EX-10(C)
CONFORMED COPY
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FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
October 19, 2001
among
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
The Lenders Party Hereto
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
BANK ONE, NA,
as Co-Syndication Agents
NATIONAL CITY BANK OF KENTUCKY
SUNTRUST BANK,
as Co-Documentation Agents
and
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
as Administrative Agent
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J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
as Arranger
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms............................................ 1
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings................... 12
SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally ......................................... 12
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP................................... 13
ARTICLE II
The Credits
SECTION 2.01. Commitments.............................................. 13
SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings..................................... 13
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Revolving Borrowings........................ 14
SECTION 2.04. Competitive Bid Procedure................................ 14
SECTION 2.05. Funding of Borrowings.................................... 16
SECTION 2.06. Interest Elections....................................... 17
SECTION 2.07. Termination and Reduction of Commitments................. 18
SECTION 2.08. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt..................... 18
SECTION 2.09. Prepayment of Loans...................................... 19
SECTION 2.10. Increase in Commitments.................................. 20
SECTION 2.11. Fees..................................................... 21
SECTION 2.12. Interest................................................. 22
SECTION 2.13. Alternate Rate of Interest............................... 23
SECTION 2.14. Increased Costs.......................................... 23
SECTION 2.15. Break Funding Payments................................... 24
SECTION 2.16. Taxes.................................................... 25
SECTION 2.17. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of
Set-offs................................................ 26
SECTION 2.18. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders........... 27
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ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers..................................... 28
SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability............................ 28
SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts..................... 28
SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.......... 28
SECTION 3.05. Litigation and Environmental Matters..................... 29
SECTION 3.06. Compliance with Laws and Agreements...................... 29
SECTION 3.07. Investment and Holding Company Status.................... 29
SECTION 3.08. Taxes.................................................... 29
SECTION 3.09. ERISA.................................................... 29
SECTION 3.10. Disclosure............................................... 30
ARTICLE IV
Conditions
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date........................................... 30
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event........................................ 31
ARTICLE V
Affirmative Covenants
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information............... 31
SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events............................... 32
SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business........................... 33
SECTION 5.04 Payment of Obligations................................... 33
SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties; Insurance..................... 33
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights..................... 33
SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws..................................... 33
SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds.......................................... 34
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ARTICLE VI
Negative Covenants
SECTION 6.01. Subsidiary Indebtedness.................................. 34
SECTION 6.02. Liens.................................................... 35
SECTION 6.03. Sale and Leaseback Transactions.......................... 36
SECTION 6.04. Fundamental Changes...................................... 37
SECTION 6.05. Transactions with Affiliates............................. 37
SECTION 6.06. Ratio of Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated
Net Worth............................................... 37
ARTICLE VII
Events of Default........................................ 37
ARTICLE VIII
The Administrative Agent................................. 39
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
SECTION 9.01. Notices.................................................. 41
SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments...................................... 42
SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver....................... 42
SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns................................... 43
SECTION 9.05. Survival................................................. 46
SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration;
Effectiveness........................................... 46
SECTION 9.07. Severability............................................. 46
SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff.......................................... 46
SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent
to Service of Process.................................. 47
SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL..................................... 47
SECTION 9.11. Headings................................................. 47
SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality.......................................... 48
SECTION 9.13. Interest Rate Limitation................................. 48
SCHEDULES:
Schedule 2.01 -- Commitments
Schedule 3.05 -- Disclosed Matters
Schedule 6.01 -- Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 -- Existing Liens
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit A -- Form of Assignment and Acceptance
Exhibit B -- Form of Opinion of Borrower's Counsel
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FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of
October 19, 2001 among BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION, a
Delaware corporation, the LENDERS party hereto, BANK
OF AMERICA, N.A. and BANK ONE, NA, as Co-Syndication
Agents, NATIONAL CITY BANK OF KENTUCKY and SUNTRUST
BANK, as Co-Documentation Agents, and THE CHASE
MANHATTAN BANK, as Administrative Agent.
The Borrower (such term and each other capitalized term used
but not otherwise defined herein having the meaning assigned to it in Article I)
has requested the Lenders to establish the credit facility provided for herein
under which the Borrower may obtain Revolving Loans and Competitive Loans in an
aggregate principal amount of up to $200,000,000, and to establish the credit
facility provided for in the 364-Day Credit Agreement under which the Borrower
may obtain Revolving Loans and Competitive Loans in an aggregate principal
amount of up to $200,000,000. Such Loans will be used for working capital and
general corporate purposes and to provide liquidity in connection with any
commercial paper program of the Borrower. The Lenders are willing to establish
such credit facilities upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
herein. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings specified below:
"ABR", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers
to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing
interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
"Adjusted LIBO Rate" means, with respect to any Eurodollar
Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards,
if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such
Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.
"Administrative Agent" means The Chase Manhattan Bank, in its
capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
"Administrative Questionnaire" means an Administrative
Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to a specified Person, another
Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls
or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
"Alternate Base Rate" means, for any day, a rate per annum
equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the
Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1%. Any change in
the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds
Effective Rate shall be effective from
and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal
Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
"Applicable Percentage" means, with respect to any Lender, the
percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender's Commitment. If
the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be
determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to
any assignments.
"Applicable Rate" means, for any day, with respect to any
Eurodollar Revolving Loan or with respect to the facility fees payable
hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below
under the caption "Eurodollar Spread" or "Facility Fee Rate", as the case may
be, based upon the ratings by S&P and Moody's, respectively, applicable on such
date to the Index Debt:
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Index Debt Ratings Eurodollar Facility Fee
(S&P/Moody's): Spread Rate
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Category 1
>AA-/Aa3 0.090% 0.060%
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Category 2
<AA-/Aa3 and
>A+/A1 0.130% 0.070%
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Category 3
<A+/A1 and
>A-/A3 0.210% 0.090%
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Category 4
<A-/A3 and
>BBB+/Baa1 0.375% 0.125%
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Category 5
<BBB+/Baa1 0.600% 0.150%
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For purposes of the foregoing, (i) if either Moody's or S&P
shall not have in effect a rating for the Index Debt (other than by reason of
the circumstances referred to in the last sentence of this definition), then
such rating agency shall be deemed to have established a rating in Category 5;
(ii) if the ratings established or deemed to have been established by Moody's
and S&P for the Index Debt shall fall within different Categories, the
Applicable Rate shall be based on the higher of the two ratings unless one of
the two ratings is two or more Categories lower than the other, in which case
the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the Category next above
that of the lower of the two ratings; and (iii) if the ratings established or
deemed to have been established by Moody's and S&P for the Index Debt shall be
changed (other than as a result of a change in the rating system of Moody's or
S&P), such change shall be effective as of the date on which it is first
publicly announced by the applicable rating agency. Each change in the
Applicable Rate shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date
of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date
of the next such change. If the rating system of Moody's or S&P shall change, or
if either such rating agency shall cease to be in the business of rating
corporate debt obligations, the Borrower and the Lenders shall negotiate in good
faith to amend this definition to reflect such changed rating system or the
unavailability of ratings from such rating agency and, pending the effectiveness
of any such amendment, the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to
the rating most recently in effect prior to such change or cessation.
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"Assignment and Acceptance" means an assignment and acceptance
entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose
consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent,
in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
"Attributable Debt" means, with respect to any Sale-Leaseback
Transaction, the present value (discounted at the rate set forth or implicit in
the terms of the lease included in such Sale-Leaseback Transaction) of the total
obligations of the lessee for rental payments (other than amounts required to be
paid on account of taxes, maintenance, repairs, insurance, assessments,
utilities, operating and labor costs and other items which do not constitute
payments for property rights) during the remaining term of the lease included in
such Sale-Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has
been extended). In the case of any lease which is terminable by the lessee upon
payment of a penalty, the Attributable Debt shall be the lesser of the
Attributable Debt determined assuming termination upon the first date such lease
may be terminated (in which case the Attributable Debt shall also include the
amount of the penalty, but no rent shall be considered as required to be paid
under such lease subsequent to the first date upon which it may be so
terminated) or the Attributable Debt determined assuming no such termination.
"Availability Period" means the period from and including the
Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of
termination of the Commitments.
"Board" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System of the United States of America.
"Borrower" means Brown-Forman Corporation, a Delaware
corporation.
"Borrowing" means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made,
converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as
to which a single Interest Period is in effect, or (b) a Competitive Loan or
group of Competitive Loans of the same Type made on the same date and as to
which a single Interest Period is in effect.
"Borrowing Request" means a request by the Borrower for a
Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.
"Business Day" means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or
other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required
by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a
Eurodollar Loan, the term "Business Day" shall also exclude any day on which
banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank
market.
"Capital Lease Obligations" of any Person means the
obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or
other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a
combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and
accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP,
and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof
determined in accordance with GAAP.
"Change in Control" means (a) the acquisition of ownership,
directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group
(within the meaning of the
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Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of shares representing
more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued
and outstanding capital stock of the Borrower, other than descendants of George
Garvin Brown and their respective family members and descendants, entities
controlled by, or trusts for the benefit of, any of them, including family and
charitable trusts; (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant
seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i)
nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by
directors so nominated; or (c) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of
the Borrower by any Person or group.
"Change in Law" means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or
regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or
regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental
Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender (or,
for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such
Lender's holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive
(whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or
issued after the date of this Agreement.
"Class", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing,
refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are
Revolving Loans or Competitive Loans.
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
from time to time.
"Commitment" means, with respect to each Lender, the
commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans hereunder, as such commitment
may be reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.07 or 2.10
or pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The
initial amount of each Lender's Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in
the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed
its Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders'
Commitments is $200,000,000.
"Competitive Bid" means an offer by a Lender to make a
Competitive Loan in accordance with Section 2.04.
"Competitive Bid Rate" means, with respect to any Competitive
Bid, the Margin or the Fixed Rate, as applicable, offered by the Lender making
such Competitive Bid.
"Competitive Bid Request" means a request by the Borrower for
Competitive Bids in accordance with Section 2.04.
"Competitive Loan" means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.
"Consolidated Assets" means at any time, the aggregate amount
of assets (less applicable accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization
and other reserves and other properly deductible items) of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, all as set forth in the most recent consolidated balance sheet of
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance with GAAP.
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"Consolidated Net Worth" means on any date the net worth of
the Borrower and the Subsidiaries on such date, determined on a consolidated
basis in accordance with GAAP.
"Consolidated Total Debt" means on any date all Indebtedness
of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries on such date (other than obligations
referred to in clause (i) of the definition of "Indebtedness"), determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
"Control" means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a
Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or
otherwise. "Controlling" and "Controlled" have meanings correlative thereto.
"Default" means any event or condition which constitutes an
Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured
or waived, become an Event of Default.
"Disclosed Matters" means the actions, suits and proceedings
and the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.05.
"dollars" or "$" refers to lawful money of the United States
of America.
"Effective Date" means the date on which the conditions
specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section
9.02).
"Environmental Laws" means all material laws, rules,
regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices
or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental
Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation
of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any
Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.
"Environmental Liability" means any liability, contingent or
otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental
remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary
directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any
Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage,
treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous
Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into
the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement
pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the
foregoing.
"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended from time to time.
"ERISA Affiliate" means any trade or business (whether or not
incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer
under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302
of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under
Section 414 of the Code.
"ERISA Event" means (a) any "reportable event", as defined in
Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a
Plan (other than an event for
5
which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any
Plan of an "accumulated funding deficiency" (as defined in Section 412 of the
Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to
Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a
waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the
incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under
Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt
by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of
any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint
a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of
its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial
withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any
Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice,
concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a
Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization,
within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
"Eurodollar", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing,
refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing
interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate (or, in the
case of a Competitive Loan, the LIBO Rate).
"Event of Default" has the meaning assigned to such term in
Article VII.
"Excluded Taxes" means, with respect to the Administrative
Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on
account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise
taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of
America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is
organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any
Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch
profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed
by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case
of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the
Borrower under Section 2.18(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts
payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party
to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to
such Foreign Lender's failure to comply with Section 2.16(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 2.16(a).
"Federal Funds Effective Rate" means, for any day, the
weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the
rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next
succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such
rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average
(rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for
such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three
Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
"Financial Officer" means the chief financial officer,
principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
6
"Fixed Rate" means, with respect to any Competitive Loan
(other than a Eurodollar Competitive Loan), the fixed rate of interest per annum
specified by the Lender making such Competitive Loan in its related Competitive
Bid.
"Fixed Rate Loan" means a Competitive Loan bearing interest at
a Fixed Rate.
"Foreign Lender" means any Lender that is organized under the
laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For
purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof
and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single
jurisdiction.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States of America.
"Governmental Authority" means the government of the United
States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof,
whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory
body, court, central bank or other similar governmental entity exercising
executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or
functions of or pertaining to government.
"Guarantee" of or by any Person (the "guarantor") means any
obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the
economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any
other Person (the "primary obligor") in any manner, whether directly or
indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect,
(a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment
of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or
supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to
purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring
the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c)
to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement
condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary
obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party
in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such
Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include
endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
"Hazardous Materials" means all explosive or radioactive
substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other
pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos
containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or
medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated
pursuant to any Environmental Law.
"Hedging Agreement" means any interest rate protection
agreement, foreign currency exchange agreement, commodity price protection
agreement or other interest or currency exchange rate or commodity price hedging
arrangement.
"Indebtedness" of any Person means, without duplication, (a)
all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all debt obligations of
such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c)
all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention
agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (d) all obligations of
such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of
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property or services (excluding accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course
of business and not overdue by more than 60 days), (e) all Indebtedness of
others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing
right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or
acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has
been assumed, (f) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (g)
all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) all obligations, contingent or
otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit
and letters of guaranty, other than letters of credit arising in the ordinary
course of such Person's business supporting accounts payable and (i) all
obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers'
acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of
any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general
partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such
Person's ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to
the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable
therefor.
"Indemnified Taxes" means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
"Index Debt" means senior, unsecured, long-term indebtedness
for borrowed money of the Borrower that is not guaranteed by any other Person or
subject to any other credit enhancement.
"Information Memorandum" means the Confidential Information
Memorandum dated September 2001 relating to the Borrower and the Transactions.
"Interest Election Request" means a request by the Borrower to
convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.06.
"Interest Payment Date" means (a) with respect to any ABR
Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December, (b) with respect
to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the
Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar
Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months' duration, each day
prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three
months' duration after the first day of such Interest Period and (c) with
respect to any Fixed Rate Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable
to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Fixed Rate
Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than 90 days' duration (unless
otherwise specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request), each day prior
to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of 90 days'
duration after the first day of such Interest Period, and any other dates that
are specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request as Interest Payment
Dates with respect to such Borrowing.
"Interest Period" means (a) with respect to any Eurodollar
Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the
numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or
six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect, and (b) with respect to any
Fixed Rate Borrowing, the period (which shall not be less than seven days or
more than 360 days) commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the
date specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request; provided, that (i) if
any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest
Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case
of a Eurodollar Borrowing only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in
the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the
next preceding
8
Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing
that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for
which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of
such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar
month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing
initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and, in the case of
a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent
conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
"Lender Affiliate" means, (a) with respect to any Lender, (i)
an Affiliate of such Lender or (ii) any entity (whether a corporation,
partnership, trust or otherwise) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding
or otherwise investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the
ordinary course of its business and is administered or managed by a Lender or an
Affiliate of such Lender and (b) with respect to any Lender that is a fund which
invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit, any other fund that
invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit and is managed by the
same investment advisor as such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment
advisor.
"Lenders" means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any
other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and
Acceptance, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant
to an Assignment and Acceptance.
"LIBO Rate" means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing
for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on Page 3750 of the Telerate Service
(or on any successor or substitute page of such Service, or any successor to or
substitute for such Service, providing rate quotations comparable to those
currently provided on such page of such Service, as determined by the
Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of
interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at
approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the
commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a
maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not
available at such time for any reason, then the "LIBO Rate" with respect to such
Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar
deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are
offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in
immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately
11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such
Interest Period.
"Lien" means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage,
deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security
interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under
any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or
any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the
foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any
purchase option, call or similar right (other than rights of first refusal or
first offer, which shall not be a Lien) of a third party with respect to such
securities.
"Loans" means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower
pursuant to this Agreement.
"Margin" means, with respect to any Competitive Loan bearing
interest at a rate based on the LIBO Rate, the marginal rate of interest, if
any, to be added to or
9
subtracted from the LIBO Rate to determine the rate of interest applicable to
such Loan, as specified by the Lender making such Loan in its related
Competitive Bid.
"Material Adverse Effect" means a material adverse effect on
(a) the financial condition or results of operation of the Borrower and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the rights of or remedies available to the
Lenders under this Agreement.
"Material Indebtedness" means Indebtedness (other than the
Loans), or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging Agreements, of any one
or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount
exceeding $25,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the
"principal amount" of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in
respect of 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.
"Maturity Date" means the fifth anniversary of the date of
this Agreement.
"Moody's" means Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
"Multiemployer Plan" means a multiemployer plan as defined in
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
"Other Taxes" means any and all present or future stamp or
documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar
levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery
or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.
"PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred
to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
"Person" means any natural person, corporation, limited
liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership,
Governmental Authority or other entity.
"Plan" means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a
Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section
412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or
any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section
4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an "employer" as defined in Section 3(5) of
ERISA.
"Prime Rate" means the rate of interest per annum publicly
announced from time to time by The Chase Manhattan Bank as its prime rate in
effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate
shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced
as being effective.
"Principal Property" means all property located in the United
States of America directly engaged in the manufacturing activities of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries, the inventory and accounts receivable of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries wherever located and the capital stock or other
equity interests owned by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
10
"Register" has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
"Related Parties" means, with respect to any specified Person,
such Person's Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees,
agents and advisors of such Person and such Person's Affiliates.
"Required Lenders" means, at any time, Lenders having
Revolving Loans and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of
the total Revolving Loan and unused Commitments at such time; provided that, for
purposes of declaring the Loans to be due and payable pursuant to Article VII,
and for all purposes after the Loans become due and payable pursuant to Article
VII or the Commitments expire or terminate, the outstanding Competitive Loans of
the Lenders shall be included in their respective Revolving Loans in determining
the Required Lenders.
"Revolving Loan" means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03.
"Sale-Leaseback Transactions" means any arrangement whereby
the Borrower or a Subsidiary 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 property that it intends to use for
substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred;
provided that any such arrangement entered into within 180 days after the
acquisition, construction or substantial improvement of the subject property
shall not be deemed to be a "Sale-Leaseback Transaction".
"S&P" means Standard & Poor's.
"Significant Subsidiary" means each Subsidiary which is a
"significant subsidiary" as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X of the
Securities and Exchange Commission. as such rule may be amended or modified and
in effect from time to time.
"Statutory Reserve Rate" means a fraction (expressed as a
decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which
is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages
(including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed
as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is
subject for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as "Eurocurrency
Liabilities" in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall
include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be
deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve
requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets
that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or
any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted
automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve
percentage.
"subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person (the "parent")
at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership,
association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with
those of the parent in the parent's consolidated financial statements if such
financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as
well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership,
association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests
representing more than 50% of the 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
11
such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise
Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the
parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.
"Subsidiary" means any subsidiary of the Borrower.
"Taxes" means any and all present or future taxes, levies,
imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental
Authority.
"364-Day Credit Agreement" means the 364-Day Credit Agreement
dated as of October 19, 2001, among the Borrower, the Lenders party thereto and
The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Administrative Agent.
"Transactions" means the execution, delivery and performance
by the Borrower of this Agreement and the borrowing of Loans.
"Type", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing,
refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising
such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, the
Alternate Base Rate or, in the case of a Competitive Loan or Borrowing, the LIBO
Rate or a Fixed Rate.
"Withdrawal Liability" means liability to a Multiemployer Plan
as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as
such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For
purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class
(e.g., a "Revolving Loan") or by Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Loan") or by Class
and Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Revolving Loan"). Borrowings also may be
classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a "Revolving Borrowing") or by Type
(e.g., a "Eurodollar Borrowing") or by Class and Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar
Revolving Borrowing").
SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein
shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.
Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding
masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words "include", "includes" and
"including" shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase "without limitation".
The word "will" shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the
word "shall". Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or
reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be
construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from
time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any
restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein),
(b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such
Person's successors and assigns, (c) the words "herein", "hereof" and
"hereunder", and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this
Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all
references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be
construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to,
this Agreement and (e) the words "asset" and "property" shall be construed to
have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and
intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and
contract rights.
12
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise
expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall
be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided
that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower
requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any
change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on
the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the
Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof
for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or
after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision
shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately
before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been
withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.
ARTICLE II
The Credits
SECTION 2.01. Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions
set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower
from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal
amount that will not result in (a) such Lender's Revolving Loans exceeding such
Lender's Commitment or (b) the sum of the total Revolving Loans plus the
aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans exceeding the total
Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions
set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.
SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings. (a) Each Revolving Loan
shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the
Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. Each
Competitive Loan shall be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in
Section 2.04. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by
it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided
that the Commitments and Competitive Bids of the Lenders are several and no
Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender's failure to make Loans as
required.
(b) Subject to Section 2.13, (i) each Revolving Borrowing
shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may
request in accordance herewith, and (ii) each Competitive Borrowing shall be
comprised entirely of Eurodollar Loans or Fixed Rate Loans as the Borrower may
request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any
Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such
Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not
affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement.
(c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any
Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount
that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000. At the
time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an
aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than
$5,000,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate
amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments. Each
Competitive Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is
13
an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000. Borrowings of
more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that
there shall not at any time be more than a total of ten Eurodollar Revolving
Borrowings outstanding.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue,
any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end
after the Maturity Date.
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Revolving Borrowings. To request a
Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such
request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than
11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the
proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00
a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such
telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed
promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written
Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by
the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify
the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business
Day;
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a
Eurodollar Borrowing;
(iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial
Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period
contemplated by the definition of the term "Interest Period"; and
(v) the location and number of the Borrower's account to which
funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of
Section 2.05.
If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the
requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period
is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, then
the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month's
duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with
this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details
thereof and of the amount of such Lender's Loan to be made as part of the
requested Borrowing.
SECTION 2.04. Competitive Bid Procedure. (a) Subject to the
terms and conditions set forth herein, from time to time during the Availability
Period the Borrower may request Competitive Bids and may (but shall not have any
obligation to) accept Competitive Bids and borrow Competitive Loans; provided
that the sum of the total Revolving Loans plus the aggregate principal amount of
outstanding Competitive Loans at any time shall not exceed the total
Commitments. To request Competitive Bids, the Borrower shall notify the
Administrative Agent of such request by telephone, in the case of a Eurodollar
Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, four Business Days
before the date of the proposed Borrowing and, in the case of a Fixed Rate
Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day
before the date of the
14
proposed Borrowing; provided that the Borrower may submit up to (but not more
than) three Competitive Bid Requests on the same day, but a Competitive Bid
Request shall not be made within five Business Days after the date of any
previous Competitive Bid Request, unless any and all such previous Competitive
Bid Requests shall have been withdrawn or all Competitive Bids received in
response thereto rejected. Each such telephonic Competitive Bid Request shall be
confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a
written Competitive Bid Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent
and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Competitive Bid
Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business
Day;
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be a Eurodollar Borrowing
or a Fixed Rate Borrowing;
(iv) the Interest Period to be applicable to such Borrowing,
which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term
"Interest Period"; and
(v) the location and number of the Borrower's account to which
funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of
Section 2.05.
Promptly following receipt of a Competitive Bid Request in accordance with this
Section, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of the details
thereof by telecopy, inviting the Lenders to submit Competitive Bids.
(b) Each Lender may (but shall not have any obligation to)
make one or more Competitive Bids to the Borrower in response to a Competitive
Bid Request. Each Competitive Bid by a Lender must be in a form approved by the
Administrative Agent and must be received by the Administrative Agent by
telecopy, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing, not later than 9:30
a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the proposed date of such
Competitive Borrowing, and in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than
9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the proposed date of such Competitive
Borrowing. Competitive Bids that do not conform substantially to the form
approved by the Administrative Agent may be rejected by the Administrative
Agent, and the Administrative Agent shall notify the applicable Lender as
promptly as practicable. Each Competitive Bid shall specify (i) the principal
amount (which shall be a minimum of $5,000,000 and an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 and which may equal the entire principal amount of the Competitive
Borrowing requested by the Borrower) of the Competitive Loan or Loans that the
Lender is willing to make, (ii) the Competitive Bid Rate or Rates at which the
Lender is prepared to make such Loan or Loans (expressed as a percentage rate
per annum in the form of a decimal to no more than four decimal places) and
(iii) the Interest Period applicable to each such Loan and the last day thereof.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the
Borrower by telecopy of the Competitive Bid Rate and the principal amount
specified in each Competitive Bid and the identity of the Lender that shall have
made such Competitive Bid.
(d) Subject only to the provisions of this paragraph, the
Borrower may accept or reject any Competitive Bid. The Borrower shall notify the
Administrative Agent
15
by telephone, confirmed by telecopy in a form approved by the Administrative
Agent, whether and to what extent it has decided to accept or reject each
Competitive Bid, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing, not later
than 10:30 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the
proposed Competitive Borrowing, and in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not
later than 10:30 a.m., New York City time, on the proposed date of the
Competitive Borrowing; provided that (i) the failure of the Borrower to give
such notice shall be deemed to be a rejection of each Competitive Bid, (ii) the
Borrower shall not accept a Competitive Bid made at a particular Competitive Bid
Rate if the Borrower rejects a Competitive Bid made at a lower Competitive Bid
Rate, (iii) the aggregate amount of the Competitive Bids accepted by the
Borrower shall not exceed the aggregate amount of the requested Competitive
Borrowing specified in the related Competitive Bid Request, (iv) to the extent
necessary to comply with clause (iii) above, the Borrower may accept Competitive
Bids at the same Competitive Bid Rate in part, which acceptance, in the case of
multiple Competitive Bids at such Competitive Bid Rate, shall be made pro rata
in accordance with the amount of each such Competitive Bid, and (v) except
pursuant to clause (iv) above, no Competitive Bid shall be accepted for a
Competitive Loan unless such Competitive Loan is in a minimum principal amount
of $5,000,000 and an integral multiple of $1,000,000; provided further that if a
Competitive Loan must be in an amount less than $5,000,000 because of the
provisions of clause (iv) above, such Competitive Loan may be for a minimum of
$1,000,000 or any integral multiple thereof, and in calculating the pro rata
allocation of acceptances of portions of multiple Competitive Bids at a
particular Competitive Bid Rate pursuant to clause (iv) the amounts shall be
rounded to integral multiples of $1,000,000 in a manner determined by the
Borrower. A notice given by the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph shall be
irrevocable.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each
bidding Lender by telecopy whether or not its Competitive Bid has been accepted
(and, if so, the amount and Competitive Bid Rate so accepted), and each
successful bidder will thereupon become bound, subject to the terms and
conditions hereof, to make the Competitive Loan in respect of which its
Competitive Bid has been accepted.
(f) If the Administrative Agent shall elect to submit a
Competitive Bid in its capacity as a Lender, it shall submit such Competitive
Bid directly to the Borrower at least one quarter of an hour earlier than the
time by which the other Lenders are required to submit their Competitive Bids to
the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.
SECTION 2.05. Funding of Borrowings. (a) Each Lender shall
make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire
transfer of immediately available funds by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to
the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such
purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans
available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like
funds, to an account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent in
New York City and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request
or Competitive Bid Request.
(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice
from a Lender prior to the proposed Borrowing that such Lender will not make
available to the Administrative Agent such Lender's share of such Borrowing, the
Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available
on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in
reliance upon such assumption, make
16
available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has
not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the
Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally
agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding
amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such
amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to
the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the
Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent
in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in
the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to the relevant Loan. If
such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall
constitute such Lender's Loan included in such Borrowing.
SECTION 2.06. Interest Elections. (a) Each Revolving Borrowing
initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request
and, in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial
Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower
may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such
Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, may elect
Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may
elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected
Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the
Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising
each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall
not apply to Competitive Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.
(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower
shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time
that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower
were requesting a Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election
to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest
Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand
delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election
Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the
Borrower.
(c) Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request
shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request
applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to
different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to
each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified
pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each
resulting Borrowing);
(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such
Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR
Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and
(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the
Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such
election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the
term "Interest Period".
17
If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does
not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have
selected an Interest Period of one month's duration.
(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election
Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details
thereof and of such Lender's portion of each resulting Borrowing.
(e) If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest
Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing prior to the
end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is
repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing
shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision
hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the
Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the
Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding
Revolving Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing
and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing shall be converted
to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
SECTION 2.07. Termination and Reduction of Commitments. (a)
Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity
Date.
(b) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to
time reduce, the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the
Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and
not less than $5,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the
Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in
accordance with Section 2.09, the sum of the Revolving Loans plus the aggregate
principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans would exceed the total
Commitments.
(c) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any
election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this
Section at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such
termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date
thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent
shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the
Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice
of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such
notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in
which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the
Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such
condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Commitments
shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably
among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.
SECTION 2.08. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt. (a) The
Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent
for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each
Revolving Loan on the Maturity Date, and (ii) to the Administrative Agent for
the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Competitive
Loan on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan.
18
(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual
practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to
such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts
of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time
hereunder.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which
it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type
thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any
principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the
Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by
the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each
Lender's share thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to
paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the
existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein absent manifest error;
provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain
such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation
of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced
by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and
deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender
(or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and
in a form approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced
by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after
assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory
notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such
promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).
SECTION 2.09. Prepayment of Loans. (a) The Borrower shall have
the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or
in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this
Section; provided that the Borrower shall not have the right to prepay any
Competitive Loan without the prior consent of the Lender thereof.
(b) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone
(confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of
prepayment of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New
York City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment or (ii) in the
case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New
York City time, on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable
and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing
or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is
given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments
as contemplated by Section 2.07, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked
if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.07.
Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing,
the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each
partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would
be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type
as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be
applied ratably to the Loans included in the
19
prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the
extent required by Section 2.12.
SECTION 2.10. Increase in Commitments. (a) The Borrower may,
by written notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly deliver a
copy to each of the Lenders), request that the total Commitments be increased by
an amount not less than $50,000,000 for any such increase; provided that after
giving effect to any such increase the sum of the total Commitments and the
commitments under the 364-Day Credit Agreement shall not exceed $600,000,000
minus any amount by which the Commitments and the commitments under the 364-Day
Credit Agreement shall have been reduced pursuant to Section 2.07 and Section
2.07 of the 364-Day Credit Agreement. Such notice shall set forth the amount of
the requested increase in the total Commitments and the date on which such
increase is requested to become effective (which shall be not less than 10
Business Days or more than 60 days after the date of such notice), and shall
offer each Lender the opportunity to increase its Commitment by its Applicable
Percentage of the proposed increased amount. Each Lender shall, by notice to the
Borrower and the Administrative Agent given not more than 10 Business Days after
the date of the Borrower's notice, either agree to increase its Commitment by
all or a portion of the offered amount (each Lender so agreeing being an
"Increasing Lender") or decline to increase its Commitment (and any Lender that
does not deliver such a notice within such period of 10 Business Days shall be
deemed to have declined to increase its Commitment) (each Lender so declining or
deemed to have declined being a "Non-Increasing Lender"). In the event that, on
the 10th Business Day after the Borrower shall have delivered a notice pursuant
to the first sentence of this paragraph, the Lenders shall have agreed pursuant
to the preceding sentence to increase their Commitments by an aggregate amount
less than the increase in the total Commitments requested by the Borrower, the
Borrower may arrange for one or more banks or other financial institutions (any
such bank or other financial institution referred to in this clause (a) being
called an "Augmenting Lender"), which may include any Lender, to extend
Commitments or increase their existing Commitments in an aggregate amount equal
to the unsubscribed amount; provided that each Augmenting Lender, if not already
a Lender hereunder, shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent
(which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) and the Borrower and each
Augmenting Lender shall execute all such documentation as the Administrative
Agent shall reasonably specify to evidence its Commitment and/or its status as a
Lender hereunder. Any increase in the total Commitments may be made in an amount
which is less than the increase requested by the Borrower if the Borrower is
unable to arrange for, or chooses not to arrange for, Augmenting Lenders.
(b) On the effective date (the "Increase Effective Date") of
any increase in the total Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.10 (the
"Commitment Increase"), (i) the aggregate principal amount of the Loans
outstanding (the "Initial Loans") immediately prior to giving effect to the
Commitment Increase on the Increase Effective Date shall be deemed to be paid,
(ii) each Increasing Lender and each Augmenting Lender that shall have been a
Lender prior to the Commitment Increase shall pay to the Administrative Agent in
same day funds an amount equal to the difference between (A) the product of (1)
such Lender's Applicable Percentage (calculated after giving effect to the
Commitment Increase) multiplied by (2) the amount of the Subsequent Borrowings
(as hereinafter defined) and (B) the product of (1) such Lender's Applicable
Percentage (calculated without giving effect to the Commitment Increase)
multiplied by (2) the amount of the Initial Loans, (iii) each Augmenting Lender
that shall not have been a Lender prior to the Commitment Increase shall pay to
Administrative Agent in same day funds an amount equal to the product of
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(1) such Augmenting Lender's Applicable Percentage (calculated after giving
effect to the Commitment Increase) multiplied by (2) the amount of the
Subsequent Borrowings, and (iv) after the Administrative Agent receives the
funds specified in clauses (ii) and (iii) above, the Administrative Agent shall
pay to each Non-Increasing Lender the portion of such funds that is equal to the
difference between (A) the product of (1) such Non-Increasing Lender's
Applicable Percentage (calculated without giving effect to the Commitment
Increase) multiplied by (2) the amount of the Initial Loans, and (B) the product
of (1) such Non-Increasing Lender's Applicable Percentage (calculated after
giving effect to the Commitment Increase) multiplied by (2) the amount of the
Subsequent Borrowings, (v) after the effectiveness of the Commitment Increase,
the Borrower shall be deemed to have made new Borrowings (the "Subsequent
Borrowings") in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal
amount of the Initial Loans and of the types and for the Interest Periods
specified in a Borrowing Request delivered to the Administrative Agent in
accordance with Section 2.04, (vi) each Non-Increasing Lender, each Increasing
Lender and each Augmenting Lender shall be deemed to hold its Applicable
Percentage of each Subsequent Borrowing (each calculated after giving effect to
the Commitment Increase) and (vii) the Borrower shall pay each Increasing Lender
and each Non-Increasing Lender any and all accrued but unpaid interest on the
Initial Loans. The deemed payments made pursuant to clause (i) above in respect
of each Eurodollar Loan shall be subject to indemnification by the Borrower
pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.15 if the Increase Effective Date occurs
other than on the last day of the Interest Period relating thereto and breakage
costs result.
(c) Increases and new Commitments created pursuant to this
Section 2.10 shall become effective on the date specified in the notice
delivered by the Borrower pursuant to the first sentence of paragraph (a) above.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no increase in the total
Commitments (or in the Commitment of any Lender) or addition of a New Lender
shall become effective under this Section unless, (i) on the date of such
increase, the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02
shall be satisfied and the Administrative Agent shall have received a
certificate to that effect dated such date and executed by a Financial Officer
of the Borrower, and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have received (with
sufficient copies for each of the Lenders) documents consistent with those
delivered on the Effective Date under clauses (b) and (c) of Section 4.01 as to
the corporate power and authority of the Borrower to borrow hereunder after
giving effect to such increase.
SECTION 2.11. Fees. (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the
Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a facility fee, which shall
accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily amount of the Commitment of such
Lender (whether used or unused) during the period from and including the date
hereof to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates; provided
that, if such Lender continues to have any Loans outstanding after its
Commitment terminates, then such facility fee shall continue to accrue on the
daily amount of such Lender's Loans from and including the date on which its
Commitment terminates to but excluding the date on which such Lender ceases to
have any outstanding Loans. Accrued facility fees shall be payable in arrears on
the last day of March, June, September and December of each year, commencing on
the first such date to occur after the date hereof, and on the date on which the
Commitments shall have terminated and the Lenders shall have no outstanding
Loans. All facility fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days
and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first
day but excluding the last day).
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(b) For any day on which the aggregate principal amount of the
Loans outstanding shall be greater than 50% of the total Commitments (and for
any day after the termination of all the Commitments on which Loans shall be
outstanding), the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account
of each Lender a utilization fee equal to 0.050% per annum on the aggregate
amount of such Lender's outstanding Loans on such day. Accrued and unpaid
utilization fees, if any, shall be payable on the last day of each March, June,
September and December and on the date on which the Commitments shall have
terminated and the Lenders shall have no outstanding Loans. All utilization fees
shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for
the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the
last day).
(c) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent,
for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately
agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
(d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due,
in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent for distribution, in
the case of the facility fees and utilization fees, to the Lenders. Fees paid
shall not be refundable under any circumstances.
SECTION 2.12. Interest. (a) The Loans comprising each ABR
Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate.
(b) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear
interest (i) in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Loan, at the Adjusted LIBO
Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable
Rate, or (ii) in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Loan, at the LIBO Rate for
the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus (or minus, as applicable)
the Margin applicable to such Loan.
(c) Each Fixed Rate Loan shall bear interest at the Fixed Rate
applicable to such Loan.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or
interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower
hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or
otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before
judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of
any Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the
preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2%
plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this
Section.
(e) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears
on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans,
upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant
to paragraph (d) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event
of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR
Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on
the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such
repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any
Eurodollar Revolving Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period
therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date
of such conversion.
22
(f) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a
year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate
Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall
be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and
in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including
the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate,
Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent,
and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.13. Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the
commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination
shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable
means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO
Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or
(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required
Lenders (or, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Loan, the Lender
that is required to make such Loan) that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the
LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately
and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or
maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for
such Interest Period;
then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the
Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and,
until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the
circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest
Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or
continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be
ineffective, (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Revolving
Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing and (iii) any
request by the Borrower for a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing shall be
ineffective; provided that (A) if the circumstances giving rise to such notice
do not affect all the Lenders, then requests by the Borrower for Eurodollar
Competitive Borrowings may be made to Lenders that are not affected thereby and
(B) if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of
Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.
SECTION 2.14. Increased Costs. (a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special
deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for
the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such
reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate); or
(ii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any
other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans or Fixed
Rate Loans made by such Lender;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such
Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate Loan (or of
maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to reduce the amount of any
sum received or receivable by such
23
Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the
Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will
compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) If any Lender determines that any Change in Law regarding
capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return
on such Lender's capital or on the capital of such Lender's holding company, if
any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by such Lender to a
level below that which such Lender or such Lender's holding company could have
achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender's
policies and the policies of such Lender's holding company with respect to
capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender
such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such
Lender's holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or
amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case
may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered
to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower
shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10
days after receipt thereof.
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand
compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such
Lender's right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not
be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased
costs or reductions incurred more than 270 days prior to the date that such
Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased
costs or reductions and of such Lender's intention to claim compensation
therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such
increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 270-day period referred
to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section,
a Lender shall not be entitled to compensation pursuant to this Section in
respect of any Competitive Loan if the Change in Law that would otherwise
entitle it to such compensation shall have been publicly announced prior to
submission of the Competitive Bid pursuant to which such Loan was made.
SECTION 2.15. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the
payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate Loan other than on
the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of
an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on
the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to
borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Revolving Loan on the date or in the
amount specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether
such notice may be revoked under Section 2.09(b) and is revoked in accordance
therewith), (d) the failure to borrow any Competitive Loan after accepting the
Competitive Bid to make such Loan, or (e) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan
or Fixed Rate Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable
thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.18, then,
in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost
and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such
loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount
determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of
interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such
event not
24
occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such
Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then
current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow,
convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for
such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such
principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would
bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a
comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market. A
certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender
is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the
Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay
such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after
receipt thereof.
SECTION 2.16. 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 or Other Taxes; provided that if the
Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from
such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that
after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to
additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent or Lender
(as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received
had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions
and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant
Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the
relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and
each Lender, within 10 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount
of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent or such
Lender, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account
of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or
Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this
Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom
or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes
were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental
Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered
to the Borrower by a Lender, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or
on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower
shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a
receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of
the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from
or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the
Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with
respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a
copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable
law, such properly completed and executed documentation
25
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.
SECTION 2.17. 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 or fees, or of amounts payable under
Section 2.14, 2.15 or 2.16, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City
time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or
counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the
discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the
next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All
such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 270
Park Avenue, New York, New York, except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.14,
2.15, 2.16 and 9.03 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 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,
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 then due
hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the
amounts of principal 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 resulting in such Lender receiving
payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans
and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender,
then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at
face value) participations in the Revolving Loans 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; 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 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.
26
(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 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 the amount due. In such
event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the
Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on
demand the amount so distributed to such Lender 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 2.05(b) or 2.17(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 2.18. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, 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 2.16, then such
Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for
funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations
hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment
of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce
amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.14 or 2.16, 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 reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in
connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, 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 2.16,
or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the
Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the
Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without
recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in
Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement
(other than any outstanding Competitive Loans held by it) to an assignee that
shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender
accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the
prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not
unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an
amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans (other than Competitive
Loans), accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to
it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and
accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts)
and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for
compensation under Section 2.14 or payments required to be made pursuant to
Section 2.16, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or
payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and
delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such
27
Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such
assignment and delegation cease to apply.
ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers. Each of the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under
the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and
authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the
failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in,
and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is
required.
SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions
are within the Borrower's corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all
necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action. This Agreement has
been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes a legal, valid
and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
or other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and subject to general
principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity
or at law.
SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The
Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or
filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as
have been obtained or made and are in full force and 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, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of
its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require
any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will
not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any indenture,
agreement or other instrument binding on the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries.
SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.
(a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated
balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i)
as of and for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2001, reported on by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and
for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended July 31, 2001,
certified by its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of
operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as
of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end
audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements
referred to in clause (ii) above.
28
(b) Since April 30, 2001 through the date of this Agreement,
there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, liabilities,
condition, financial or otherwise, or material agreements of the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
SECTION 3.05. Litigation and Environmental Matters. (a) There
are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental
Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened
against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) as to which
there is a reasonable probability of an adverse determination and that, if
adversely determined, would reasonably be expected, individually or in the
aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed
Matters) or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.
(b) Except for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect
to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the
Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any
Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or
other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to
any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect
to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental
Liability.
SECTION 3.06. Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and
orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all
indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property,
except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, has not
resulted and would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has
occurred and is continuing.
SECTION 3.07. Investment and Holding Company Status. 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
or (b) a "holding company" as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.
SECTION 3.08. Taxes. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to
have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have
been paid by it pursuant to said Tax returns or pursuant to any assessment
received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, except (a) Taxes that are
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the
Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate
reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.09. 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, would reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all
accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used
for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as
of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts,
exceed by more than $25,000,000 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
29
Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent
financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $50,000,000
the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans.
SECTION 3.10. Disclosure. Neither the Information Memorandum
nor any of the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other
information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative
Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or
delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so
furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with
respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that
such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to
be reasonable at the time.
ARTICLE IV
Conditions
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders
to make Loans hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each
of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section
9.02):
(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have
received from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this
Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy
transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such
party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable
written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
and dated the Effective Date) of counsel for the Borrower,
substantially in the form of Exhibit B, and covering such other matters
relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions as the
Required Lenders shall reasonably request. The Borrower hereby requests
such counsel to deliver such opinion.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received such
documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel
may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good
standing of the Borrower, the authorization of the Transactions and any
other legal matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the
Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a
certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a
Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming
compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of
Section 4.02.
(e) All commitments under the Credit Agreement dated as of
October 29, 1997, among the Borrower, the banks party thereto, First
Chicaco Capital Markets, Inc., as syndication agent, Morgant Guaranty
Trust Company of New York, as
30
documentation agent and The First National Bank of Chicago, as
administrative agent, shall have been terminated in accordance with the
terms thereof and all loans outstanding thereunder shall have been
repaid or prepaid together with accrued interest thereon and all other
amounts payable to the banks thereunder.
(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and
other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date,
including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all
out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the
Borrower hereunder.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the
Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans hereunder shall not
become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived
pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on
October 31, 2001 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or
waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender
to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing is subject to the satisfaction
of the following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower set
forth in this Agreement (other than the representations set forth in
Sections 3.04(b) and 3.05) shall be true and correct on and as of the
date of such Borrowing.
(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such
Borrowing, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
Each Borrowing shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by
the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a)
and (b) of this Section.
ARTICLE V
Affirmative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the
principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have
been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information. The
Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a) within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the
Borrower, a copy of its audited consolidated balance sheet and related
statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows as of the
end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative
form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants of
recognized national standing (without a "going concern" or like
qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception
as to the scope of such audit)
31
to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present
fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of
operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;
(b) within 60 days after the end of each of the first three
fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of its
consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations,
stockholders' equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such
fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting
forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the
corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance
sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one
of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects
the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and
its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance
with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit
adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements
under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of
the Borrower (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and,
if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any
action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto and (ii)
setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance
with Section 6.06;
(d) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements
under clause (a) above, a certificate of the accounting firm that
reported on such financial statements stating whether they obtained
knowledge during the course of their examination of such financial
statements of any Default (which certificate may be limited to the
extent required by accounting rules or guidelines);
(e) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies
of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials
regularly filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to
any or all of the functions of said Commission, or distributed by the
Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be; and
(f) promptly following any request therefor, such other
information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial
condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the
terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may
reasonably request.
SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events. The Borrower will
furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of the following:
(a) the occurrence of any Default;
(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or
proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority
against or affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof that, if
adversely determined, would reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect; and
32
(c) any other development that results in, or would reasonably
be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of
a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the
details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken
or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.
SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business. The Borrower
will, and will cause each of its Significant Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be
done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect
its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises,
patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its
business except (in the case of any such failure to do so other than with
respect to preserving, renewing and keeping in full force and effect the
existence of the Borrower) where the failure to do so would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any
merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.04.
SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and
will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its Tax liabilities, that, if not
paid, would result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become
delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is
being contested in good faith 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 would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.05. 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, ordinary wear and tear excepted, except where the failure to do so
would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and (b)
maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in
such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies
engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar
locations.
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The
Borrower will, and will cause each of its Significant Subsidiaries to, keep
proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are
made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and
activities, except, in the case of any Significant Subsidiary, where the failure
to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit
any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon
reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and
make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances
and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such
reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested.
SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and
will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations
and orders of any Governmental Authority, including Environmental Laws and
ERISA, applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to do so,
individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
33
SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans will
be used only for working capital and general corporate purposes and to provide
liquidity in connection with any commercial paper program of the Borrower. No
part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly,
for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board,
including Regulations U and X.
ARTICLE VI
Negative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the
principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been
paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 6.01. Subsidiary Indebtedness. The Borrower will not
permit any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or permit to exist any
Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth on
Schedule 6.01 and extensions, renewals or replacements of any such
Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount
thereof;
(b) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any
other Subsidiary; provided that no such Indebtedness shall be assigned
to, or subjected to any Lien in favor of, a Person other than the
Borrower or a Subsidiary;
(c) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary incurred to finance the
acquisition, construction or improvement by such Subsidiary of any
fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and any
Indebtedness incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition,
construction or improvement of any such assets, and any Indebtedness
secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof,
and extensions, renewals and replacements of any of the foregoing
Indebtedness referred to in this paragraph that do not increase the
outstanding principal amount thereof; provided that such Indebtedness
is incurred prior to or within 180 days after such acquisition or the
completion of such construction or improvement;
(d) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after
the date hereof; provided that such Indebtedness exists at the time
such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of
or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary;
(e) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary as an account party in
respect of letters of credit backing obligations (other than
Indebtedness) of any Subsidiary;
(f) Indebtedness consisting of industrial development,
pollution control or other revenue bonds or similar instruments issued
or guaranteed by any Governmental Authority; and
(g) Other Indebtedness not expressly permitted by clauses (a)
through (f) above; provided that the sum, without duplication, of (i)
the outstanding
34
Indebtedness permitted by this clause (g), (ii) the aggregate principal
amount of the outstanding obligations secured by Liens permitted by
Section 6.02(n) and (iii) the Attributable Debt in respect of
Sale-Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.03(b) does not at
any time exceed 25% of Consolidated Assets.
SECTION 6.02. Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not
permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on
any Principal Property now owned or hereafter acquired by it, except:
(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not yet due or are
being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(b) carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics', materialmen's,
repairmen's and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the
ordinary course of business;
(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of
business in compliance with workers' compensation, unemployment
insurance and other social security laws or regulations;
(d) 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
made in the ordinary course of business;
(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not
constitute Events of Default under clause (k) of Article VII;
(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar
encumbrances on 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 the Subsidiaries taken as a whole;
(g) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary existing on the date hereof (or on improvements or
accessions thereto or proceeds therefrom) and set forth on Schedule
6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property
or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall be
permitted by this clause (g) only to the extent of the amount of the
obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions,
renewals and replacements thereof up to the outstanding principal
amount thereof;
(h) any Lien (i) existing on any property or asset prior to
the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, (ii)
existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a
Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes
a Subsidiary or (iii) to the extent such Lien applies only to the
property or assets so acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or
owned by a Person prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary,
arising after the date of such acquisition or such Person becoming a
Subsidiary pursuant to contractual commitments entered into prior
thereto; provided that (x) such Lien is not created in contemplation of
or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a
Subsidiary, as the case may be, (y) such Lien shall not apply to any
other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary other than
improvements and accessions to
35
the assets to which it originally applies and proceeds of such assets,
improvements and accessions and (z) such Lien shall be permitted by
this clause (h) only to the extent of the amount of the obligations
which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such
Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be, and extensions,
renewals and replacements thereof up to the outstanding principal
amount thereof;
(i) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or
improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such
Liens secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (c) of Section 6.01, (ii)
such Liens and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to
or within 180 days after such acquisition or the completion of such
construction or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby
does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such
fixed or capital assets and (iv) such Liens shall not apply to any
other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(j) Liens securing industrial development, pollution control
or other revenue bonds or similar instruments issued or guaranteed by
any Governmental Authority;
(k) Liens in favor of any Governmental Authority to secure
obligations pursuant to the provisions of any contract or statute;
(l) Liens to secure obligations of a Subsidiary to the
Borrower or any other Subsidiary;
(m) Liens on equity, joint venture, partnership, or other
ownership or investment interests (collectively, the "Equity
Interests") of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in any Person arising in
connection with the rights of a third party owning Equity Interests in
such Person pursuant to a joint venture, shareholder, distribution or
other agreement between the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and
such third party to purchase the Equity Interests owned by the Borrower
or any Subsidiary in such Person for reasonable value pursuant to
change in control provisions, noncompetition provisions, restrictions
on competing brands or other business restriction provisions in one or
more of the agreements between such parties; and
(n) Liens not expressly permitted by clauses (a) through (m)
above; provided that the sum of (i) the outstanding Indebtedness
permitted by Section 6.01(g), (ii) the aggregate principal amount of
the outstanding obligations secured by Liens permitted by this clause
(n) and (iii) the Attributable Debt in respect of Sale-Leaseback
Transactions permitted by Section 6.03(b) does not at any time exceed
25% of Consolidated Assets.
SECTION 6.03. Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Borrower
will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any
Sale-Leaseback Transaction relating to any Principal Property except:
(a) Sale-Leaseback Transactions to which the Borrower or any
Subsidiary is a party as of the date hereof; and
36
(b) other Sale-Leaseback Transactions; provided that the sum
of (i) the outstanding Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(g), (ii)
the aggregate principal amount of outstanding obligations secured by
Liens permitted by Section 6.02(n) and (iii) the aggregate Attributable
Debt in respect of Sale-Leaseback Transactions permitted by this clause
(b) does not at any time exceed 25% of Consolidated Assets.
SECTION 6.04. Fundamental Changes. (a) The Borrower will not,
and will not permit any Significant Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate
with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate
with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or
in a series of transactions) assets representing all or substantially all the
aggregate assets of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries (whether now owned or
hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that if at the time
thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have
occurred and be continuing (i) any Person may merge into the Borrower in a
transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Person
may merge with any Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is
a Subsidiary and (iii) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve or, so long as
such transaction does not constitute a transfer or other disposition of all or
substantially all the aggregate assets of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries,
merge with or into any other Person.
(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its
Significant Subsidiaries to, engage as its principal business in any business
other than businesses of the type collectively conducted by the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries on the date of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related
thereto.
SECTION 6.05. 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 and
(b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries not
involving any other Affiliate; provided that nothing contained in this Section
6.05 shall prevent the Borrower or any Subsidiary from paying dividends to its
respective shareholders.
SECTION 6.06. Ratio of Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated
Net Worth. The Borrower will not permit the ratio of Consolidated Total Debt to
Consolidated Net Worth at any time to be greater than 2.00 to 1.00.
ARTICLE VII
Events of Default
If any of the following events ("Events of Default") shall
occur:
(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan
when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due
date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;
37
(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or
any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause
(a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement, when and as the same
shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue
unremedied for a period of three Business Days;
(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or
on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in connection with
this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver
hereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other
document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or
any amendment or modification hereof or waiver hereunder, shall prove
to have been materially incorrect when made or deemed made;
(d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any
covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.03 (with
respect to the Borrower's existence) or 5.08 or in Article VI;
(e) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any
covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other
than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article), and
such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after
notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which
notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
(f) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any
payment (whether of principal or interest) in respect of any Material
Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable or
within any applicable cure period;
(g) any Material Indebtedness is declared to be due prior to
its scheduled maturity or the holder or holders of any Material
Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf require the
prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its
scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to
secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale
or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;
(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
Significant Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its
assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the
appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator,
conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Significant
Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such
case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60
days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing
shall be entered;
(i) the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall (i)
voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking
liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or
foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or
hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to
contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition
described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to
the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator,
conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Significant
Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer
38
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;
(j) the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall become
unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its
debts as they become due;
(k) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an
aggregate amount in excess of $25,000,000 shall be rendered against the
Borrower, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall
remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which
execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be
legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets
of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;
(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of
the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events
that have occurred, would reasonably be expected to result in liability
of the Company and the Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding
(i) $25,000,000 in any year or (ii) $50,000,000 for all periods; or
(m) a Change in Control shall occur;
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower
described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter
during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the
request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or
both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the
Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii)
declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part,
in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter
be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so
declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all
fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due
and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of
any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any
event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this
Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the
Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and
other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become
due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any
kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.
ARTICLE VIII
The Administrative Agent
Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints the
Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to
take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to
the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and
powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
39
The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall
have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender
and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and
such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and
generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or
other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or
obligations except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject
to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has
occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty
to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except
discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the
Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing by the Required Lenders
(or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under
the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set
forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and
shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the
bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken
by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other
number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the
circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross
negligence or wilful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to
have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given
to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative
Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into
(i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this
Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document
delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or
observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set
forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of
this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the
satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other
than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the
Administrative Agent. Each party to this Agreement acknowledges that none of the
co-syndication agents or co-documentation agents shall have any duties,
responsibilities, obligations or authority under this Agreement in such
capacity.
The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and
shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request,
certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed
by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The
Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by
telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not
incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult
with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent
accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any
action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such
counsel, accountants or experts.
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties
and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents
appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such
sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers
through their respective Related Parties.
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The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such
sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such
sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the
syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities
as Administrative Agent.
Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor
Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may
resign at any time by notifying the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon any such
resignation, the Borrower shall have the right, in consultation with the
Required Lenders, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so
appointed by the Borrower and shall have accepted such appointment within 30
days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation,
then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a
successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York,
New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its
appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor
shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and
duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative
Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. The fees
payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as
those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower
and such successor. After the Administrative Agent's resignation hereunder, the
provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the
benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their
respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be
taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.
Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and
without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on
such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit
analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also
acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the
Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and
information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its
own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement,
any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
SECTION 9.01. Notices. Except in the case of notices and other
communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone, all notices and
other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be
delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or
registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:
(a) if to the Borrower, to it at Brown-Forman Corporation, 850
Dixie Highway, Louisville, KY 40210, Attention of Treasurer (Telecopy
No. (502) 774-6908), with a copy to the Attention of General Counsel
(Telecopy No. (502) 774-6650);
41
(b) if to the Administrative Agent, to The Chase Manhattan
Bank, Loan and Agency Services Group, One Chase Manhattan Plaza, 8th
Floor, New York, New York 10081, Attention of Maggie Swales and Anne
Bowles (Telecopy No. (212) 552-5658); and
(c) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy
number) set forth in its 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 notices and
other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions
of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.
SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments. (a) No failure or delay by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender in exercising any right or power
hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial
exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of
steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise
thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not
exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of
any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Borrower
therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by
paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be
effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan shall not
be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the
Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of such
Default at the time.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be
waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in
writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower
and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided
that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without
the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan
or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder,
without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iii) postpone the
scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan, or any interest
thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse
any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any
Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv)
change Section 2.17(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing
of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, or (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 required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any
determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of
each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or
otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder
without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The
Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the
Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges
and disbursements of counsel for
42
the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit
facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of this
Agreement or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof
(whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be
consummated), and (ii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative
Agent or any Lender, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of
any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender, in connection with the
lawful enforcement of its rights in connection with this Agreement, including
its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made hereunder,
including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout,
restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.
(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and
each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such
Person being called an "Indemnitee") against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless
from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses,
including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee,
incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection
with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any
agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties
hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation of the
Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or the
use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release
of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower
or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective
claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing,
whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether
any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to
any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross
negligence or wilful misconduct of such Indemnitee.
(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount
required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent under paragraph (a) or (b)
of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent
such Lender's Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the
applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid
amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim,
damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or
asserted against the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such.
(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower
shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any
theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages
(as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or
as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated
hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof.
(e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable
promptly after written demand therefor.
SECTION 9.04. 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 permitted hereby, except that
the Borrower may not
43
assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without
the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or
transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void). Nothing
in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any
Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns
permitted hereby and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related
Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) Any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a
portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a
portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that
(i) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or a Lender Affiliate, each
of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent must give their prior written
consent to such assignment (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld),
(ii) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or a Lender Affiliate or an
assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender's Commitment,
the amount of the Commitment of the assigning Lender subject to each such
assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Acceptance with respect
to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less
than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent
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, except that this clause (iii) shall not apply to rights in
respect of outstanding Competitive Loans, (iv) the parties to each assignment
shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and
Acceptance, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, and (v)
the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative
Agent an Administrative Questionnaire; and provided further that any consent of
the Borrower otherwise required under this paragraph shall not be required if an
Event of Default under clause (h) or (i) of Article VII has occurred and is
continuing. Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph
(d) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each
Assignment and Acceptance the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and,
to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, have
the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning
Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such
Assignment and Acceptance, be released from its obligations under this Agreement
(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, 2.16 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or
obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this paragraph shall
be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a
participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (e) of
this Section.
(c) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an
agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in The City of New
York a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to it and a register for
the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment
of, and principal amount of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the
terms hereof from time to time (the "Register"). The entries in the Register
shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the
terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement,
notwithstanding
44
notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the
Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon
reasonable prior notice.
(d) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and
Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee's
completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a
Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph
(b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by
paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such
Assignment and Acceptance and record the information contained therein in the
Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless
it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.
(e) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the
Administrative Agent, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities
(a "Participant") in all or a portion of such Lender's rights and/or obligations
under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans
owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender's obligations under this Agreement
shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the
other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the
Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other Lenders shall continue to deal
solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender's rights and
obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which
a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain
the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment,
modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such
agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the
consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver
described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant.
Subject to paragraph (f) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each
Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.14, 2.15 and 2.16 to
the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by
assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by
law and if prior written notice of the sale of the participation to the
Participant is provided to the Borrower, each Participant also shall be entitled
to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such
Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.17(c) as though it were a Lender.
(f) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater
payment under Section 2.14 or 2.16 than the applicable Lender would have been
entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant,
unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the
Borrower's prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender
if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.16 unless
the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such
Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section
2.16(e) as though it were a Lender.
(g) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security
interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure
obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure
obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any
such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge
or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its
obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender
as a party hereto.
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SECTION 9.05. 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, regardless of any investigation made by any such other
party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent 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 and so long as the Commitments have not
expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03 and
Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the
Loans, the expiration or termination of the Commitments or the termination of
this Agreement or any provision hereof.
SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on
different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of
which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and
any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the
Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating
to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and
understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except
as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall
have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent
shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the
signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page
of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually
executed counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION 9.07. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement
held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to
such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality
or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability
of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision
in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other
jurisdiction.
SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is
hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special,
time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at
any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account
of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or
hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of
whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and
although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this
Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of
setoff) which such Lender may have.
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SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service
of Process. (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and
governed by the law of the State of New York.
(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally
submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the
United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any
appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment,
and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees
that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and
determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such
Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any
such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other
jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.
Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent
or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to
this Agreement against the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any
jurisdiction.
(c) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally
waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any
objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit,
action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court
referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby
irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an
inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such
court.
(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to
service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing
in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve
process in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY
WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE
TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF
OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER
BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES
THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED,
EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF
LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT
AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY,
AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
SECTION 9.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the
Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not
part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken
into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
47
SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information
(as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its
Affiliates' directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants,
legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom
such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such
Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the
extent requested by any bank regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by
applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process (but
only after giving prompt written notice to the Borrower, to the extent permitted
by law, of any such requirement or request so that the Borrower may seek a
protective order or other appropriate remedy and/or waive compliance with this
Section), (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the
exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to
this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an
agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section,
to any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or
Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, (g) with
the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes
publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii)
becomes available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential
basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section,
"Information" means all information received from the Borrower relating to the
Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to
the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to
disclosure by the Borrower; provided that, in the case of information received
from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified
at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the
confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered
to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the
same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such
Person would accord to its own confidential information.
SECTION 9.13. Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to
any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as
interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the "Charges"), shall
exceed the maximum lawful rate (the "Maximum Rate") which may be contracted for,
charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in
accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such
Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be
limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges
that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a
result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and
Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be
increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount,
together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date
of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
48
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.
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION,
by /s/ Phoebe A. Wood
---------------------------------
Name: Phoebe A. Wood
Title: Executive Vice President
and CFO
by /s/ Meredith M. Parente
--------------------------------
Name: Meredith M. Parente
Title: Vice President and
Treasurer
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, individually
and as Administrative Agent,
by /s/ Gary L. Spevack
--------------------------------
Name: Gary L. Spevack
Title: Vice President
49
SIGNATURE PAGE TO
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Name of Institution: Bank of America, N.A.
-------------------------
By: /s/ Kathryn W. Robinson
---------------------------
Name: Kathryn W. Robinson
Title: Managing Director
50
SIGNATURE PAGE TO
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Name of Institution: Bank One, NA
------------------
By: /s/ Ronald Edwards
----------------------
Name: Ronald Edwards
Title: Vice President
51
SIGNATURE PAGE TO
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Name of Institution: National City Bank of Kentucky
--------------------------------
By: /s/ Deroy Scott
---------------------------------
Name: Deroy Scott
Title: Senior Vice President
52
SIGNATURE PAGE TO
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Name of Institution: SunTrust Bank
-----------------------
By: /s/ Scott Corley
-----------------------
Name: Scott Corley
Title: Director
53
SIGNATURE PAGE TO
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Name of Institution: HSBC Bank USA
------------------------
By: /s/ Steve Trepiccione
---------------------------
Name: Steve Trepiccione
Title: First Vice President
54
SIGNATURE PAGE TO
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Name of Institution: First Union National Bank
--------------------------------
By: /s/ Susan Schwartz
------------------------------------
Name: Susan Schwartz
Title: Vice President
55
SIGNATURE PAGE TO
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Name of Institution: Citicorp USA, Inc.
-----------------------
By: /s/ Peter Koesler
--------------------------
Name: Peter Koesler
Title: Managing Director
56
SIGNATURE PAGE TO
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Name of Institution: Fifth Third Bank, Kentucky, Inc.
-----------------------------------
By: /s/ Edward B. Martin
-----------------------------------
Name: Edward B. Martin
Title: Vice President
57
SIGNATURE PAGE TO
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Name of Institution: Unicredito Italiano New York Branch
-----------------------------------------
By: /s/ Charles Michael
----------------------------------------
Name: Charles Michael
Title: Vice President
By: /s/ Saiyed Abbas
----------------------------------------
Name: Saiyed Abbas
Title: Vice President
58
SIGNATURE PAGE TO
BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Name of Institution: U.S. Bank National Association
--------------------------------
d/b/a Firstar Bank, N.A.
--------------------------------
By: /s/ Toby B. Rau
--------------------------------
Name: Toby B. Rau
Title: Vice President
59