrative Agent to obtain on behalf of the Lenders a Lien against any
presently existing or hereafter acquired material asset of the Borrower and each
Subsidiary Loan Party.
ARTICLE VI
FINANCIAL COVENANTS
The Borrower covenants and agrees that so long as any Lender has a
Commitment hereunder or the principal of or interest on or any Loan remains
unpaid or any fee or any LC Disbursement remains unpaid or any Letter of Credit
remains outstanding:
SECTION 6.1 Leverage Ratio. The Borrower will have, as of the end of
each fiscal quarter (calculated for such quarter and the three prior fiscal
quarters) of the Borrower, a Leverage Ratio of not greater than 2.0 to 1.0:
SECTION 6.2 Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Borrower will
have, as of the end of each fiscal quarter (calculated for such quarter and the
three prior fiscal quarters) of the Borrower, a Consolidated Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio of not less than 2.0 to 1.0:
SECTION 6.3 Consolidated Net Worth The Borrower will not permit its
Consolidated Net Worth at any time to be less than the sum of: (i)
$50,000,000.00, plus (ii) one hundred percent (100%) of the amount by which the
Borrower's "total stockholders' equity" is increased as a result of any public
or private offering of common stock of the Borrower after the Closing Date, plus
(iii) seventy-five percent (75%) of Consolidated Net Income on a cumulative
basis for all preceding fiscal quarters of the Borrower, commencing with the
fiscal quarter ended February 28, 2002; provided that if Consolidated Net Income
is negative in any fiscal quarter the amount attributed to Consolidated Net
Income for such fiscal quarter shall be zero and such negative Consolidated Net
Income shall not reduce the amount of Consolidated Net Income added from any
previous fiscal quarter. Promptly upon the consummation of any public or private
offering of common stock, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent in
writing of the amount of such increase in "total stockholders' equity".
SECTION 6.4 MINIMUM LIQUIDITY. The Borrower will maintain at all times
at least $8,000,000.00 in cash, marketable securities, and unused availability
under the Revolving Commitments.
ARTICLE VII
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
The Borrower covenants and agrees that so long as any Lender has a
Commitment hereunder or the principal of or interest on any Loan remains unpaid
or any fee or any LC Disbursement remains unpaid or any Letter of Credit remains
outstanding:
SECTION 7.1 Indebtedness. The Borrower will not, and will not permit
any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any
Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness created pursuant to the Loan Documents;
(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set
forth on Schedule 7.1 and extensions, renewals and replacements of any
such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount
thereof (immediately prior to giving effect to such extension, renewal
or replacement) or shorten the maturity or the weighted average life
thereof;
(c) Indebtedness of the Borrower owing to any Subsidiary
and of any Subsidiary owing to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary;
provided that any such Indebtedness that is owed to a Subsidiary or by
a Subsidiary shall be a domestic Subsidiary created and existing under
the laws of a State of the United States, and provided, further, that
any such Indebtedness that is owed to a Subsidiary that is not a
Subsidiary Loan Party shall be subject to Section 7.4;
(d) Indebtedness in respect of obligations under Hedging
Agreements permitted by Section 7.10;
(e) other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate
principal amount not to exceed $1,000,000.00 at any time outstanding;
and
(f) Capital Lease Obligations and secured purchase money
indebtedness not in excess of $2,000,000 in the aggregate.
SECTION 7.2 Negative Pledge. Except for Liens granted to Administrative
Agent to secure the Indebtedness, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any
of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien on any
of its assets or property now owned or hereafter acquired or, except:
(a) Permitted Encumbrances;
(b) any Liens on any property or asset of the Borrower or
any Subsidiary existing on the Closing Date set forth on Schedule 7.2;
provided that such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset
of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(c) any Lien (i) existing on any asset of any Person at
the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower, (ii)
existing on any asset of any Person at the time such Person is merged
with or into the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or (iii)
existing on any asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower
or any Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided that any such Lien was not
created in the contemplation of any of the foregoing and any such Lien
secures only those obligations which it secures on the date that such
Person becomes a Subsidiary or the date of such merger or the date of
such acquisition; and
(d) extensions, renewals, or replacements of any Lien
referred to in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Section; provided
that the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured thereby is not
increased and that any such extension, renewal or replacement is
limited to the assets originally encumbered thereby.
SECTION 7.3 Fundamental Changes.
(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any
Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate into any other Person, or
permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell,
lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of (in a single transaction or a
series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (in each
case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired) or all or substantially
all of the stock of any of its
Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired) or
liquidate or dissolve; provided that if at the time thereof and
immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default
shall have occurred and be continuing (i) the Borrower or any
Subsidiary may merge with a Person if the Borrower (or such Subsidiary
if the Borrower is not a party to such merger) is the surviving Person,
(ii) any Subsidiary may merge into another Subsidiary; provided that if
any party to such merger is a Subsidiary Loan Party, a Subsidiary Loan
Party shall be the surviving Person, (iii) any Subsidiary may sell,
transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its
assets to the Borrower or to a Subsidiary Loan Party and (iv) any
Subsidiary (other than a Subsidiary Loan Party) may liquidate or
dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation
or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not
materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that any such
merger involving a Person that is not a wholly-owned Subsidiary
immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless the
corresponding Investment (as such term is defined in Section 7.4
below), if any, is also permitted by Section 7.4.
(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its
Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other
than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries on the date hereof and businesses reasonably related
thereto.
SECTION 7.4 Investments, Loans, Etc. The Borrower will not, and will
not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or acquire (including
pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly-owned Subsidiary
prior to such merger), any common stock, evidence of indebtedness or other
securities (including any option, warrant, or other right to acquire any of the
foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any
obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest
in, any other Person (all of the foregoing being collectively called
"INVESTMENTS"), or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series
of transactions) any assets of any other Person that constitute a business unit,
except:
(a) Investments (other than Permitted Investments)
existing on the date hereof and set forth on Schedule 7.4 (including
Investments in Subsidiaries);
(b) Permitted Investments;
(c) Guarantees with respect to or constituting
Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.1;
(d) loans or advances to employees, officers or directors
of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business
for travel, relocation and related expenses;
(e) Hedging Agreements permitted by Section 7.10; and
(f) Investments in any Person in which the consideration
paid or exchanged in such Investment is not in excess of whichever of
the following applies: (i) $2,000,000, if the sole consideration paid
or exchanged is cash; (ii) an amount equal to fifteen percent
(15%) of Consolidated Net Worth, as calculated at the end of the most
recent fiscal quarter, if the sole consideration paid or exchanged is
stock; and (iii) $2,000,000 in cash and fifteen percent (15%) of
Consolidated Net Worth, as calculated at the end of the most recent
fiscal quarter, if the consideration paid or exchanged consists of a
combination of cash and stock.
SECTION 7.5 Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not
permit its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly
or indirectly, any dividend on any class of its stock, or make any payment on
account of, or set apart assets for a sinking or other analogous fund for, the
purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition of, any shares
of common stock or Indebtedness subordinated to the Obligations of the Borrower
or any options, warrants, or other rights to purchase such common stock or such
Indebtedness, whether now or hereafter outstanding (each, a "RESTRICTED
PAYMENT"), except for (i) dividends payable by the Borrower solely in shares of
any class of its common stock, (ii) Restricted Payments made by any Subsidiary
to the Borrower, and (iii) cash redemptions of the common stock of the Borrower;
provided that (a) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing
at the time such redemption is made, and (b) no more than $3,000,000.00 in the
aggregate is paid for stock redemptions during the term of the Revolving Loans.
SECTION 7.6 Sale of Assets. The Borrower will not, and will not permit
any of its Subsidiaries to, convey, sell, lease, assign, transfer or otherwise
dispose of, any of its assets, business or property, whether now owned or
hereafter acquired, or, in the case of any Subsidiary, issue or sell any shares
of such Subsidiary's common stock to any Person other than the Borrower or any
Subsidiary of the Borrower, except:
(a) the sale or other disposition for fair market value
of obsolete or worn out property or other property not necessary for
operations disposed of in the ordinary course of business;
(b) the sale of inventory and Permitted Investments in
the ordinary course of business; and
(c) transactions permitted by Section 7.3(a) herein.
SECTION 7.7 Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and
will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer
any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property
or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its
Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms
and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could
be obtained on an arm's-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b)
transactions between or among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries not involving
any other Affiliates, or (c) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 7.5.
SECTION 7.8 Restrictive Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not
permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to
exist any agreement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a)
the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit any
Lien upon any of its assets or properties, whether now
owned or hereafter acquired, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay
dividends or other distributions with respect to its common stock, to make or
repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, to Guarantee
Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to transfer any of its
property or assets to the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided
that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by
law or by this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall
not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements
relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such
restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is sold and such
sale is permitted hereunder, (iii) clause (a) shall not apply to restrictions or
conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted
by this Agreement if such restrictions and conditions apply only to the property
or assets securing such Indebtedness and (iv) clause (a) shall not apply to
customary provisions in real property or equipment leases restricting the
assignment thereof.
SECTION 7.9 Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Borrower will not, and
will not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement, directly
or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal,
used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, and
thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use
for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or
transferred.
SECTION 7.10 Hedging Agreements. Unless such is approved by the
Administrative Agent in the exercise of its reasonable discretion, the Borrower
will not, and will not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, enter into any Hedging
Agreement.
SECTION 7.11 Status of Incorporation. The Borrower will not nor will it
permit any Subsidiary to change its state of incorporation.
SECTION 7.12 Accounting Changes. Subject to Section 1.3, the Borrower
will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, make any significant change in
accounting treatment or reporting practices, except as required by GAAP, or
change the fiscal year of the Borrower or of any Subsidiary, except to change
the fiscal year of a Subsidiary to conform its fiscal year to that of the
Borrower.
ARTICLE VIII
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
SECTION 8.1 Events of Default. If any of the following events (each an
"Event of Default") shall occur:
(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any
Loan or of any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC
Disbursement within ten (10) days following the date such payment
became due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date
fixed for prepayment or otherwise; or
(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any
Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount payable under
clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement or any other
Loan Document, when and as the same shall become
due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a
period of ten (10) Business Days; or
(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by
or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in connection with
this Agreement or any other Loan Document (including the Schedules
attached thereto) and any amendments or modifications hereof or waivers
hereunder, or in any certificate, report, financial statement or other
document submitted to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders by any
Loan Party or any representative of any Loan Party pursuant to or in
connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall prove
to be incorrect when made or deemed made or submitted; or
(d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any
covenant or agreement contained in Sections 5.2, 5.3 (with respect to
the Borrower's existence) or Articles VI or VII; or
(e) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any
covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those
referred to in clauses (a), (b) and (d) above) or any other Loan
Document, and such failure shall remain unremedied for 30 days after
the earlier of (i) any Responsible Officer obtains actual knowledge or
reasonably should have obtained actual knowledge of such failure, or
(ii) written notice thereof shall have been given to the Borrower by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender; or
(f) the Borrower or any Subsidiary (whether as primary
obligor or as guarantor or other surety) shall fail to pay any
principal of or premium or interest on any Material Indebtedness that
is outstanding, when and as the same shall become due and payable
(whether at scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration,
demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the
applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or
instrument evidencing such Indebtedness; or any other event shall occur
or condition shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to
such Indebtedness and shall continue after the applicable grace period,
if any, specified in such agreement or instrument, if the effect of
such event or condition is to accelerate, or permit the acceleration
of, the maturity of such Indebtedness; or any such Indebtedness shall
be declared to be due and payable; or required to be prepaid or
redeemed (other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment or
redemption), purchased or defeased, or any offer to prepay, redeem,
purchase or defease such Indebtedness shall be required to be made, in
each case prior to the stated maturity thereof; or
(g) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall (i) commence a
voluntary case or other proceeding or file any petition seeking
liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any federal, state or
foreign bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in
effect or seeking the appointment of a custodian, trustee, receiver,
liquidator or other similar official of it or any substantial part of
its property, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in
a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described
in clause (i) of this Section, (iii) apply for or consent to the
appointment of a custodian, trustee, receiver, liquidator or other
similar official for the Borrower or any such Subsidiary or for a
substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer
admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in
any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of
creditors, or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of
the foregoing; or
(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an
involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation,
reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary or its debts, or any substantial part of its assets, under
any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar
law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a custodian,
trustee, receiver, liquidator or other similar official for the
Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and
in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall remain undismissed
for a period of 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any
of the foregoing shall be entered; or
(i) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall admit in writing
its inability to pay its debts as they become due; or
(j) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the
opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with other ERISA
Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in
liability to the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount
exceeding $300,000.00; or
(k) any judgment or order for the payment of money in
excess of $300,000.00 in the aggregate shall be rendered against the
Borrower or any Subsidiary, and either (i) enforcement proceedings
shall have been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order
or (ii) there shall be a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during
which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of a
pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect; or
(l) any non-monetary judgment or order shall be rendered
against the Borrower or any Subsidiary that could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and there shall be a period
of thirty (30) consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of
such judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise,
shall not be in effect; or
(m) a Change in Control shall occur or exist; or
(n) any provision of any Subsidiary Guarantee Agreement
shall for any reason cease to be valid and binding on, or enforceable
against, any Subsidiary Loan Party, or any Subsidiary Loan Party shall
so state in writing, or any Subsidiary Loan Party shall seek to
terminate its Subsidiary Guarantee Agreement without the written
consent of the Lenders; or
(o) an Event of Default shall occur under any other
agreements evidencing Indebtedness owed to any of the Lenders or under
any Hedging Agreement executed with any of the Lenders (taking into
account any applicable notice and cure or grace period provisions
thereof);
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower
described in clause (g) or (h) of this Section) and at any time thereafter
during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and upon the
written request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take
any or all of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i)
terminate the Commitments, whereupon the Commitment of each Lender shall
terminate immediately; (ii) declare the principal of and any accrued interest on
the Loans, and all other Obligations owing hereunder, to be, whereupon the same
shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest
or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and
(iii) exercise all remedies contained in any other Loan Document; and that, if
an Event of Default specified in either clause (g) or (h) shall occur, the
Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then
outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon, and all fees, and all other
Obligations shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment,
demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by
the Borrower.
ARTICLE IX
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
SECTION 9.1 Appointment of Administrative Agent.
(a) Each Lender irrevocably appoints SunTrust Bank as the
Administrative Agent and authorizes it to take such actions on its
behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the
Administrative Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents,
together with all such actions and powers that are reasonably
incidental thereto. The Administrative Agent may perform any of its
duties hereunder by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by
the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such
sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights
and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory
provisions set forth in this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent
and the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such
sub-agent and shall apply to their respective activities in connection
with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as
well as activities as Administrative Agent.
(b) The Issuing Bank shall act on behalf of the Lenders
with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents
associated therewith until such time and except for so long as the
Administrative Agent may agree at the request of the Required Lenders
to act for the Issuing Bank with respect thereto; provided that the
Issuing Bank shall have all the benefits and immunities (i) provided to
the Administrative Agent in this Article IX with respect to any acts
taken or omissions suffered by the Issuing Bank in connection with
Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and the
application and agreements for letters of credit pertaining to the
Letters of Credit as fully as the term "Administrative Agent" as used
in this Article IX included the Issuing Bank with respect to such acts
or omissions and (ii) as additionally provided in this Agreement with
respect to the Issuing Bank.
SECTION 9.2 Nature of Duties of Administrative Agent. The
Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those
expressly set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not
be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a
Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the
Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or
exercise any discretionary powers, except those discretionary rights and powers
expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is
required to exercise in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or
percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as
provided in Section 10.2), and (c) except as expressly set forth in the Loan
Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and
shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the
Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The
Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it
with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number
or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as
provided in Section 10.2) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or
willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any Default or Event of Default unless and until written notice
thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or any Lender, and
the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to
ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in
or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate,
report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection
herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the
covenants, agreements, or other terms and conditions set forth in any Loan
Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any
Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the
satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article III or elsewhere in any Loan
Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be
delivered to the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 9.3 Lack of Reliance on the Administrative Agent. Each of the
Lenders and the Issuing Bank acknowledges that it has, independently and without
reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such
documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit
analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each of the Lenders, and the
Issuing Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance
upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents
and information as it has deemed appropriate, continue to make its own decisions
in taking or not taking of any action under or based on this Agreement, any
related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
SECTION 9.4 Certain Rights of the Administrative Agent. If the
Administrative Agent shall request instructions from the Required Lenders with
respect to any action or actions (including the failure to act) in connection
with this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to refrain from
such act or taking such act, unless and until it shall have received
instructions from such Lenders; and the Administrative Agent shall not incur
liability to any Person by reason of so refraining. Without limiting the
foregoing, no Lender shall have any right of action whatsoever against the
Administrative Agent as a result of the Administrative Agent
acting or refraining from acting hereunder in accordance with the instructions
of the Required Lenders where required by the terms of this Agreement.
SECTION 9.5 Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent
shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying
upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document
or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or
made by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent may also rely upon any
statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the
proper Person and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The
Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (including counsel for the
Borrower), independent public accountants and other experts selected by it and
shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with
the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts.
SECTION 9.6 The Administrative Agent in its Individual Capacity. The
bank serving as the Administrative Agent shall have the same rights and powers
under this Agreement and any other Loan Document in its capacity as a Lender as
any other Lender and may exercise or refrain from exercising the same as though
it were not the Administrative Agent; and the terms "Lenders", "Required
Lenders", "holders of Notes", or any similar terms shall, unless the context
clearly otherwise indicates, include the Administrative Agent in its individual
capacity. The bank acting as the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may
accept deposits from, lend money to, and generally engage in any kind of
business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Borrower as if
it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
SECTION 9.7 Successor Administrative Agent.
(a) The Administrative Agent may resign at any time by
giving notice thereof to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon any such
resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a
successor Administrative Agent, subject to the approval by the Borrower
provided that no Default or Event of Default shall exist at such time.
If no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed, and
shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring
Administrative Agent gives notice of resignation, then the retiring
Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing
Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which shall be a
commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of
America or any state thereof or a bank which maintains an office in the
United States, having a combined capital and surplus of at least
$500,000,000.
(b) Upon the acceptance of its appointment as the
Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor
Administrative Agent shall thereupon succeed to and become vested with
all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring
Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be
discharged from its duties and obligations under this Agreement and the
other Loan Documents. If within 45 days after written notice is given
of the retiring Administrative Agent's resignation under this Section
9.7 no successor Administrative Agent shall have been appointed and
shall have accepted such appointment, then on such 45th day (i) the
retiring Administrative Agent's resignation shall become effective,
(ii) the retiring Administrative Agent shall thereupon be discharged
from its duties and obligations under the Loan Documents, and
(iii) the Required Lenders shall thereafter perform all duties of the
retiring Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents until such time
as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as
provided above. After any retiring Administrative Agent's resignation
hereunder, the provisions of this Article IX shall continue in effect
for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent and its
representatives and agents in respect of any actions taken or not taken
by any of them while it was serving as the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 10.1 Notices.
(a) Except in the case of notices and other
communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone, all
notices and other communications to any party herein to be effective
shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier
service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as
follows:
To the Borrower:
To the Administrative Agent SunTrust Bank
For All Purposes other than 201 Fourth Avenue North
Advances: P.O. Box 305110
Mail Code: TN Nashville 1907
Nashville, Tennessee 37230-5110
Attention: Bill Priester
Telecopy Number: (615) 748-5117
To the Administrative Agent SunTrust Bank
For Advances Only: 201 Fourth Avenue North
P.O. Box 305110
Mail Code: TN Nashville 4800
Nashville, Tennessee 37230-5110
Attention: Leigh Ann Gregory
Telecopy Number: (615) 748-4611
To the Issuing Bank: SunTrust Bank
201 Fourth Avenue North
P.O. Box 305110
Mail Code: TN Nashville 1907
Nashville, Tennessee 37230-5110
Attention: Bill Priester
Telecopy Number: (615) 748-5117
To any other Lender: the address set forth in the Administrative Questionnaire
Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices
and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties
hereto. All such notices and other communications shall, when
transmitted by overnight delivery, or faxed, be effective when
delivered for overnight (next-day) delivery, or transmitted in legible
form by facsimile machine, respectively, or if mailed, upon the third
Business Day after the date deposited into the mails or if delivered,
upon delivery; provided that notices delivered to the Administrative
Agent, or the Issuing Bank shall not be effective until actually
received by such Person at its address specified in this Section 10.1.
(b) Any agreement of the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders herein to receive certain notices by telephone or facsimile is
solely for the convenience and at the request of the Borrower. The
Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on the
authority of any Person purporting to be a Person authorized by the
Borrower to give such notice and the Administrative Agent and Lenders
shall not have any liability to the Borrower or other Person on account
of any action taken or not taken by the Administrative Agent or the
Lenders in reliance upon such telephonic or facsimile notice. The
obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans and all other Obligations
hereunder shall not be affected in any way or to any extent by any
failure of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to receive written
confirmation of any telephonic or facsimile notice or the receipt by
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of a confirmation which is at
variance with the terms understood by the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders to be contained in any such telephonic or facsimile notice.
SECTION 10.2 Waiver; Amendments.
(a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the
Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder
or 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 such
right or power or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce
such right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or
the exercise of any other right or power hereunder or thereunder. The
rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and
the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative
and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law. No
waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or
consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event
be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of
this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only
in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or the
issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of
any Default or Event of Default, regardless of whether the
Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had
notice or knowledge of such Default or Event of Default at the time.
(b) No amendment or waiver of any provision of this
Agreement or the other Loan Documents, nor consent to any departure by
the Borrower therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same
shall be in writing and signed by the Borrower and the Required Lenders
or the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the
Required Lenders and then such waiver or consent shall be effective
only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which
given; provided that no amendment or waiver shall: (i) increase the
Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender,
(ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or
reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable
hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby,
(iii) postpone the date fixed for any payment of any principal of, or
interest on, any Loan or LC Disbursement or interest thereon or any
fees hereunder or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such
payment, or postpone the scheduled date for the termination or
reduction of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender
affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(c) in a manner that would
alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby , without the
written consent of each Lender, (v) change any of the provisions of
this Section or the definition of "Required Lenders" or any other
provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders which
are required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any
determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the consent of
each Lender; (vi) release any guarantor or limit the liability of any
such guarantor under any guaranty agreement; (vii) release all or
substantially all collateral (if any) securing any of the Obligations;
provided further, that no such agreement shall amend, modify or
otherwise affect the rights, duties or obligations of the
Administrative Agent, or the Issuing Bank without the prior written
consent of such Person.
SECTION 10.3 Expenses; Indemnification.
(a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable,
out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent, including
the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the
Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit
facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of
the Loan Documents and any amendments, modifications or waivers thereof
(whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or any
other Loan Document shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with
the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit
or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket costs
and expenses (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees,
charges and disbursements of outside counsel and the allocated cost of
inside counsel) incurred by the Administrative Agent or the Issuing
Bank in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in
connection with this Agreement, including its rights under this
Section, or in connection with the Loans made or any Letters of Credit
issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred
during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such
Loans or Letters of Credit.
(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative
Agent, the Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any
of the foregoing (each, an "INDEMNITEE") against, and hold each of them
harmless from, any and all costs, losses, liabilities, claims, damages
and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of
any counsel for any Indemnitee, which may be reasonably incurred by or
asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with or
as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any
other agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the
performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations
hereunder or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated
hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or any actual or proposed use
of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Bank to
honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents
presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with
the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged
presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property
owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any Environmental Liability
related in any way to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or (iv) any actual
or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating
to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other
theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto;
provided that the Borrower shall not be obligated to indemnify any
Indemnitee for any of the foregoing arising out of such Indemnitee's
gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of
competent jurisdiction in a final and nonappealable judgment.
(c) The Borrower shall pay, and hold the Administrative
Agent and each of the Lenders harmless from and against, any and all
present and future stamp, documentary, indebtedness taxes, and other
similar taxes incurred with respect to perfecting its and their Liens
in and against the Collateral.
(d) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any
amount required to be paid to the Administrative Agent, or the Issuing
Bank under clauses (a), (b) or (c) hereof, each Lender severally agrees
to pay to the Administrative Agent, or the Issuing Bank, as the case
may be, such Lender's Pro Rata Share (determined as of the time that
the unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid
amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified payment,
claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was
incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, the Issuing
Bank in its capacity as such.
(e) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the
Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any
Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect,
consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to actual or direct
damages) arising out of, in connection with or as a result of, this
Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the
transactions contemplated therein, any Loan or any Letter of Credit or
the use of proceeds thereof.
(f) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable
promptly after written demand therefor.
SECTION 10.4 Successors and Assigns.
(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their
respective successors and assigns, except that the Borrower may not
assign or transfer any of its rights hereunder without the prior
written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or
transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void).
(b) Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more
assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of
its Commitment and the Loans and LC Exposure at the time owing to it);
provided that (i) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an
Affiliate of a Lender, each of the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent (and, in the case of an assignment of all or a portion of a
Commitment or any Lender's obligations in respect of its LC Exposure,
the Issuing Bank) must give their prior written consent (which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), (ii) except in the case
of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an
assignment of the entire amount of the assigning Lender's Commitment
hereunder or an assignment while an Event of Default has occurred and
is continuing, the amount of the Commitment of the assigning Lender
subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the
Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment is delivered
to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000.00
(unless the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall otherwise
consent), (iii) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment
of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender's rights and
obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (iv) the
assigning Lender and the assignee shall execute and deliver to the
Administrative Agent an Assignment and Acceptance, together with a
processing and recordation fee payable by the assigning Lender or the
assignee (as determined between such Persons) in an amount equal to
$3,500 and (v) such assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver a
duly completed Administrative Questionnaire to the Administrative
Agent; provided that any consent of the Borrower otherwise required
hereunder shall not be required if an Event of Default has occurred and
is continuing. Upon the execution and delivery of the Assignment and
Acceptance and payment by such assignee to the assigning Lender of an
amount equal to the purchase price agreed between such Persons, such
assignee shall become a party to this Agreement and any other Loan
Documents to which such assigning Lender is a party and, to the extent
of such interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, shall have
the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the
assigning Lender shall be released from its obligations hereunder to a
corresponding extent (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance
covering all of the assigning Lender's rights and obligations under
this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall
continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.14, 2.15 and 2.16
and 10.3. Upon the consummation of any such assignment hereunder, the
assigning Lender, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall make
appropriate arrangements to have new Notes issued if so requested by
either or both the assigning Lender or the assignee. Any assignment or
other transfer by a Lender that does not fully comply with the terms of
this clause (b) shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a
sale of a participation pursuant to clause (c) below.
(c) Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of
the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, or the Issuing Bank, sell
participations to one or more banks or other entities (a "Participant")
in all or a portion of such Lender's rights and obligations under this
Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment, the Loans
owing to it and its LC Exposure); provided that (i) such Lender's
obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such
Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for
the performance of its obligations hereunder, and (iii) the Borrower,
the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall
continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection
with such Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement and the
other Loan Documents. Any agreement between such Lender and the
Participant with respect to such participation shall provide that such
Lender shall retain the sole right and responsibility to enforce this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the sole right to approve
any amendment, modification, consent, or waiver regarding this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided that such
participation agreement may provide that such Lender will not, without
the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or
waiver of this Agreement described in the first proviso of Section
10.2(b) that affects the Participant.
(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a
security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this
Agreement and its Notes (if any) to secure its obligations to a Federal
Reserve Bank without complying with this Section; provided that no such
pledge or assignment shall release a Lender from any of its obligations
hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as
a party hereto.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, any Lender (a "Granting Lender") may grant to a special purpose
funding vehicle (an "SPV"), identified as such in writing from time to
time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the
Borrower, the option to provide to the Borrower all or any part of any
Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make to
the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing
herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPV to make any Loan and
(ii) if an SPV elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to
provide all or any part of any Loan, the Granting Lender shall be
obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof. The making of
a Loan by an SPV hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting
Lender to the same extent, and as if such Loan were made by such
Granting Lender. Each party hereto hereby agrees that no SPV shall be
liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this
Agreement (all liability for which shall remain with the Granting
Lender). In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby
agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this
Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after
the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior
indebtedness of any SPV, it will not institute against, or join any
other person in instituting against, such SPV any bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings
under the laws of the United States or any State. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Section 10.4, any SPV may
(i) with notice to, but without the prior written consent of, the
Borrower and the Administrative Agent and without paying any processing
fee therefor, assign all or a portion of its interests in any Loans to
the Granting Lender or to any financial institutions (consented to by
the Borrower and the Administrative Agent) providing liquidity and/or
credit support to or for the account of such SPV to support the funding
or maintenance of Loans and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any
non-public information relating to its Loans to any rating agency,
commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety, guarantee or credit
or liquidity enhancement to such SPV. As this Section 10.4(e) applies
to any particular SPV, this Section may not be amended without the
written consent of such SPV.
SECTION 10.5 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of
Process.
(a) This Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be
construed in accordance with and be governed by the law (without giving
effect to the conflict of law principles thereof) of the State of
Tennessee.
(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally
submits, for itself and its property, to the non-exclusive jurisdiction
of the United States District Court of the Middle District of
Tennessee, and of any state court of the State of Tennessee located in
Davidson County and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action
or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other
Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or
for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties
hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in
respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in
such Tennessee state court or, to the extent permitted by applicable
law, such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final
judgment in any such action or proceeding may be enforced in other
jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided
by law. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall
affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any
Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to
this Agreement or any other Loan Document against the Borrower or its
properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(c) The Borrower irrevocably and unconditionally waives
any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue
of any such suit, action or proceeding described in paragraph (b) of
this Section and brought in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of
this Section. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the defense of an
inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in
any such court.
(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to
the service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section
10.1. Nothing in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document will
affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other
manner permitted by law.
SECTION 10.6 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY
WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE
TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF
THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH
PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY
OTHER 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 AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE
MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
SECTION 10.7 Right of Setoff. In addition to any rights now or
hereafter granted under applicable law and not by way of limitation of any such
rights, each Lender and the Issuing Bank shall have the right, at any time or
from time to time upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of
Default, without prior notice to the Borrower, any such notice being expressly
waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and
apply against all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or
final) of the Borrower at any time held or other obligations at any time owing
by such Lender and the Issuing Bank to or for the credit or the account of the
Borrower against any and all Obligations held by such Lender or the Issuing
Bank, as the case may be, irrespective of whether such Lender or the Issuing
Bank shall have made demand hereunder and although such Obligations may be
unmatured. Each Lender and the Issuing Bank agree promptly to notify the
Administrative Agent and the Borrower after any such set-off and any application
made by such Lender and the Issuing Bank, as the case may be; provided that the
failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and
application.
SECTION 10.8 Counterparts; Integration. This Agreement may be executed
by one or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate
counterparts (including by telecopy), and all of said counterparts taken
together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. This
Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and any separate letter agreement(s)
relating to any fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire
agreement among the parties hereto and thereto regarding the subject matters
hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral
or written, regarding such subject matters.
SECTION 10.9 Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and
warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other
instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be
considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall
survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans
and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by
any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or
knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any
credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as
long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any
other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any
Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired
or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17, and 10.3 and Article
IX shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the
Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the
Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.
SECTION 10.10 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement or any
other Loan Document held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable in any
jurisdiction, shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of
such illegality, invalidity or unenforceability without affecting the legality,
validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof or thereof; and
the illegality, invalidity or unenforceability of a particular provision in a
particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such
provision in any other jurisdiction.
SECTION 10.11 Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the
Issuing Bank and each Lender agrees to take normal and reasonable precautions to
maintain the confidentiality of any information designated in writing as
confidential and provided to it by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, except that
such information may be disclosed (i) to any Related Party of the Administrative
Agent, the Issuing Bank or any such Lender, including without limitation
accountants, legal counsel and other advisors, (ii) to the extent required by
applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process,
(iii) to the extent requested by any regulatory agency or authority having
jurisdiction, (iv) to the extent that such information becomes publicly
available other than as a result of a breach of this Section, or which becomes
available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, any Lender or any
Related Party of any of the foregoing on a nonconfidential basis from a source
other than the Borrower, (v) in connection with the exercise of any remedy
hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the
enforcement of rights hereunder, and (ix) subject to provisions substantially
similar to this Section 10.11, to any actual or prospective assignee or
Participant, or (vi) with the consent of the Borrower. Any Person required to
maintain the confidentiality of any information as provided for in this Section
shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person
has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such
information as such Person would accord its own confidential information.
SECTION 10.12 Interest and Loan Charges Not to Exceed Maximum Amounts
Allowed by Law. Anything in this Agreement, the Notes, the Security Documents or
any of the other Loan Documents to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event
whatsoever, whether by reason of advancement of proceeds of the Loans,
acceleration of the maturity of the unpaid balance of the Loans or otherwise,
shall the interest and loan charges agreed to be paid to any Lender for the use
of the money advanced or to be advanced hereunder exceed the maximum amounts
collectible under applicable laws in effect from time to time. It is understood
and agreed by the parties that, if for any reason whatsoever the interest or
loan charges paid or contracted to be paid by Borrower in respect of the Loans
shall exceed the maximum amounts collectible under applicable laws in effect
from time to time, then ipso facto, the obligation to pay such interest and/or
loan charges shall be reduced to the maximum amounts collectible under
applicable laws in effect from time to time, and any amounts collected by any
Lender that exceed such maximum amounts shall be applied to the reduction of the
principal balance of the Loans and/or refunded to Borrower so that at no time
shall the interest or loan charges paid or payable in respect of the Loans
exceed the maximum amounts permitted from time to time by applicable law.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year
first above written.
AMERICAN HEALTHWAYS, INC.
By:
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Name:
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Title:
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SUNTRUST BANK
as Administrative Agent, as Issuing Bank, as a Lender
By:
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Name:
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Title:
---------------------------------
Revolving Commitment: $15,000,000.00
LC Commitment: $15,000,000.00
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
By:
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Name:
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Title:
--------------------------------------
Revolving Commitment: $10,000,000.00
LC Commitment: $10,000,000.00
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
By:
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Name:
--------------------------------------
Title:
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Revolving Commitment: $10,000,000.00
LC Commitment: $10,000,000.00