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EXHIBIT 4.(a)
CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF AUGUST 12, 1996
AMONG
PIONEER-STANDARD ELECTRONICS, INC.
AS BORROWER,
AND
THE BANKS IDENTIFIED ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES HERETO,
AS LENDERS,
AND
NATIONAL CITY BANK,
AS AGENT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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RECITALS ...................................................................................... 1
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS ................................................................................... 1
ARTICLE II
THE CREDIT .................................................................................... 18
2.1 Commitment ........................................................................... 18
2.2 Final Principal Payment .............................................................. 18
2.3 Ratable Loans ........................................................................ 18
2.4 Applicable Margins ................................................................... 18
2.5 Commitment Fee; Closing Fee .......................................................... 19
2.6 Intentionally Omitted ................................................................ 19
2.7 Minimum Amount of Loans .............................................................. 19
2.8 Interest Payable on the Loans ........................................................ 20
(a) Intentionally Omitted ....................................................... 20
(b) Method of Selecting Rate Options and Interest
Periods ..................................................................... 20
(c) Determination of Adjusted Base Rate ......................................... 20
(d) Monthly Installments ........................................................ 20
(e) Interest on Overdue Payments; Default
Interest Rate ............................................................... 21
2.9 Repayments and Prepayments of Principal .............................................. 22
(a) Optional Prepayments ........................................................ 22
(b) Mandatory Prepayments ....................................................... 22
(c) Application of Prepayments .................................................. 22
(d) Maturity .................................................................... 23
(e) Notice of Prepayments of Principal .......................................... 23
(f) Reduction in Commitment ..................................................... 23
2.10 Payments and Computations ............................................................ 24
(a) Time and Place of Payments .................................................. 24
(b) Application of Funds ........................................................ 24
(c) Payments on Business Days ................................................... 25
(d) Computation of Interest ..................................................... 25
2.11 Payments to be Free of Deductions .................................................... 25
2.12 Use of Proceeds ...................................................................... 26
2.13 LIBOR Break Funding Cost; CD Break Funding Cost ...................................... 26
2.14 Additional Costs ..................................................................... 26
2.15 Indemnification of Losses ............................................................ 29
2.16 Statements by Agent or any Lender .................................................... 29
2.17 Borrowing Notices; Telephonic Notices ................................................ 30
2.18 Notes; Telephonic Notices ............................................................ 31
2.19 Lending Installations ................................................................ 31
2.20 Non-Receipt of Funds by Agent ........................................................ 31
2.21 Withholding Tax Exemption ............................................................ 32
ARTICLE III
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT............................................................................................... 32
32
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3.1 Initial Advance ...................................................................... 32
3.2 Each Advance ......................................................................... 34
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES ......................................................................... 35
4.1 Existence ............................................................................ 35
4.2 Authorization and Validity ........................................................... 35
4.3 No Conflict, Government Consent ...................................................... 36
4.4 Financial Statements-- Material Adverse Change ....................................... 36
4.5 Tax .................................................................................. 36
4.6 Litigation and Contingent Obligations ................................................ 36
4.7 Subsidiaries ......................................................................... 37
4.8 ERISA ................................................................................ 37
4.9 Accuracy of Information .............................................................. 37
4.10 Regulation U ......................................................................... 37
4.11 Material Agreements .................................................................. 37
4.12 Compliance with Laws ................................................................. 37
4.13 Ownership of Properties .............................................................. 38
4.14 Investment Company Act ............................................................... 38
4.15 Public Utility Holding Company Act ................................................... 38
4.16 Solvency ............................................................................. 38
4.17 Insurance ............................................................................ 39
4.18 Environmental Matters ................................................................ 39
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS .............................................................................................. 40
5.1 Financial Reporting .................................................................. 40
5.2 Prohibited Uses of Proceeds .......................................................... 42
5.3 Notice of Default .................................................................... 43
5.4 Conduct of Business .................................................................. 43
5.5 Taxes ................................................................................ 43
5.6 Insurance ............................................................................ 43
5.7 Compliance with Laws ................................................................. 43
5.8 Maintenance of Properties ............................................................ 44
5.9 Inspection ........................................................................... 44
5.10 Maintenance of Status ................................................................ 44
5.11 Merger; Sale of Assets ............................................................... 44
5.12 Delivery of Non-Borrowing and Non-Pledge
Agreement ............................................................................ 44
5.13 Sale and Leaseback ................................................................... 45
5.14 Acquisitions and Investments ......................................................... 45
5.15 Liens ................................................................................ 45
5.16 Affiliates ........................................................................... 47
5.17 Additional Indebtedness and Financial
Undertakings ......................................................................... 47
5.18 Litigation ........................................................................... 47
5.19 Further Assurances ................................................................... 48
5.20 Current Ratio ........................................................................ 48
5.21 Consolidated Tangible Net Worth; Tangible Net
Worth ................................................................................ 48
5.22 Working Capital ...................................................................... 48
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5.23 Capital Expenditures ................................................................. 48
5.24 Leverage Ratio ....................................................................... 48
5.25 Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio; Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio ................................................................ 48
5.26 Investment and Loan Limit ............................................................ 48
5.27 Acquisition Limit .................................................................... 49
5.28 Environmental Matters ................................................................ 49
5.29 Subsidiaries Tangible Net Worth ...................................................... 49
5.30 Tangible Assets; Assets .............................................................. 50
ARTICLE VI
DEFAULTS ............................................................................................... 50
6.1 Nonpayment of Principal .............................................................. 50
6.2 Nonpayment of Other Obligations ...................................................... 50
6.3 Certain Breaches ..................................................................... 50
6.4 Representations and Warranties ....................................................... 50
6.5 Other Breaches ....................................................................... 50
6.6 Defaults on Indebtedness ............................................................. 50
6.7 Bankruptcy, etc ...................................................................... 51
6.8 Appointment of Receiver .............................................................. 51
6.9 Condemnation ......................................................................... 51
6.10 Judgments ............................................................................ 51
6.11 ERISA Withdrawal ..................................................................... 51
6.12 ERISA Reorganization ................................................................. 52
6.13 Other Defaults ....................................................................... 52
ARTICLE VII
ACCELERATION, WAIVERS, AMENDMENTS AND REMEDIES ......................................................... 52
7.1 Acceleration ......................................................................... 52
7.2 Amendments & Waivers ................................................................. 52
7.3 Preservation of Rights ............................................................... 53
ARTICLE VIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS ..................................................................................... 53
8.1 Survival of Representations .......................................................... 53
8.2 Governmental Regulation .............................................................. 54
8.3 Tax .................................................................................. 54
8.4 Heading .............................................................................. 54
8.5 Entire Agreement ..................................................................... 54
8.6 Several Obligations Benefits of This Agreement ....................................... 54
8.7 Expenses; Indemnification ............................................................ 54
8.8 Numbers .............................................................................. 55
8.9 Accounting ........................................................................... 55
8.10 Severability of Provisions ........................................................... 55
8.11 Nonliability of Lenders .............................................................. 55
8.12 CHOICE OF LAW ........................................................................ 55
8.13 CONSENT TO JURISDICTION .............................................................. 55
8.14 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL ................................................................. 56
ARTICLE IX
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AGENT .................................................................................................. 56
9.1 Appointment .......................................................................... 56
9.2 Powers ............................................................................... 56
9.3 General Immunity ..................................................................... 56
9.4 No Responsibility for Loans, Recitals, etc ........................................... 56
9.5 Action on Instructions of Lenders .................................................... 57
9.6 Employment of Agents and Counsel ..................................................... 57
9.7 Reliance on Documents; Counsel ....................................................... 57
9.8 Agent's Reimbursement and Indemnification ............................................ 57
9.9 Rights as a Lender ................................................................... 58
9.10 Lender Credit Decision ............................................................... 58
9.11 Successor Agent ...................................................................... 58
ARTICLE X
SETOFF; RATABLE PAYMENTS ............................................................................... 59
10.1 Setoff ............................................................................... 59
10.2 Ratable Payments ..................................................................... 59
ARTICLE XI
BENEFIT OF AGREEMENT; ASSIGNMENT; PARTICIPATION ........................................................ 59
11.1 Successors and Assigns ............................................................... 59
11.2 Participation ........................................................................ 60
11.2.1 Permitted Participants; Effect ....................................................... 60
11.2.2 Voting Rights ........................................................................ 60
11.2.3 Benefit of Setoff .................................................................... 61
11.3 Assignments .......................................................................... 61
11.3.1 Permitted Assignments ................................................................ 61
11.3.2 Prior Consent ........................................................................ 61
11.3.3 Effective Date ....................................................................... 61
11.4 Dissemination of Information ......................................................... 62
11.5 Tax Treatment ........................................................................ 62
ARTICLE XII
NOTICES; NATURE OF OBLIGATIONS ......................................................................... 62
12.1 Giving Notice ........................................................................ 62
12.2 Change of Address .................................................................... 63
12.3 Nature of Borrower's Obligations and Modification
Thereof .............................................................................. 63
ARTICLE XIII
COUNTERPARTS ........................................................................................... 64
SCHEDULES
Schedule 1 Subsidiaries of Borrower
Schedule 2 Permitted Liens
Schedule 3 Description of Borrower's Corporate Reorganization
and Transfer of Assets
Schedule 4 Description of Borrower's Debt Offering
Schedule 5 Description of SECT
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Schedule 6 Permitted existing Indebtedness for Borrowed Money
of Subsidiaries
EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT A Form of Promissory Note
EXHIBIT B Form of Non-Borrowing and Non-Pledge Agreement
EXHIBIT C Form of Borrowing Notice
EXHIBIT D Form of Borrower's Counsel Opinion
EXHIBIT E Form of Subsidiaries' Counsel Opinion
EXHIBIT F Form of Written Money Transfer Instructions
EXHIBIT G Form of Financial Compliance Certificate
EXHIBIT H Form of Notice of Assignment
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CREDIT AGREEMENT
This Agreement, dated as of August 12, 1996, is among Pioneer-Standard
Electronics, Inc., an Ohio corporation, and its successors and assigns (the
"Borrower"), National City Bank, a national banking association, and the several
banks, financial institutions and other entities from time to time parties to
this Agreement (sometimes collectively, "Lenders" and sometimes individually, a
"Lender"), and National City Bank, not individually, but as "Agent".
RECITALS
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A. Borrower is primarily engaged in the business of distributing industrial
and consumer electronic products.
B. Borrower is listed on the National Association of Securities Dealers
Incorporated stock exchange ("NASDAQ").
C. Borrower has requested that Lenders make loans available to Borrower
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and that Agent act as administrative
agent for Lenders. Agent and Lenders have agreed to do so.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
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As used in this Agreement:
"Acquisition" means any transaction, or any series of related transactions,
consummated on or after the date of this Agreement, by which Borrower or any of
its Subsidiaries (I) acquires any business as a going concern or all or
substantially all of the assets of any firm, corporation or division thereof,
whether through purchase of assets or stock, merger or otherwise or (ii)
directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent
transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (in number of
votes) of the securities of a corporation which have ordinary voting power for
the election of directors (other than securities having such power only by
reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority (by percentage or voting
power) of the outstanding partnership interests of a partnership.
"Additional Facilities" means (a) a short-term money market line of credit
in the maximum principal amount of $40,000,000 to be loaned to Borrower by
certain Lenders, to be used by Borrower for short-term overnight borrowing
needs, (b) a $10,000,000 line of credit facility for foreign exchange
purchases/sales, made
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available by any Lender to Borrower and (c) a $10,000,000 line of credit
facility for foreign exchange purchases/sales, made available by any Lender to
Canada.
"Advance" means a borrowing hereunder consisting of the aggregate
amount of the several Loans made by Lenders to Borrower of the same Type.
"Affected Lender" is defined in SECTION 2.14(d).
"Affiliate" of any Person means any other Person directly or indirectly
controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person. A Person
shall be deemed to control another Person if the controlling Person owns 10% or
more of any class of voting securities (or other ownership interests) of the
controlled Person or possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or
cause the direction of the management or policies of the controlled Person
whether through ownership of stock, by contract or otherwise.
"Agent" means National City Bank in its capacity as agent for Lenders
pursuant to ARTICLE IX, and not in its individual capacity as a Lender, and any
successor Agent appointed pursuant to ARTICLE IX.
"Aggregate Commitment" means the aggregate of the Commitments
of all Lenders.
"Aggregate Measured Credit Risk" means, as at any time during the
pendency of this Agreement that an interest rate exchange agreement or interest
rate option agreement is in effect, the amount determined by the Agent in
accordance with the terms of such interest rate exchange agreement or interest
rate option agreement as being Borrower's measured credit risk thereunder at
such time.
"Agreement" means this Credit Agreement, as it may be amended or
modified and in effect from time to time.
"Applicable Margin" means the applicable margin determined by reference
to the table in SECTION 2.4 used in calculating the interest rate applicable to
the various Types of Advances, which shall vary from time to time in accordance
with SECTION 2.4.
"Applicable Law" means collectively, all federal, state, county,
municipal and other governmental statutes, laws, rules, orders, regulations,
ordinances, judgments, decrees and injunctions affecting the Borrower or any of
its Subsidiaries, whether now or hereafter enacted and in force.
"Article" means an article of this Agreement unless another document is
specifically referenced.
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"Assets" means, with respect to any Person, as of any date of
determination, the total amount of assets of that Person as shown on the balance
sheet of such Person.
"Authorized Financial Officer" means any vice president or treasurer of
the Borrower, acting singly.
"Authorized Officer" means the Vice President/Treasurer or Internal
Auditor of the Borrower, acting singly.
"Base Rate Applicable Margin" means, as of any date, the Applicable
Margin in effect on such date with respect to Base Rate Loans.
"Base Rate" or "Prime Rate" means the fluctuating rate of interest
which is publicly announced from time to time by Agent at its Head Office as
being its "prime rate" or "base rate" thereafter in effect, with each change in
the Base Rate automatically, immediately and without notice being reflected in
the fluctuating interest rate thereafter applicable hereunder, it being
specifically acknowledged that the Base Rate is not necessarily the lowest rate
of interest then available from Agent on fluctuating-rate loans.
"Base Rate Loan" means a Loan which bears interest at the Base Rate.
"Borrower" means Pioneer-Standard Electronics, Inc., an Ohio
corporation.
"Borrowing Date" means a date on which an Advance is made
hereunder.
"Borrowing Notice" is defined in SECTION 2.8(b).
"Business Day" means with respect to any borrowing, payment or rate
selection of Advances a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks
generally are open in Cleveland, Ohio.
"Canada" means Pioneer-Standard Canada Inc., a Canadian
corporation.
"Capital Expenditures" means any and all amounts invested, expended or
incurred (including by reason of Capitalized Lease Obligations) incurred by the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of the purchase, acquisition,
improvement, renovation or expansion of any properties or assets of Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, expenditures required to
be capitalized in accordance with GAAP.
"Capital Stock" means any and all shares, interests, participations or
other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any
and all equivalent ownership interests
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in a Person which is not a corporation and any and all warrants or
options to purchase any of the foregoing.
"Capitalized Lease" of a Person means any lease of Property imposing
obligations on such Person, as lessee thereunder, which are required in
accordance with GAAP to be capitalized on a balance sheet of such Person.
"Cash Equivalents" means, as of any date, (i) securities issued or
directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States Government or any
agency or instrumentality thereof having maturities of not more than one year
from such date, (ii) time deposits and certificates of deposit having maturities
of not more than one year from such date and issued by any domestic commercial
bank having (A) senior long-term unsecured debt rated at least A or the
equivalent thereof by S&P or A-2 or the equivalent thereof by Moody's and (B)
capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000, and (iii) commercial paper rated
at least A-1 or the equivalent thereof by S&P or P-1 or the equivalent thereof
by Moody's and in either case maturing within 90 days from such date.
"CD Applicable Margin" means, as of any date with respect to any CD
Interest Period, the Applicable Margin in effect for such CD Interest Period as
determined in accordance with SECTION 2.4 hereof.
"CD Break Funding Costs" means an amount sufficient to reimburse each
Lender for any and all loss, cost or expense actually incurred by the Lender as
the result of the occurrence of any CD Break Funding Event, determined by
multiplying the amount of the principal prepayment hereunder by the difference,
if any, between, (x) NCB's Certificate of Deposit Rate for a term then available
closest to the remaining duration of the Interest Period for the principal sum
being prepaid, and for an amount comparable to such principal sum, and (y) the
CD Rate (less the CD Applicable Margin) in effect for the principal sum being so
prepaid, immediately prior to the prepayment of such sum, all as determined as
of the date of occurrence of the CD Break Funding Event.
"CD Break Funding Event" means any of the events or occurrences set
forth in SECTIONS 2.13 (a) or 2.13(b).
"CD Interest Period" means, with respect to a CD Rate Loan, a period of
between 30 to 180 days, inclusive, selected by Borrower commencing on a Business
Day selected by Borrower pursuant to this Agreement. Such CD Interest Period
shall end on (but exclude) the last day of the period. If a CD Interest Period
would otherwise end on a day which is not a Business Day, such CD Interest
Period shall end on the next succeeding Business Day.
"CD Rate" means NCB's Certificate of Deposit Rate for the
applicable CD Interest Period, as determined on the first day of
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such CD Interest Period, plus for each fiscal quarter, the CD Applicable Margin.
"CD Rate Loan" means a Loan which bears interest at the CD Rate.
"Change In Control" means, with respect to any Person, the transfer of
the ownership or control (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction
in a series of transactions) of (i) such number of voting securities (or other
ownership interests) of the controlled Person that possesses, directly or
indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or
policies of the controlled Person whether through ownership of stock, by
contract or otherwise a majority, or (ii) with respect to any company whose
stock is publicly traded on a securities exchange, the solicitation for proxies
in connection with the election of the board of directors at a meeting of
shareholders.
"Closing Date" means the date of this Agreement.
"Closing Fee" is defined in SECTION 2.5(b).
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, reformed or
otherwise modified from time to time.
"Commitment Fee" is defined in SECTION 2.5(a).
"Commitment" means, for each Lender, the obligation of such Lender to
make Loans not exceeding the amount set forth opposite its signature below or as
set forth in any Notice of Assignment relating to any assignment that has become
effective pursuant to SECTION 11.3.2, as such amount may be modified from time
to time pursuant to the terms hereof.
"Condemnation" is defined in SECTION 6.9.
"Consolidated Debt Service" means, for any period, (a) Consolidated
Interest Expense for such period PLUS (b) the aggregate amount of scheduled
principal payments of Indebtedness (excluding any unaccelerated Indebtedness
arising under this Facility) required to be made during such period by Borrower
or any of its Subsidiaries.
"Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio" means, as of any date of
determination, the ratio of (a) the sum of Consolidated Net Income (after taxes)
PLUS Consolidated Interest Expense, to (b) Consolidated Debt Service.
"Consolidated Funded Debt" means as of any date of determination, all
Indebtedness for Borrowed Money of Borrower and its Subsidiaries outstanding at
such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
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"Consolidated Interest Expense" means, for any period, the amount of
interest expense of Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period on the
aggregate principal amount of their Indebtedness, determined on a consolidated
basis in accordance with GAAP plus any capitalized interest which accrued during
such period.
"Consolidated Net Income" means, for any period, consolidated net
income (or loss) of Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on
a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; PROVIDED that there shall be
excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any other Person accrued prior to the
date it becomes a Subsidiary of Borrower or is merged into or consolidated with
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and (b) the undistributed earnings of
any Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or
similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the
terms of any contractual obligation or requirement of law applicable to such
Subsidiary.
"Consolidated Outstanding Indebtedness" means, as of any date of
determination, all Indebtedness of Borrower and its Subsidiaries outstanding at
such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
"Consolidated Stockholder's Equity" means, as of any date of
determination, an amount equal to the sum of the following amounts appearing on
the consolidated balance sheet of Borrower and its Subsidiaries: (i) all equity
as calculated in accordance with GAAP, and (ii) all indebtedness which is
subordinate (to the satisfaction of the Agent) to Indebtedness arising under
this Agreement.
"Consolidated Tangible Net Worth" means, as of any date of
determination, an amount equal to Consolidated Stockholder's Equity minus the
sum of (i) any surplus resulting from any write-up of assets subsequent to March
31, 1996, (ii) goodwill, including any amounts, however designated on a
consolidated balance sheet of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, representing the
excess of the purchase price paid for assets or stock over the value assigned to
them on the books of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (iii) patents, trademarks,
trade names and copyrights, (iv) any amount at which shares of capital stock of
Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries appear as an asset on Borrower's
consolidated balance sheet, and (v) any other amount in respect of an intangible
that should be classified as an asset on Borrower's consolidated balance sheet
in accordance with GAAP.
"Contingent Obligation" means any direct or indirect liability,
contingent or otherwise, with respect to any indebtedness, lease, dividend,
letter of credit, banker's acceptance or other obligation of another Person
incurred to provide assurance to the obligee of such obligation that such
obligation will be paid or discharged, that any agreements relating thereto will
be complied with, or that the holders of such
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obligation will be protected (in whole or in part) against loss in respect
thereof. Contingent Obligations shall include, without limitation, (i) the
direct or indirect guaranty, endorsement (otherwise than for collection or
deposit in the ordinary course of business), co-making, discounting with
recourse or sale with recourse by any Person of the obligation of another
Person; (ii) any liability for the obligations of another Person through any
agreement (contingent or otherwise) (A) to purchase, repurchase, or otherwise
acquire such obligation or any security therefor, or to provide funds for the
payment or discharge of such obligation (whether in the form of loans, advances,
stock purchases, capital contributions, or otherwise), (B) to maintain the
solvency of any balance sheet item, level of income or financial condition of
another, or (C) to make take-or-pay, pay-or-play, or similar payments if
required regardless of nonperformance by any other party or parties to an
agreement, if in the case of any agreement described under subclauses (A), (B)
or (C) of this sentence the purpose or intent thereof is to provide the
assurance described above. The amount of any Contingent Obligation shall be
equal to the amount of the obligation so guaranteed or otherwise supported.
"Controlled Group" means all members of a controlled group of
corporations and all trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under
common control which, together with Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, are
treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
"Corporate Reorganization" means the corporate restructuring of the
Borrower as described on Schedule 3 hereto.
"Corporate Reorganization Documents" is defined in Section 3.1.
"Current Assets" means, as of any date of determination, all current
assets of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance with GAAP.
"Current Liabilities" means, as of any date of determination, all
current liabilities of Borrower and its Subsidiaries determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that Current
Liabilities shall not include the principal amount of Loans made hereunder
unless and until the earlier to occur of (a) the Facility Termination Date, and
(b) a Default.
"Current Portion of Long Term Debt" means, for each fiscal year of
Borrower, scheduled principal payments (excluding any unaccelerated Indebtedness
arising under this Facility), on Indebtedness for Borrowed Money.
"Current Ratio" means the ratio of Current Assets to Current
Liabilities.
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"Debt Offering" shall mean the Borrower's public debt offering
as described in Schedule 4 hereto, in an amount not to exceed $150,000,000.
"Debt Offering Documents" is defined in SECTION 3.1.
"Default" means an event of Default described in ARTICLE VI.
"Debt Service" means, for any period, (a) Interest Expense for
such period plus (b) the aggregate amount of scheduled principal payments of
Indebtedness (excluding any unaccelerated Indebtedness arising under this
Facility) required to be made during such period by Borrower.
"Default Interest Rate" means an annual rate of interest equal
to the lesser of (i) two percent (2.0%) above the Base Rate; or (2) the maximum
rate of interest which may be lawfully charged in respect of the Obligations.
"EBITDA" means, for any period, the sum of Borrower's and its
Subsidiaries' Consolidated Net Income, increased by the sum for such period of
interest expense, income and franchise tax expense, amortization and
depreciation, non-recurring extraordinary expenses (in each case as determined
in accordance with GAAP) which was deducted in determining Consolidated Net
Income for such period.
"Environmental Laws" means any and all foreign, Federal,
state, local or municipal laws, rules, orders, regulations, statutes,
ordinances, codes, decrees, requirements of any Governmental Authority or other
Requirements of Law (including common law) regulating, relating to or imposing
liability or standards of conduct concerning protection of human health or the
environment, as now or may at any time hereafter be in effect, in each case to
the extent the foregoing are applicable to Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
or any of their respective assets or Properties.
"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended from time to time, and any rule or regulation issued
thereunder.
"Existing Facilities" means the $200,000,000 revolving loan
facility for which NCB is agent.
"Facility Termination Date" means August 12, 1999; provided,
however, the Facility Termination Date may be extended annually for additional
one (1) year terms upon the prior written consent of the Borrower and each
Lender.
"Financial Undertaking" of a Person means (i) any repurchase
obligation or liability of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries with respect
to accounts or notes receivable sold by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries,
(ii) any sale and leaseback transactions
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which do not create a liability on the consolidated balance sheet of such
Person, (iii) any other transaction which is the functional equivalent of or
takes the place of borrowing but which does not constitute a liability on the
consolidated balance sheet of such Person, or (iv) interest rate exchange
agreements and interest rate options; provided, however, Financial Undertaking
shall not include any agreement, device or arrangement (not otherwise described
in (iv), above), that is designed to protect a Borrower from the fluctuations of
interest rates, exchange rates or forward rates applicable to such party's
assets, liabilities or exchange transactions, including, forward currency
exchange agreements, interest rate cap or collar protection agreements, or
forward rate currency options.
"Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio" means, as of any date of
determination, the ratio of (a) the sum of Net Income (after taxes) plus
Interest Expense, to (b) Debt Service. All components of the Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio Shall be annualized for the following three periods: (i) July 1,
1996 through September 30, 1996; (ii) July 1, 1996, through December 31, 1996;
and (iii) July 1, 1996 through March 31, 1997; provided, however, Current
Portion of Long Term Debt (a component of Debt Service), shall be a fixed annual
amount. "Annualized" as used herein shall mean: (A) for one quarter the ratio of
(i) the product of (y) the sum of Consolidated Net Income plus Consolidated
Interest Expense times (z) four (4) divided by (ii) the sum of (y) the product
of Consolidated Interest Expense multiplied by four (4) plus (z) the Current
Portion of Long Term Debt; (B) for two cumulative quarters the ratio of (i) the
product of (y) the sum of Consolidated Net Income plus Consolidated Interest
Expense times (z) two (2) divided by (ii) the sum of (y) the product of
Consolidated Interest Expense multiplied by two (2) plus (z) the Current Portion
of Long Term Debt; and (C) for three cumulative quarters the ratio of (i) the
quotient of (y) the sum of Consolidated Net Income plus Consolidated Interest
Expense divided by (z) three (3) times (ii) four (4) divided by the sum of the
quotient of the sum of Consolidated Interest Expense divided by three (3) times
four (4) plus the Current Portion of Long Term Debt.
"FSC" means Pioneer-Standard FSC, Inc., a Virgin Islands
corporation.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States of America as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner
consistent with that used in preparing the financial statements referred to in
SECTION 5.1; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if there shall be any change in accounting
principles from GAAP as in effect at the Closing Date, then the Required Lenders
and the Borrower shall make such adjustments to the financial covenants affected
thereby by reference to the official interpretations of GAAP by The Financial
Accounting Standards Board, its predecessors and successors or as are mutually
determined in good faith to be appropriate to reflect such changes so that the
criteria for
-9-
16
evaluating the financial condition and operations of the Borrower shall be the
same after such changes as if such changes had not been made.
"Governmental Authority" means any nation or government, any state or other
political subdivision thereof and any entity exercising executive, legislative,
judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government.
"Head Office" means, in relation to Agent, the head office of National City
Bank, located at 1900 East Ninth Street, Cleveland, Ohio, 44114, or such other
office as may be designated as such by written notice to Borrowers and Lenders
by National City Bank or any successor Agent.
"Illinois" means Pioneer-Standard Illinois, Inc., an Illinois corporation.
"Indebtedness" means, in relation to any Person, at any time, all of the
obligations of such Person which, in accordance with GAAP, would be classified
as indebtedness upon a balance sheet (including any footnote thereto) of such
Person prepared at such time, and in any event shall include, without
limitation:
(i) all indebtedness of such Person arising or incurred under or in respect
of (A) any guaranties (whether direct or indirect) by such Person of the
indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of any other Person, or (B) any
endorsement by such Person of any of the indebtedness, obligations or
liabilities of any other Person (otherwise than as an endorser of
negotiable instruments received in the ordinary course of business and
presented to commercial banks for collection of deposit), or (C) the
discount by such Person, with recourse to such Person, of any of the
indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of any other Person;
(ii) all indebtedness of such Person arising or incurred under or in
respect of any agreement, contingent or otherwise made by such Person (A)
to purchase any indebtedness of any other Person or to advance or supply
funds for the payment or purchase of any indebtedness of any other Person
or (B) to purchase, sell or lease (as lessee or lessor) any property,
products, materials or supplies or to purchase or sell transportation or
services, in each such case if primarily for the purpose of enabling any
other Person to make payment of any indebtedness of such other Person or to
assure the owner or holder of such other Person's indebtedness against
loss, regardless of the delivery or non-delivery of the property, products,
materials or supplies or the furnishing or non-furnishing of the
transportation or services, or (C) to make any loan, advance, capital
contribution or other investment in any other Person for the purpose of
assuring a minimum equity, asset base, working capital or other balance
sheet condition
- 10 -
17
for or as at any date, or to provide funds for the payment of any
liability, dividend or stock liquidation payment, or otherwise to supply
funds to or in any manner invest in any other Person;
(iii) all indebtedness, obligations and liabilities secured by or arising
under or in respect of any Lien, upon or in Property owned by such Person,
even though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of
such indebtedness, obligations and liabilities;
(iv) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or
other title retention agreement with respect to Property acquired by such
Person, even though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender (or
lessor) under such agreement in the event of default are limited to
repossession or sale of such Property; and
(v) all indebtedness arising or incurred under or in respect of any
Contingent Obligation.
"Indebtedness for Borrowed Money" means at any time, all Indebtedness
required by GAAP to be reflected as such on Borrower's balance sheet, including
as appropriate, all Indebtedness (i) in respect of any money borrowed (including
pursuant to this Agreement, any money borrowed under the Additional Facilities
and debt incurred pursuant to the Debt Offering); (ii) under or in respect of
any Contingent Obligation (whether direct or indirect) of any money borrowed;
(iii) evidenced by any loan or credit agreement, promissory note, debenture,
bond, guaranty or other similar written obligation to pay money; or (iv) arising
under Capitalized Leases.
"Initial Advance" means the first Advance made hereunder.
"Initial Borrowing Date" means the date on which the first Advance is made
hereunder.
"Interest Expense" means, for any period, the amount of interest expense of
Borrower for such period on the aggregate principal amount of its Indebtedness,
plus any capitalized interest which accrued during such period.
"Interest Period" means a CD Interest Period or a LIBOR Interest Period.
"Investment" of a Person means any loan, advance (other than commission,
travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary
course of business), extension of credit (other than accounts receivable arising
in the ordinary course of business on terms customary in the trade),
contribution of capital by such Person to any other Person or any investment in,
or purchase or other acquisition of, the stock, partnership interests,
-11-
18
notes, debentures, or other securities of any other Person made by such Person.
"Late Charge" means with respect to any delinquent payment of
principal or interest hereunder, a fee that is equal to the greater of Five
Hundred and 00/100 Dollars ($500.00) or three percent (3%) of the delinquent
payment, charged to Borrower or added to the unpaid balance of the Notes
whenever any payment of principal or interest is not paid when due.
"Lenders" means the lending institutions listed on the
signature pages of this Agreement, their respective successors and assigns and
any other lending institutions that subsequently become parties to this
Agreement.
"Lending Installations" means, with respect to a Lender, any
office, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of such Lender.
"Leverage Ratio" means Consolidated Outstanding Indebtedness
divided by Consolidated Tangible Net Worth.
"LIBOR Applicable Margin" means, as of any date with respect
to any LIBOR Interest Period, the Applicable Margin in effect for such LIBOR
Interest Period as determined in accordance with SECTION 2.4 hereof.
"LIBOR Break Funding Costs" means an amount sufficient to
reimburse each Lender for any and all loss, cost or expense actually incurred by
the Lender as the result of the occurrence of any LIBOR Break Funding Event,
determined by multiplying the amount of the principal prepayment hereunder by
the deficiency, if any, between, (x) LIBOR for a term then available closest to
the remaining duration of the Interest Period for the principal sum being
prepaid, and for an amount comparable to such principal sum, and (y) the LIBOR
Rate in effect for the principal sum being so prepaid, immediately prior to the
prepayment of such sum, all as determined as of the date of occurrence of the
LIBOR Break Funding Event.
"LIBOR Break Funding Event" means any of the events or
occurrences set for forth in SECTIONS 2.13(a) or 2.13(b).
"LIBOR Interest Period" means a period of one, two, three or
six months commencing on a Business Day selected by Borrower pursuant to this
Agreement. Such LIBOR Interest Period shall end on (but exclude) the day which
corresponds numerically to such date one, two, three or six months thereafter,
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if there is no such numerically corresponding day in
such next, second, third or sixth succeeding month, such LIBOR Interest Period
shall end on the last Business Day of such next, second, third or sixth
succeeding month. If a LIBOR Interest Period would otherwise end on a day which
is not a Business Day, such LIBOR Interest Period shall end on the next
succeeding Business Day; PROVIDED,
- 12 -
19
HOWEVER, that if said next succeeding Business Day falls in a new calendar
month, such LIBOR Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding
Business Day.
"LIBOR Rate Loan" means a Loan which bears interest at a LIBOR
Rate.
"LIBOR Rate" means one, two, three or six-month London
InterBank Offered Rate (for dollars), adjusted for statutory reserves, if
applicable ("LIBOR") PLUS for each fiscal quarter, the LIBOR Applicable Margin.
"Lien" means any lien (statutory or other), mortgage, pledge,
hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance or preference,
priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or
nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, the interest of a vendor or
lessor under any conditional sale, Capitalized Lease or other title retention
agreement).
"Limited Partnership" means Pioneer-Standard Electronics,
Ltd., a Texas limited partnership.
"Loan" means, with respect to a Lender, such Lender's portion
of any Advance.
"Loan Documents" means this Agreement, the Notes, the
Non-Borrowing and Non-Pledge Agreements and any other document from time to time
evidencing or securing indebtedness incurred by Borrower under this Agreement,
as any of the foregoing may be amended or modified from time to time.
"Maryland" means Pioneer Standard of Maryland, Inc., a
Maryland corporation.
"Material Adverse Change" means a material adverse change with
respect to (i) the business, Property, condition (financial or otherwise),
results of operations, or prospects of Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a
whole, (ii) the ability of Borrower to perform its obligations under the Loan
Documents, or (iii) the validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents
or the rights or remedies of Agent or Lenders thereunder.
"Materials of Environmental Concern" means any gasoline or
petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) or petroleum products or
any hazardous or toxic substances, materials or wastes, defined or regulated as
such in or under any Environmental Law, including, without limitation, asbestos,
polychlorinated biphenyls and ureaformaldehyde insulation.
"Minnesota" means Pioneer-Standard Minnesota, Inc., a
Minnesota Corporation.
- 13 -
20
"Moody's" means Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and its
successors.
"Multiemployer Plan" means a Plan maintained pursuant to a collective
bargaining agreement or any other arrangement to which Borrowers or any member
of the Controlled Group is a party to which more than one employer is obligated
to make contributions.
"NCB" means National City Bank, a national banking
association.
"Net Income" means for any period, net income (or loss) of Borrower for
such period determined in accordance with GAAP.
"Non-Borrowing and Non-Pledge Agreement" means a Non-Borrowing and
Non-Pledge Agreement, executed by each of Borrower's Substantial Subsidiaries in
favor of Lenders, substantially in the form of Exhibit B, as the same may be
amended, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time.
"Note" means a promissory note, in substantially the form of EXHIBIT A
hereto, duly executed by Borrowers and payable to the order of a Lender in the
amount of its Commitment, including any amendment, modification, renewal or
replacement of such promissory note.
"Notice of Assignment" is defined in SECTION 11.3.3.
"Obligations" means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid
interest on the Notes, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses,
reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations of Borrower to Lenders or to
any Lender, Agent or any indemnified party hereunder arising under the Loan
Documents.
"Participant" means a participant under SECTION 11.2.1.
"Payment Date" means, with respect to the payment of interest accrued
on any Base Rate Loan, the last day of each calendar month, and, with respect to
the payment of interest accrued on any CD Rate Loan or LIBOR Rate Loan, the last
day of the CD Interest Period or LIBOR Interest Period, as the case may be,
except that for any CD Interest Period in excess of 90 days and any LIBOR
Interest Period in excess of three months, interim payments shall be made every
ninetieth day and the last day of every third month, respectively.
"PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or any
successor thereto.
"Permitted Liens" are defined in SECTION 5.15.
"Person" means any natural person, corporation, firm, joint
venture, partnership, association, enterprise, trust or other
- 14 -
21
entity or organization, or any government or political subdivision
or any agency, department or instrumentality thereof.
"Plan" means an employee pension benefit plan which is covered
by Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding standards under Section
412 of the Code as to which Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group may
have any liability.
"Property" of a Person means any and all property, whether
real, personal, tangible, intangible, or mixed, of such Person, or other assets
owned, leased or operated by such Person.
"Pro Rata Share" means, in relation to any particular item,
the share of any Lender in such item, which shall be in the same proportion
which the Commitment of a Lender bears to the Aggregate Commitment, net of any
and all charges or fees due and payable to Agent under the Loan Documents.
"Purchasers" is defined in SECTION 11.3.1.
"Purchase Money Security Interest" is defined in SECTION 5.15
(iv).
"Rate Option" means the CD Rate, the Base Rate or the LIBOR
Rate.
"Regulation D" means Regulation D of the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System as from time to time in effect and any successor
thereto or other regulation or official interpretation of said Board of
Governors relating to reserve requirements applicable to member banks of the
Federal Reserve System.
"Regulation U" means Regulation U of the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System as from time to time in effect and any successor or
other regulation or official interpretation of said Board of Governors relating
to the extension of credit by banks for the purpose of purchasing or carrying
margin stocks applicable to member banks of the Federal Reserve System.
"Reportable Event" means a reportable event as defined in
Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations issued under such section, with
respect to a Plan, excluding, however, such events as to which the PBGC by
regulation waived the requirement of Section 4043(a) of ERISA that it be
notified within 30 days of the occurrence of such event, provided, however, that
a failure to meet the minimum funding standard of Section 412 of the Code and of
Section 302 of ERISA shall be a Reportable Event regardless of the issuance of
any such waiver of the notice requirement in accordance with either Section 4043
(a) of ERISA or Section 412 (d) of the Code.
"Required Lenders" means those Lenders whose aggregate Pro
Rata Shares of the outstanding Advances equal or exceed seventy-five percent
(75%) of the aggregate amount of the outstanding
- 15 -
22
Advances, or, in the event that there are no Advances outstanding, those Lenders
having seventy-five percent (75%) of the Aggregate Commitment.
"Reserve Requirement" means, with respect to a CD Interest
Period or a LIBOR Interest Period, the maximum aggregate reserve requirement
(including all basic, supplemental, marginal and other reserves) which is
imposed under Regulation D on new non-personal time deposits of $100,000 or more
with a maturity equal to that of such CD Interest Period or on Eurocurrency
liabilities (in the case of LIBOR Rate Loans).
"Section" means a numbered section of this Agreement, unless
another document is specifically referenced.
"Single Employer Plan" means a Plan maintained by Borrower or
any member of the Controlled Group for employees of Borrower or any member of
the Controlled Group.
"Subsidiary" of a Person means (i) any corporation more than
50% of the outstanding securities having ordinary voting power of which shall at
the time be owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or by
one or more of its Subsidiaries or by such Person and one or more of its
Subsidiaries, or (ii) any partnership, association, joint venture or similar
business organization more than 50% of the ownership interests having ordinary
voting power of which shall at the time be so owned or controlled. Unless
otherwise expressly provided, all references herein to a "Subsidiary" shall mean
a Subsidiary of the Borrower.
"Substantial Portion" means, with respect to the Property of
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, Property which (i) represents more than 2% of
the consolidated assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as would be shown
in the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as
at the beginning of the twelve-month period ending with the month in which such
determination is made.
"Substantial Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary that has
received funding or will receive funding from the Borrower in excess of
$100,000.
"SECT" shall mean Borrower's stock employee compensation trust
as described in Schedule 5 hereto.
"SECT Documents" is defined in Section 3.1.
"Stockholder's Equity" means, as of any date of determination,
an amount equal to the sum of the following amounts appearing on the balance
sheet of Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be: (i) all equity as
calculated in accordance with GAAP, and (ii) all indebtedness which is
subordinate (to the satisfaction of the Agent) to Indebtedness arising under
this Agreement.
- 16 -
23
"S&P" means Standard & Poor's Ratings Group and its
successors.
"Tangible Assets" means of the Borrower, as of any date of
determination, the total amount of assets after deducting therefrom (i) all
investments and loans of the Borrower to its Subsidiaries, as permitted under
this Agreement, and (ii) all goodwill of the Borrower, all as shown on the
balance sheet of the Borrower.
"Tangible Net Worth" means, as of any date of determination,
as to any Person on a nonconsolidated basis, an amount equal to Stockholder's
Equity minus the sum of (i) any surplus resulting from any write-up of assets
subsequent to March 31, 1996 (ii) goodwill, including any amounts, however
designated on a balance sheet of such Person, representing the excess of the
purchase price paid for assets or stock over the value assigned to it on the
books of such Person, (iii) patents, trademarks, trade names and copyrights,
(iv) any amount at which shares of capital stock of such Person appear as an
asset on such Person's balance sheet, and (v) any other amount in respect of an
intangible that should be classified as an asset on such Person's balance sheet,
in accordance with GAAP.
"Transferee" is defined in SECTION 11.4.
"Transfer of Assets" means that certain transfer of assets,
from Borrower to a Subsidiary as more fully described on Schedule 3 hereto.
"Type" means, with respect to any Loan, its nature as a LIBOR
Rate Loan, Base Rate Loan or CD Rate Loan.
"Unfunded Liabilities" means the amount (if any) by which the
present value of all vested nonforfeitable benefits under all Single Employer
Plans exceeds the fair market value of all such Plan assets allocable to such
benefits, all determined as of the then most recent valuation date,for such
Plans.
"Unmatured Default" means an event which but for the lapse of
time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a Default.
"Wholly-Owned Subsidiary" of a Person means (i) any Subsidiary
all of the outstanding voting securities of which shall at the time be owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more wholly-Owned
Subsidiaries of such Person, or by such Person and one or more Wholly-Owned
Subsidiaries of such Person, or (ii) any partnership, association, joint venture
or similar business organization 100% of the ownership interests having ordinary
voting power of which shall at the time be so owned or controlled.
"Working Capital" means Current Assets minus Current
Liabilities.
-17-
24
The foregoing definitions shall be equally applicable to both
the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.
ARTICLE II
THE CREDIT
----------
2.1 COMMITMENT. From and including the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Facility Termination Date, each Lender severally agrees, on the
terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, to make Loans to Borrower from
time to time in amounts not to exceed in the aggregate at any one time
outstanding the amount of its Commitment, and on the Closing Date; provided,
however, that in no event shall the Aggregate Commitment hereunder exceed
$125,000,000. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, Borrower may borrow, repay
and reborrow at any time prior to the Facility Termination Date. The Commitments
to lend hereunder shall expire on the Facility Termination Date.
2.2 FINAL PRINCIPAL PAYMENT. Any outstanding Loans and
all other unpaid Obligations shall be paid in full by Borrower on
the Facility Termination Date.
2.3 RATABLE LOANS. Each Advance hereunder shall consist
of Loans made from the several Lenders ratably in accordance with their Pro
Rata Share of the Aggregate Commitment.
2.4 APPLICABLE MARGINS. On the Closing Date, the Applicable
Margin shall be determined using Tier IV of the performance grid below.
Thereafter, The CD Applicable Margin, Base Rate Applicable Margin and LIBOR
Applicable Margin shall be adjusted on the first day of each calender quarter,
beginning October 1, 1996, based on the ratio of Consolidated Funded Debt as of
the end of the quarter immediately preceding the immediately preceding quarter
to EBITDA for such quarter, multiplied by four (4). To the extent that, as of an
adjustment date, Borrower has not provided to Agent information necessary to
apply the performance grid, interest shall be payable retroactively upon receipt
of such information and calculation by Agent. In such event, Borrower shall
continue to pay interest at the interest rate and on the Payment Dates in effect
for the preceding quarter and the parties shall adjust for the difference
between interest payable and interest actually paid, when information to apply
the performance grid is available.
-18-
25
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier Consolidated LIBOR + CD + Prime
Funded Debt/EBITDA +
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier I greater than 3.25x 137.0 bps 150.0 bps 0 bps
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier II less than or equal 112.5 bps 125.0 bps 0 bps
to 3.25x but
greater than 3.0x
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier III less than or equal 100.0 bps 112.5 bps 0 bps
to 3.0x but
greater than 2.75x
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier IV less than or equal 87.5 bps 100.0 bps 0 bps
to 2.75x but
greater than 2.5x
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier V less than or equal 75.0 bps 87.5 bps 0 bps
to 2.5x but
greater than 2.25x
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier VI less than or equal 62.5 bps 75.0 bps 0 bps
to 2.25x
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<FN>
* bps = basis points
2.5 COMMITMENT FEE; CLOSING FEE. (a) Borrower agrees to pay to
Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee (the "COMMITMENT FEE") on
the daily unborrowed portion of such Lender's Commitment from the Closing Date
to and including the Facility Termination Date, calculated as follows: (i) .375%
per annum on the daily unborrowed portion of such Lender's Commitment in the
event the Applicable Margin is Tier I, II, III or IV or (ii) .25% per annum on
the daily unborrowed portion of such Lender's Commitment in the event Borrower's
Applicable Margin is Tier V or VI. The Commitment Fee shall be payable quarterly
in arrears on the first day of each calendar quarter hereafter beginning October
1, 1996, and on the Facility Termination Date.
(b) Borrower further agrees to pay to Agent for the account of
each Lender a closing fee (the "CLOSING FEE") in the aggregate amount of
$78,125. Borrower shall pay the Closing Fee to Agent for the account of each
Lender on the Closing Date.
(c) Borrower further agrees to pay all fees payable to
Agent pursuant to a separate letter agreement.
2.6 Intentionally Omitted
2.7 Minimum Amount of Loans. Base Rate Loans and CD
Rate Loans shall be in the minimum amount of $5,000,000, and in
multiples of $1,000,000 if in excess thereof. LIBOR Rate Loans
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26
shall be in the minimum amount of $10,000,000, and in multiples of
$1,000,000 if in excess thereof.
2.8 INTEREST PAYABLE ON THE LOANS.
(a) INTENTIONALLY OMITTED.
(b) METHOD OF SELECTING RATE OPTIONS AND INTEREST PERIODS. (i) Borrower
shall select the Rate Option for each Advance and shall select the Interest
Period applicable to each CD Rate Loan and LIBOR Rate Loan from time to time, by
delivery to Agent of an irrevocable notice in the form of EXHIBIT C hereto (a
"BORROWING NOTICE"), or by telephonic notice to Agent ("TELEPHONIC NOTICE"),
followed by a same day (which shall mean prior to 5:00 p.m. Cleveland, Ohio,
time) written Borrowing Notice delivered to Agent via facsimile.
(ii) Each CD Rate Loan and LIBOR Rate Loan shall bear interest from and
including the first day of the Interest Period applicable thereto until (but not
including) the last day of such Interest Period at the interest rate determined
as applicable to such Loan. Borrower shall select Interest Periods with respect
to CD Rate Loans and LIBOR Rate Loans so that it is not necessary to pay such
Loan prior to the last day of the applicable Interest Period in order to repay
the Loans on the Facility Termination Date. Provided that no Default shall have
occurred and be continuing, Borrower may elect to continue a Loan as a CD Rate
Loan or LIBOR Rate Loan, as the case may be, by giving irrevocable written,
telephonic or telegraphic notice thereof to Agent not more than ten (10) nor
less than three (3) Business Days prior to the last day of the then-current
Interest Period for such Loan, specifying the duration of the succeeding
Interest Period therefor. If Agent does not receive timely notice of such
election, Borrower shall be deemed to have elected to convert such Loan to a
Base Rate Loan at the end of the then-current Interest Period. Provided that no
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, Borrower may, on any Business
Day, convert any outstanding Base Rate Loan, or portion thereof, into a CD Rate
Loan or a LIBOR Rate Loan in the same aggregate principal amount. If Borrower
desires to convert a Base Rate Loan, it shall give Agent prior written or
telephonic notice not more than ten (10) nor less than three (3) Business Days
prior to the requested conversion date, which notice shall specify the duration
of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
(c) DETERMINATION OF ADJUSTED BASE RATE. Agent shall determine the Base
Rate in effect from time to time. Any change in the Base Rate shall, for all
purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, become effective on the
effective date of such change in the Base Rate as announced by Agent in
accordance with Agent's customary practices.
(d) MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS.
-20-
27
(i) Borrower shall pay to Agent, for the account of Lenders
in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Share,
monthly in arrears on the last Business Day of each
month beginning with the month following the month in
which the Closing Date occurs, interest on the
outstanding principal amount of the Base Rate Loans at
the annual rate equal to the Base Rate plus the Base
Rate Applicable Margin; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if
Borrower elects, pursuant to the final paragraph of
SECTION 2.4(a), to convert a Base Rate Loan, or any
portion thereof, to a CD Rate Loan or a LIBOR Rate
Loan, Borrower shall pay to Agent, for the account of
Lenders in proportion to their respective Commitments,
all accrued but unpaid interest on such Base Rate Loan,
or that portion thereof which is being so converted,
for the period commencing on the date of the last
payment date under this paragraph 2.8(d) (i) and
concluding on the day immediately preceding the first
day of the Interest Period for the CD Rate Loan or the
LIBOR Rate Loan into which such Base Rate Loan is
converted.
(ii) Borrower shall pay to Agent, for the account of Lenders
in accordance with their Pro Rata Share, in arrears,
interest on the outstanding principal amount of the CD
Rate Loans and the LIBOR Rate Loans at the annual rate
equal to the CD Rate or the LIBOR Rate, as applicable.
Such interest shall be due and payable on the last
Business Day of the applicable Interest Period of
ninety (90) days or less, for all other CD Rate Loans
and LIBOR Rate Loans, interest shall be payable, in
arrears as aforesaid, on (x) that Business Day which is
ninety (90) days after the beginning of the Interest
Period for such Loans; and (y) on the final day of the
Interest Period therefor.
(e) INTEREST ON OVERDUE PAYMENTS; DEFAULT INTEREST RATE. If
any payment of principal or interest is not paid when due, or prior to the
expiration of the applicable period of grace (if any) therefor, Agent may charge
and collect from Borrower, or may add to the unpaid balance of the Notes, a Late
Charge. Any Late Charge charged and collected by the Agent shall be distributed
to Lenders in proportion to their respective Commitments. No failure by Agent to
charge or collect any Late Charge in respect of any delinquent payment shall be
considered to be a waiver by Agent or Lenders of any rights they may have
hereunder, including without limitation the right subsequently to impose a Late
Charge for such delinquent
-21-
28
payment or to take such other actions as may then be available to them hereunder
or at law or in equity, including but not limited to the right to terminate the
Commitments and/or to accelerate the Obligations pursuant to the terms hereof.
If the Notes have been accelerated pursuant to this Agreement or if a Default
hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall have occurred and be
continuing, the outstanding principal balance of the Indebtedness advanced under
this Agreement, together with all accrued interest thereon and any and all other
Obligations, shall bear interest from the date on which such amount shall have
first become due and payable to the date on which such amount shall be paid
(whether before or after judgment) at the Default Interest Rate. Interest at the
Default Interest Rate will continue to accrue and will (to the extent permitted
by applicable law) be compounded daily until the Obligations in respect of such
payment are discharged (whether before or after judgment).
2.9 REPAYMENTS AND PREPAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL.
(a) OPTIONAL PREPAYMENTS. Without derogating from the mandatory
prepayment requirements contained in SECTION 2.9(b) hereof, Borrower may prepay
the principal of the Loans in full or in part at any time and from time to time
upon payment to Agent of all accrued interest to the date of payment; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that (i) all partial payments of principal shall be in an amount equal
to or greater than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00); and (ii) all
Loans may be prepaid without penalty or premium. If Borrower shall prepay any
Loan which is a LIBOR Rate Loan or a CD Rate Loan on a day other than the final
day of the applicable Interest Period therefor, such prepayment must include an
amount equal to all of Lenders' aggregate LIBOR Break Funding Costs or CD Break
Funding Costs, respectively, applicable to or resulting from such prepayment in
accordance with SECTION 2.9, below.
(b) MANDATORY PREPAYMENTS. If at any time the aggregate
principal balance of all Loans made hereunder exceeds the aggregate
amount of the Commitments Borrower shall immediately prepay an
amount equal to such excess.
(c) APPLICATION OF PREPAYMENTS. Any prepayment of the Obligations shall
be applied by Agent as set forth in Section 2.10 hereof. To the extent that such
payment, repayment or prepayment shall be applied to a CD Rate Loan or a LIBOR
Rate Loan, Agent shall retain such amount until the expiration of the Interest
Period applicable to such Loan, and, shall apply such payment at such time so as
to minimize the LIBOR Break Funding Costs or CD Break Funding Costs applicable
to such payment, repayment or prepayment, unless otherwise instructed by
Borrower to pay, repay or prepay such Loan and nonetheless incur the applicable
LIBOR Break Funding Cost or CD Break Funding Cost.
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(d) MATURITY. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
Borrower will be entitled to reborrow all or any part of the principal of the
Notes repaid or prepaid prior to the termination of the Commitments. The
Commitments shall terminate, and all of the Indebtedness evidenced by each Note
shall, if not sooner paid, be in any event absolutely and unconditionally due
and payable in full by Borrower, on the Facility Termination Date.
(e) NOTICE OF PREPAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL. Borrower will provide Agent at
least (1) one Business Day's advance, written notice of its intention to make
any voluntary prepayment of principal. Such notice shall be irrevocable and
shall specify the date of prepayment and the aggregate amount to be paid.
(f) REDUCTION IN COMMITMENT. Provided there is not then any Default or
Unmatured Default hereunder or any other Loan Document, Borrower may, upon and
subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 2.9(f), elect
permanently to reduce the Aggregate Commitment by providing Agent and each
Lender with not less than thirty (30) days' prior written notice of its election
to do so. Such notice shall specify the date on which such reduction is intended
to become effective and the amount to which Borrower would propose to reduce the
Aggregate Commitment. Provided that Borrower shall, on or prior to the effective
date for such reduction specified in such notice, have made such payments or
prepayments as may be necessary to cause the outstanding balance of all Loans to
Borrower to be reduced to an amount equal to or less than the amount of the
Aggregate Commitment (giving effect to the proposed reduction thereof
contemplated in Borrower' s notice), the Aggregate Commitment shall, on the date
specified in Borrower's notice, be reduced to the amount stipulated in
Borrower's notice. In the event that Borrower shall elect to reduce the
Aggregate Commitment as aforesaid, each Lender's commitment shall be reduced,
pro rata, to reflect any such reduction in the Aggregate Commitment, and the
amount of the Commitment Fee payable during the fiscal quarter in which such
reduction shall become effective shall be calculated so as to give effect to
such reduction, as of the effective date thereof, on a per diem basis. Each
reduction in the amount of the Aggregate Commitment effected pursuant to this
Section 2.9(f) shall be in a multiple of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000), and
the minimum reduction shall be Twenty-Five Million Dollars ($25,000,000). Each
reduction in the amount of the Aggregate Commitment shall be permanent. Borrower
may exercise their right permanently to reduce the amount of the Aggregate
Commitment not more frequently than twice during any six-month period. Borrower
shall pay all reasonable costs and expenses of Agent (including, without
limitation, reasonable attorney's fees) incurred in connection with the exercise
of Borrower's rights under this Section 2.9(f).
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2.10 PAYMENTS AND COMPUTATIONS.
(a) TIME AND PLACE OF PAYMENTS. Each payment to be made by
Borrower under this Agreement or any other Loan Documents shall be made directly
to Agent at its Head Office, not later than 12:00 noon Cleveland time, on the
due date of each such payment, in immediately available and freely transferrable
funds. Any payment received after such time will be deemed to have been received
on the next Business Day. Agent will, on the same Business Day that it receives
(or is deemed to receive, as aforesaid) each such payment, cause to be
distributed to each Lender, in immediately available and freely transferrable
funds, such Lender's Pro Rata Share of each such payment received by Agent. In
the event payment by Borrower has not been received when due, Agent, in its sole
discretion, without prior notice to Borrower, may debit the account of Borrower
with Agent, Account No. 2563771, in the amount of such payment.
(b) APPLICATION OF FUNDS. Notwithstanding anything
herein to the contrary, the funds received by Agent with respect to
the Obligations shall be applied as follows:
(i) NO DEFAULT. Provided that the Notes have not been
accelerated pursuant to SECTION 7.1, below, and
provided further that no Default or Unmatured Default
hereunder or under any Loan Document shall have
occurred and be continuing at the time that Agent
receives such funds, in the following manner: (a)
FIRST, to the payment of all fees, charges, and other
sums (other than principal and interest) then due and
payable to Agent or Lenders under the Notes, this
Agreement or the other Loan Documents (including,
without limitation, any LIBOR Break Funding Costs or CD
Break Funding Costs which may then be payable); (b)
SECOND, to the payment of all accrued but unpaid
interest at the time of such payment in accordance with
each Lender's Pro Rata Share; and (c) THIRD, to the
payment of principal of the Notes in accordance with
Lender's Pro Rata Shares.
(ii) DEFAULT. If the Notes have been accelerated pursuant to
SECTION 7.1, or if a Default hereunder shall have
occurred and be continuing hereunder or under the Notes
or any of the other Loan Documents at the time Agent
receives such funds, in the following manner: (a) FIRST
to the payment or reimbursement of Lenders and Agent
for all costs, expenses, disbursements and losses which
shall have been incurred or sustained by Lenders or
Agent in or incidental to the collection of the
Obligations owed by Borrower hereunder or the exercise,
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protection, or enforcement by Lenders or Agent of all or any
of the rights, remedies, powers and privileges of Lenders
and Agent under this Agreement, the Notes, or any of the
other Loan Documents and in and towards the provision of
adequate indemnity to Agent and any of Lenders against all
taxes or Liens which by law shall or may have priority over
the rights of Agent or Lenders in and to such funds; and (b)
SECOND to the payment of all of the Obligations in
accordance with SECTION 2.10(b) (i) above.
(c) PAYMENTS ON BUSINESS DAYS. If any sum would (but for the
provisions of this SECTION 2.10(c)) become due and payable on any day which is
not a Business Day, then such sum shall become due and payable on the next
succeeding Business Day, and interest payable on such sum shall continue to
accrue and shall be adjusted by Agent accordingly.
(d) COMPUTATION OF INTEREST. All computations of interest
payable under this Agreement, the Notes, or any of the other Loan Documents
shall be computed by Agent on the basis of the actual principal amount
outstanding on each day during the payment period, and shall be calculated with
reference to the actual number of days elapsed during such period on the basis
of a year consisting of three hundred and sixty (360) days. The daily interest
charge shall be one three-hundred-sixtieth (1/360th) of the annual interest
amount. Each determination of any interest rate by Agent shall be conclusive and
binding on Borrower in the absence of manifest error. Absent manifest error, a
certificate or statement signed by an authorized officer of the Agent shall be
conclusive evidence of the amount of the Obligations due and unpaid as of the
date of such certificate or statement.
2.11 PAYMENTS TO BE FREE OF DEDUCTIONS. Each payment to be
made by Borrower under this Agreement, any Note, or any of the other Loan
Documents shall be made in accordance with SECTION 2.10 hereof, without set-off,
deduction or counterclaim whatsoever, and free and clear of taxes, levies,
imposts, duties, charges, fees, deduction, withholdings, compulsory loans,
restrictions or conditions of any nature now or hereafter imposed or levied by
any governmental or taxing authority, unless Borrower is compelled by law to
make any such deduction or withholding. In the event that any such obligation to
deduct or withhold is imposed upon Borrower with respect to any such payment:
(a) Borrower shall be permitted to make the deduction or withholding required by
law in respect of the said payment, and (b) there shall become and be absolutely
due and payable by Borrower to Agent or such Lender on the date on which the
said payment shall be due and payable, and Borrower hereby promises to pay to
Agent or such Lender on such date, such additional amount as shall be necessary
to enable Agent or such Lender to receive the same net amount which Agent or
such Lender would have received on such due date had no such obligation been
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imposed by law. Notwithstanding any provision of this SECTION 2.11 to the
contrary, the foregoing provisions of this SECTION 2.11 shall not apply in the
case of any deductions or withholding made (y) in respect of taxes charged upon
or by reference to the overall net income, profits or gains of Agent or any
Lender, or (z) failure by a Lender to comply with SECTION 2.21.
2.12 USE OF PROCEEDS. Borrower represents, warrants and
covenants to Agent and to each Lender that all proceeds of the Advances shall be
used by Borrower only for the following purposes: (i) Working Capital needs,
(ii) Acquisitions, to the extent expressly permitted under this Agreement and
(iii) except as expressly limited in this Agreement, general corporate purposes.
2.13 LIBOR BREAK FUNDING COST; CD BREAK FUNDING COST. Borrower
shall pay to Agent, for the ratable benefit of each Lender, the LIBOR Break
Funding Costs or CD Break Funding Costs that Agent determines are attributable
to:
(a) any payment (including, without limitation, any payment
resulting from the acceleration of the Loans pursuant to this Agreement or any
Loan Document), repayment, mandatory or optional prepayment, or conversion of a
LIBOR Rate Loan or CD Rate Loan for any reason on a date other than the last day
of the Interest Period for such LIBOR Rate Loan or CD Rate Loan; or
(b) any failure by Borrower for any reason to borrow a LIBOR
Rate Loan or CD Rate Loan on the date for such borrowing specified in the
relevant notice of borrowing or Borrowing Notice given pursuant to this
Agreement.
2.14 ADDITIONAL COSTS.
(a) Notwithstanding any conflicting provisions of this
Agreement to the contrary, if any applicable law, rule or regulation not in
effect as of the date hereof shall (i) subject Agent or any Lender to any tax,
levy, impost, duty, charge, fee, deduction or withholding of any nature with
respect to any Loan, this Agreement, any Note, or any of the other Loan
Documents or the payment by Borrower of any amounts payable to Agent or any
Lender hereunder or thereunder (other than taxes charged upon or by reference to
the overall net income, profits or gains of Agent or any Lender or taxes charged
with respect to any Lender's failure to comply with SECTION 2.21 hereof); or
(ii) materially change, in the reasonable opinion of the party so affected, the
basis of taxation (other than changes in tax rates applicable to taxes charged
upon or by reference to the overall net income, profits or gains of Agent or any
Lender or taxes charged with respect to any Lender's failure to comply with
SECTION 2.21 hereof) of payments to Agent or any Lender of the principal of or
the interest on any Note or any other amounts payable to Agent or any Lender
under this Agreement, or any of the other Loan Documents; or (iii) impose or
increase or render applicable any special or supplementary special deposit or
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reserve or similar requirements (whether or not having the force of law) against
assets held by, or deposits in or for the account of, or any eligible
liabilities of, or loans by any office or branch of, Agent or any Lender; or
(iv) impose on Agent or any Lender any other condition or requirement with
respect to this Agreement, any Note, or any of the other Loan Documents, and if
the result of any of the foregoing is (A) to increase the cost to Agent or any
Lender of making, funding or maintaining all or any part of the principal of the
Loans, or (B) to reduce the amount of principal, interest or any other sum
payable by Borrower to Agent or any Lender under this Agreement, any Note, or
any of the other Loan Documents, or (C) to require Agent or any Lender to make
any payment or to forego any interest or other sum payable by Borrower to Agent
or any Lender under this Agreement, any Note, or any of the other Loan
Documents, the amount of which payment or foregone interest or other sum is
measured by or calculated by reference to the gross amount of any sum receivable
or deemed received by Agent or any Lender from Borrower under this Agreement,
any Note, or any of the other Loans Documents, then, and in each such case,
Borrower will pay to Agent For Agent or the account of a Lender, as the case may
be, within sixty (60) days of written notice by Agent or such Lender, such
additional amounts as will (in the reasonable opinion of Agent or such Lender,
as the case may be) be sufficient to compensate Agent or such Lender for such
sum.
(b) If any present or future applicable law, rule or regulation shall
make it unlawful for Borrower to perform any one or more of its agreements or
Obligations under this Agreement, any Note, or any of the other Loan Documents,
then the obligations of Lenders under their respective Commitment shall
terminate immediately. If any present or future applicable law, rule or
regulation shall make it unlawful for Borrower to perform any one or more of its
agreements or obligations under this Agreement, any Note, or any of the other
Loan Documents, and Agent, or any Lender shall at any time determine (which
reasonable determination shall be conclusive and binding on Borrower) (i) that,
as a consequence of the effect or operation (whether direct or indirect) of any
such applicable law, rule or regulation, any one or more of the rights,
remedies, powers or privileges of Agent or any Lender under or in respect of
this Agreement, any Note, or any of the other Loan Documents shall be or become
invalid, unenforceable, or materially restricted; and (ii) that all or any one
or more of the rights, remedies, powers and privileges so affected are of
material importance to Agent or any Lender (as determined by the party so
affected), then Agent shall, at the direction of the Required Banks, by giving
notice to Borrower, declare all of the Obligations, including, without
limitation, the entire unpaid principal of the Notes, all of the unpaid interest
accrued thereon and any and all other sums due and payable by Borrower to Agent
or Lenders under this Agreement, any Note, and any of the other Loan Documents,
to be immediately due and payable, and, thereupon, such Obligations shall (if
not already due and payable) forthwith become
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and be due and payable without further notice or other formalities of any kind,
all of which are hereby expressly waived.
(c) If Agent or any Lender shall reasonably determine that any
law, rule or regulation not in effect as of the date hereof regarding capital
adequacy, or in the event of any change in any existing such law, rule or
regulation or in the interpretation or administration thereof by any
governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the
interpretation or administration thereof or compliance by any Lender with any
request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force
of law) from any such authority, central bank or comparable agency, has or would
have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender's capital, as a
consequence of its obligations hereunder, to a level below that which such
Lender could have achieved but for such adoption, change or compliance (taking
into consideration such Lender's policies with respect to capital adequacy) by
any amount deemed by such Lender to be material, then Borrower shall pay to such
Lender within sixty (60) days of written notice by such Lender such amount or
amounts, in addition to the amounts payable under the provisions of this
Agreement or any other Loan Document, as will compensate such Lender for such
reduction. Determinations by any Lender of the additional amount or amounts
required to compensate such Lender in respect of the foregoing shall be
presumptively correct absent manifest error. In determining such amount or
amounts, each Lender may use in good faith any reasonable averaging and
attribution methods of general application.
(d) Each Lender agrees, that upon the occurrence of any event
giving rise to the operation of SECTION 2.11, or (a)-(c) of this SECTION 2.14
with respect to such Lender, it will, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law
or by the relevant governmental authority, in consultation with the Agent, for a
period of thirty (30) days endeavor in good faith to avoid or minimize the
increase in costs or reduction in payments resulting from such event (including,
but not limited to, endeavoring to change its Lending Installation); provided,
however, that such avoidance or minimization can be made in such a manner that
such Lender, in its sole determination, suffers no economic, legal or regulatory
disadvantage. If any Lender (an "Affected Lender") shall make a demand for
payment under any of such Sections, and Borrower shall find a Lender or an
assignee which offers in writing to purchase the Commitments and Advances of
such Affected Lender without recourse at par on a specified date, together with
accrued and unpaid interest and commitment fees thereon to the date of purchase,
and tenders the purchase price of such Commitments and Advances on such
specified date, and if, in the reasonable opinion of such Affected Lender, its
acceptance of such offer would be permitted under Applicable Law and all
relevant governmental authorities and would not result in its suffering any
economic, legal, or other regulatory disadvantage, then Borrower shall be
excused from the payment of the increased costs claimed by such
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Affected Lender under any of such Sections accruing after the first interest
payment date pursuant to SECTION 2.18 for each Advance of such Affected Lender
following such specified date, if the Affected Lender demanding payment under
either such Section declines such purchase offer. If such Affected Lender
accepts such purchase offer, upon consummation of such purchase offer such
Affected Lender shall cease to be a party hereto. Except as provided in the
immediately preceding sentence, nothing in this SECTION 2.14(d) shall affect or
postpone the obligations of Borrower to make payments as provided hereunder. Any
reasonable expenses incurred by such Affected Lender under this SECTION 2.14(d)
shall be paid by the Borrower upon delivery by such Affected Lender to Borrower
of a certificate as to the amount of such expenses, which certificate shall be
conclusive and binding, in absence of manifest error.
(e) For purposes of this SECTION 2.14, "laws, rules and
regulations not in effect on the date hereof" or similar words shall be deemed
to include future interpretations of existing laws, rules and regulations.
2.15 INDEMNIFICATION OF LOSSES. Without derogating from any of
the other provisions of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents
Borrower hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to indemnify Agent and
each Lender, upon demand at any time and as often as the occasion therefor may
require, against any and all claim, demands, suits, actions, damages, losses,
costs, expenses and all other liabilities whatsoever which Agent or any Lender
or any of their respective directors or officers may sustain or incur as a
consequence of, on account of, in relation to or in any way in connection with
(a) any failure by Borrower to pay, punctually on the due date thereof, any
amount payable under this agreement, any Note, or any of the other Loan
Documents beyond the expiration of the period of grace (if any) applicable
thereto, or (b) the acceleration of the maturity of any of the Obligations, or
(c) any failure by any Borrower to perform or comply with any of the terms and
provisions of this Agreement, any Note or any of the other Loan Documents. Such
claims, demands, suits, actions, damages, losses, costs, expenses shall include,
without limitation (i) any costs incurred by Agent or any lender in carrying
funds to cover any overdue principal, overdue interest or any other overdue sums
payable by Borrower under this Agreement, any Note or any of the other Loan
Documents; (ii) any interest payable by Agent or any Lender in order to carry
the fund referred to in clause (i) of this SECTION 2.15; and (iii) any losses
(but excluding losses of anticipated profit) incurred or sustained by Agent or
any Lender in liquidating or re-employing funds acquired from third parties to
make, fund or maintain all or any part of the Loans.
2.16 STATEMENTS BY AGENT OR ANY LENDER. A certified statement
signed by an officer of Agent or any Lender setting forth any additional amount
required to be paid by Borrower to Agent or such Lender (together with
supporting documentation setting forth in reasonable detail an explanation of
the basis for requesting
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payment of such amount), respectively, under SECTION 2.14 and 2.15 hereof shall
be submitted by Agent or such Lender to Borrower in connection with each demand
made at any time by Agent (with copies thereof delivered to each other Lender)
or such Lender under either of such Sections. A claim by Agent or any Lender for
all or any part of any additional amounts required to be paid by Borrower under
SECTION 2.14 and 2.15 hereof may be made before or after any payment to which
such claim relates. Each such statement shall, in the absence of manifest error,
constitute presumptive evidence of the additional amount required to be paid to
Agent or such Lender.
2.17 BORROWING NOTICES; TELEPHONIC NOTICES. (a) All requests for draws,
advances, or disbursements of Loan proceeds shall be made by and on behalf of
Borrower in writing on a Borrowing Notice, or by Telephonic Notice. All
Telephonic Notices, must be followed by same day (which shall mean prior to 5:00
p.m., Cleveland, Ohio, time) written Borrowing Notice delivered to Agent via
facsimile. Borrowing Notices may be transmitted to Agent at its Head Office via
fax or telecopy, PROVIDED that Borrower immediately notifies Agent by telephone
of such transmission. Each Borrowing Notice for Base Rate Loans shall be
transmitted to and received by Agent, or each Telephonic Notice shall be
received by telephone by Agent, not later than 12:00 p.m. Cleveland, Ohio, time
not more than ten (10) Business Days nor less than one (1) Business Day before
the Borrowing Date of each Base Rate Loan and not more than ten (10) Business
Days nor less than three (3) Business Days before the Borrowing Date for each CD
Rate Loan or LIBOR Rate Loan. All Borrowing Notices shall be accompanied by such
documents, reports and other materials as may be reasonably necessary to enable
Agent (and each Lender) to confirm that the conditions precedent to the
disbursement of such requested Loan have been satisfied.
(b) Agent shall notify Lenders promptly by telephone of its receipt of
Borrower's Borrowing Notice, but in no event shall Agent notify Lenders later
than 5:00 p.m. Cleveland time, on the day on which Agent actually receives the
applicable Borrowing Notice. In addition, Agent shall provide each Lender with a
copy of each such Borrowing Notice, together with all accompanying materials,
promptly upon Agent's receipt thereof, and shall in addition provide each Lender
with a statement showing Agent's calculation of its respective Pro Rata Share of
the Advance so requested. Each Lender will, upon receiving notice from Agent of
Borrower's Borrowing Notice, become and be obligated to place at the disposal of
Agent, not later than 10:00 a.m., Cleveland time, on the Borrowing Date set
forth on such Borrowing Notice, an aggregate amount in dollars equal to such
Lender's Pro Rata Share multiplied by the amount of the Advance requested. The
payment by each Lender of such aggregate amount shall be made to Agent at
Agent's Head Office in immediately available and freely transferrable funds.
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(c) Agent shall disburse the proceeds of each Loan to Borrower, in
immediately available funds not later than noon, Cleveland time, on the
Borrowing Date described therefor, provided that: (x) Borrower shall have
provided Agent with a Borrowing Notice for such Advance as and when provided
above; (y) all of the conditions precedent applicable to such Advance shall be
satisfied as at the Closing Date or such later Borrowing Date as may be
applicable to such Loan; and (z) each Lender shall fund the amount equal to its
Loan as provided in SECTION 2.17(b), above.
2.18 NOTES; TELEPHONIC NOTICES. Each Lender is hereby authorized to
record the principal amount of each of its Loans and each repayment on the
schedule attached to its Note, provided, however, that the failure to so record
shall not affect Borrower's obligations under such Note. Borrower hereby
authorizes Lenders and Agent to extend, convert or continue Loans, effect
selections of Types of Advances and to transfer funds based on telephonic
notices made by any person or persons Agent or any Lender in good faith believes
to be acting on behalf of Borrower. Borrower agrees to deliver promptly to Agent
a written confirmation, if such confirmation is requested by Agent or any
Lender, of each telephonic notice signed by an Authorized Officer. If the
written confirmation differs in any material respect from the action taken by
Agent and Lenders, the records of Agent and Lenders shall govern absent manifest
error.
2.19 LENDING INSTALLATIONS. Each Lender may book its Loans at any
Lending Installation selected by such Lender and may change its Lending
Installation from time to time. All terms of this Agreement shall apply to any
such Lending Installation and the Notes shall be deemed held by each Lender for
the benefit of such Lending Installation. Each Lender may, by written or telex
notice to Agent and Borrower, designate a Lending Installation through which
Loans will be made by it and for whose account Loan payments are to be made.
2.20 NON-RECEIPT OF FUNDS BY AGENT. Unless Borrower or a Lender, as
the case may be, notifies Agent prior to the date on which it is scheduled to
make payment to Agent of (i) in the case of a Lender, the proceeds of a Loan or
(ii) in the case of Borrower, a payment of principal, interest or fees to Agent
for the account of Lenders, that it does not intend to make such payment, Agent
may assume that such payment has been made. Agent may, but shall not be
obligated to, make the amount of such payment available to the intended
recipient in reliance upon such assumption. If such Lender or Borrower, as the
case may be, has not in fact made such payment to Agent, the recipient of such
payment shall, on demand by Agent, repay to Agent the amount so made available
together with interest thereon in respect of each day during the period
commencing on the date such amount was so made available by Agent until the date
Agent recovers such amount at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of
payment by a Lender, the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day or (ii) in
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the case of payment by Borrower, the interest rate applicable to the relevant
Loan.
2.21 WITHHOLDING TAX EXEMPTION. At least five Business Days prior to
the first date on which interest or fees are payable hereunder for the account
of any Lender, each Lender that is not incorporated under the laws of the United
States of America, or a state thereof, agrees that it will deliver to each
Borrower and Agent two duly completed copies of United States Internal Revenue
Service Form 1001 or 4224, certifying in either case that such Lender is
entitled to receive payments under this Agreement and the Notes without
deduction or withholding of any United States federal income taxes. Each Lender
which so delivers a Form 1001 or 4224 further undertakes to deliver to each
Borrower and Agent two additional copies of such form (or a successor form) on
or before the date that such form expires (currently, three successive calendar
years for Form 1001 and one calendar year for Form 4224) or becomes obsolete or
after the occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recent forms so
delivered by it, and such amendments thereto or extensions or renewals thereof
as may be reasonably requested by Borrower or Agent, in each case certifying
that such Lender is entitled to receive payments under this Agreement and the
Notes without deduction or withholding of any United States federal income
taxes, unless an event (including without limitation any change in treaty, law
or regulation) has occurred prior to the date on which any such delivery would
otherwise be required which renders all such forms inapplicable or which would
prevent such Lender from duly completing and delivering any such form with
respect to it and such Lender advises Borrower and Agent that it is not capable
of receiving payments without any deduction or withholding of United States
federal income tax.
ARTICLE III
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
--------------------
3.1 INITIAL ADVANCE. Lenders shall not be required to make the Initial
Advance hereunder unless (a) Borrower has paid all fees due and payable to
Lenders and Agent hereunder, (b) the initial Borrowing Notice is delivered to
the Agent on or before August 6, 1996, (c) the proceeds of the Initial Advance
together with the net proceeds of the Debt Offering are sufficient to and are
used for the payoff and termination of the Existing Facilities, (d) the net
proceeds of the Debt Offering shall be equal to or greater than $147 million and
such proceeds have been received by Borrower (e) the consummation of the Debt
Offering shall have occurred on or before the date hereof, in accordance with
the terms and conditions of documents and instruments (the "Debt Offering
Documents") that have been reviewed and approved by Agent and Agent's counsel,
and (f) Borrower shall have furnished to Agent, with sufficient copies for
Lenders, the following:
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(i) The duly executed originals of the Loan Documents, including the Notes,
payable to the order of each of Lenders, and this Agreement and a
Non-Borrowing and Non-Pledge Agreement executed by Maryland;
(ii) A certificate of good standing for Borrower and each of its Substantial
Subsidiaries, certified by the appropriate governmental officer, and
foreign qualification certificates, certified by the appropriate
governmental officer, for each jurisdiction where the failure to so
qualify or be licensed (if required) could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Change;
(iii) Copies, certified by an officer of Borrower of each of the Borrower's
formation documents (including by-laws or code of regulations), together
with all amendments thereto;
(iv) An incumbency certificate, executed by an officer of Borrower and
Maryland, which shall identify by name and title and bear the signature
of the Persons authorized to sign the Loan Documents or the Non-Borrowing
and Non-Pledge Agreement, as the case may be, and to make borrowings
hereunder on behalf of Borrower, upon which certificate Agent and Lenders
shall be entitled to rely until informed of any change in writing by
Borrower or Maryland;
(v) Copies, certified by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, of Borrower's
and each Substantial Subsidiaries' Board of Directors' resolutions, other
than Canada, which shall provide either a shareholder or Board of
Directors resolution (and resolutions of other bodies, if any are deemed
necessary by counsel for any Lender) authorizing, as the case may be, the
Advances PROVIDED for herein and the execution, delivery and performance
of the Loan Documents or the Non-Borrowing and Non- Pledge Agreement to
be executed and delivered by Borrower and each Subsidiary hereunder;
(vi) A written opinion of Borrower's and Maryland's counsel, addressed to
Lenders in substantially the form of EXHIBIT D and EXHIBIT E hereto;
(vii) A certificate, signed by an officer of Borrower, stating that on the
initial Borrowing Date no Default or Unmatured Default has occurred and
is continuing and that all representations and warranties of Borrower are
true and correct as of the initial Borrowing Date;
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(viii) The most recent financial statements of Borrower and a certificate from
an officer of the Borrower stating that no material adverse change in
the Borrower's financial condition has occurred since March 31, 1996;
(ix) UCC financing statement, judgment, and tax lien searches with respect to
Borrower from the State of Ohio, from the state of Maryland with respect
to Maryland and from the province of Ontario with respect to Canada;
(x) A certificate, signed by an officer of Borrower, stating that all
judgments against Borrower have been satisfied, and that all liens or
encumbrances on any Property of Borrower have been released, other than
liens permitted pursuant to SECTION 5.15;
(xi) Written money transfer instructions, in substantially the form of
Exhibit F hereto, addressed to Agent and signed by an Authorized
Officer, together with such other related money transfer authorizations
as Agent may have reasonably requested;
(xii) A copy of Borrower's final amendment to Form S-3 as filed with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the
Debt Offering and any other documents or instruments relating thereto
requested by Agent or any Lender, and a certificate of an Authorized
Financial Officer stating that the Debt Offering has been consummated;
(xiii) A copy of all documents and instruments executed by Borrower in
connection with the SECT (the "SECT Documents"); and
(xiv) Such other documents as any Lender or its counsel may have reasonably
requested, the form and substance of which documents shall be acceptable
to the parties and their respective counsel.
3.2 EACH ADVANCE. Lenders shall not be required to make any Advance
unless on the applicable Borrowing Date:
(i) There exists no Default or Unmatured Default;
(ii) The representations and warranties contained in Article IV are true and
correct in all material respects as of such Borrowing Date with respect
to Borrower and to any Subsidiary in existence on such
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Borrowing Date, except to the extent any such representation or
warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which
case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct in
all material respects on and as of such earlier date;
(iii) All legal matters incident to the making of such
Advance shall be satisfactory to Lenders and their
counsel; and
(iv) Borrower has provided to Lenders, Borrower's latest audited
annual financial statement and unaudited partial year financial
statement (all such financial statements to be prepared with the
specified detail required in SECTION 5.1 hereof).
Each Borrowing Notice with respect to each such Advance shall constitute a
representation and warranty by Borrower that the conditions contained in
SECTIONS 3.2(i) and (ii) have been satisfied.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
------------------------------
Borrower represents and warrants to Lenders that:
4.1 EXISTENCE. The Borrower is a corporation duly organized and
validly existing under the laws of the State of Ohio, having its principal place
of business in Garfield Heights, Ohio; and Maryland is a corporation duly
organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Maryland, having
its principal place of business in Gaithersburg, Maryland; and each has all
requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its
business is conducted. Borrower's Subsidiaries are duly incorporated, or duly
formed, as the case may be, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of their jurisdiction of incorporation or formation and have all requisite
authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which their business
is conducted.
4.2 AUTHORIZATION AND VALIDITY. Borrower has the power and authority
and legal right to execute and deliver the Loan Documents and to perform its
obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery by Borrower of the Loan
Documents and the performance of its obligations thereunder has been duly
authorized by proper proceedings, and the Loan Documents constitute legal, valid
and binding obligations of Borrower enforceable against Borrower in accordance
with their terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights
generally.
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4.3 NO CONFLICT, GOVERNMENT CONSENT. Neither the execution and
delivery by Borrower of the Loan Documents, nor the consummation of the
transactions therein contemplated, nor compliance with the provisions thereof
will violate any law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction,
decree or award binding on Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Borrower' s or
any Subsidiary's articles of incorporation, bylaws or partnership agreement, or
the provisions of any material indenture, material instrument or material
agreement to which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or is subject,
or by which it, or its Property, is bound, or conflict with or constitute a
default thereunder, or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien in, of
or on the Property of the Borrower or a Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of any
such indenture, instrument or agreement. No order, consent, approval, license,
authorization, or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, or
exemption by, any governmental or public body or authority, or any subdivision
thereof, is required to authorize, or is required in connection with the
execution, delivery and performance of, or the legality, validity, binding
effect or enforceability of, any of the Loan Documents.
4.4 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-- Material Adverse Change. The March 31, 1996
financial statements of Borrower and its Subsidiaries heretofore delivered to
Lenders were prepared in accordance with GAAP in effect on the date such
statements were prepared and fairly present the financial condition and
operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries at such date and the consolidated
results of their operations for the period then ended. Since March 31, 1996
there has been no change in the business, Property, prospects, condition
(financial or otherwise) or results of operations of Borrower and its
Subsidiaries which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Change.
4.5 TAX. Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed all United States
federal tax returns and all other tax returns which are required to be filed and
have paid all taxes due pursuant to said returns or pursuant to any assessment
received by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries except such taxes, if any, as
are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been
provided. No tax liens have been filed and no claims are being asserted with
respect to any such taxes. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of
Borrower and its Subsidiaries in respect of any taxes or other governmental
charges are adequate.
4.6 LITIGATION AND CONTINGENT OBLIGATIONS. There is no
litigation, arbitration, governmental investigation, proceeding or
inquiry: pending or, to the knowledge of any of its officers,
threatened against or affecting Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Change. Borrower and its Subsidiaries have no material Contingent
Obligations not provided for or disclosed in the financial
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statements referred to in SECTION 5.1 (including reports of the type referred to
in SECTION 5.1(ix)).
4.7 SUBSIDIARIES. SCHEDULE 1 hereto contains an accurate list of all
of the presently existing Subsidiaries of Borrower setting forth their
respective jurisdictions of incorporation or formation, as the case may be, and
the percentage of their respective capital stock or partnership interests, as
the case may be, owned by Borrower or other Subsidiaries. All of the issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock or partnership interests, as the case may
be, of such Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and issued and are fully paid
and nonassessable.
4.8 ERISA. The Unfunded Liabilities of all Single Employer Plans do
not in the aggregate exceed $1,000,000. Neither Borrower nor any other member of
the Controlled Group has incurred, or is reasonably expected to incur, any
withdrawal liability to Multiemployer Plans in excess of $250,000 in the
aggregate. Each Plan complies in all material respects with all applicable
requirements of law and regulations, no Reportable Event has occurred with
respect to any Plan, neither Borrower nor any other member of the Controlled
Group has withdrawn from any Plan or initiated steps to do so, and no steps have
been taken to reorganize or terminate any Plan.
4.9 ACCURACY OF INFORMATION. All factual information heretofore or
contemporaneously furnished by or on behalf of Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries to Agent or any Lender for purposes of or in connection with this
Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby is, and all other such factual
information hereafter furnished by or on behalf of Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries to Agent or any Lender will be, true and accurate in all material
respects (taken as a whole) on the date as of which such information is dated or
certified and not incomplete by omitting to state any material fact necessary to
make such information (taken as a whole) not misleading at such time.
4.10 REGULATION U. Borrower does not hold any margin
stock (as defined in Regulation U).
4.11 MATERIAL AGREEMENTS. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries
is a party to any agreement or instrument or subject to any charter or other
corporate restriction which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default in
the performance, observance or fulfillment of any of the obligations, covenants
or conditions contained in (i) any agreement to which it is a party, which
default could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change or
(ii) any agreement or instrument evidencing or governing Indebtedness.
4.12 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. Borrower and its Subsidiaries
have complied with all applicable statutes, rules, regulations,
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orders and restrictions of any domestic or foreign government or any
instrumentality or agency thereof, having jurisdiction over the conduct of their
respective businesses, and ownership of their respective Property, the
non-compliance with which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change. Neither Borrower nor any Subsidiary has received any notice to
the effect that its operations are not in material compliance with any of the
requirements of applicable federal, state and local environmental, health and
safety statutes and regulations or the subject of any federal or state
investigation evaluating whether any remedial action is needed to respond to a
release of any toxic or hazardous waste or substance into the environment, which
non-compliance or remedial action could reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Change.
4.13 OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTIES. Except as set forth on SCHEDULE 2
hereto, on the date of this Agreement, Borrower and its Subsidiaries will have
good title, free of all Liens other than those permitted by SECTION 5.15, to all
of the Property and assets reflected in the financial statements as owned by it.
4.14 INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT. Neither Borrower nor any of its
Subsidiaries is an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an
"investment company", within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended.
4.15 PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING COMPANY ACT. Neither Borrower nor any of
its Subsidiaries is a "holding company" or a "subsidiary company" of a "holding
company", or an "affiliate" of a "holding company" or of a "subsidiary company"
of a "holding company", within the meaning of the Public Utility Molding Company
Act of 1935, as amended.
4.16 SOLVENCY. (i) Immediately after the Closing Date and immediately
following the making of each Loan and after giving effect to the application of
the proceeds of such Loans, (a) the fair value of the assets of Borrower
individually, and the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, at
a fair valuation, will exceed the debts and liabilities, subordinated,
contingent or otherwise, of Borrower individually, or Borrower and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, as the case may be; (b) the present fair
saleable value of the Property of Borrower individually, and Borrower and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, will be greater than the amount that will
be required to pay the probable liability of Borrower individually, or Borrower
and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis on their debts and other
liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other
liabilities become absolute and matured; (c) Borrower individually, and Borrower
and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will be able to pay their debts and
liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and
liabilities become absolute and matured; and (d) Borrower individually, and
Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated
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basis will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the
businesses in which they are engaged as such businesses are now conducted and
are proposed to be conducted after the date hereof.
(ii) Borrower does not intend to, or to permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
and does not believe that it or any of its Subsidiaries will, incur debts beyond
its ability to pay such debts as they mature, taking into account the timing of
and amounts of cash to be received by Borrower or any such Subsidiary and the
timing of the amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its Indebtedness
or the Indebtedness of any such Subsidiary.
4.17 INSURANCE. Borrower and its Subsidiaries carry insurance on their
businesses with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, in such
amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily
carried by companies engaged in similar businesses in localities where Borrower
and its Subsidiaries operate, including, without limitation:
(i) Property and casualty insurance (including coverage for flood and
other water damage for any Property located within a 100-year
flood plain) in the amount of the replacement cost of the
improvements at the Property;
(ii) Comprehensive general liability insurance in the
amount of $20,000,000 per occurrence.
4.18 ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. Each of the following representations and
warranties is true and correct on and as of the Closing Date except to the
extent that the facts and circumstances giving rise to any such failure to be so
true and correct, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Change:
(a) To the best knowledge of Borrower, the Property of Borrower and
its Subsidiaries does not contain, and has not previously contained, any
Materials of Environmental Concern in amounts or concentrations which
constitute or constituted a violation of, or could reasonably give rise to
liability under, Environmental Laws.
(b) To the best knowledge of Borrower, the Property of Borrower and
its Subsidiaries and all operations of such Property are in compliance, and
have in the last two years been in compliance, with all applicable
Environmental Laws, and there is no contamination at, under or about the
Property of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, or violation of any
Environmental Law with respect to the Property of Borrower and its
Subsidiaries.
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(c) Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any
notice of violation, alleged violation, non-compliance, liability or
potential liability regarding environmental matters or compliance with
Environmental Laws with regard to any of their Property, nor does Borrower
or its Subsidiaries have knowledge or reason to believe that any such
notice will be received or is being threatened.
(d) To the best knowledge of Borrower, Materials of Environmental
Concern have not been transported or disposed of from any Property of
Borrower and its Subsidiaries in violation of, or in a manner or to a
location which could reasonably give rise to liability under, Environmental
Laws, nor have any Materials of Environmental Concern been generated,
treated, stored or disposed of at, on or under any of the Property of
Borrower and its Subsidiaries in violation of, or in a manner that could
give rise to liability under, any applicable Environmental Laws.
(e) No judicial proceedings or governmental or administrative action
is pending, or, to the knowledge of Borrower or its Subsidiaries,
threatened, under any Environmental Law to which the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries is or will be named as a party with respect to any Property of
Borrower and its Subsidiaries nor are there any consent decrees or other
decrees, consent orders, administrative order or other orders, or other
administrative of judicial requirements outstanding under any Environmental
Law with respect to any Property of Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
(f) To the best knowledge of Borrower, there has been no release or
threat of release of Materials of Environmental Concern at or from any
Property of Borrower or its Subsidiaries, or arising from or related to the
operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection with any Property
in violation of or in amounts or in a manner that could give rise to
liability under Environmental Laws.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS
---------
During the term of this Agreement, unless Lenders shall otherwise consent
in writing:
5.1 FINANCIAL REPORTING. Borrower will maintain, for
itself and each Subsidiary, a system of accounting established and
administered in accordance with GAAP, and furnish to Lenders:
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(i) As soon as available, but in any event not later than 45 days after
the close of each fiscal quarter, for the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, an unaudited consolidated and consolidating balance
sheet as of the close of each such period and the related unaudited
consolidated and consolidating statements of income and retained
earnings for such period and the portion of the fiscal year through
the end of such period and of year to date cash flows of the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries, all certified by an Authorized Financial
Officer;
(ii) As soon as available, but in any event not later than 45 days after the
close of each fiscal quarter, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries,
related reports in form and substance satisfactory to Lenders, all
certified by the Borrower's Authorized Financial Officer, a statement
detailing Consolidated Outstanding Indebtedness;
(iii) As soon as available, but in any event not later than 90 days after
the close of each fiscal year, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries,
(i) audited financial statements, including a consolidated balance
sheet as at the end of such year and the related consolidated
statements of income and retained earnings and of cash flows for such
year, setting forth in' comparative form the figures for the previous
year, reported on without a "going concern" or like qualification or
exception, by Ernst & Young, LLP (or other independent certified
public accountants of nationally recognized standing acceptable to
(Agent), and (ii) unaudited financial statements, including a
consolidating balance sheet as at the end of such year and the related
consolidating statements of income and retained earnings and of cash
flow for such year;
(iv) As soon as available, but in any event not later than 90 days after the
close of each fiscal year, for Borrower and its Subsidiaries, the
following related reports in form and substance satisfactory to Lenders,
all certified by the entity's Authorized Financial Officer: a statement
of Consolidated Outstanding Indebtedness;
(v) Together with the quarterly and annual financial statements required
hereunder, a compliance certificate in substantially the form of EXHIBIT
G hereto signed by an Authorized Officer showing the calculations and
computations necessary to determine compliance with the financial
covenants set forth in this Agreement and stating that no
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Default or Unmatured Default exists, or if any Default or
Unmatured Default exists, stating the nature and status thereof;
(vi) As soon as possible and in any event within 10 days after
Borrower knows that any Report able Event has occurred with
respect to any Plan, a statement, signed by an Authorized
Financial Officer of Borrower, describing said Reportable Event
and the action which Borrower proposes to take with respect
thereto;
(vii) As soon as possible and in any event within 10 days after receipt
by Borrower, a copy of (a) any notice or claim to the effect that
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is or may be liable to any
Person as a result of the release by any Borrower, any of its
Subsidiaries, or any other Person of any toxic or hazardous waste
or substance into the environment, which could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Change and (b) any
notice alleging any violation of any federal, state or local
environmental, health or safety law or regulation by Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries, which, in either case, could reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change;
(viii) Promptly upon the furnishing thereof to the shareholders of
Borrower, copies of all financial statements, reports and proxy
statements so furnished;
(ix) Within three (3) business days after due to the SEC, copies of
all registration statements and annual, quarterly, monthly or
other reports and any other public information which Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries files with the Securities Exchange
Commission; and
(x) Such other information (including, without limitation, financial
statements for Borrower and nonfinancial information) as Agent
may from time to time reasonably request.
5.2 PROHIBITED USES OF PROCEEDS. Borrower will not nor will it permit
any Subsidiary to, use any of the proceeds of the Advances (i) to purchase or
carry any "margin stock" (as defined in Regulation U), or (ii) for any purpose
that shall be a violation of Regulation U, or regulations G, T and X of the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or for any other purpose
violative of any rule or regulation of such Board.
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5.3 NOTICE OF DEFAULT. Borrower will give, and will cause each of its
Subsidiaries to give, notice in writing to Lenders of the occurrence of any
Default or Unmatured Default and of any other development, financial or
otherwise, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Change, promptly upon (but in no event later then ten (10) Business Days after)
such occurrence or development.
5.4 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS. Borrower will do, and will cause its
Subsidiaries to do, all things necessary to remain duly incorporated or duly
qualified, validly existing and in good standing as a corporation, general
partnership, limited partnership or limited liability company, as the case may
be, in its jurisdiction of incorporation/formation and maintain all requisite
authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is
conducted and to carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same
manner as it is presently conducted and, specifically, neither Borrower nor its
Subsidiaries may undertake any significant business other than the manufacture
or distribution of industrial and consumer electronic products or related
consulting or support services.
5.5 TAXES. Borrower will pay, and will cause its Subsidiaries to pay,
when due all taxes, assessments and governmental charges and levies upon it of
its income, profits or Property, except those which are being contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves
have been set aside.
5.6 INSURANCE. Borrower will, and will cause its Subsidiaries to,
maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in
such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily
carried by companies engaged in similar businesses in localities where Borrower
and its Subsidiaries operate, including, without limitation:
(i) Property and casualty insurance (including coverage for flood and
other water damage for any Property located within a 100-year
flood plain) in the amount of the replacement cost of the
improvements at the Property; and
(ii) Comprehensive general liability insurance in the
amount of $20,000,000 per occurrence.
5.7 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. Borrower will, and will cause each of its
Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations, orders, writs,
judgments, injunctions, decrees or awards to which it may be subject, the
non-compliance with which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change.
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5.8 MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTIES. Except as permitted pursuant to SECTION
5.11 of this Agreement, Borrower will, and will cause its Subsidiaries to, do
all things necessary to maintain, preserve, protect and keep its Property in
good repair, working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and
make all necessary and proper repairs, renewals and replacements so that its
business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all
times.
5.9 INSPECTION. Borrower will, and will cause its Subsidiaries to,
permit Agent and each Lender, by its respective representatives and agents, to
inspect any Property, corporate books and financial records of Borrower and each
of its Subsidiaries, to examine and make copies of the books of accounts and
other financial records of Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries, and to discuss
the affairs, finances and accounts of Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries, and
to be advised as to the same by their respective officers at such reasonable
times and intervals as Agent may designate (provided, however, that any
inspection by a Lender shall be arranged by Agent).
5.10 MAINTENANCE OF STATUS. Borrower shall remain a corporation
validly existing and in good standing in the state of its incorporation and the
Borrower shall at all times remain a corporation listed and in good standing on
NASDAQ or other national securities exchange. The Borrower shall not permit a
Change in Control of Borrower.
5.11 MERGER; SALE OF ASSETS. Other than the Transfer of Assets in
connection with the Corporate Reorganization, Borrower will not, nor will it
permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any merger, consolidation,
reorganization or liquidation or transfer or otherwise dispose of a Substantial
Portion of its Property or business, unless approved in advance by Lenders.
5.12 DELIVERY OF NON-BORROWING AND NON-PLEDGE AGREEMENT.
Within sixty (60) days of the Closing Date, Borrower shall cause Canada to
deliver a Non-Borrowing and Non-Pledge Agreement (together with such documents
as Lenders shall reasonably request, including, but not limited to, documents of
the type described in SECTION 3.1) . Borrower shall deliver to Agent all
documents or instruments executed in connection with the formation of Illinois,
Minnesota or the Limited Partnership (the "CORPORATE REORGANIZATION DOCUMENTS").
After the earlier to occur of the following: (i) ten (10) days following
Borrower's acquisition of a Substantial Subsidiary or (ii) the completion of the
Corporate Reorganization, Borrower shall cause such Substantial Subsidiary to
execute and deliver to Lenders' a Non-Borrowing and Non-Pledge Agreement and an
updated Schedule 1 initialed by Borrower for identification (together with such
other documents as Lenders shall reasonably request, including, but not limited
to, documents of the type described in SECTION 3.1). The Non-Borrowing and
Non-Pledge
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Agreement and such other documents each shall be in form and substance
satisfactory to Lenders.
5.13 SALE AND LEASEBACK. Borrower will not, nor will it permit its
Subsidiaries to, sell or transfer all or a Substantial Portion of its Property
in order to concurrently or subsequently lease as lessee such or similar
Properties.
5.14 ACQUISITIONS AND INVESTMENTS. Borrower will not, nor will it
permit any Subsidiary to, make or suffer to exist any Investments, or
commitments therefor, or create any Subsidiary (other than Illinois, Minnesota
and the Limited Partnership) or become or remain a partner in any partnership or
joint venture, or make any Acquisition of any Person, except:
(i) Cash Equivalents;
(ii) up to $10,800,000 investment in Canada, other existing
Investments in Subsidiaries and joint ventures, and other
Investments in existence on the date hereof and described in
Schedule "1" hereto;
(iii) acquisitions permitted pursuant to SECTION 5.27; and
(iv) investments and loans permitted under SECTION 5.26.
5.15 LIENS. Borrower twill not, nor will it permit any of its
Subsidiaries to, create, incur, or suffer to exist any Lien in, of or on any
Property of it or any of its Subsidiaries, except:
(i) with respect to Property consisting of real
property under the laws of the state where such
Property is located, any tax lien, or any lien
securing workers' compensation or unemployment
insurance obligations, or any mechanic's, carrier's
or landlord's lien, or any lien arising under
ERISA, or any security interest arising under
article four (bank deposits and collections) or
five (letters or credit) of the Uniform Commercial
Code, or any security interest or other lien
similar to the foregoing, EXCEPT that this clause
(i) shall apply only to (A) the extent that the
aggregate of such liens on a consolidated basis
does not exceed $1,000,000, and (B) security
interests and other liens arising by operation of
law (whether statutory or common law) and in the
ordinary course of business and shall not apply to
any security interest or other lien that secures
any Indebtedness for Borrowed Money or any
Contingent Obligation or any obligation that is in
material default in any manner (other than any
default contested in good faith by timely and
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appropriate proceedings effective to stay enforcement of the
security interest or other lien in question);
(ii) zoning or deed restrictions, public utility easements, minor
title irregularities and similar matters having no adverse
effect as a practical matter on the ownership or use of any
of the properties or interfere with use thereof in the
business of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries;
(iii) with respect to Property consisting of real property under
the laws of the state where such Property is located, any
lien securing or given in lieu of surety, stay, appeal or
performance bonds, or securing performance of contracts or
bids (other than contracts for the payment of money
borrowed), or deposits required by law or governmental
regulations or by any court order, decree, judgment or rule
or as a condition to the transaction of business or the
exercise of any right, privilege or license, EXCEPT that
this clause (iii) shall not apply to (A) the extent that the
aggregate of such liens on a consolidated basis exceeds
$1,000,000, and (B) any lien or deposit securing any
obligation that is in material default in any manner (other
than any default contested in good faith by timely and
appropriate proceedings effective to stay enforcement of the
security interest or than lien in question);
(iv) any mortgage, security, interest or other lien (each a
"PURCHASE MONEY SECURITY INTEREST") which is created or
assumed in purchasing, constructing or improving any real
property or equipment to which any property is subject when
purchased, PROVIDED, that (A) the Purchase Money Security
Interest shall be confined to the aforesaid property, (B)
the indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the total
cost of the purchase, construction or improvement and (C)
any such indebtedness, if repaid in whole or in part, cannot
be reborrowed;
(v) any lease other than any Capitalized Lease (it being agreed
that a Capitalized Lease is a lien rather than a lease for
the purposes of this Agreement) so long as the aggregate
annual rentals of all such leases do not exceed Ten Million
Dollars ($10,000,000) on a consolidated basis,
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(vi) any financing statement perfecting a security interest that
would be permissible under this subsection; and
(vii) liens existing on the date hereof and described on SCHEDULE
2 hereof.
Liens permitted pursuant to this SECTION 5.15 shall be deemed to be "PERMITTED
LIENS".
5.16 AFFILIATES. Except as permitted pursuant to SECTION 5.2, SECTION
5.11 or SECTION 5.14 Borrower will not, nor will it permit any of its
Subsidiaries to, enter into any transaction (including, without limitation, the
purchase or sale of any Property or service) with, or make any payment or
transfer to, any Affiliate except in the ordinary course of business and
pursuant to the reasonable requirements of Borrower or such Subsidiary's
business and upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to that Borrower
or such Subsidiary than that Borrower or such Subsidiary would obtain in a
comparable arm's-length transaction.
5.17 ADDITIONAL INDEBTEDNESS AND FINANCIAL UNDERTAKINGS. Borrower will
not enter into or remain liable upon, any Financial Undertaking, nor will
Borrower incur Indebtedness for Borrowed Money (other than Indebtedness for
Borrowed Money which is incurred under this Agreement, the Additional
Facilities, the Debt Offering or that consists of interest rate exchange
agreements or interest rate option agreements, that in the aggregate, at any
time, do not create an Aggregate Measured Credit Risk in excess of $7,500,000).
Borrower will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to enter into or remain liable
upon, any Financial Undertaking, nor will Borrower permit any of its
Subsidiaries to incur Indebtedness for Borrowed Money (other than loans made by
the Borrower and permitted by SECTION 5.26, and current Indebtedness for
Borrowed Money as described on Schedule 6 hereto).
5.18 LITIGATION. Borrower shall furnish or cause to be furnished to
Agent, promptly (and, in any event, within five (5) Business Days) after any
Borrower or its Subsidiaries shall have first become aware of the same, a
written notice setting forth full particulars of and what action Borrower or its
Subsidiaries is taking or proposes to take with respect to (a) any final
judgment in an amount exceeding One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) rendered
against Borrower or any Affiliate of Borrower; (b) the commencement or
institution of any legal or administrative action, suit, proceeding or
investigation by or against Borrower in or before any court, governmental or
regulatory body, agency, commission, or official, board of arbitration or
arbitrator, the outcome of which could reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Change; or (c) the occurrence of any adverse development not
previously disclosed by Borrower to Agent in writing, in any such action, suit,
proceeding or investigation.
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5.19 FURTHER ASSURANCES. Borrower will execute, acknowledge and
deliver, or cause to be executed, acknowledged and delivered, any and all such
further assurances and other agreements or instruments, and take or cause to be
taken all such other action, as shall be reasonably requested by Agent from time
to time in order to give full force and effect to the Loan Documents.
5.20 CURRENT RATIO. Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated
basis, shall maintain, at all times, a Current Ratio in excess of 1.7 to 1.
5.21 CONSOLIDATED TANGIBLE NET WORTH; TANGIBLE NET WORTH. Borrower and
its Subsidiaries shall have a Consolidated Tangible Net Worth of not less than
$95,000,000 at Closing. Thereafter, Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall
maintain, at all times, a Consolidated Tangible Net Worth equal to $95,000,000
plus (i) 100% of the net proceeds to Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any
equity offering; (ii) 100% of the net proceeds to Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries of the SECT; and a minimum of 75% of positive Consolidated Net
Income, if any, per calendar quarter thereafter; provided, however, that no
adjustments shall be made as a consequence of any loss. Borrower shall have a
Tangible Net Worth of not less than $95,000,000 at Closing. Thereafter, Borrower
shall maintain, at all times, a Tangible Net Worth equal to $95,000,000 plus (i)
100% of the net proceeds to Borrower of any equity offering; (ii) 100% of the
net proceeds to Borrower of the SECT; and a minimum of 75% of positive Net
Income, if any, per calendar quarter thereafter; provided, however, that no
adjustments shall be made as a consequence of any loss.
5.22 WORKING CAPITAL. Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated
basis, shall have maintained Working Capital of $175,000,000 as of March 31,
1996, and shall maintain as of March 31, 1997, and at all times thereafter,
Working Capital of $190,000,000.
5.23 CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. Capital Expenditures for Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, shall not exceed $30,000,000 for
Borrower's and its Subsidiaries' fiscal year ending March 31, 1997, and each
year thereafter.
5.24 LEVERAGE RATIO. The Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 4.75 to 1.00
at any time during the period commencing on the Closing Date, and ending on
March 31, 1997, 4.25 to 1.00 at any time during the period commencing April 1,
1997, and ending on March 31, 1998, and 3.00 to 1.00 at any time during the
period commencing on April 1, 1998, and thereafter.
5.25 CONSOLIDATED FIXED CHARGE COVERAGE RATIO; FIXED CHARGE COVERAGE
RATIO. Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall maintain a Consolidated Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio of no less than 2.0x to 1.0 on and after the Closing Date, and on
the last calendar day of each fiscal quarter thereafter, until the Facility
Termination
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Date. Borrower shall maintain a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of 1.25x to 1.0,
commencing September 30 1996, and on the last calendar day of each fiscal
quarter thereafter, until the Facility Termination Date.
5.26 INVESTMENT AND LOAN LIMIT. Neither the Borrower, nor any of its
Subsidiaries, together or individually, directly or indirectly, in any instance
or in the aggregate over time may: (a) invest in any manner more than
$10,800,000 in Canada, or (b) loan more than an aggregate principal amount of:
(i) $25,000,000 to Canada; (ii) $75,000,000 to Limited Partnership; (iii)
$15,000,000 to Minnesota; (iv) $10,000,000 to Illinois; (v) $55,000,000 to
Maryland; and (vi) $1,000,000 to FSC.
5.27 ACQUISITION LIMIT. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries
shall fund the Acquisitions of Persons, or offer for, any Capital Stock of
Persons, to the extent the aggregate consideration (including contingent
consideration) of all such Acquisitions made after the Closing Date and until
the Facility Termination Date would exceed $2,000,000.
5.28 ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall:
(a) Conduct and complete all investigations, studies, sampling and
testing, and all remedial, removal and other actions required under
Environmental Laws and promptly comply in all material respects with all
lawful orders and directives of all Governmental Authorities regarding
Environmental Laws, except to the extent that (i) the same are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and the pendency of such
proceedings could not be reasonably expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change, or (ii) that Borrower has determined in good faith that
contesting the same is not in the best interests of Borrower and its
Subsidiaries and the failure to contest the same could not be reasonably
expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(b) Defend, indemnify and hold harmless Agent and each Lender, and
their respective employees, agents, officers and directors from and against
any claims, demands, penalties, fines, liabilities, settlements, damages,
costs and expenses of whatever kind or nature known or unknown, contingent
or otherwise, arising out of, or in any way relating to the violation of,
noncompliance with or liability under any Environmental Laws applicable to
the operations of Borrower, its Subsidiaries or its Property, or any
orders, requirements or demands of Governmental Authorities related
thereto, including, without limitation, attorney's and consultant's fees,
investigation and laboratory fees, response costs, court costs and
litigation expenses, except to the extent that any of the foregoing arise
out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the party seeking
indemnification therefor.
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This indemnity shall continue in full force and effect regardless of the
termination of this Agreement.
5.29 SUBSIDIARIES TANGIBLE NET WORTH. Each Substantial Subsidiary of
Borrower, shall at all times maintain a Tangible Net Worth equal to or greater
than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000), provided, however, with respect to Canada
the covenants of this SECTION 5.29 shall apply as of September 30, 1996, and
thereafter.
5.30 TANGIBLE ASSETS; ASSETS. As of the Closing Date, and at all times
thereafter, Borrower's Tangible Assets shall be equal to or greater than
forty-six (46%) percent of the Borrower's Assets, based on equity method of
accounting.
ARTICLE VI
DEFAULTS
--------
The occurrence of any one or more of the following events shall constitute
a Default:
6.1 NONPAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL. Nonpayment of any principal payment on
any Note when due.
6.2 NONPAYMENT OF OTHER OBLIGATIONS. Nonpayment of interest upon any
Note or of any Commitment Fee or other payment Obligations under any of the Loan
Documents within three (3) Business Days after the same becomes due.
6.3 CERTAIN BREACHES. The breach of any of the terms or provisions of
SECTIONS 5.2, 5.6, 5.7 and 5.9 through 5.28, or the breach by any Substantial
Subsidiary of its Non-Borrowing and Non-Pledge Agreement.
6.4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Any representation or warranty
made or deemed made by or on behalf of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to
Lenders or Agent under or in connection with this Agreement, any Loan, or any
certificate or information delivered in connection with this Agreement or any
other Loan Document shall be materially false on the date as of which made.
6.5 OTHER BREACHES. The breach by any Borrower (other than a breach
which constitutes a Default under any other section of this ARTICLE VI) which
constitutes a Default under any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement
which is not remedied within fifteen (15) days after written notice from Agent
or any Lender.
6.6 DEFAULTS ON INDEBTEDNESS. Failure of Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries to pay any of its respective Indebtedness when due; or the default
by Borrower or any of its subsidiaries in the performance of any term, provision
or condition contained in
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any agreement, or any other event shall occur or condition exist which causes or
permits any Indebtedness of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to be due and
payable or required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled payment)
prior to the stated maturity thereof; provided, however, that it shall not be a
default under this SECTION 6.6 if Borrower shall be in default with respect to
Indebtedness arising from Indebtedness other than Indebtedness for Borrowed
Money in an aggregate amount not exceeding One Million Dollars ($1,000,000).
6.7 BANKRUPTCY, ETC. Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall (i)
have an order for relief entered with respect to it under the Federal bankruptcy
laws as now or hereafter in effect, (ii) make an assignment for the benefit of
creditors, (iii) apply for, seek, consent to, or acquiesce in, the appointment
of a receiver, custodian, trustee, examiner, liquidator or similar official for
it or any of its Property, (iv) institute any proceeding for an order for relief
under the Federal bankruptcy laws as now or hereafter in effect or to adjudicate
it as a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking dissolution, winding up, liquidation,
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of it or its debts under
any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of
debtors or fail to file an answer or other pleading denying the material
allegations of any such proceeding filed against it, (v) take any corporate
action to authorize or effect any of the foregoing actions set forth in this
SECTION 6.7, (vi) fail to contest in good faith any appointment or proceeding
described in SECTION 6.8 or (vii) not pay, or admit in writing its inability to
pay, its debts generally as they become due.
6.8 APPOINTMENT OF RECEIVER. A receiver, trustee, examiner, liquidator
or similar official shall be appointed for Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
or any of their respective Property, or a proceeding described in SECTION
6.7(iv) shall be instituted against Borrower or any Subsidiary and such
appointment continues undischarged or such proceeding continues undismissed or
unstayed for a period of thirty (30) consecutive days.
6.9 CONDEMNATION. Any court, government or governmental agency shall
condemn, seize or otherwise appropriate, or take custody or control of (each a
"CONDEMNATION"), all or any portion of the Property of Borrower and its
Subsidiaries which, when taken together with all other Property of such Person
so condemned, seized, appropriated, or taken custody or control of, during the
twelve-month period ending with the month in which any such Condemnation occurs,
could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change on Borrower
or Subsidiary.
6.10 JUDGMENTS. Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall fail within
sixty (60) days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any judgments or orders for
the payment of money in an amount which, when added to all other judgments or
orders
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outstanding against Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries would exceed $1,000,000
in the aggregate, which have not been stayed on appeal or otherwise
appropriately contested in good faith.
6.11 ERISA WITHDRAWAL. Borrower or any other member of the Controlled
Group shall have been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that it
has incurred withdrawal liability to such Multiemployer Plan in an amount which,
when aggregated with all other amounts required to be paid to Multiemployer
Plans by Borrower or any other member of the Controlled Group as withdrawal
liability (determined as of the date of such notification), exceeds $250,000 or
requires payments exceeding $100,000 per annum.
6.12 ERISA REORGANIZATION. Borrower or any other member of the
Controlled Group shall have been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan
that such Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization or is being terminated, within
the meaning of Title IV of ERISA, if as a result of such reorganization or
termination the aggregate annual contributions of Borrower and the other members
of the Controlled Group (taken as a whole) to all Multiemployer Plans which are
then in reorganization or being terminated have been or will be increased over
the amounts contributed to such Multiemployer Plans for the respective plan
years of each such Multiemployer Plan immediately preceding the plan year in
which the reorganization or termination occurs by an amount exceeding $250,000.
6.13 OTHER DEFAULTS. The occurrence of any default under any Loan
Document or the breach of any of the terms or provisions of any Loan Document,
which default or breach continues beyond any period of grace therein provided.
ARTICLE VII
ACCELERATION, WAIVERS, AMENDMENTS AND REMEDIES
----------------------------------------------
7.1 ACCELERATION. If any Default described in SECTION 6.7 or 6.8
occurs with respect to Borrower, the obligations of Lenders to make Loans
hereunder shall automatically terminate and the Obligations shall immediately
become due and payable without any election or action on the part of Agent or
any Lender. If any other Default occurs, the Agent may, with the concurrence of
the Required Lenders, terminate or suspend the obligations of Lenders to make
Loans hereunder, or declare the Obligations to be due and payable or both,
whereupon the Obligations shall become immediately due and payable, without
presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind, all of which Borrower hereby
expressly waives.
If, within ten (10) days after acceleration of the maturity of the
Obligations or termination of the obligations of Lenders to make Loans hereunder
as a result of any Default (other than any
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Default as described in SECTION 6.7 or 6.8 with respect to any Borrower) and
before any judgment or decree for the payment of the Obligations due shall have
been obtained or entered, each Lender (in their sole discretion) shall so
direct, Agent shall, by notice to Borrower, rescind and annul such acceleration
and/or termination.
7.2 AMENDMENTS & WAIVERS. Subject to the provisions of this Article
VII, the Required Lenders (or Agent with the consent in writing of Lenders) and
Borrower may enter into agreements and waivers supplemental hereto for the
purpose of adding or modifying any provisions to the Loan Documents or changing
in any manner the rights of Lenders or Borrower hereunder or waiving any Default
hereunder; provided, however, that no such supplemental agreement or waiver
shall, without the consent of each Lender affected thereby:
(i) Extend the Facility Termination Date or forgive all or any
portion of the principal amount of any Loan or accrued interest
thereon or the Commitment Fee, reduce the Applicable Margins or
the underlying interest rate options or extend the time of
payment of such interest or Commitment Fees.
(ii) Release any Substantial Subsidiary from its Non-
Borrowing and Non-Pledge Agreement.
(iii) Increase the amount of the Commitment of any Lender
hereunder.
(iv) Permit Borrower to assign its rights under this
Agreement.
(v) Amend this SECTION 7.2.
No amendment of any provision of this Agreement relating to Agent shall be
effective without the written consent of Agent.
7.3 PRESERVATION OF RIGHTS. No delay or omission of Lenders or Agent
to exercise any right under the Loan Documents shall impair such right or be
construed to be a waiver of any Default or an acquiescence therein, and the
making of a Loan notwithstanding the existence of a Default or the inability of
Borrower to satisfy the conditions precedent to such Loan shall not constitute
any waiver or acquiescence. Any single or partial exercise of any such right
shall not preclude other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any
other right, and no waiver, amendment or other variation of the terms,
conditions or provisions of the Loan Documents whatsoever shall be valid unless
in writing signed by Lenders required pursuant to SECTION 7.2, and then only to
the extent in such writing specifically set forth. All remedies contained in the
Loan Documents or by law afforded shall be
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cumulative and all shall be available to Agent and Lenders jointly until the
Obligations have been paid in full.
ARTICLE VIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
------------------
8.1 SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS. All representations and warranties of
Borrower contained in this Agreement shall survive delivery of the Notes and the
making of the Loans herein contemplated.
8.2 GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION. Anything contained in this Agreement to
the contrary notwithstanding, no Lender shall be obligated to extend credit to
Borrower in violation of any limitation or prohibition provided by any
applicable statute or regulation.
8.3 TAX. Any taxes (excluding federal income taxes on the overall net
income of any Lender and taxes resulting from a Lenders failure to comply with
SECTION 2.21) or other similar assessments or charges made by any governmental
or revenue authority in respect of the Loan Documents shall be paid by Borrower,
together with interest and penalties, if any.
8.4 HEADING. Section headings in the Loan Documents are for
convenience of reference only, and shall not govern the interpretation of any of
the provisions of the Loan Documents.
8.5 ENTIRE AGREEMENT. The Loan Documents embody the entire agreement
and understanding among Borrower, Agent and Lenders and supersede all prior
commitments, agreements and understandings among Borrower, Agent and Lenders
relating to the subject matter thereof.
8.6 SEVERAL OBLIGATIONS BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. The respective
obligations of Lenders hereunder are several and not joint and no Lender shall
be the partner or agent of any other (except to the extent to which Agent is
authorized to act as such). The failure of any Lender to perform any of its
obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender from any of its
obligations hereunder. This Agreement shall not be construed so as to confer any
right or benefit upon any Person other than the parties to this Agreement and
their respective successors and assigns.
8.7 EXPENSES; INDEMNIFICATION. Borrower shall reimburse Agent for any
costs, internal charges and out-of-pocket expenses (including, without
limitation, all expenses of Agent's due diligence investigation of Borrower,
syndication expenses, travel expenses, reasonable fees for consultants and fees
and reasonable expenses for attorneys for Agent, which attorneys may be
employees
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of Agent) paid or incurred by Agent in connection with the amendment,
modification, and administration of the Loan Documents. Borrower also agrees to
reimburse Agent and Lenders for any costs, internal charges and out-of-pocket
expenses (including, without limitation, all fees and reasonable expenses for
attorneys for Agent and Lenders, which attorneys may be employees of Agent or
Lenders) paid or incurred by Agent or any Lender in connection with the
collection and enforcement of the Loan Documents (including, without limitation,
any workout). Borrower further agrees to indemnify Agent and each Lender, its
directors, officers and employees against all losses, claims, damages,
penalties, judgments, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation,
all expenses of litigation or preparation there for whether or not Agent or any
Lender is a party thereto) which any of them may pay or incur arising out of or
relating to this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, any Property, the
transactions contemplated hereby or the direct or indirect application or
proposed application of the proceeds of any Loan hereunder. The obligations of
Borrower under this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
8.8 NUMBERS. All statements, notices, closing documents, and requests
hereunder shall be furnished to Agent with sufficient counterparts so that Agent
may furnish one to each of Lenders.
8.9 ACCOUNTING. Except as provided to the contrary herein, all
accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted and all accounting
determinations hereunder shall be made in accordance with GAAP, except that any
calculation or determination which is to be made on a consolidated basis shall
be made for Borrower and all its Subsidiaries, including those Subsidiaries, if
any, which are unconsolidated on Borrower's official financial statements.
8.10 SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS. Any provision in any Loan Document
that is held to be inoperative, unenforceable, or invalid in any jurisdiction
shall, as to that jurisdiction, be inoperative, unenforceable, or invalid
without affecting the remaining provisions in that jurisdiction or the
operation, enforceability, or validity of that provision in any other
jurisdiction, and to this end the provisions of all Loan Documents are declared
to be severable.
8.11 NONLIABILITY OF LENDERS. The relationship between Borrower, on
the one hand, and Lenders and Agent, on the other, shall be solely that of
borrower and lender. Neither Agent nor any Lender shall have any fiduciary
responsibilities to Borrower. Neither Agent nor any Lender undertakes any
responsibility to Borrower to review or inform Borrower of any matter in
connection with any phase of any Borrower's business or operations.
8.12 CHOICE OF LAW. THE LOAN DOCUMENTS (OTHER THAN THOSE
CONTAINING A CONTRARY EXPRESS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISION) SHALL BE
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS (AND NOT THE LAW OF
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CONFLICTS) OF THE STATE OF OHIO, BUT GIVING EFFECT TO FEDERAL LAWS APPLICABLE TO
NATIONAL BANKS.
8.13 CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. BORROWER HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO
THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF ANY UNITED STATES FEDERAL OR OHIO STATE COURT
SITTING IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR
RELATING TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENTS AND BORROWER HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AGREES THAT ALL
CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN
ANY SUCH COURT AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE
AS TO THE VENUE OF ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN SUCH A COURT
OR THAT SUCH COURT IS AN INCONVENIENT FORUM. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL IMPAIR THE
RIGHT OF AGENT OR ANY LENDER TO BRING PROCEEDINGS AGAINST BORROWER IN THE COURTS
OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION. ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING BY BORROWER AGAINST AGENT OR
ANY LENDER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF Agent OR ANY LENDER INVOLVING, DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY, ANY MATTER IN ANY WAY ARISING OUT OF, RELATED TO, OR CONNECTED WITH
ANY LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT ONLY IN A COURT IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OHIO.
8.14 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. BORROWER, AGENT AND EACH LENDER HEREBY
WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING INVOLVING, DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY, ANY MATTER (WHETHER SOUNDING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) IN ANY
WAY ARISING OUT OF, RELATED TO, OR CONNECTED WITH ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE
RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED THEREUNDER.
ARTICLE IX
AGENT
-----
9. 1 APPOINTMENT. National City Bank is hereby appointed Agent
hereunder and under each other Loan Document, and each of Lenders irrevocably
authorizes Agent to act as the agent of such Lender. Agent agrees to act as such
upon the express conditions contained in this Article IX. Agent shall not have a
fiduciary relationship in respect of Borrower or any Lender by reason of this
Agreement.
9.2 POWERS. Agent shall have and may exercise such powers under the
Loan Documents as are specifically delegated to Agent by the terms of each
thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Agent
shall have no implied duties to Lenders, or any obligation to Lenders to take
any action thereunder except any action specifically provided by the Loan
Documents to be taken by Agent.
9.3 GENERAL IMMUNITY. Neither Agent nor any of its directors,
officers, agents or employees shall be liable to Borrower, Lenders or any
Lender for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it or them hereunder or
under any other Loan Document
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or in connection herewith or therewith except for its or their own gross
negligence or willful misconduct.
9.4 NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOANS, RECITALS, ETC. Neither Agent nor any
of its directors, officers, agents or employees shall be responsible for or have
any duty to ascertain, inquire into, or verify (i) any statement, warranty or
representation made in connection with any Loan Document or any borrowing
hereunder; (ii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants or
agreements of any obligor under any Loan Document, including, without
limitation, any agreement by an obligor to furnish information directly to each
Lender; (iii) the satisfaction of any condition specified in ARTICLE IV, except
receipt of items required to be delivered to Agent; (iv) the validity,
effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other instrument or
writing furnished in connection therewith; or (v) the value, sufficiency,
creation, perfection or priority of any interest in any collateral security.
Agent shall have no duty to disclose to Lenders information that is not required
to be furnished by Borrower to Agent at such time, but is voluntarily furnished
by Borrower to Agent (either in its capacity as Agent or in its individual
capacity).
9.5 ACTION ON INSTRUCTIONS OF LENDERS. Agent shall in all cases be
fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, hereunder and under any
other Loan Document in accordance with written instructions signed by the
Required Lenders, and such instructions and any action taken or failure to act
pursuant thereto shall be binding on all of Lenders and on all holders of Notes.
Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action
hereunder and under any other Loan Document unless it shall first be indemnified
to its satisfaction by Lenders pro rata against any and all liability, cost
and expense that it may incur by reason of taking or continuing to take any such
action.
9.6 EMPLOYMENT OF AGENTS AND COUNSEL. Agent may execute any of its
duties as Agent hereunder and under any other Loan Document by or through
employees, agents, and attorneys-in-fact and shall not be answerable to Lenders,
except as to money or securities received by it or its authorized agents, for
the default or misconduct of any such agents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it
with reasonable care. Agent shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning
all matters pertaining to the agency hereby created and its duties hereunder and
under any other Loan Document.
9.7 RELIANCE ON DOCUMENTS; COUNSEL. Agent shall be entitled to rely
upon any Note, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telegram,
statement, paper or document believed by it to be genuine and correct and to
have been signed or sent by the proper person or persons, and, in respect to
legal matters, upon the opinion of counsel selected by Agent, which counsel may
be employees of Agent.
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9.8 AGENT'S REIMBURSEMENT AND INDEMNIFICATION. Lenders agree to
reimburse and indemnify Agent ratably in proportion to their respective
Commitments (i) for any amounts not reimbursed by Borrower for which Agent is
entitled to reimbursement by Borrower under the Loan Documents, (ii) for any
other expenses incurred by Agent on behalf of Lenders, in connection with the
preparation, execution, delivery, administration and enforcement of the Loan
Documents and (iii) for any liabilities, obligations, losses, damages,
penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any
kind and nature whatsoever which may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted
against Agent in any way relating to or arising out of the Loan Documents or any
other document delivered in connection therewith or the transactions
contemplated thereby, or the enforcement of any of the terms thereof or of any
such other documents, provided that no Lender shall be liable for any of the
foregoing to the extent they arise from the gross negligence or willful
misconduct of Agent. The obligations of Lenders under this SECTION 9.8 shall
survive payment of the Obligations and termination of this Agreement.
9.9 RIGHTS AS A LENDER. In the event Agent is a Lender, Agent shall
have the same rights and powers hereunder and under any other Loan Document as
any Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not Agent, and the term
"Lender" or "Lenders" shall, at any time when Agent is a Lender, unless the
context otherwise indicates, include Agent in its individual capacity. Agent may
accept deposits from, lend money to, and generally engage in any kind of trust,
debt, equity or other transaction, in addition to those contemplated by this
Agreement or any other Loan Document, with Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
in which Borrower or such Subsidiary is not restricted hereby from engaging with
any other Person. Agent, in its individual capacity, is not obligated to remain
a Lender.
9.10 LENDER CREDIT DECISION. Each Lender acknowledges that it has,
independently and without reliance upon Agent or any other Lender and based on
the financial statements prepared by Borrower and such other documents and
information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and
decision to enter into this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Each Lender
also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon Agent or
any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem
appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or
not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
9.11 SUCCESSOR AGENT. Agent may resign at any time by giving written
notice thereof to Lenders and Borrower, such resignation to be effective upon
the appointment of a successor Agent or, if no successor Agent has been
appointed, forty-five days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its
intention to resign. Upon any such resignation, Lenders shall have the right to
appoint, on behalf of Borrower and Lenders, a successor Agent. If no
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successor Agent shall have been so appointed by Lenders within thirty days after
the resigning Agent's giving notice of its intention to resign, then the
resigning Agent may appoint, on behalf of Borrower and Lenders, a successor
Agent. If Agent has resigned and no successor Agent has been appointed, Lenders
may perform all the duties of Agent hereunder and Borrower shall make all
payments in respect of the Obligations to the applicable Lender and for all
other purposes shall deal directly with Lenders. No successor Agent shall be
deemed to be appointed hereunder until such successor Agent has accepted the
appointment. Any such successor Agent shall be a commercial bank having capital
and retained earnings of at least $50,000,000. Upon the acceptance of any
appointment as Agent hereunder by a successor Agent, such successor Agent shall
thereupon succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges
and duties of the resigning Agent. Upon the effectiveness of the resignation of
Agent, the resigning Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations
hereunder and under the Loan Documents. After the effectiveness of the
resignation of an Agent, the provisions of this ARTICLE X shall continue in
effect for the benefit of such Agent in respect of any actions taken or omitted
to be taken by it while it was acting as Agent hereunder and under the other
Loan Documents.
ARTICLE X
SETOFF; RATABLE PAYMENTS
------------------------
10.1 SETOFF. In addition to, and without limitation of, any rights of
Lenders under applicable law, if Borrower becomes insolvent, however evidenced,
or any Default occurs, any and all deposits (including all account balances,
whether provisional or final and whether or not collected or available) and any
other Indebtedness at any time held or owing by any Lender to or for the credit
or account of Borrower may be offset and applied toward the payment of the
Obligations owing to such Lender, whether or not the Obligations, or any part
hereof, shall then be due.
10.2 RATABLE PAYMENTS. If any Lender, whether by setoff or otherwise,
has payment made to it upon its Loans in a greater proportion than that received
by any other Lender, such Lender agrees, promptly upon demand, to purchase a
portion of the Loans held by the other Lenders so that after such purchase each
Lender will hold its ratable proportion of Loans. If any Lender, whether in
connection with setoff or amounts which might be subject to setoff or otherwise,
receives collateral or other protection for its Obligations or such amounts
which may be subject to setoff, such Lender agrees, promptly upon demand, to
take such action necessary such that all Lenders share in the benefits of such
collateral ratably in proportion to their Loans. In case any such payment is
disturbed by legal process, or otherwise, appropriate further adjustments shall
be made.
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ARTICLE XI
BENEFIT OF AGREEMENT; ASSIGNMENT; PARTICIPATION
-----------------------------------------------
11.1 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. The terms and provisions of the Loan
Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of Borrower and Lenders
and their respective successors and assigns, except that (i) Borrower shall not
have the right to assign their rights or obligations under the Loan Documents
and (ii) any assignment by any Lender must be made in compliance with SECTION
11.3. Notwithstanding clause (ii) of this Section, any Lender may at any time,
without the consent of Borrower or Agent, assign all or any portion of its
rights under this Agreement and its Notes to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided,
however, that no such assignment shall release the transferor Lender from its
obligations hereunder. Agent may treat the payee of any Note as the owner
thereof for all purposes hereof unless and until such payee complies with
SECTION 11.3 in the case of an assignment thereof or, in the case of any other
transfer, a written notice of the transfer is filed with Agent. Any assignee or
transferee of a Note agrees by acceptance thereof to be bound by all the terms
and provisions of the Loan Documents. Any request, authority or consent of any
Person, who at the time of making such request or giving such authority or
consent is the holder of any Note, shall be conclusive and binding on any
subsequent holder, transferee or assignee of such Note or of any Note or Notes
issued in exchange therefor.
11.2 PARTICIPATION.
11.2.1 PERMITTED PARTICIPANTS; EFFECT. Any Lender may, in the ordinary
course of its business and in accordance with applicable law, at any time
sell to one or more banks, financial institutions, pension funds, or any
other funds or entities participating interests in any Loan owing to such
Lender, any Note held by such Lender, any Commitment of such Lender or any
other interest of such Lender under the Loan Documents. In the event of any
such sale by a Lender of participating interests to a Participant, such
Lender's obligations under the Loan Documents shall remain unchanged, such
Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the
performance of such obligations, such Lender shall remain the holder of any
such Note for all purposes under the Loan Documents, all amounts payable by
Borrower under this Agreement shall be determined as if such Lender had not
sold such participating interests, and Borrower and Agent shall continue to
deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender's
rights and obligations under the Loan Documents.
11.2.2 VOTING RIGHTS. Each Lender shall retain the sole right to
approve, without the consent of any Participant,
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any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of the Loan Documents
other than any amendment, modification or waiver with respect to any Loan or
Commitment in which such Participant has an interest which forgives principal,
interest or fees or reduces the interest rate or fees payable with respect to
any such Loan or Commitment or postpones any date fixed for any regularly
scheduled payment of principal of, or interest or fees on, any such Loan or
Commitment or releases any Subsidiary from a Non-Borrowing and Non-Pledge
Agreement.
11.2.3 BENEFIT OF SETOFF. Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be
deemed to have the right of Setoff provided in SECTION 10.1 in respect of its
participating interest in amounts owing under the Loan Documents to the same
extent as if the amount of its participating interest were owing directly to it
as a Lender under the Loan Documents, provided that each Lender shall retain the
right of setoff provided in SECTION 10.1 with respect to the amount of
participating interests sold to each Participant. Lenders agree to share with
each Participant, and each Participant, by exercising the right of setoff
provided in Section 10.1, agrees to share with each Lender, any amount received
pursuant to the exercise of its right of setoff, such amounts to be shared in
accordance with SECTION 10.2 as if each Participant were a Lender.
11.3 ASSIGNMENTS.
11.3.1 PERMITTED ASSIGNMENTS. Any Lender may, in the ordinary course of its
business and in accordance with applicable law, at any time assign to one or
more banks, financial institutions, pension funds, or any other funds or
entities ("PURCHASERS") all or any portion of its rights and obligations under
the Loan Documents. Such assignment shall be substantially in the form of
EXHIBIT H hereto or in such other form as may be agreed to by the parties
thereto. The consent of Agent shall be required prior to an assignment becoming
effective with respect to a Purchaser which is not a Lender or an Affiliate
thereof. Such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
11.3.2 PRIOR CONSENT. Notwithstanding SECTION 11.3.1, Lenders may not
assign rights and obligations under the Loan Documents to a Purchaser without
the prior written consent of Borrower if any of the following would occur: (i)
an assignment of less than five (5%) of the Aggregate Commitment as of the date
of such assignment, (ii) the proposed purchaser is a financial institution not
organized under the laws of a state or of the United States (unless such
institution is an affiliate of the transferring Lender), or (iii) such transfer
would result in Borrower incurring increased payments pursuant to SECTION 2.11;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, if at the time of the proposed assignment Borrower is
the subject of a
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proceeding referenced in SECTION 6.7 or 6.8, or any Default shall have
occurred, the Borrower consent shall not be required and any Lender may
consummate an assignment notwithstanding the requirements of clauses (i),
(ii) or (iii) of this SECTION 11.3.2.
11.3.3 EFFECTIVE DATE. Upon (i) delivery to Agent of a notice of
assignment, substantially in the form attached as EXHIBIT 1 to EXHIBIT H
hereto (a "NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT"), together with any consents required by
SECTION 11.3.2, and (ii) payment of a $2,500 fee to Agent for processing
such assignment (PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such assignment shall be made
to an Affiliate of Lender, then Lender shall not be required to pay such
fee to Agent), such assignment shall become effective on the effective date
specified in such Notice of Assignment. The Notice of Assignment shall
contain a representation by the Purchaser to the effect that none of the
consideration used to make the purchase of the Commitment and Loans under
the applicable assignment agreement are "plan assets" as defined under
ERISA and that the rights and interests of the Purchaser in and under the
Loan Documents will not be "plan assets" under ERISA. On and after the
effective date of such assignment, such Purchaser shall for all purposes be
a Lender party to this Agreement and any other Loan Document executed by
Lenders and shall have all the rights and obligations of a Lender under the
Loan Documents, to the same extent as if it were an original party hereto,
and no further consent or action by the Borrower, Lenders or Agent shall be
required to release the transferor Lender with respect to the percentage of
the Aggregate Commitment and Loans assigned to such Purchaser. Upon the
consummation of any assignment to a Purchaser pursuant to this SECTION
11.3.2, the transferor Lender, Agent and Borrower shall make appropriate
arrangements so that replacement Notes are issued to such transferor Lender
and new Notes or, as appropriate, replacement Notes, are issued to such
Purchaser, in each case in principal amounts reflecting their Commitment,
as adjusted pursuant to such assignment.
11.4 DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION. Borrower authorizes each Lender to
disclose to any Participant or Purchaser or any other Person acquiring an
interest in the Loan Documents by operation of law (each a "TRANSFEREE") and any
prospective Transferee any and all information in such Lender's possession
concerning the creditworthiness of Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
11.5 TAX TREATMENT. If any interest in any Loan Document is
transferred to any Transferee which is organized under the laws of any
jurisdiction other-than the United States or any State thereof, the transferor
Lender shall cause such Transferee, concurrently with the effectiveness of such
transfer, to comply with the provisions of SECTION 2.21.
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ARTICLE XII
NOTICES; NATURE OF OBLIGATIONS
------------------------------
12.1 GIVING NOTICE. Except as otherwise permitted by SECTION 2.17 with
respect to borrowing notices, all notices and other communications provided to
any party hereto under this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be in
writing or by telex or by facsimile and addressed or delivered to such party at
its address set forth below its signature hereto or at such other address as may
be designated by such party in a notice to the other parties. Any notice, if
mailed and properly addressed with postage prepaid, shall be deemed given when
received; any notice, if transmitted by telex or facsimile, shall be deemed
given when transmitted (answerback confirmed in the log of telexes).
12.2 CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Borrower, Agent and any Lender may change the
address for service of notice upon it by a notice in writing to the other
parties hereto.
12.3 NATURE OF BORROWER'S OBLIGATIONS AND MODIFICATION THEREOF. The
obligations of Borrower under this Agreement are absolute and unconditional and
shall be irrevocable. Borrower agrees that its obligations hereunder shall not
be impaired, modified, changed, released or limited in any manner whatsoever by
any impairment, modification, change, release or limitation of the liability of
Borrower by any bankruptcy case or by any stay or other legal impediment in or
arising from the operation of any present or future provision of the Bankruptcy
Code or other similar state or federal statute, or from the decision of any
court. Borrower agrees that Lenders may, in their discretion, (i) release,
discharge, compromise or settle with, or grant indulgences to, refuse to proceed
or take action against, Borrower with respect to its respective obligations
under this Agreement, (ii) release, surrender, modify, impair, exchange,
substitute or extend the period or duration of time for the performance,
discharge or payment of, refuse to enforce, compromise or settle its respective
lien, security interest, pledge or assignment against, any and all deposits or
other property or assets on which Lenders may have a lien, security interest,
pledge or assignment or which secures any of the obligations of Borrower under
this Agreement, and (iii) amend, modify, alter or restate, in accordance with
their respective terms, this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents or
otherwise, accept deposits or other property from, or enter into transactions of
any kind or nature with, Borrower. Borrower confirms that it will be directly or
indirectly benefitted by the Loan and any and all other Advances under this
Agreement or any of the Loan Documents.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
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ARTICLE XIII
COUNTERPARTS
------------
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which
taken together shall constitute one agreement, and any of the parties hereto may
execute this Agreement by signing any such counterpart. This Agreement shall be
effective when it has been executed by Borrower, each Subsidiary of Borrower,
Agent and Lenders and each party has notified Agent by telex or telephone, that
it has taken such action.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Borrower, Subsidiaries, Lenders and Agent have executed
this Agreement as of the date first above written.
PIONEER-STANDARD ELECTRONICS, INC.
By: /s/ John V. Goodger
Print Name: John V. Goodger
Title: Vice President
4800 East 131st Street
Garfield Heights, Ohio 44105
phone: 216 587-3600
facsimile: 216 587-3563
Attention: John V. Goodger
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Commitments
- - -----------
$48,000,000 NATIONAL CITY BANK,
Individually and as
Agent
By: /s/ Anthony J. DiMare
Print Name: Anthony J. DiMare
Title: Vice President
Via Hand Delivery
National City Bank
National City Center, 10th
Floor
1900 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Via U.S. Mail
National City Bank
P. O. Box 5756
Cleveland, Ohio 44101-0756
Attention: Anthony J. DiMare
Vice President
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$39,000,000 KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
By: /s/ Mattew Touhey
Print Name: Matthew Touhey
Title: Assistant Vice President
Via Hand Delivery
KeyBank National Association
Large Corporate Group
Mail Code OH-01-27-0606
127 Public Square
Cleveland, Ohio 44114-1306
Via U.S. Mail
KeyBank National Association
Large Corporate Group
Mail Code OH-01-27-0606
127 Public Square
Cleveland, Ohio 44114-1306
Attention:
Matthew P. Tuohey
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$25,000,000 MELLON BANK, N.A.
By: /s/ Mark F. Johnston
Print Name: Mark F. Johnston
Title: AVP
Via Hand Delivery
Mellon Bank, N.A.
Three Mellon Bank Center
Suite 2300
Pittsburgh, PA 15259
Attention: Loan Administration
Theresa Heukeshoven
Via U.S. Mail
Mellon Bank, N.A.
Three Mellon Bank Center
Suite 2300
Pittsburgh, PA 15259
Attention: Loan Administration
Theresa Heukeshoven
With a Copy To:
Via Hand Delivery
Mellon Bank, N.A.
One Mellon Bank Center
Grant Street, Room 4530
Pittsburgh, PA 15258-0001
Via U.S. Mail
Mellon Bank, N.A.
One Mellon Bank Center
Grant Street, Room 4530
Pittsburgh, PA 15258-0001
Attention:
Mark F. Johnston
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$13,000,000 STAR BANK, N.A.
By: /s/ John D. Barrett
Print Name: John D. Barrett
Title: Vice President
Via Hand Delivery
Star Bank, N.A.
1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 220
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Via U.S. Mail
Star Bank, N.A.
1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 220
Mail Location 4432
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Attention:
John D. Barrett
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