EXHIBIT 4
CONFORMED COPY
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
June 20, 2003
among
ARCH CHEMICALS, INC.,
The Lenders Party Hereto,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
as Administrative Agent,
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
as Joint Lead Arranger and Joint Book Manager,
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES, L.L.C.,
as Joint Lead Arranger and Joint Book Manager,
BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Documentation Agent,
and
FLEET NATIONAL BANK,
as Syndication Agent
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I Definitions........................................................1
Section 1.01 Defined Terms.............................................1
Section 1.02 Classification of Loans and Borrowings...................21
Section 1.03 Terms Generally..........................................22
Section 1.04 Accounting Terms; GAAP...................................22
Section 1.05 Exchange Rates...........................................22
Section 1.06 Redenomination of Sterling...............................22
ARTICLE II The Credits......................................................23
Section 2.01 Commitments..............................................23
Section 2.02 Loans and Borrowings.....................................23
Section 2.03 Requests for Revolving Borrowings........................24
Section 2.04 Competitive Bid Procedure................................25
Section 2.05 Swingline Loans..........................................27
Section 2.06 Letters of Credit........................................29
Section 2.07 Funding of Borrowings....................................33
Section 2.08 Interest Elections.......................................34
Section 2.09 Termination and Reduction of Commitments.................35
Section 2.10 Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.....................35
Section 2.11 Prepayment of Loans......................................36
Section 2.12 Fees.....................................................37
Section 2.13 Interest.................................................38
Section 2.14 Alternate Rate of Interest...............................39
Section 2.15 Increased Costs..........................................40
Section 2.16 Break Funding Payments...................................41
Section 2.17 Taxes....................................................42
Section 2.18 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment;
Sharing of Set-offs......................................43
Section 2.19 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement
of Lenders...............................................45
ARTICLE III Representations and Warranties..................................46
Section 3.01 Organization; Powers.....................................46
Section 3.02 Authorization; Enforceability............................46
Section 3.03 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts.....................46
Section 3.04 Financial Condition; No Material
Adverse Change...........................................47
Section 3.05 Properties...............................................47
Section 3.06 Litigation and Environmental Matters.....................47
Section 3.07 Compliance with Laws and Agreements......................48
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Section 3.08 Investment and Holding Company Status....................48
Section 3.09 Taxes....................................................48
Section 3.10 ERISA....................................................48
Section 3.11 Disclosure...............................................49
Section 3.12 No Default...............................................49
Section 3.13 Federal Regulations......................................49
Section 3.14 Labor Matters............................................49
Section 3.15 Options..................................................49
Section 3.16 Insurance................................................49
ARTICLE IV Conditions.......................................................50
Section 4.01 Effectiveness of Commitments.............................50
Section 4.02 Each Credit Event........................................51
ARTICLE V Covenants.........................................................51
Section 5.01 Financial Statements and Other Information...............51
Section 5.02 Notices of Material Events...............................53
Section 5.03 Existence; Conduct of Business...........................54
Section 5.04 Payment of Obligations...................................54
Section 5.05 Maintenance of Properties; Insurance.....................54
Section 5.06 Books and Records; Inspection Rights.....................54
Section 5.07 Compliance with Laws.....................................54
Section 5.08 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit....................54
Section 5.09 Environmental Laws.......................................55
Section 5.10 Reportable Transactions..................................55
ARTICLE VI Negative Covenants...............................................55
Section 6.01 Indebtedness.............................................55
Section 6.02 Liens....................................................56
Section 6.03 Fundamental Changes......................................57
Section 6.04 Swap Agreements..........................................57
Section 6.05 Restricted Payments......................................57
Section 6.06 Transactions with Affiliates.............................57
Section 6.07 Disposition of Property..................................58
Section 6.08 Payments and Modifications of
Certain Debt Instruments.................................58
Section 6.09 Sales and Leasebacks.....................................58
Section 6.10 Changes in Fiscal Periods................................59
Section 6.11 Lines of Business........................................59
Section 6.12 Financial Covenants......................................59
Section 6.13 Acquisitions.............................................59
ARTICLE VII Events of Default...............................................59
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
ARTICLE VIII The Administrative Agent.......................................61
ARTICLE IX Miscellaneous....................................................64
Section 9.01 Notices..................................................64
Section 9.02 Waivers; Amendments......................................65
Section 9.03 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.......................66
Section 9.04 Successors and Assigns...................................68
Section 9.05 Survival.................................................71
Section 9.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.................71
Section 9.07 Severability.............................................71
Section 9.08 Right of Setoff..........................................71
Section 9.09 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent
to Service of Process....................................72
Section 9.10 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.....................................72
Section 9.11 Headings.................................................73
Section 9.12 Confidentiality..........................................73
Section 9.13 Interest Rate Limitation.................................73
Section 9.14 Judgment Currency........................................74
SCHEDULES
Schedule 2.01 - Commitments
Schedule 3.06 - Disclosed Matters
Schedule 6.01 - Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 - Existing Liens
Schedule 7 - Calculation of Additional Cost
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A - Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B - Form of Opinions of Borrower's Counsel
Annex A - Exiting Letter of Credit
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CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of June 20, 2003, among ARCH CHEMICALS, INC., a
Virginia corporation ("Arch" or the "Borrower"), the LENDERS party hereto, J.P.
MORGAN SECURITIES INC., as Joint Lead Arranger and Joint Book Manager, BANC OF
AMERICA SECURITIES, L.L.C., as Joint Lead Arranger and Joint Book Manager, BANK
OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Documentation Agent, FLEET NATIONAL BANK,
as Syndication Agent, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, as Administrative Agent.
WHEREAS, the Borrower desires to establish a three-year revolving credit
facility in the amount of $210,000,000 as provided herein;
WHEREAS, the proceeds of the Loans made on or after the Effective Date are
to be used for general corporate purposes in the ordinary course of business;
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
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Section 1.01 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms
have the meanings specified below:
"ABR", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether
such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a
rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
"Accounts Receivable" means presently existing and hereafter arising or
acquired accounts receivable, notes, drafts, acceptances, general intangibles,
choses in action and other forms of obligations and receivables relating in any
way to inventory or arising from the sale of inventory or the rendering of
services or howsoever otherwise arising, and assets relating thereto, including
all collateral securing such accounts receivable, all contracts and all
Guarantees or other obligations in respect of such accounts receivable, proceeds
of such accounts receivable and all other assets that are customarily
transferred or in respect of which security interests are customarily granted in
connection with asset securitization transactions involving accounts receivable,
and including the right to payment of any interest or finance charges, sales
tax, returned checks or late charges or other obligations with respect thereto
and all proceeds of insurance with respect thereto, and all books, customer
lists, ledgers, records and files (whether written or stored electronically)
relating to any of the foregoing.
"Additional Cost" means, in relation to any period, a percentage calculated
for such period at an annual rate determined in accordance with Schedule 7.
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
"Adjusted LIBO Rate" means, (i) with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing
other than one referred to in clause (ii) immediately below, for any Interest
Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next
1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by
(b) the Statutory Reserve Rate; and (ii) with respect to any Eurodollar
Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Currency and advanced by a Lender
required to comply with the relevant requirements of the Bank of England and the
Financial Services Authority of the United Kingdom, for any Interest Period, an
interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%)
equal to the aggregate of (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period and (b) the
Additional Cost.
"Administrative Agent" means JPMorgan Chase Bank, in its capacity as
administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
"Administrative Questionnaire" means an Administrative Questionnaire in a
form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that
directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is
Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
"Agents" means the Administrative Agent, the Documentation Agent and the
Syndication Agent.
"Alternate Base Rate" means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the
greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Base CD Rate in
effect on such day plus 1% and (c) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on
such day plus .50%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the
Prime Rate, the Base CD Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be
effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime
Rate, the Base CD Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
"Alternative Currency" means Euros and Sterling.
"Alternative Currency Borrowing" means a Borrowing comprised of Alternative
Currency Loans.
"Alternative Currency Equivalent" means on any date of determination, with
respect to any amount denominated in dollars, the equivalent in the Alternative
Currency of such amount, determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to
Section 1.05 using the applicable Exchange Rate with respect to the Alternative
Currency at the time in effect.
"Alternative Currency Loan" means any Loan denominated in an Alternative
Currency. Each Alternative Currency Loan must be a Eurodollar Loan.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
"Alternative Currency Sublimit" means $70,000,000.
"Applicable Percentage" means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage
of the total Commitments represented by such Lender's Commitment. If the
Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be
determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to
any assignments.
"Applicable Rate" means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan, or
Eurodollar Revolving Loan, or with respect to the facility fees payable
hereunder, as the case may be, for any day the applicable rate per annum set
forth below:
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Consolidated ABR Eurodollar Facility Fully Drawn
Leverage Ratio Spread Spread Fee Rate Cost
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
*= 0.50 0.000% 0.550% 0.200% 0.750%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
**0.50 and *= 1.50 0.000% 0.625% 0.250% 0.875%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
**1.50 and *= 2.50 0.000% 0.950% 0.300% 1.250%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
**2.50 and *= 3.00 0.150% 1.150% 0.350% 1.500%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
**3.00 0.350% 1.350% 0.400% 1.750%
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* denotes less than
** denotes greater than
provided that, for purposes of the foregoing, changes in the Applicable Rate
resulting from changes in the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall become effective
on the date (the "Adjustment Date") on which financial statements are delivered
to the Lenders pursuant to Section 5.01 (but in any event, not later than the
45th day after the end of each of the first three quarterly periods of each
fiscal year or the 90th day after the end of each fiscal year, as the case may
be) and shall remain in effect until the next change to be effected pursuant to
this paragraph. If any financial statements referred to above are not delivered
within the time periods specified above, then, until such financial statements
are delivered, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as at the end of the fiscal
period that would have been covered thereby shall for the purposes of this
definition be deemed to be greater than 3.0 to 1.0. In addition, at any time
prior to the receipt of the first financial statements to be delivered pursuant
to Section 5.01(a), the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall for the purposes of
this definition be deemed to be greater than 2.5 and less than or equal to 3.0
to 1.0, and at all times while an Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall for the purposes of this
definition be deemed to be greater than 3.0 to 1.0. Each determination of the
Consolidated Leverage Ratio pursuant to this pricing grid shall be made with
respect to (or, in the case of Consolidated Total Debt, as at the end of) the
period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ending at the end of
the period covered by the relevant financial statements.
"Assessment Rate" means, for any day, the annual assessment rate in effect
on such day that is payable by a member of the Bank Insurance Fund classified as
"well-capitalized" and within supervisory subgroup "B" (or a comparable
successor risk classification) within the meaning of 12 C.F.R. Part 327 (or any
successor provision) to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for insurance
by such Corporation of time
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
deposits made in dollars at the offices of such member in the United States;
provided that if, as a result of any change in any law, rule or regulation, it
is no longer possible to determine the Assessment Rate as aforesaid, then the
Assessment Rate shall be such annual rate as shall be determined by the
Administrative Agent to be representative of the cost of such insurance to the
Lenders.
"Assignment and Assumption" means an assignment and assumption entered into
by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is
required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form
of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
"Availability Period" means the period from and including the Effective
Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the termination of
the Commitments.
"Base CD Rate" means the sum of (a) the Three-Month Secondary CD Rate
multiplied by the Statutory Reserve Rate plus (b) the Assessment Rate.
"Board" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the
United States of America.
"Borrower" means Arch Chemicals, Inc., a Virginia corporation.
"Borrowing" means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, converted or
continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a
single Interest Period is in effect, (b) a Competitive Loan or group of
Competitive Loans of the same Type made on the same date and as to which a
single Interest Period is in effect or (c) a Swingline Loan.
"Borrowing Request" means a request by the Borrower for a Revolving
Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.
"Business Day" means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on
which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to
remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan,
the term "Business Day" shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open
for dealings in the relevant currency in the London interbank market; provided
that when used in connection with a Loan denominated in Euro, the term "Business
Day" shall also exclude (i) any day when banks are not open in Frankfurt am
Main, Germany or London, England (or such principal financial center or centers
in such Participating Member State or States as the Administrative Agent may
from time to time nominate for this purpose) and (ii) any day on which the
Trans-European Automated Real-Time Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET)
payment system is not open for the settlement of payments in Euro.
"Calculation Date" means, in respect of a Eurodollar Loan denominated in an
Alternative Currency, (a) the date falling two Business Days (or such other
period as is customary in the relevant foreign exchange market for delivery on
the date of the relevant
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Borrowing) prior to the date of each Borrowing, (b) the date falling two
Business Days (or such other period as is customary in the relevant foreign
exchange market for delivery on the date of the relevant conversion or
continuation) prior to the date of conversion or continuation of any Borrowing
pursuant to Section 2.08 and (c) such additional dates as Administrative Agent
or the Required Lenders shall reasonably specify.
"Capital Lease Obligations" of any Person means the obligations of such
Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement
conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof,
which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital
leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such
obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance
with GAAP.
"Capital Stock" of any Person means any capital stock or other Equity
Interests of such Person, regardless of class or designation, and all warrants,
purchase rights, conversion or exchange rights, voting rights, calls or claims
of any character with respect thereto.
"Change in Control" means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or
indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the
meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities
and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of Equity
Interests representing more than 51% of the aggregate ordinary voting power
represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower; (b)
occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of
directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board
of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated; or
(c) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Borrower by any Person
or group.
"Change in Law" means (a) the adoption of any treaty, law, rule or
regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any treaty, law,
rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any
Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any
Lender or the Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending
office of such Lender or by such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company,
if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the
force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of
this Agreement.
"Class", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether
such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or
Competitive Loans or Swingline Loans.
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time.
"Commitment" means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such
Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of
Credit and
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum
aggregate amount of such Lender's Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such
commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09 and (b)
reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such
Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender's Commitment
is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to
which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable. The initial
aggregate amount of the Lenders' Commitments is $210,000,000.
"Competitive Bid" means an offer by a Lender to make a Competitive Loan in
accordance with Section 2.04.
"Competitive Bid Rate" means, with respect to any Competitive Bid, the
Margin or the Fixed Rate, as applicable, offered by the Lender making such
Competitive Bid.
"Competitive Bid Request" means a request by the Borrower for Competitive
Bids in accordance with Section 2.04.
"Competitive Loan" means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.
"Consolidated EBITDA" means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for
such period plus, without duplication and to the extent reflected as a charge in
the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (a)
income tax expense, (b) interest expense, amortization or writeoff of debt
discount with respect to Indebtedness (including the Loans), (c) depreciation
and amortization expense, (d) amortization of intangibles (including, but not
limited to, goodwill) and organization costs, (e) any extraordinary or special
expenses or losses (including, whether or not otherwise includable as a separate
item in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, losses on
sales of assets outside of the ordinary course of business), and (f) any other
non-cash charges, and minus, to the extent included in the statement of such
Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (a) interest income, (b) any
extraordinary income or gains (including, whether or not otherwise includable as
a separate item in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such
period, gains on the sales of assets outside of the ordinary course of business)
and (c) any other non-cash income, all as determined on a consolidated basis.
For the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any Reference Period
pursuant to any determination of the Consolidated Leverage Ratio or Consolidated
Interest Coverage Ratio, if during such Reference Period the Borrower or any
Subsidiary shall have made a Permitted Acquisition, Consolidated EBITDA for such
Reference Period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto and
any Indebtedness incurred, assumed or refinanced originally in connection
therewith as if such Permitted Acquisition occurred and such Indebtedness had
been incurred, assumed or refinanced on the first day of such Reference Period.
"Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio" means for any period, the ratio of
(a) Consolidated EBITDA for such period to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense for
such
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
period; provided that interest on an aggregate principal amount of the Louisiana
IDB not to exceed $1,000,000 shall for all purposes of calculating the
Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio be excluded from Consolidated Interest
Expense.
"Consolidated Interest Expense" means, for any period, total interest
expense (including that attributable to capitalized lease obligations) of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period with respect to all outstanding
Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including all commission,
discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and
bankers' acceptance financing and net costs under Swap Agreements in respect of
such Indebtedness to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in
accordance with GAAP). For the purposes of calculating Consolidated Interest
Expense for any Reference Period pursuant to any determination of the
Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio, if during such Reference Period the
Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made a Permitted Acquisition, Consolidated
Interest Expense for such Reference Period shall be calculated after giving pro
forma effect thereto and any Indebtedness incurred, assumed or refinanced
originally in connection therewith as if such Permitted Acquisition occurred and
such Indebtedness had been incurred, assumed or refinanced on the first day of
such Reference Period.
"Consolidated Leverage Ratio" means, as at the last day of any period, the
ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Debt on such day to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for
such period; provided that the Louisiana IDB in an aggregate principal amount
not to exceed $1,000,000 shall for all purposes of calculating the Consolidated
Leverage Ratio be excluded from Consolidated Total Debt and (ii) for purposes of
calculating the Applicable Rate, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall at all
times be calculated with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
"Consolidated Net Income" means, for any period, the consolidated net
income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be
excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it
becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or is merged into or consolidated with the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person
(other than a Subsidiary of the Borrower) in which the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such
income is actually received by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of
dividends or similar distributions and (c) the undistributed earnings of any
Subsidiary of the Borrower 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 (other than under any Loan
Document) or any law applicable to such Subsidiary.
"Consolidated Total Debt" means, at any date, the aggregate principal
amount of all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at such date,
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
"Contractual Obligation" means, as to any Person, any provision of any
security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other
undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its
property is bound.
"Control" means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether
through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.
"Controlling" and "Controlled" have meanings correlative thereto.
"Credit Events" means the execution, delivery and performance by the
Borrower of this Agreement, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds
thereof, and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.
"Default" means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of
Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or
waived, become an Event of Default.
"Disclosed Matters" means the actions, suits and proceedings and the
environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.
"Disposition" means with respect to any property, any sale, lease, sale and
leaseback, assignment, conveyance, transfer or other disposition thereof. The
terms "Dispose" and "Disposed of" shall have correlative meanings.
"Dollar Borrowing" means a Borrowing comprised of Dollar Loans.
"Dollar Equivalent" means, (i) with respect to any amount in Dollars, such
amount and (ii) on any Calculation Date, with respect to any amount denominated
in any currency other than Dollars, the equivalent in Dollars of such amount,
determined by Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 1.05 using the applicable
Exchange Rate with respect to such currency at the time in effect.
"Dollar Loan" means any Loan denominated in dollars.
"Dollar Revolving Loan" means a Revolving Loan denominated in dollars.
"Documentation Agent" means Bank of America, National Association.
"Dollars" or "dollars" or "$" refers to lawful money of the United States
of America.
"EC Treaty" means the Treaty establishing the European Community (signed in
Rome on March 25, 1957), as amended by the Treaty on European Union (signed
Maastricht on February 7, 1992).
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
"Effective Date" means the date on which the conditions specified in
Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).
"Environmental Claim" means any notice of violation, claim, suit, demand,
abatement order or other order or direction (conditional or otherwise) by any
Governmental Authority or any Person for any damage, including personal injury
(including sickness, disease or death), tangible or intangible property damage,
contribution, indemnity, indirect or consequential damages, damage to the
environment, nuisance, pollution, contamination or other adverse effects on the
environment, human health, or natural resources, or for fines, penalties,
restrictions or injunctive relief resulting from or based upon (a) the
occurrence or existence of a Release or substantial threat of a material Release
(whether sudden or non-sudden or accidental or non-accidental) of, or exposure
to, any Hazardous Materials in, into or onto the environment at, in, by, from or
related to any real estate owned, leased or operated at any time by Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries (the "Premises"), (b) the use, handling, generation,
transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of Hazardous Materials in
connection with the operation of any Premises, or (c) the violation, or alleged
violation, of any Environmental Law connected with Borrower's operations or any
Premises.
"Environmental Laws" means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances,
orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued,
promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way
to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the
management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material or to health
and safety matters.
"Environmental Liability" means any liability, contingent or otherwise
(including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines,
penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or
indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law,
(b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or
disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials,
(d) the Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials into the
environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement
pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the
foregoing.
"Environmental Lien" means a Lien in favor of any Governmental Authority
for (i) any liability under Environmental Laws or regulations, or (ii) damages
arising from, or costs incurred by such Governmental Authority in response to, a
Release or threatened Release of Hazardous Materials into the environment.
"Environmental Permits" means all permits, licenses, certificates,
registrations and approvals of Governmental Authorities required by
Environmental Laws and necessary for the business of Borrower or a Subsidiary of
Borrower.
"Equity Interests" means shares of capital stock, partnership interests,
membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a
trust or other
9
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other
rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity
interest.
"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended from time to time.
"ERISA Affiliate" means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated)
that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section
414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and
Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of
the Code.
"ERISA Event" means (a) any "reportable event", as defined in Section 4043
of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than
an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived), (b) the existence with
respect to any Plan of an "accumulated funding deficiency" (as defined in
Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived, (c) the
filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an
application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any
Plan, (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any
liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan,
(e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan
administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or
Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan, (f) the incurrence by the
Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the
withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan, or (g) the
receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by
any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice,
concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a
Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization,
within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
"Euro" and "EUR" mean the lawful currency of the member states (as such
term is used in Council Regulation (EC) No. 974/98) of the European Union that
adopt the single currency in accordance with the EC Treaty.
"Eurodollar", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to
whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest
at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate (or, in the case of
a Competitive Loan, the LIBO Rate).
"Event of Default" has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.
"Exchange Rate" means, on any day, with respect to any currency other than
dollars (for purposes of determining the Dollar Equivalent) or any Alternative
Currency (for purposes of determining the Alternative Currency Equivalent with
respect to dollars or an Alternative Currency, as the case may be), the rate at
which such currency may be exchanged into dollars or another Alternative
Currency, as the case may be, as set forth at approximately 11:00 a.m., New York
City time, on such date (for spot delivery) on the
10
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
applicable Bloomberg Key Cross Currency Rates Page. In the event that any such
rate does not appear on any Bloomberg Key Cross Currency Rates Page, the
Exchange Rate shall be determined by reference to such other publicly available
service for displaying exchange rates selected by Administrative Agent for such
purpose, or, at the discretion of Administrative Agent, such Exchange Rate shall
instead be the arithmetic average of the spot rates of exchange of
Administrative Agent in the market where its foreign currency exchange
operations in respect of such currency are then being conducted, at or about
10:00 a.m., local time, on such date for the purchase of dollars or the
applicable Alternative Currency as the case may be, for delivery two Business
Days (or such other period as is customary in the relevant market) later;
provided that, if at the time of any such determination, for any reason, no such
spot rate is being quoted, Administrative Agent may use any other reasonable
method it deems appropriate to determine such rate, and such determination shall
be presumed correct absent manifest error.
"Excluded Taxes" means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any
Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or
on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise
taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of
America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is
organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any
Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch
profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed
by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case
of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the
Borrower under Section 2.19(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts
payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party
to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to
such Foreign Lender's failure to comply with Section 2.17(e), except to the
extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the
time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive
additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax
pursuant to Section 2.17(a).
"Federal Funds Effective Rate" means, for any day, the weighted average
(rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on
overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System
arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business
Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so
published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if
necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such
transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds
brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
"Financial Officer" means the chief financial officer, principal accounting
officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
"Fixed Rate" means, with respect to any Competitive Loan (other than a
Eurodollar Competitive Loan), the fixed rate of interest per annum specified by
the Lender making such Competitive Loan in its related Competitive Bid.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
"Fixed Rate Loan" means a Competitive Loan bearing interest at a Fixed
Rate.
"Foreign Lender" means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a
jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For purposes of
this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the
District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
"Form 10-K" means the Form 10-K of the Borrower filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on March 7, 2003.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States
of America.
"Governmental Authority" means the government of the United States of
America or any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state
or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court,
central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial,
taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to
government.
"Guarantee" of or by any Person (the "guarantor") means any obligation,
contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic
effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person
(the "primary obligor") in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and
including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase
or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such
Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds
for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or
lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of
such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain
working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or
liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such
Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any
letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or
obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for
collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
"Hazardous Materials" means all explosive or radioactive substances or
wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants,
including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing
materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes
and all other substances or wastes of any nature, in each case to the extent
regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
"Indebtedness" of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all
obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or
advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds,
debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person
upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such
Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to
property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services
(excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of
business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of
such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured
by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the
Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person
of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i)
all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in
respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (j) all obligations,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers' acceptances. The
Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity
(including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the
extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person's ownership
interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the
terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.
"Indemnified Taxes" means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
"Index Debt" means senior, unsecured, long-term indebtedness for borrowed
money of the Borrower that is not guaranteed by any other Person or subject to
any other credit enhancement.
"Information Memorandum" means the Confidential Information Memorandum
dated May 2003 relating to the Borrower and the Transactions.
"Interest Election Request" means a request by the Borrower to convert or
continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08.
"Interest Payment Date" means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than
a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and December, (b)
with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period
applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a
Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months'
duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at
intervals of three months' duration after the first day of such Interest Period,
(c) with respect to any Fixed Rate Loan, the last day of the Interest Period
applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a
Fixed Rate Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than 90 days' duration
(unless otherwise specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request), each day
prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of 90
days' duration after the first day of such Interest Period, and any other dates
that are specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request as Interest Payment
Dates with respect to such Borrowing and (d) with respect to any Swingline Loan,
the day that such Loan is required to be repaid.
"Interest Period" means (a)with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the
period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically
corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months
thereafter, as the Borrower may elect and (b) with respect to any Fixed Rate
Borrowing, the period (which shall not
13
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
be less than 7 days or more than 180 days) commencing on the date of such
Borrowing and ending on the date specified in the applicable Competitive Bid
Request; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than
a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding
Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing only, such next
succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case
such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (ii) any
Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last
Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically
corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end
on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For
purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which
such Borrowing is made and, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter
shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of
such Borrowing.
"Issuing Bank" means JPMorgan Chase Bank, in its capacity as the issuer of
Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in
Section 2.06(i). The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or
more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Bank, in which
case the term "Issuing Bank" shall include any such Affiliate with respect to
Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.
"Joint Book Managers" means J.P. Morgan Securities Inc and Banc of America
Securities, L.L.C. collectively.
"Joint Lead Arrangers" means J.P. Morgan Securities Inc and Banc of America
Securities, L.L.C. collectively.
"LC Disbursement" means a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a
Letter of Credit.
"LC Exposure" means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn
amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate
amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf
of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be
its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.
"Lenders" means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person
that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption,
other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an
Assignment and Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term
"Lenders" includes the Swingline Lender.
"Letter of Credit" means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this
Agreement.
"LIBO Rate" means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any
Interest Period, the rate appearing on Page 3750 of the Dow Jones Market Service
(or on any successor or substitute page of such Service, or any successor to or
substitute for such
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on
such page of such Service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time
to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to
deposits in dollars or the relevant Alternative Currency in the London interbank
market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the
commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for deposits in dollars or the
relevant Alternative Currency (as applicable) with a maturity comparable to such
Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for
any reason, then the "LIBO Rate" with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for
such Interest Period shall be the rate (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the
next 1/16 of 1%) at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 or, as applicable,
deposits in the relevant Alternative Currency of an Alternative Currency
Equivalent of $5,000,000, and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period
are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in
immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately
11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such
Interest Period.
"Lien" means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust,
lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or
of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional
sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing
lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing)
relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option,
call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.
"Loan Documents" means, collectively, this Agreement and all other
agreements, instruments and documents executed in connection herewith and
therewith, in each case as the same may be amended, restated, modified or
otherwise supplemented from time to time.
"Loans" means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to
this Agreement.
"Louisiana IDB" means the Industrial Development Board of the Parish of
Calcasieu, Inc. (Louisiana) 6% Industrial Development Revenue Bonds (Olin
Corporation Project) due March 1, 2008.
"Margin" means, with respect to any Competitive Loan bearing interest at a
rate based on the LIBO Rate, the marginal rate of interest, if any, to be added
to or subtracted from the LIBO Rate to determine the rate of interest applicable
to such Loan, as specified by the Lender making such Loan in its related
Competitive Bid.
"Material Adverse Effect" means a material adverse effect on (a) the
business, assets, operations, property or financial condition, of the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the validity or enforceability of
any of the Loan Documents or the rights or remedies of the Lenders or the
Administrative Agent thereunder.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
"Material Indebtedness" means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and
Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of
any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal
amount exceeding $5,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness,
the "principal amount" of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in
respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount
(giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary
would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.
"Maturity Date" means June 20, 2006.
"Multiemployer Plan" means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 3(37)
of ERISA.
"Net Proceeds" means the gross proceeds received by or on behalf of the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of any Prepayment Event, less the
sum of, without duplication, (i) all taxes (other than income taxes) payable by
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with such Prepayment Event
and the Borrower's good faith estimate of income taxes payable in connection
therewith, (ii) the amount of any reserves established in accordance with GAAP
against any liabilities associated with the asset Disposed of; provided that any
subsequent reduction in such reserves (other than in connection with the payment
of any such liability) shall be deemed to be Net Proceeds of a Prepayment Event
occurring on the date of such reduction, (iii) the amount of any Indebtedness
secured by the asset Disposed of and required to be, and in fact, repaid with
the proceeds of such Disposition and (iv) reasonable and customary fees,
commissions and expenses and other costs paid by the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries in connection with such Disposition.
"Olin" means the Olin Corporation, a Virginia corporation.
"Other Taxes" means any and all present or future stamp or documentary
taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising
from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement
of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.
"PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and
defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
"Permitted Accounts Receivable Securitization" means one or more
receivables financing programs providing for (i) the sale or contribution of
Accounts Receivable by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries to a Receivables
Subsidiary in a transaction or series of transactions purporting to be sales
(and treated as sales for GAAP purposes), and (ii) the sale, transfer,
conveyance, lien or pledge of, or granting a security interest in, such Accounts
Receivables by such Receivables Subsidiary to any other Person, in each case,
without recourse for credit defaults to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (other
than the Receivables Subsidiaries).
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
"Permitted Acquisition" means any acquisition by the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries of all of the capital stock of, or all or a substantial part of the
assets of, or of a business unit (including a complete product line) or division
of, any Person; provided that (a) the Administrative Agent shall have been given
at least five Business Days' advance written notice of such acquisition, (b) the
Borrower shall be in compliance, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to
such acquisition, with the covenants contained in Section 6.12, in each case
recomputed as at the last day of the most recently ended Reference Period of the
Borrower for which the relevant information is available as if such acquisition
had occurred on the first day of each relevant period for testing such
compliance, (c) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, or would occur after giving effect to such acquisition, (d)
substantially all of such property acquired shall constitute assets of the type
historically used in the business conducted by the Borrower on the date hereof
or reasonable extensions thereof, and (e) any such acquisition for consideration
in excess of $10,000,000 shall have been approved by the Board of Directors or
comparable governing body of the relevant Person.
"Permitted Encumbrances" means:
(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not yet due or are being
contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(b) carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics', materialmen's, repairmen's and
other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and
securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 30 days or are being
contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in
compliance with workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and other social
security laws or regulations;
(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases,
statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other
obligations of a like nature, and to secure letters of credit in respect
thereof, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event
of Default under clause (k) of Article VII; and
(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances
on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business
that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from
the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of
business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
provided that the term "Permitted Encumbrances" shall not include any Lien
securing Indebtedness.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
"Person" means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company,
trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority
or other entity.
"Plan" means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer
Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code
or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of
ERISA be deemed to be) an "employer" as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.
"Prepayment Event" means, in any fiscal year of the Borrower, any
Disposition by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any assets pursuant to
Section 6.07(f) the fair market value of which singly, or when aggregated with
all such Dispositions by the Borrower of any of its Subsidiaries during such
fiscal year, exceeds $50,000,000, but only to the extent that the Net Proceeds
thereof in excess of $50,000,000 are not used within 365 days of the relevant
Disposition to (i) acquire assets related to those businesses in which the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries are engaged on the date of this Agreement or that
are reasonably related thereto or (ii) repay the Loans hereunder.
"Prime Rate" means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from
time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank as its prime rate in effect at its principal
office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from
and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
"Receivables Subsidiary" means any special purpose, bankruptcy remote
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Borrower formed for the sole and exclusive
purpose of engaging in activities in connection with the financing of Accounts
Receivable in connection with and pursuant to a Permitted Accounts Receivable
Securitization.
"Reference Period" means any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters.
"Register" has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
"Regulations" means all Regulations of the Board as in effect from time to
time.
"Regulation U" means Regulation U of the Board as in effect from time to
time.
"Regulation X" means Regulation X of the Board as in effect from time to
time.
"Related Parties" means, with respect to any specified Person, such
Person's Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents
and advisors of such Person and such Person's Affiliates.
"Release" means release, spill, emission, leaking, pumping, pouring,
emptying, dumping, injection, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, escape,
leaching, or migration into the indoor or outdoor environment or into or out of
any property of Borrower or its Subsidiaries, or at any other location to which
Borrower or any Subsidiary has
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
transported or arranged for the transportation of any Hazardous Materials,
including the movement of Hazardous Materials through or in the air, soil,
surface water, groundwater or property of Borrower or its Subsidiaries or at any
other location, including any location to which Borrower or any Subsidiary has
transported or arranged for the transportation of any Hazardous Materials.
"Remedial Action" means actions required to (i) clean up, remove, treat or
in any other way address Hazardous Materials in the indoor or outdoor
environment, (ii) prevent or minimize the Release or substantial threat of a
material Release of Hazardous Materials so they do not migrate or endanger or
threaten to endanger public health or welfare or the indoor or outdoor
environment, or (iii) perform pre-remedial or post-remedial studies and
investigations and post-remedial monitoring and care.
"Required Lenders" means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit
Exposures and unused Commitments representing at least 51% of the sum of the
total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time; provided
that, for purposes of declaring the Loans to be due and payable pursuant to
Article VII, and for all purposes after the Loans become due and payable
pursuant to Article VII or the Commitments expire or terminate, the outstanding
Competitive Loans of the Lenders shall be included in their respective Revolving
Credit Exposures in determining the Required Lenders.
"Responsible Officer" means the chief executive officer, president any
vice-president or any Financial Officer of the Borrower.
"Restricted Payment" means any dividend or other distribution (whether in
cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests of the
Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other
property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the
purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of
any such Equity Interests of the Borrower or any option, warrant or other right
to acquire any such Equity Interests of the Borrower.
"Revolving Credit Exposure" means, with respect to any Lender at any time,
the sum of (a) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all such Lender's
Dollar Revolving Loans plus (b) the Dollar Equivalent of the aggregate
outstanding principal amount of all such Lender's Alternative Currency Loans
plus (c) its LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.
"Revolving Loan" means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03.
"Spin Off " means the transfer of substantially all of the specialty
chemical businesses of Olin and its Subsidiaries to the Borrower and the
Distribution, substantially in the manner described in the Form 10-K filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 21, 1999.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
"Statutory Reserve Rate" means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the
numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number
one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any
marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal
established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject (a) with
respect to the Base CD Rate, for new negotiable nonpersonal time deposits in
dollars of over $100,000 with maturities approximately equal to three months and
(b) with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently
referred to as "Eurocurrency Liabilities" in Regulation D of the Board). Such
reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D.
Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute Eurocurrency funding and to be
subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration,
exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender
under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate
shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in
any reserve percentage.
"Sterling" or "GBP" means pounds sterling in lawful currency of the United
Kingdom.
"Subordinated Indebtedness" means all Indebtedness of the Borrower for
money borrowed of which all payments thereunder are subordinate and junior in
right of payment to the prior payment in full in cash of all obligations now or
hereafter existing under this Agreement.
"subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person (the "parent") at any date,
any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other
entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in
the parent's consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were
prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity
(a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50%
of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a
partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such
date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise
Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the
parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.
"Subsidiary" means any subsidiary of the Borrower.
"Swap Agreement" means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward,
future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or
settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or
debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or
measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar
transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no stock
option, benefit, incentive, phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments
only on account of services provided by current or former directors,
20
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries or, in
connection with the Spin Off, employees or former employees of Olin shall be a
Swap Agreement.
"Swingline Exposure" means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of
all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any
Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total Swingline
Exposure at such time.
"Swingline Lender" means JPMorgan Chase Bank, in its capacity as lender of
Swingline Loans hereunder.
"Swingline Loan" means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.05.
"Syndication Agent" means Fleet National Bank.
"Taxes" means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties,
deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.
"Three-Month Secondary CD Rate" means, for any day, the secondary market
rate for three-month certificates of deposit reported as being in effect on such
day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day) by
the Board through the public information telephone line of the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York (which rate will, under the current practices of the Board, be
published in Federal Reserve Statistical Release HA.5(519) during the week
following such day) or, if such rate is not so reported on such day or such next
preceding Business Day, the average of the secondary market quotations for
three-month certificates of deposit of major money center banks in New York City
received at approximately 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such day (or, if
such day is not a Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day) by the
Administrative Agent from three negotiable certificate of deposit dealers of
recognized standing selected by it.
"Transactions" the Credit Events occurring on the Effective Date.
"Type", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether
the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is
determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, the Alternate Base Rate or,
in the case of a Competitive Loan or Borrowing, the LIBO Rate or a Fixed Rate.
"Withdrawal Liability" means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result
of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms
are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
Section 1.02 Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this
Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a "Revolving
Loan") or by Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Loan") or by Class and Type (e.g., a
"Eurodollar Revolving Loan"). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to
by Class (e.g., a "Revolving Borrowing") or by Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar
Borrowing") or by Class and
21
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing"). Eurodollar Loans or Borrowings
may be Alternative Currency Loans or Borrowings or Dollar Loans or Borrowings.
Section 1.03 Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply
equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the
context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine,
feminine and neuter forms. The words "include", "includes" and "including" shall
be deemed to be followed by the phrase "without limitation". The word "will"
shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word "shall".
Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any
agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring
to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such
amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference
herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person's successors and
assigns, (c) the words "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder", and words of similar
import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to
any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles,
Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and
Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the words
"asset" and "property" shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect
and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties,
including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
Section 1.04 Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly
provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be
construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided
that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower
requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any
change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on
the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the
Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof
for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or
after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision
shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately
before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been
withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.
Section 1.05 Exchange Rates. On each Calculation Date, the Administrative
Agent shall determine the Exchange Rate as of such Calculation Date to be used
for calculating relevant Dollar Equivalent and Alternative Currency Equivalent
amounts. The Exchange Rates so determined shall become effective on such
Calculation Date shall remain effective until the next succeeding Calculation
Date and shall for all purposes of this Agreement (other than any provision
expressly requiring the use of a current Exchange Rate) be the Exchange Rates
employed in converting any amounts between the applicable currencies.
Section 1.06 Redenomination of Sterling. (a) Each obligation of any party
to this Agreement to make a payment denominated in the national currency unit of
any member state of the European Union that adopts the Euro as its lawful
currency after the date hereof shall be redenominated into Euro at the time of
such adoption (in accordance with the applicable UK legislation and EC Treaty).
If, in relation to the currency of any
22
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
such member state, the basis of accrual of interest expressed in this Agreement
in respect of that currency shall be inconsistent with any convention or
practice in the London Interbank Market for the basis of accrual of interest in
respect of the Euro, such expressed basis shall be replaced by such convention
or practice; provided, that if any Borrowing in the currency of such member
state is outstanding immediately prior to such date, such replacement shall take
effect, with respect to such Borrowing, at the end of the then current Interest
Period.
(b) Each provision of this Agreement shall be subject to such reasonable
changes of construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time
specify to be appropriate to reflect the adoption of the Euro by any member
state of the European Union and any relevant market conventions or practices
relating to the Euro.
ARTICLE II
The Credits
-----------
Section 2.01 Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein and each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower in Dollars
or an Alternative Currency from time to time during the Availability Period in
an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender's
Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender's Commitment, (b) the sum of the
total Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of
outstanding Competitive Loans exceeding the total Commitments, and (c) the sum
of the total of the outstanding Alternative Currency Loans exceeding the
Alternative Currency Sublimit. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the
terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and
reborrow Revolving Loans.
Section 2.02 Loans and Borrowings.
(a) Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing
consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with
their respective Commitments. Each Competitive Loan shall be made in accordance
with the procedures set forth in Section 2.04. The failure of any Lender to make
any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its
obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments and Competitive Bids of the
Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender's
failure to make Loans as required.
(b) Subject to Section 2.14, (i) each Revolving Borrowing shall
be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may
request in accordance herewith, and (ii) each Competitive Borrowing shall be
comprised entirely of Eurodollar Loans or Fixed Rate Loans as the Borrower may
request in accordance herewith. Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan. Each
Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or
foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any
exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay
such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any
Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount
that is
23
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
an integral multiple of $1,000,000 (or the Alternative Currency Equivalent
thereof) and not less than $5,000,000 (or the Alternative Currency Equivalent
thereof). At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing
shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and
not less than $5,000,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an
aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total
Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursements of an LC
Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e). Each Competitive Borrowing
shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 (or
in the case of Eurodollar Competitive Borrowings denominated in an Alternative
Currency, the Alternative Currency Equivalent thereof) and not less than
$5,000,000 (or in the case of Eurodollar Competitive Borrowings denominated in
an Alternative Currency, the Alternative Currency Equivalent thereof). Each
Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000
and not less than $1,000,000. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be
outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more
than a total of ten (10) Eurodollar Revolving Borrowings outstanding.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue,
any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end
after the Maturity Date.
Section 2.03 Requests for Revolving Borrowings. To request a Revolving
Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by
telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing denominated in Dollars, not
later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, and in the case of a Eurodollar
Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Currency, not later than 9:30 a.m., New
York City time, in each case three Business Days before the date of the proposed
Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New
York City time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing;
provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the
reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be
given not later than 10:00 a.m. New York City times, on the date of the proposed
Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall
be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent
of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent
and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request
shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business
Day;
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a
Eurodollar Borrowing;
(iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing whether such
Borrowing is to be a Dollar Borrowing or an Alternative Currency Borrowing,
the
24
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period
contemplated by the definition of the term "Interest Period"; and
(v) the location and number of the Borrower's account to
which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements
of Section 2.07.
If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the
requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no currency is
specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, then the
Borrowing shall be a Dollar Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with
respect to any requested Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, then the Borrower shall
be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month's duration. Promptly
following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the
Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the
amount of such Lender's Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
Section 2.04 Competitive Bid Procedure.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, from
time to time during the Availability Period the Borrower may request Competitive
Bids and may (but shall not have any obligation to) accept Competitive Bids and
borrow Competitive Loans; provided that the sum of the total Revolving Credit
Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans
at any time shall not exceed the total Commitments. To request Competitive Bids,
the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone,
in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing denominated in Dollars, not later than
11:00 a.m., New York City time, or in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing
denominated in an Alternative Currency, not later than 9:30 a.m., New York City
time, in each case four Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing
and, in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York
City time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided
that the Borrower may submit up to (but not more than) three Competitive Bid
Requests on the same day, but a Competitive Bid Request shall not be made within
five Business Days after the date of any previous Competitive Bid Request,
unless any and all such previous Competitive Bid Requests shall have been
withdrawn or all Competitive Bids received in response thereto rejected. Each
such telephonic Competitive Bid Request shall be confirmed promptly by hand
delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Competitive Bid
Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the
Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Competitive Bid Request shall specify
the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business
Day;
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be a Eurodollar Borrowing
or a Fixed Rate Borrowing;
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
(iv) the Interest Period to be applicable to such
Borrowing, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the
term "Interest Period"; and
(v) the location and number of the Borrower's account to
which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements
of Section 2.07.
Promptly following receipt of a Competitive Bid Request in accordance with
this Section, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of the details
thereof by telecopy, inviting the Lenders to submit Competitive Bids.
(b) Each Lender may (but shall not have any obligation to) make
one or more Competitive Bids to the Borrower in response to a Competitive Bid
Request. Each Competitive Bid by a Lender must be in a form approved by the
Administrative Agent and must be received by the Administrative Agent by
telecopy, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing, not later than 9:30
a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the proposed date of such
Competitive Borrowing, and in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than
9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the proposed date of such Competitive
Borrowing. Competitive Bids that do not conform substantially to the form
approved by the Administrative Agent may be rejected by the Administrative
Agent, and the Administrative Agent shall notify the applicable Lender as
promptly as practicable. Each Competitive Bid shall specify (i) the principal
amount (which shall be a minimum of $5,000,000 (or, in the case of a Eurodollar
Competitive Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Currency, the Alternative
Currency Equivalent thereof) and an integral multiple of $1,000,000 (or, in the
case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing denominated in an Alternative
Currency, the Alternative Currency Equivalent thereof) and which may equal the
entire principal amount of the Competitive Borrowing requested by the Borrower)
of the Competitive Loan or Loans that the Lender is willing to make, (ii) the
Competitive Bid Rate or Rates at which the Lender is prepared to make such Loan
or Loans (expressed as a percentage rate per annum in the form of a decimal to
no more than four decimal places) and (iii) the Interest Period applicable to
each such Loan and the last day thereof.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower
by telecopy of the Competitive Bid Rate and the principal amount specified in
each Competitive Bid and the identity of the Lender that shall have made such
Competitive Bid.
(d) Subject only to the provisions of this paragraph, the
Borrower may accept or reject any Competitive Bid. The Borrower shall notify the
Administrative Agent by telephone, confirmed by telecopy in a form approved by
the Administrative Agent, whether and to what extent it has decided to accept or
reject each Competitive Bid, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing,
not later than 10:30 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the
date of the proposed Competitive Borrowing, and in the case of a Fixed Rate
Borrowing, not later than 10:30 a.m., New York City time, on the proposed date
of the Competitive Borrowing; provided that (i) the failure of the Borrower to
give such notice shall be deemed to be a
26
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
rejection of each Competitive Bid, (ii) the Borrower shall not accept a
Competitive Bid made at a particular Competitive Bid Rate if the Borrower
rejects a Competitive Bid made at a lower Competitive Bid Rate, (iii) the
aggregate amount of the Competitive Bids accepted by the Borrower shall not
exceed the aggregate amount of the requested Competitive Borrowing specified in
the related Competitive Bid Request, (iv) to the extent necessary to comply with
clause (iii) above, the Borrower may accept Competitive Bids at the same
Competitive Bid Rate in part, which acceptance, in the case of multiple
Competitive Bids at such Competitive Bid Rate, shall be made pro rata in
accordance with the amount of each such Competitive Bid, and (v) except pursuant
to clause (iv) above, no Competitive Bid shall be accepted for a Competitive
Loan unless such Competitive Loan is in a minimum principal amount of $5,000,000
(or, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing denominated in an
Alternative Currency, the Alternative Currency Equivalent thereof) and an
integral multiple of $1,000,000 (or, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive
Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Currency, the Alternative Currency
Equivalent thereof); provided further that if a Competitive Loan must be in an
amount less than $5,000,000 (or, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive
Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Currency, the Alternative Currency
Equivalent thereof) because of the provisions of clause (iv) above, such
Competitive Loan may be for a minimum of $1,000,000 (or, in the case of a
Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Currency, the
Alternative Currency Equivalent thereof) or any integral multiple thereof, and
in calculating the pro rata allocation of acceptances of portions of multiple
Competitive Bids at a particular Competitive Bid Rate pursuant to clause (iv)
the amounts shall be rounded to integral multiples of $1,000,000 (or, in the
case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing denominated in an Alternative
Currency, the Alternative Currency Equivalent thereof) in a manner determined by
the Borrower. A notice given by the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph shall be
irrevocable.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each bidding
Lender by telecopy whether or not its Competitive Bid has been accepted (and, if
so, the amount and Competitive Bid Rate so accepted), and each successful bidder
will thereupon become bound, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, to make
the Competitive Loan in respect of which its Competitive Bid has been accepted.
(f) If the Administrative Agent shall elect to submit a
Competitive Bid in its capacity as a Lender, it shall submit such Competitive
Bid directly to the Borrower at least one quarter of an hour earlier than the
time by which the other Lenders are required to submit their Competitive Bids to
the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.
Section 2.05 Swingline Loans.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the
Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans in Dollars to the Borrower from
time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount at
any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount
of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $20,000,000 or (ii) the sum of the
total Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of
outstanding Competitive Loans exceeding the total Commitments; provided that the
Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an
outstanding Swingline Loan and
27
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
provided further that the Swingline Lender shall not be permitted to make a
Swingline Loan upon the occurrence and during the continuance of a Default.
Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.
(b) To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the
Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by telecopy), not
later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the day of a proposed Swingline
Loan. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date
(which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan. The
Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such
notice received from the Borrower. The Swingline Lender shall make each
Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a credit to the general
deposit account of the Borrower with the Swingline Lender (or, in the case of a
Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as
provided in Section 2.06(e), by remittance to the Issuing Bank) by 3:00 p.m.,
New York City time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.
(c) The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the
Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any
Business Day require the Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day
in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall
specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will
participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will
give notice thereof to each Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender's
Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Lender hereby
absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above,
to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender,
such Lender's Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Lender
acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in
Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and
shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence
and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and
that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding
or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender shall comply with its obligation under this
paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as
provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section
2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders),
and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the
amounts so received by it from the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall
notify the Borrower of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired
pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline
Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender.
Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrower (or other party
on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the
Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be
promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the
Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to
the Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and
to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such
payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the
28
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is
required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. The purchase of
participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve
the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof.
Section 2.06 Letters of Credit.
(a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit in Dollars
for its own account, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent
and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability
Period. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of
this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit
application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by
the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms
and conditions of this Agreement shall control.
(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain
Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment,
renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall
hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if
arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing
Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date
of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice requesting the issuance
of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended,
renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or
extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of
Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the
amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof
and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or
extend such Letter of Credit. If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower
also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank's standard
form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit
shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be
deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed $25,000,000
and (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate
principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans shall not exceed the total
Commitments.
(c) Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or
prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the
date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or
extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date
that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date; provided, that any Letter
of Credit with a one-year term may provide for the renewal thereof for
additional one-year periods (which shall in no event extend beyond the date
referred to in clause (ii) above).
(d) Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an
amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any
further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank
hereby grants to
29
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a
participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender's Applicable
Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of
Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby
absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for
the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender's Applicable Percentage of each LC
Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the
date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement
payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Lender
acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant
to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional
and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any
amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and
continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and
that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding
or reduction whatsoever.
(e) Reimbursement. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC
Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such
LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC
Disbursement not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date that
such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such
LC Disbursement prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date, or, if
such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such
date, then not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on (i) the Business
Day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to
10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day
immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such
notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that
the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein,
request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed
with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount and,
to the extent so financed, the Borrower's obligation to make such payment shall
be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline
Loan; provided further that if such payment is not financed with an ABR
Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan, the Administrative Agent will extend an
ABR Revolving Borrowing in the amount of such LC Disbursement. If the Borrower
fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each
Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower
in respect thereof and such Lender's Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly
following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative
Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in
the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such
Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment
obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to
the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly
following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower
pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such
payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments
pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders
and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender
pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving
Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and
shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC
Disbursement.
(f) Obligations Absolute. The Borrower's obligation to reimburse
LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute,
unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and
irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of
Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or
other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged,
fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or
inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of
Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply
with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance
whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for
the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or
provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower's obligations hereunder. Neither
the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their
Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in
connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment
or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the
circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission,
interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or
other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any
document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of
technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the
Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the
Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages
(as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby
waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by
the Borrower that are caused by the Issuing Bank's failure to exercise care when
determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of
Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that,
in the absence of gross negligence or wilful misconduct on the part of the
Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the
Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination.
In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the
parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their
face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the
Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon
such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of
any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment
upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the
terms of such Letter of Credit.
(g) Disbursement Procedures. The Issuing Bank shall, promptly
following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a
demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall promptly
notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by
telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or
will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or
delay in giving such notice
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank
and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.
(h) Interim Interest. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC
Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in
full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall
bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is
made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC
Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans;
provided that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due
pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(d) shall apply.
Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the
Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by
any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse the Issuing
Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.
(i) Replacement of the Issuing Bank. The Issuing Bank may be
replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative
Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The
Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the
Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the
Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced
Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b). From and after the effective date of
any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights
and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters
of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term
"Issuing Bank" shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous
Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the
context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the
replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all
the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect
to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be
required to issue additional Letters of Credit.
(j) Cash Collateralization. If any Event of Default shall occur
and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from
the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the
Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than
51% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant
to this paragraph, the Borrower shall deposit in an account with the
Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the
benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to the LC Exposure as of such
date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation
to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such
deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice
of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the
Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. Such deposit shall be
held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance
of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. The Administrative
Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right
of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the
investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and
sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the
32
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Borrower's risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or
profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in
such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the
Issuing Bank and pro-rata to any Lender that has funded participations therein
for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not
so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations
of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the
Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC
Exposure representing greater than 51% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to
satisfy other obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. If the Borrower
is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the
occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as
aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after
all Events of Default have been cured or waived; provided that ABR Revolving
Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in
paragraph (e) of this Section shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to
the Issuing Bank.
(k) Existing Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on
the Effective Date the letter of credit annexed hereto as Annex A, shall be
deemed to be issued and be outstanding hereunder and shall for all purposes of
this agreement be deemed to be a Letter of Credit.
Section 2.07 Funding of Borrowings.
(a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder
on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by
12:00 noon, New York City time to the account of the Administrative Agent most
recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders; provided
that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.05. The
Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly
crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower
maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the
Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request or Competitive Bid Request.
(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice
from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will
not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender's share of such
Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such
share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section
and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a
corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share
of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the
applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative
Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for
each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the
Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at
(i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate
and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking
industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower,
the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to
the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender's Loan
included in such Borrowing.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Section 2.08 Interest Elections.
(a) Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall be of the Type
specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar
Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such
Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing
to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a
Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as
provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect different options with respect
to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion
shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such
Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a
separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to Competitive Borrowings or
Swingline Borrowings which may not be converted or continued.
(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower
shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time
that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower
were requesting a Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election
to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest
Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand
delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election
Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the
Borrower.
(c) Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall
specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request
applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to
different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each
resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant
to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting
Borrowing);
(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to
such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR
Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and
(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing,
the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such
election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the
term "Interest Period".
If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does
not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have
selected an Interest Period of one month's duration.
(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request,
the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of
such Lender's portion of each resulting Borrowing.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
(e) If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election
Request with respect to a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing prior to the end of the
Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as
provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be
converted to an ABR Borrowing in the case of a Dollar Loan and the one-month
LIBO Rate for Alternative Currency Loans. Notwithstanding any contrary provision
hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the
Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the
Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding
Revolving Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing
and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing shall be converted
to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
Section 2.09 Termination and Reduction of Commitments.
(a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall
terminate on the Maturity Date.
(b) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time
reduce, the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments
shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $5,000,000 and not less
than $10,000,000, and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the
Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in
accordance with Section 2.11, the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures plus the
aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans would exceed the
total Commitments.
(c) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any
election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this
Section at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such
termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date
thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent
shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the
Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice
of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such
notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in
which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the
Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such
condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Commitments
shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably
among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.
Section 2.10 Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.
(a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to
the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid
principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Maturity Date, (ii) to the
Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal
amount of each Competitive Loan on the last day of the Interest Period
applicable to such Loan and (iii) to the Swingline Lender or, subject to Section
2.05(c), the Administrative Agent, the then unpaid principal amount of each
Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first date after such
Swingline Loan is made that is the 15/th/ or the last day of a calendar month
and is at least two Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made;
35
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing or Competitive Borrowing
is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding.
(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual
practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to
such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts
of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time
hereunder.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it
shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type
thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any
principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the
Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by
the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each
Lender's share thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to
paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the
existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the
failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or
any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower
to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by
a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and
deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender
(or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) in
a form to be approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans
evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times
(including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or
more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named
therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its
registered assigns).
Section 2.11 Prepayment of Loans.
(a) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time
to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in
accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that the Borrower shall
not have the right to prepay any Competitive Loan without the prior consent of
the Lender thereof.
(b) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in
the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone
(confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of
prepayment of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New
York City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment or (ii) in the
case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New
York City time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the
case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City
time, on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall
specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or
portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given
in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as
36
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
contemplated by Section 2.09, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if
such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.09. Promptly
following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the
Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each
partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would
be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type
as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be
applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments
shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13
and any payment required under Section 2.16.
(c) The Borrower shall on the date, if any, specified in Section
6.07(f) repay Loans in the amounts and otherwise in all respects as provided in
such Section.
(d) The Borrower shall prepay the Loans in the amounts and under
the circumstances set forth below, all such prepayments to be applied as more
specifically provided in paragraph (b) of this Section if (i) in the event and
on each occasion that at the close of a Business Day the aggregate Dollar
Equivalent of all outstanding Loans exceeds the applicable Commitment due to
currency fluctuations, Borrower shall no later than the first Business Day on
which such excess exists prepay such Loans to the extent necessary so that after
giving effect to such prepayment, the aggregate exposure for all Loans shall not
exceed the Commitment or (ii) in the event and on each occasion that at the
close of a Business Day the aggregate Dollar Equivalent of all outstanding
Alternative Currency Loans exceeds the Alternative Currency Sublimit, the
Borrower shall no later than the first Business Day on which such excess exists
prepay such Loans to the extent necessary so that after giving effect to such
prepayment the aggregate exposure of all Alternative Currency Loans shall not
exceed the Alternative Currency Sublimit.
Section 2.12 Fees.
(a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for
the account of each Lender a facility fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable
Rate on the daily amount of the Commitment of such Lender (whether used or
unused), as reduced in accordance with Section 2.09(b) hereof, during the period
from and including the date hereof to but excluding the date on which such
Commitment terminates; provided that, if such Lender continues to have any
Revolving Credit Exposure after its Commitment terminates, then such facility
fee shall continue to accrue on the daily amount of such Lender's Revolving
Credit Exposure from and including the date on which its Commitment terminates
to but excluding the date on which such Lender ceases to have any Revolving
Credit Exposure. Accrued facility fees shall be payable in arrears on the last
day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which
the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the
date hereof; provided that any facility fees accruing after the date on which
the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. All facility fees shall be
computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual
number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
37
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
(b) The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent
for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its
participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable
Rate used to determine the rate applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans on the
average daily amount of such Lender's LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof
attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and
including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which
such Lender's Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to
have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall
accrue at the rate or rates per annum separately agreed upon between the
Borrower and the Issuing Bank on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure
(excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements)
during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the
later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there
ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank's standard fees with
respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit
or processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees
accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and
December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such
last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date;
provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the
Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the
Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the
Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 10 days after
demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis
of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed
(including the first day but excluding the last day).
(c) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for
its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed
upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
(d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due,
in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the Issuing
Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of
facility fees and participation fees to the Lenders. Fees paid shall not be
refundable under any circumstances.
Section 2.13 Interest.
(a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each
Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the
Applicable Rate.
(b) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear
interest (i) in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Loan, at the Adjusted LIBO
Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable
Rate, or (ii) in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Loan, at the LIBO Rate for
the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus (or minus, as applicable)
the Margin applicable to such Loan.
(c) Each Fixed Rate Loan shall bear interest at the Fixed Rate
applicable to such Loan.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or
interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower
hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or
otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before
judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of
any Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the
preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2%
plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this
Section.
(e) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on
each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans,
upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant
to paragraph (d) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event
of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR
Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on
the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such
repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any
Eurodollar Revolving Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period
therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date
of such conversion.
(f) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a
year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate
Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate or
Eurodollar Loans denominated in Sterling shall be computed on the basis of a
year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable
for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the
last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate
shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be
conclusive absent manifest error.
Section 2.14 Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of
any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination
shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do
not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as
applicable, for such Interest Period; or
(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders
(or, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Loan, the Lender that is required
to make such Loan) that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable,
for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such
Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included
in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;
then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the
Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and,
until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the
circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest
Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or
continuation of any Revolving
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective, (ii) if any Borrowing
Request requests a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made
as an ABR Borrowing and (iii) any request by the Borrower for a Eurodollar
Competitive Borrowing shall be ineffective; provided that (A) if the
circumstances giving rise to such notice do not affect all the Lenders, then
requests by the Borrower for Eurodollar Competitive Borrowings may be made to
Lenders that are not affected thereby and (B) if the circumstances giving rise
to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of
Borrowings shall be permitted.
Section 2.15 Increased Costs.
(a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special
deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the
account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve
requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing Bank;
(ii) with respect to withholding taxes only, change the
basis of taxation of payments to any Lender of the principal of or interest
on any Loans made by such Lender or any Fees or other amounts payable
hereunder; or
(iii) impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London
interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement, Eurodollar
Loans or Fixed Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or
participation therein;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such
Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate Loan (or of
maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to
such Lender or the Issuing Bank of participating in, issuing or maintaining any
Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by
such Lender or the Issuing Bank hereunder (whether of principal, interest or
otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as
the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such
Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, for such additional costs
incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change
in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing
the rate of return on such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's capital or on the
capital of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company, if any, as a
consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters
of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing
Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such
Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company could have achieved but for such
Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's
policies and the policies of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company
with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay
to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount
40
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
or amounts as will compensate such Lender, or the Issuing Bank or such Lender's
or the Issuing Bank's holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth
the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or
its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of
this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent
manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the
case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days
after receipt thereof.
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing
Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a
waiver of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's right to demand such compensation;
provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the
Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions
incurred more than 270 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing
Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise
to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's
intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change
in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then
the 270-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of
retroactive effect thereof.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, a
Lender shall not be entitled to compensation pursuant to this Section in respect
of any Competitive Loan if the Change in Law that would otherwise entitle it to
such compensation shall have been publicly announced prior to submission of the
Competitive Bid pursuant to which such Loan was made.
Section 2.16 Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of
any principal of any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate Loan other than on the last
day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event
of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last
day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow,
convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate Loan on the date
specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such
notice may be revoked under Section 2.11(b) and is revoked in accordance
therewith), (d) the failure to borrow any Competitive Loan after accepting the
Competitive Bid to make such Loan, or (e) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan
or Fixed Rate Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable
thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then,
in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost
and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such
loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount
determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of
interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such
event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to
such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the
then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow,
convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for
such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such
principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would
bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
deposits in dollars or the relevant Alternative Currency of a comparable amount
and period from other banks in the Eurodollar market. A certificate of any
Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to
receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be
conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount
shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
Section 2.17 Taxes.
(a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of
the Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for
any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Borrower shall be
required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then
(i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all
required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable
under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Bank (as the
case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no
such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and
(iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant
Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the
relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and
each Lender and the Issuing Bank, within 10 days after written demand therefor,
for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the
Administrative Agent or such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on
or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the
Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or
asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any
penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect
thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or
legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. The
Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Issuing Bank will, at the Borrower's
expense, cooperate in good faith with the Borrower in any contest as to whether
or not such Indemnified Taxes, Other Taxes, penalties, interest or expenses were
correctly or legally imposed or asserted in the event such Indemnified Taxes,
Other Taxes, penalties, interest or expenses were in the good faith judgment of
the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be,
not legal or not correctly asserted. If in connection with such contest such
Indemnified Taxes, Other Taxes, penalties, interest or expenses are refunded to
the Administrative Agent, such Lender, or the Issuing Bank, the Administrative
Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank will pay such refund to the Borrower to
the extent the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank determines
in its sole discretion that such refund is attributable to any Indemnified
Taxes, Other Taxes, penalties, interest or expenses paid by the Borrower and to
the extent the Borrower has previously indemnified the Administrative Agent,
such Lender or the Issuing Bank therefor pursuant to this Section 2.17, net of
expenses and without interest except any interest (net of taxes) included in
such refund. The Borrower shall return such refund (together with any taxes,
penalties or other charges) in the event the Administrative Agent, such Lender
or the Issuing Bank is required to repay such refund.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 2.17 shall be construed
to (i) entitle the Borrower or any other Persons to any information determined
by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank in each case, in its
sole discretion, to be confidential or proprietary information of the
Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank to any tax or financial
information of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank or to
inspect or review any books and records of the Administrative Agent, any Lender
or the Issuing Bank or (ii) interfere with the rights of the Administrative
Agent, or any Lender or the Issuing Bank to conduct its fiscal or tax affairs in
such matter as it deems fit.
A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the
Borrower by a Lender or the Issuing Bank or by the Administrative Agent on its
own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the Issuing Bank, shall be conclusive
absent manifest error.
(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower
shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a
receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of
the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or
reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the
Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with
respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a
copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable
law, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable
law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be
made without withholding or at a reduced rate.
(f) If the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in its
sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to
which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the
Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17, it shall pay
over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments
made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.17 with
respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all
out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without
interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority
with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of
the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to
the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the
relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in
the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such
refund to such Governmental Authority. This Section shall not be construed to
require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns
(or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to
the Borrower or any other Person.
Section 2.18 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
(a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by
it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC
Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or
otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date when due, in
immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amounts
received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the
Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding
Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments
shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 270 Park Avenue, New
York, New York, except payment to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or
Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant
to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons
entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments
received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient
promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a
day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the
next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest,
interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments
hereunder shall be made in dollars, except for payments of principal and
interest in respect of Alternative Currency Loans, which shall be made in the
relevant Alternative Currency.
(b) If at any time insufficient funds are received by and
available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal,
unreimbursed LC Disbursements, letter of credit cash collateral obligations
pursuant to Section 2.06(j), interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds
shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due
hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the
amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards
payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder,
ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of
principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties and (iii)
third, to fund letter of credit cash collateral obligations pursuant to Section
2.06(j).
(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or
counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal or any of
its Revolving Loans or participations in unreimbursed LC Disbursements or
Swingline Loans, any letter of credit cash collateral obligations pursuant to
Section 2.06(j), or interest on any of its Revolving Loans or participations in
LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment
of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and
participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest
thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender
receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value)
participations in the Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and
Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of
all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the
aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective
Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans;
provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any
portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations
shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such
recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall
44
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in
accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a
Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any
of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or
participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof
(as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). The Borrower
consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so
under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the
foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and
counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were
a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
(d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice
from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the
Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank
hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent
may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance
herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or
the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the
Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the
Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the
Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such
Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including
the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment
to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate
and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking
industry rules on interbank compensation.
(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be
made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b) or 2.18(d), then
the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary
provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative
Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender's obligations under
such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.
Section 2.19 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or
if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any
Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17,
then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending
office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and
obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in
the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate
or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be,
in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or
expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower
hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in
connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or
if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any
45
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17,
or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the
Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the
Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without
recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in
Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement
(other than any outstanding Competitive Loans held by it) to an assignee that
shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender
accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the
prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and, if a Commitment is being
assigned, the Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender), which consent shall not
unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an
amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans (other than Competitive
Loans) and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued
interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder,
from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued
interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii)
in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under
Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such
assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender
shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior
thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances
entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
------------------------------
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
Section 3.01 Organization; Powers.
Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as
now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the
aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every
jurisdiction where such qualification is required.
Section 3.02 Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions affecting the
Borrower are within the Borrower's corporate powers and have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action. This
Agreement a has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes
a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance
with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and subject to
general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding
in equity or at law.
Section 3.03 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions
affecting the Borrower (a) do not require any consent or approval of,
registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority,
except such as have been
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) will not violate any
Contractual Obligation or applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws
or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or
any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a
default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right
thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien
on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
Section 3.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.
(a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its
consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, and cash flows (x) as of
and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2002, December 31, 2001 and December
31, 2000, reported on and audited by KPMG LLP, independent public accountants,
and (y) as of and for the three-month period ended March 31, 2003.
All of the foregoing financial statements delivered pursuant to the
preceding sentence present fairly, in all material respects, the financial
position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its
consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance
with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in
the case of the statements referred to in sub-clause (y) above.
(b) All financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (a)
above, including the related schedules and notes thereto, have been prepared in
accordance with GAAP applied consistently throughout the periods involved. The
Borrower and its Subsidiaries do not have any material Guarantee obligations,
contingent liabilities and liabilities for Taxes, or any long-term leases or
unusual forward or long-term commitments, including any interest rate or foreign
currency swap or exchange transaction or other obligation in respect of
derivatives, that are not reflected in the most recent financial statements
referred to in this Section 3.04.
(c) Since December 31, 2002, there has been no event,
development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect on the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
Section 3.05 Properties.
(a) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good title to,
or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to
its business, except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its
ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such
properties for their intended purposes.
(b) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is
licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other
intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other
Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the
aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 3.06 Litigation and Environmental Matters.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
(a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any
arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the
Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries (i) the reasonably anticipated outcome of which would, individually
or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the
Disclosed Matters) or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.
(b) Except for the Disclosed Matters set forth on Schedule 3.06
and except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the
aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to
comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any
Environmental Permit, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability,
(iii) has received notice of any Environmental Claim or (iv) knows of any basis
for any Environmental Liability.
(c) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change
in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate,
has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material
Adverse Effect.
Section 3.07 Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any
Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures,
agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where
the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.08 Investment and Holding Company Status. Neither the Borrower
nor any of its Subsidiaries is (a) an "investment company" as defined in, or
subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or (b) a
"holding company" as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.
Section 3.09 Taxes. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely
filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been
filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by
it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and for which such the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable,
has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the
failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
Section 3.10 ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected
to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which
liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated
benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes
of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date
of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair
market value of the assets of such Plan by an amount that could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and the present value of all
accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the
assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial
statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets
of all such underfunded Plans by an amount that reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.11 Disclosure. The Borrower has disclosed to the Lenders all
agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any
of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that,
individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Information Memorandum Form 10-K nor any of
the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other information
furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any
Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered
hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished)
contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to
projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such
information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be
reasonable at the time.
Section 3.12 No Default. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries
is in default under or with respect to any of its Contractual Obligations in any
respect that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No
Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
Section 3.13 Federal Regulations. No part of the proceeds of any Loans
will be used for "buying" or "carrying" any "margin stock" within the respective
meanings of each of the quoted terms under Regulation U as now and from time to
time hereafter in effect that would cause the Loans to be in violation of the
provisions of the Regulations of the Board. If requested by any Lender or the
Administrative Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and
each Lender a statement to the foregoing effect in conformity with the
requirements of Form FR G-3 or Form FR U-1, as applicable, referred to in
Regulation U.
Section 3.14 Labor Matters. Except as, in the aggregate, could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, there are no strikes
or other labor disputes against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pending
or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened.
Section 3.15 Options. There are no outstanding subscriptions, options,
warrants, calls, rights or other agreements or commitments (other than (i) stock
options granted to employees or directors and directors' qualifying shares, and
including options granted to employees or former employees of Olin and the
Borrower as part of the Spin Off) and (ii) customary shareholders rights plans
in effect from time to time) of any nature relating to any Capital Stock of the
Borrower or any Subsidiary, except as created by the Loan Documents.
Section 3.16 Insurance. The Borrower has for itself and its Subsidiaries
insurance from financially sound and reputable insurers or maintains with such
insurers valid and collectible insurance with respect to their respective assets
and businesses which is required to be obtained and maintained by it pursuant to
Section 5.05 hereof.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
ARTICLE IV
Conditions
----------
Section 4.01 Effectiveness of Commitments. The obligations of the Lenders
to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters
of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of
the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section
9.02:
(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have
received from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement
signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy transmission of a signed
signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of
this Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable
written opinions (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and
dated the Effective Date) of each of (i) Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, special
counsel for the Borrower, (ii) Hunton & Williams LLP, special Virginia counsel
for the Borrower, and (iii) the General Counsel for the Borrower, in each case
substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit B, and covering such other
matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions as the
Required Lenders shall reasonably request. Borrower hereby requests each of such
counsel to deliver such opinion.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents
and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably
request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the
Borrower, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters
relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions, all in form and
substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(d) All fees payable and other amounts due and payable to
Lenders and Agents, to the extent invoiced, prior to the Effective Date shall
have been paid by or on behalf of the Borrower.
(e) All governmental and third party approvals necessary in
connection with the continuing operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
or, in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent, advisable, in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained
and be in full force and effect, and all applicable waiting periods shall have
expired without any action being taken or threatened by any competent authority
that would restrain, prevent or otherwise impose adverse conditions on the
financing contemplated hereby.
(f) The reasonable costs and expenses of the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders in connection with the preparation of the Loan Documents
payable pursuant to Section 9.03 and for which invoices have been presented
shall have been paid.
(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received, in each case
satisfactory to the Required Lenders and the Administrative Agent, (i) unaudited
interim consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the three-month
period ended
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
March 31, 2003 and (ii) audited consolidated financial statements of the
Borrower for the Fiscal years ended December 31, 2002, December 31, 2001 and
December 31, 2000.
(h) The existing 364-Day Credit Agreement dated as of
January 27, 1999 among Arch Chemicals, Inc., Olin Corporation, the lenders and
agents from time to time party there JPMorgan Chase Bank (f/k/a The Chase
Manhattan Bank), as administrative agent, and the existing Five-Year Credit
Agreement dated as of January 27, 1999 among, inter alios, Arch Chemicals, Inc.,
Olin Corporation, the lenders and agents party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank
(f/k/a The Chase Manhattan Bank), as administrative agent, shall have been
repaid in full and all commitments relating thereto shall have been terminated.
(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate,
dated the Effective Date with respect to the Borrower and signed by the
President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming
compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraph (a) of Section 4.02.
Section 4.02 Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a
Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend,
renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the
following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth
in this Agreement (including, without limitation, those set forth in Sections
3.04(c) and 3.06) shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such
Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such
Letter of Credit, as applicable.
(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such
Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of
Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of
Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the
Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section.
ARTICLE V
Covenants
---------
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of
and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in
full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated and all LC
Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with
the Lenders that:
Section 5.01 Financial Statements and Other Information. The Borrower will
furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the
Borrower its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of
operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such
year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the
previous fiscal year, all reported on by KPMG LLP or other independent public
accountants of recognized national standing
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
(without a "going concern" or like qualification or exception and without any
qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that
such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects
the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its
consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP
consistently applied;
(b) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three
fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its consolidated balance
sheet and related statements of operations and cash flows as of the end of and
for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting
forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period
or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the
previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as
presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results
of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to
normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under
(i) clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the
Borrower (A) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default
has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to
be taken with respect thereto, (B) setting forth reasonably detailed
calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.12(a) and (b), and (C)
stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred
since the date of the previous audited financial statements delivered to the
Lenders and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such
change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate and (ii) clause
(a) above, a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower containing a
list of Subsidiaries of the Borrower as of such date, along with a list of each
new Subsidiary acquired or formed, and each Subsidiary dissolved or liquidated,
since the last such certification;
(d) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under
clause (a) above, a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such
financial statements stating whether they obtained knowledge during the course
of their examination of such financial statements of any Default (which
certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or
guidelines);
(e) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of
all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by
the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or
any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said
Commission, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the
Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be; and
(f) promptly following any request therefor, such other
information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition
of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this
Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Section 5.02 Notices of Material Events. The Borrower will furnish to the
Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:
(a) the occurrence of any Default;
(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding
by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, the reasonably anticipated outcome of which
would result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together
with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(d) the commencement of, or any material development in, any
action, suit, proceeding or investigation affecting the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties before any arbitrator or
Governmental Authority, in which the amount of any claim, damage, penalty or
fine asserted against the Borrower or its Subsidiaries that the Borrower
reasonably determines is not covered by insurance is $15,000,000 or more;
(e) the occurrence of one or more of the following, to the
extent that any of the following, if adversely determined, could reasonably be
expected to result in liability of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in
excess of $7,500,000 or a fine or penalty in excess of $2,500,000: (i) written
notice, claim or request for information to the effect that the Borrower or any
of its Subsidiaries is or may be liable in any material respect to any Person as
a result of the presence of or the Release or substantial threat of a material
Release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment; (ii) written notice
that the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to investigation by any
Governmental Authority evaluating whether any Remedial Action is needed to
respond to the presence or to the Release or substantial threat of a material
Release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment; (iii) written notice
that any property, whether owned or leased by, or operated on behalf of, the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to a material Environmental Lien;
(iv) written notice of violation to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of
any Environmental Laws or Environmental Permits; or (v) commencement or written
threat of any judicial or administrative proceeding alleging a violation of any
Environmental Laws or Environmental Permits;
(f) upon written request by Administrative Agent, a report
providing an update of the status of each environmental, health or safety
compliance, hazard or liability issue identified in any notice or report
required pursuant to clause (e) above and any other environmental, health and
safety compliance obligation, remedial obligation or liability that could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (all such notices shall
describe in reasonable detail the nature of the claim, investigation, condition,
occurrence or Remedial Action and the Borrower's or such Subsidiary's response
thereto); and
(g) any other development that results in, or could reasonably
be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of
a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the
details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken
or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.
Section 5.03 Existence; Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will
cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary
to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the
rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of
its business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger,
consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.
Section 5.04 Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause
each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities,
that, if not paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same
shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount
thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the
Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with
respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment
pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
Section 5.05 Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. The Borrower will, and
will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all property
material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition,
ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) maintain, with financially sound and
reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks
as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar
businesses operating in the same or similar locations.
Section 5.06 Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will, and
will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account
in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and
transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and
will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit
and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and
records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers
and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as
reasonably requested.
Section 5.07 Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each
of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all Contractual Obligations and laws, rules,
regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its
property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate,
could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.08 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit. The proceeds of the
Loans will be used to repay existing indebtedness of the Borrower and for
general corporate purposes, including negotiated acquisitions. No part of the
proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any
purpose that entails a violation
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations U and X. Letters
of Credit will be issued only to support ordinary course business operations.
Section 5.09 Environmental Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each of
its Subsidiaries to (a) comply in all material respects with, and ensure
compliance in all material respects by all tenants and subtenants, if any, with,
all applicable Environmental Laws, and obtain and comply in all material
respects with and maintain, and ensure that all tenants and subtenants obtain
and comply in all material respects with and maintain, any and all licenses,
approvals, notifications, registrations or permits required by applicable
Environmental Laws and (b) 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 the Governmental Authorities regarding Environmental
Laws.
Section 5.10 Reportable Transactions. The Borrower does not intend to
treat the Loans and/or Letters of Credit and related transactions as being a
"reportable transaction" (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section
1.6011-4). In the event the Borrower determines to take any action inconsistent
with such intention, it will promptly notify Administrative Agent thereof.
Borrower acknowledges that one or more of the Lenders may treat its Loans and/or
its interest in Letters of Credit as part of a transaction that is subject to
Treasury Regulation Section 301.6112-1, and such Lender or Lenders, as
applicable, will maintain the lists and other records required by such Treasury
Regulation.
ARTICLE VI
Negative Covenants
------------------
Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and
interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full and
all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall
have been reimbursed the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
Section 6.01 Indebtedness. The Borrower will not permit any Subsidiary to,
create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in
Schedule 6.01 and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness
that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(b) Indebtedness to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary;
(c) Guarantees of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other
Subsidiary;
(d) Indebtedness incurred to finance an acquisition,
construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital
Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the
acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to
the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such
Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding
55
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
principal amount thereof; provided that such Indebtedness is incurred prior to
or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction
or improvement;
(e) Indebtedness as an account party in respect of trade letters
of credit;
(f) Indebtedness of Receivables Subsidiaries arising pursuant to
Permitted Accounts Receivable Securitizations in an aggregate principal amount
not to exceed $100,000,000; and
(g) other Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not
exceeding $50,000,000 at any time outstanding.
Section 6.02 Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any
Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property
or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or
revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof,
except:
(a) Permitted Encumbrances;
(b) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not
apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (ii)
such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date
hereof and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase
the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the
acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any
property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof
prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien
is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or
such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not
apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and
(iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date
of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case
may be and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase
the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(d) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or
improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security
interests secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (d) of Section 6.01, (ii) such
security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or
within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or
improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 80% of the
cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and
(iv) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of
the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(e) Liens on Accounts Receivable of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary and other assets of any Receivables Subsidiary, in each case arising
in connection with any Permitted Accounts Receivable Securitization; and
(f) Liens securing other Indebtedness of the Borrower and its
subsidiaries not expressly permitted by clauses (a) through (e) above; provided
that the
56
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
aggregate amount of Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by this clause (f)
does not at any time exceed $30,000,000 in the aggregate.
Section 6.03 Fundamental Changes. The Borrower will not, and will not
permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or
permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer,
lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of
transactions) all or substantially all of its assets, or all or substantially
all of the stock of any of its Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or
hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time
thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have
occurred and be continuing (i) any Person may merge into the Borrower in a
transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Person
other than the Borrower may merge into any Subsidiary in a transaction in which
the surviving entity is a Subsidiary, (iii) any Subsidiary may sell, transfer,
lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to the Borrower or to another
Subsidiary, and the Borrower may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of
its assets to any Subsidiary, (iv) Dispositions otherwise permitted by Section
6.07 shall be permitted and (v) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the
Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the
best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the
Lenders.
Section 6.04 Swap Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit
any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any Swap Agreement, other than Swap
Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business to hedge or mitigate
risks to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is exposed in the conduct of its
business or the management of its liabilities.
Section 6.05 Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not
permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make,
directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment; provided that the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries may make any Restricted Payment which, together with all other
Restricted Payments made by all Persons pursuant to this proviso since the date
hereof would not exceed the sum of (x) $65,000,000 plus (y) 50% of the
cumulative Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower for the period (taken as one
accounting period) since the date hereof through the last day of the fiscal
quarter for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section
5.01(a), and provided further that (i) the Borrower may declare and pay
dividends with respect to its Capital Stock payable solely in additional shares
of such Capital Stock, (ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends and may
make distributions ratably with respect to their Capital Stock, and (iii) the
Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock
option plans or other benefit plans for directors, management or employees of
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and stock option plans for employees or former
employees of Olin in connection with the Spin Off.
Section 6.06 Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and will
not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any
property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or
assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its
Affiliates except (a) at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable
to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm's-length
basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions
57
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
between or among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries not involving any other
Affiliate and (c) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.05.
Section 6.07 Disposition of Property. The Borrower will not, and will not
permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly dispose of any of its
property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or, in the case of any
Subsidiary, issue or sell any shares of such Subsidiary's Capital Stock to any
Person, except:
(a) the Disposition of obsolete or worn out property in the
ordinary course of business;
(b) the sale of inventory in the ordinary course of business;
(c) Dispositions permitted by Section 6.03;
(d) the sale or issuance of any Subsidiary's Capital Stock to
the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(e) sales of Accounts Receivable pursuant to a Permitted
Accounts Receivable Securitization; provided that the aggregate principal amount
of such financings shall not at any time exceed $100,000,000; and
(f) any other Dispositions by such Persons of property for cash
or cash equivalents or other readily marketable publicly traded securities at
not less than its fair market value or for other property of an equal or greater
value than the property Disposed of (including, without limitation, joint
venture interests, seller's notes or other securities), as determined in good
faith by the board of directors of the Borrower or a duly authorized committee
thereof at the time of such Disposition; provided that on each occasion that
Prepayment Event occurs, the Borrower will on the date of such Prepayment Event
apply an amount equal to 100% of the Net Proceeds thereof in excess of
$50,000,000 to prepay the Loans outstanding hereunder.
Section 6.08 Payments and Modifications of Certain Debt Instruments. The
Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or
indirectly, (a) make or offer to make any optional payment, prepayment,
repurchase or redemption of or otherwise optionally defease or segregate funds
with respect to any Subordinated Indebtedness (other than interest payments
expressly required by the terms thereof), (b) amend, modify, waive or otherwise
change, or consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other
change to, any of the terms of any other Subordinated Indebtedness (other than
any such amendment, modification, waiver or other change that (i) would extend
the maturity or reduce the amount of any payment of principal thereof or reduce
the rate or extend any date for payment of interest thereon and (ii) does not
involve the payment of a consent fee or that otherwise would not adversely
affect the interests of the Lenders in any manner).
Section 6.09 Sales and Leasebacks. The Borrower will not, and will not
permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement providing for the
leasing to the Borrower, or any of its Subsidiaries of real or personal property
that has been or is to be (a) sold or transferred by the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries or (b) constructed or acquired by a third party in anticipation of
a program of leasing to the Borrower, or any of its Subsidiaries (any such
transaction, a "Sale-Leaseback"); provided that Sale-
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Leasebacks by all such Persons of property having a fair market value not to
exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate since the date hereof shall be permitted.
Section 6.10 Changes in Fiscal Periods. The Borrower will not, and will
not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly permit the fiscal
year of the Borrower to end on a day other than December 31.
Section 6.11 Lines of Business. The Borrower will not, and will not permit
any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly enter into any business,
either directly or through any Subsidiary, except for those businesses in which
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are engaged on the date of this Agreement or
that are reasonably related thereto.
Section 6.12 Financial Covenants.
(a) Consolidated Leverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit
the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as at the last day of any period of four
consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower to exceed 3.5:1.0.
(b) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. The Borrower will not
permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio for any period of four
consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower to be less than 3.0:1.0.
Section 6.13 Acquisitions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any
of its Subsidiaries to purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a
series of transactions) all of the capital stock of, or all or a substantial
part of the assets of, or a business unit (including a complete products line)
or a division of, any Person other than pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition.
ARTICLE VII
Events of Default
-----------------
If any of the following events ("Events of Default") shall occur:
(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or
any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the
same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date
fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;
(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or
any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of
this Article) payable under this Agreement, when and as the same shall become
due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five
Business Days;
(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on
behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement
or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver hereunder, or in any report,
certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in
connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver
hereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made
or deemed made;
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
(d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant,
condition or agreement contained in Sections 5.02, 5.03 (with respect to the
Borrwer's existence), or 5.08 or in Article VI;
(e) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant,
condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified
in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article), and such failure shall continue
unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice thereof from the Administrative
Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
(f) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any
payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect
of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable;
(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material
Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or
permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the
holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or
their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the
prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled
maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness
that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property
or assets securing such Indebtedness;
(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an
involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or
other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or its debts, or of a
substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy,
insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the
appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or
similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of
its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue
undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the
foregoing shall be entered;
(i) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily
commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization
or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the
institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any
proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for
or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator,
conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a
substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material
allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a
general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the
purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
(j) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in
writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;
(k) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an
aggregate amount in excess of $5,000,000 shall be rendered against the Borrower,
any
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for
a period of 60 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively
stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or
levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such
judgment;
(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of
the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have
occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
or
(m) a Change in Control shall occur;
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower
described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter
during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the
request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or
both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the
Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii)
declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part,
in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter
be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so
declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all
fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due
and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of
any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any
event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this
Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the
Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and
other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become
due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any
kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and,, in the case of any
event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (a), (b), (g), (h) or (i)
of this Article, the principal of any Alternative Currency Loans then
outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other
obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall be converted to obligations
hereunder owing in Dollars in each case in the amount of the Dollar Equivalent
of the respective principal, interest, fees or other obligations as determined
by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 1.05 using the applicable
Exchange Rate with respect to the relevant currency at the time of such event in
effect (for such purpose the principal amount of Alternative Currency Loans
shall be deemed to be converted to Dollar ABR Borrowings and the Borrower shall
make any payments as a result thereof pursuant to Section 2.16) of such Loans at
the time of such an event. The Borrower agrees to indemnify each of the Lenders
from and against any loss, cost or expense associated with such conversion,
including all costs and expenses incurred by any Lender to hedge against any
currency exposure of such Lender with respect to its Loans and Letter of Credit
participations hereunder.
ARTICLE VIII
The Administrative Agent
------------------------
Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the
Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to
take such
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actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the
Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers
as are reasonably incidental thereto.
The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same
rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may
exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank
and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage
in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate
thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except
those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or
other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is
continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any
discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary
rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is
required to exercise in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or
percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as
provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the
Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be
liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving
as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The
Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it
with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number
or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as
provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or
wilful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have
knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the
Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent
shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i)
any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this
Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document
delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or
observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set
forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of
this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the
satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other
than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the
Administrative Agent.
The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not
incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent,
statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine
and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent
also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed
by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for
relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal
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counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other
experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not
taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or
experts.
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise
its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the
Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may
perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their
respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding
paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the
Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective
activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided
for herein as well as activities as the Administrative Agent.
Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative
Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any
time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower. Upon any such
resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the
Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed
by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days
after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then
the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing
Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an
office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the
acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor,
such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers,
privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring
Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations
hereunder. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent
shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed
between the Borrower and such successor. After the Administrative Agent's
resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall
continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its
sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken
or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as the Administrative
Agent.
Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance
upon any Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents
and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and
decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it
will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any
other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from time
to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not
taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any related agreement or any
document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Joint Book
Managers, Joint Lead Arrangers, Documentation Agent or Syndication Agent listed
on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under
this
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Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as
applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the Issuing Bank hereunder.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
Section 9.01 Notices. Except in the case of notices and other
communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone, all notices and
other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be
delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or
registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:
(a) If to the Borrower at:
501 Merritt 7
P.O. Box 5204
Norwalk, Connecticut 06851
Tel: 203-229-3881
Fax: 203-229-3143
Attention: Treasurer
with a copy to:
501 Merritt 7
P.O. Box 5204
Norwalk, Connecticut 06851
Tel: 203-229-2683
Fax: 203-229-3292
Attention: Secretary
(b) if to the Administrative Agent, to:
JPMorgan Chase Bank
Loan and Agency Services Group
1111 Fanin Street
Houston, Texas 77001
Attention of Sylvia Gutierrez
(Telecopy No. 713-427-6307)
with a copy to:
JPMorgan Chase Bank
270 Park Avenue
New York 10017
Attention of Lawrence Palumbo
(Telecopy No. 212-270-5100);
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(c) if to the Issuing Bank, to:
JPMorgan Chase Bank
Treasury Service Group
Standby Letter of Credit Dept.
4/th/ Floor
10420 Highland Manor Drive
Tampa, Florida 33610
Attention of James Alonzo
(Telecopy No. 813-432-5161);
(d) if to the Swingline Lender, to:
JPMorgan Chase Bank
Loan and Agency Services Group
1111 Fanin Street
Houston, Texas 77001
Attention of Sylvia Gutierrez
(Telecopy No. 713-427-6307)
with a copy to:
JPMorgan Chase Bank
270 Park Avenue
New York 10017
Attention of Lawrence Palumbo
(Telecopy No. 212-270-5100);
(e) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy
number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
(f) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder
may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to
procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing
shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the
Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the
Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other
communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to
procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be
limited to particular notices or communications.
(g) Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number
for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties
hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been
given on the date of receipt.
Section 9.02 Waivers; Amendments.
(a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing
Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a
waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or
power, or any
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abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power,
preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other
right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing
Bank and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any
rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of
this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in
any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of
this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the
specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of
Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether
the Administrative Agent or any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had notice
or knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be
waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in
writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower
and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided
that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without
the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan
or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees
payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby,
(iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any
Loan, or LC Disbursement or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder,
or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the
scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of
each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (c) in a manner
that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the
written consent of each Lender, or (v) change any of the provisions of this
Section or the definition of "Required Lenders" or any other provision hereof
specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or
modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent
hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no
such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of
the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder
without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank
or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be.
Section 9.03 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the
reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative
Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for
herein, the preparation and administration of this Agreement or any amendments,
modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof (whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection
with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or
any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred
by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees,
charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative
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Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or
protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement, including its rights
under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit
issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any
workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of
Credit.
(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the
Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing
Persons (each such Person being called an "Indemnitee") against, and hold each
Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel
for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out
of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this
Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by
the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation
of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan
or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal
by the Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if
the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply
with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence
or Release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related
in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or
prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of
the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and
regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such
indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a
court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have
resulted from the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of such Indemnitee.
(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount
required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the
Swingline Lender under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender
severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the
Swingline Lender, as the case may be, such Lender's Applicable Percentage
(determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity
payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense
or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case
may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, the
Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such.
(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower
shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any
theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages
(as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or
as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated
hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the
proceeds thereof.
(e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly
after written demand therefor.
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Section 9.04 Successors and Assigns.
(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and
assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that
issues any Letter of Credit) except that, (i) the Borrower may not assign or
otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior
written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the
Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may
assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in
accordance with this Section. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied,
shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto,
their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any
Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit) and, to the
extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) Any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a
portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a
portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that
(i) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender,
each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of an
assignment of all or a portion of a Commitment or any Lender's obligations in
respect of its LC Exposure or Swingline Exposure, the Issuing Bank and the
Swingline Lender) must give their prior written consent to such assignment
(which consent shall in any case not be unreasonably withheld; it being
understood that it is not unreasonable to withhold consent with respect to any
proposed assignment to any financial institution having net capital and surplus
of less than $1,000,000,000 or senior, unsecured, long-term indebtedness for
borrowed money with a credit rating of less than A-), (ii) except in the case of
an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the
entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender's Commitment, the amount of the
Commitment of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined
as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is
delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 and
after giving effect thereto, the assigning Lender must have Commitments and
Loans aggregating at least $5,000,000, unless each of the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent otherwise consent, (iii) each partial assignment shall be
made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender's
rights and obligations under this Agreement, except that this clause (iii) shall
not apply to rights in respect of outstanding Competitive Loans, (iv) the
parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent
an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of
$3,500, and (v) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the
Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire; and provided further that
any consent of the Borrower otherwise required under this paragraph shall not be
required if an Event of Default under clause (h) or (i) of Article VII has
occurred and is continuing. Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant
to paragraph (d) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in
each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto
and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption,
have the rights and
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obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender
thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and
Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the
case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender's
rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a
party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15,
2.16, 2.17 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or
obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this paragraph shall
be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a
participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (e) of
this Section. By executing and delivering an Assignment and Assumption, the
assigning Lender thereunder and the assignee thereunder shall be deemed to
confirm to and agree with each other and the other parties hereto as follows:
(1) such assigning Lender warrants that it is the legal and beneficial owner of
the interest being assigned thereby free and clear of any adverse claim and that
its Commitment, and the outstanding balances of its Loans, in each case without
giving effect to assignments thereof which have not become effective, are as set
forth in such Assignment and Assumption, (2) except as set forth in (1) above,
such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no
responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations
made in or in connection with this Agreement, or the execution, legality,
validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement,
any other Loan Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant
hereto, or the financial condition of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or
the performance or observance by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any
of its obligations under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any other
instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto, (3) such assignee represents
and warrants that it is legally authorized to enter into such Assignment and
Assumption; (4) such assignee confirms that it has received a copy of this
Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements referred
to in Section 3.04 or delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 and such other
documents and information as it has been deemed appropriate to make its own
credit analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and Assumption; (5)
such assignee will independently and without reliance upon any Administrative
Agent, such assigning Lender 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; (6) such
assignee appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as
agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement as are
delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such
powers as are reasonably incidental thereto, and (7) such assignee agrees that
it will perform in accordance with their terms all the obligations which by the
terms of this Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.
(c) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an
agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in The City of New
York a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for
the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment
of, and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender
pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the "Register"). The entries in
the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent,
the Issuing Bank and the Lenders may treat each
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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a
Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to
the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower,
the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time
upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and
Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee's
completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a
Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph
(b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by
paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such
Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the
Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless
it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.
(e) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender sell
participations to one or more banks or other entities (a "Participant") in all
or a portion of such Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement
(including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it);
provided that (i) such Lender's obligations under this Agreement shall remain
unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties
hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to
deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender's
rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument
pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such
Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any
amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided
that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without
the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver
described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant.
Subject to paragraph (f) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each
Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 to
the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by
assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by
law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as
though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to
Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender.
(f) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater
payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17 than the applicable Lender would have been
entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant,
unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the
Borrower's prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender
if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.17 unless
the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such
Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section
2.17(e) as though it were a Lender.
(g) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security
interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure
obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure
obligations to a Federal
70
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment
of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security
interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or
substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
Section 9.05 Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and
warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other
instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be
considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall
survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans
and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by
any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or
knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any
credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as
long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any
other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any
Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired
or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article
VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the
Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the
Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.
Section 9.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may
be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different
counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when
taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and any
separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative
Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject
matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings,
oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in
Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been
executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall
have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the
signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page
of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually
executed counterpart of this Agreement.
Section 9.07 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such
jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of
the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in
a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other
jurisdiction.
Section 9.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred
and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized
at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to
set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand,
provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing
by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the
71
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower
now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective
of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement
and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under
this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other
rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.
Section 9.09 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.
(a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and
governed by the law of the State of New York.
(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits,
for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United
States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate
court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating
to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each
of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all
claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined
in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal
court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such
action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other
jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.
Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent,
the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or
proceeding relating to this Agreement against the Borrower or its properties in
the courts of any jurisdiction.
(c) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives,
to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which
it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or
proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to
in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably
waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient
forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service
of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this
Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process
in any other manner permitted by law.
Section 9.10 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY
JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING
TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON
CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO
REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY
OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK
TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND
72
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
(B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER
INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND
CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
Section 9.11 Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of
Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this
Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into
consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
Section 9.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the
Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the
Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to
its and its Affiliates' directors, officers, employees and agents, including
accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the
Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential
nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information
confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to
the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or
similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in
connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or
proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder,
(f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as
those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any
prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations
under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its
advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its
obligations (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such
Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of
this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing
Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the
Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, "Information" means all information
received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than
any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing
Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the
Borrower; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower
after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of
delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of
Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied
with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of
care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would
accord to its own confidential information.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, "Information" shall not
include, and the Administrative Agent and each Lender may disclose to any and
all persons, without limitation of any kind, any information with respect to the
U.S. federal income tax treatment and U.S. federal income tax structure of the
transactions contemplated hereby and all materials of any kind (including
opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Administrative Agent or
such Lender relating to such tax treatment and tax structure.
Section 9.13 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to
the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together
with all fees,
73
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under
applicable law (collectively the "Charges"), shall exceed the maximum lawful
rate (the "Maximum Rate") which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received
or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law,
the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with
all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate
and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable
in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of
this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such
Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above
the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest
thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have
been received by such Lender.
Section 9.14 Judgment Currency.
(a) If for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is
necessary to convert a sum due hereunder in one currency into another currency,
the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they may effectively do so,
that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal
banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the first currency
with such other currency in the city in which it normally conducts its foreign
exchange operation for the first currency on the Business Day preceding the day
on which final judgment is given.
(b) The obligation of the Borrower in respect of any sum due
from it to any Lender hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in currency
(the "Judgment Currency") other than that in which such sum is denominated in
accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement (the "Agreement
Currency"), be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following
receipt by such Lender of any sum adjudged to be so due in the Judgment Currency
such Lender may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the
Agreement Currency with the Judgment Currency; if the amount of Agreement
Currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to such Lender in the
Agreement Currency, the Borrower agrees notwithstanding any such judgment to
indemnify such Lender against such loss, and if the amount of the Agreement
Currency so purchased exceeds the sum originally due to any Lender, such Lender
agrees to remit to the Borrower such excess.
74
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year
first above written.
ARCH CHEMICALS, INC.
By: /s/ W. Paul Bush
---------------------------------
W. Paul Bush
Treasurer
S-1
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
LENDERS:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK
By: /s/ Lawrence Palumbo Jr.
---------------------------------
Lawrence Palumbo Jr.
Vice President
S-2
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
By: /s/ Donald J. Chin
--------------------------------
Donald J. Chin
Managing Director
S-3
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
FLEET NATIONAL BANK
By: /s/ Marwan Isbaih
---------------------------------
Marwan Isbaih
Director
S-4
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCATION
By: /s/ Donald V. Davis
---------------------------------
Donald V. Davis
Vice President
S-5
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
SUNTRUST BANK
By: /s/ Frank A. Coe
---------------------------------
Frank A. Coe
Vice President
S-6
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
By: /s/ Marianne T. Meil
---------------------------------
Marianne T. Meil
Vice President
S-7
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
CITIZENS BANK OF MASSACHUSETTS
By: /s/ Cindy Chen
---------------------------------
Cindy Chen
Vice President
S-8
ING LUXEMBOURG
By: /s/ Alexandre Cayphas
---------------------------------
Alexandre Cayphas
Corporate Product Manager
By: /s/ Yves Verhulst
---------------------------------
Yves Verhulst
Sous-Directeur
S-9
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
By: /s/ Joanna S. Bellocq
---------------------------------
Joanna S. Bellocq
Vice President
S-10
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY
By: /s/ John Konstantos
---------------------------------
John Konstantos
Vice President
S-11
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT EXECUTION
Schedule 2.01
Commitments
-----------
Lender Commitment
- -------------------------------------------- -------------
JPMorgan Chase Bank $ 30,000,000
Bank of America, National Association $ 30,000,000
Fleet National Bank $ 30,000,000
PNC Bank, National Association $ 25,000,000
Sun Trust Bank $ 25,000,000
Key Bank National Association $ 20,000,000
Citizens Bank of Massachusetts $ 15,000,000
ING Luxembourg SA $ 15,000,000
The Bank of New York $ 10,000,000
The Northern Trust Company $ 10,000,000
Total $ 210,000,000
SCHEDULE
Schedule 3.06
-------------
Disclosed Matters
-----------------
No matters other than those matters heretofore disclosed in the Borrower's
Annual Report on the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002 and its
Quarterly Report on the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003.
SCHEDULE
Schedule 6.01
-------------
Existing Indebtedness of Arch and its Subsidiaries
--------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount Maturity
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louisiana IDB USD 1,000,000.00 March 1, 2008
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arch Coatings Italia (Lease) EUR 2,604,000.00 June 1, 2008
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arch Coatings Espana EUR 81,873.00 2004-2006
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arch Coatings France, Italy, Spain EUR1,130,000.00 July-August 2003
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
SCHEDULE
Schedule 6.02
-------------
Existing Liens of Arch and its Subsidiaries
-------------------------------------------
Liens in connection with the Louisiana IDB.
SCHEDULE
Schedule 7
----------
Calculation of Additional Cost
------------------------------
1. The Additional Cost shall be calculated by the Administrative Agent in
respect of each period for which it falls to be calculated relating to an
Alternative Currency Loan in accordance with the following formulae:
In relation to Eurodollar Loans denominated in Sterling:
CL + S(L-Z) = 0.01F = per cent. per annum
---------------------
100 - (C+S)
In relation to Eurodollar Loans denominated in any Alternative Currency
other than Sterling:
0.01F
Y --------- = per cent. per annum
100
Where:
C = The amount required to be held as a non-interest bearing cash ratio
deposit with the Bank of England expressed as a percentage of an
eligible institution's eligible liabilities (above any stated
minimum).
F = The amount of Sterling per (pound)1,000,000 of the fee base of an
authorised institution payable to the Financial Services Authority per
annum (disregarding any minimum fee payable under the Fees
Regulations).
L = The rate of interest per annum at which Sterling deposits of an amount
comparable to the Loan are offered by the Administrative Agent to
leading banks in the London Interbank Market at or about 11.00 a.m. on
the date of calculation for a period comparable to the period for
which the Additional Cost is to be calculated.
S = The amount required to be placed as special deposits with the Bank of
England, expressed as a percentage of an eligible institution's
eligible liabilities (above any stated minimum).
Y = The fraction of foreign currency liabilities taken into account under
the Fees Regulations in calculating the fee base (disregarding any
offset for claims on non-resident offices).
SCHEDULE
Z = The lower of L and the rate of interest per annum paid by the Bank of
England on special deposits at or about 11.00 a.m. on the date of
calculation.
2. For the purposes of calculating the Additional Cost:
(a) C, L, S and Z are included in the formula as numbers and not as
percentages, e.g. if C = 0.15 per cent. and L = 7 per cent. CL is
calculated as 0.15 x 7;
(b) the formula is applied on the first day of each period for which it
falls to be calculated (and the result shall apply for the duration of
such period);
(c) each amount is rounded up to the nearest four decimal places; and
(d) if the formula produces a negative percentage, the percentage shall be
taken as zero.
3. If alternative or additional financial requirements are imposed by the Bank
of England, the Financial Services Authority or any other fiscal, monetary,
or governmental authority or agency (including the European Central Bank)
which in the Administrative Agent's opinion (after consultation with the
Lenders) make the formulae (or any element thereof, or any defined term
used therein) no longer appropriate, the Administrative Agent shall be
entitled by notice to the Borrower to stipulate such other formulae as
shall be suitable to apply in substitution for the formulae. Any such
formulae so stipulated shall take effect in accordance with the terms of
such notice.
4. In this Schedule 7:
"authorised" and "institution" have the meanings given to those terms in
the Banking Act 1987;
"Bank of England Act" means the Bank of England Act 1998;
"eligible institution" has the meaning given to that term in schedule 2 to
the Bank of England Act;
"eligible liabilities" has the meaning given to that term in the Cash Ratio
Deposits (Eligible Liabilities) Order 1998 or the applicable substitute
order made under the Bank of England Act as in force on the date of
application of the formula;
"fee base" has the meaning given to that term in the Fees Regulations;
SCHEDULE
"Fees Regulations" means the Banking Supervision (Fees) Regulations 1998 or
the applicable substitute regulations made under the Bank of England Act as
are in force on the date of application of the formula; and
"special deposits" has the meaning given to that term by the Bank of
England on the date of application of the formula.
Any reference to a provision of any statute, directive, order or regulation
herein is a reference to that provision as amended or re-enacted from time to
time.
SCHEDULE
EXHIBIT A
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
This Assignment and Assumption (the "Assignment and Assumption") is dated as of
the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert
name of Assignor] (the "Assignor") and [Insert name of Assignee] (the
"Assignee"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the
meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, the
"Credit Agreement"), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the
Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto
are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of
this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.
For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns
to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from
the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and
Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the
Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor's rights and
obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other
documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the
amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding
rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities
identified below (including any letters of credit, guarantees, and swingline
loans included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be
assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other
right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether
known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any
other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan
transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the
foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory
claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and
obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and
obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being
referred to herein collectively as the "Assigned Interest"). Such sale and
assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided
in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the
Assignor.
1. Assignor: ___________________________________
2. Assignee: ___________________________________[and is an Affiliate/Approved
Fund of [identify Lender] ]
3. Borrower: Arch Chemicals, Inc.
A-1
EXHIBIT
4. Administrative Agent: JPMorgan Chase Bank, as the administrative agent
under the Credit Agreement
5. Credit Agreement: The $210,000,000 Credit Agreement dated as of among ARCH
CHEMICALS, INC., the Lenders parties thereto, J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
as Joint Lead Arranger and Joint Book Manager, BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES,
L.L.C., as Joint Lead Arranger and Joint Book Manager, BANK OF AMERICA,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Documentation Agent, FLEET NATIONAL BANK, as
Syndication Agent, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, as Administrative Agent.
6. Assigned Interest:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggregate Amount of Percentage
Loans Amount of Loans Assigned of
Facility Assigned for all Lenders/1/ Assigned/2/ Loans/3/
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
______________/4/ $___________________ $______________ $______________%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
______________ $___________________ $______________ $______________%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
______________ $___________________ $______________ $______________%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. [Trade Date]/5/
Effective Date: ______________ __, 20 [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER
THEREFOR.]
The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:
ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
- ----------
/1/ Amount to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any
prepayment or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.
/2/ Amount to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any
prepayment or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.
/3/ Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Loans of all
Lenders thereunder.
/4/ Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the
Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment (e.g. "Revolving
Loan Commitment", "Term Loan Commitment", etc.)
/5/ To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum
assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.
A-2
EXHIBIT
By:
----------------------------
Title:
ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
By:
----------------------------
Title:
[Consented to and] Accepted:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, as
Administrative Agent
By:
----------------------------
Title:
[Consented to:]
[NAME OF RELEVANT PARTY]
By:
----------------------------
Title:
A-3
EXHIBIT
ANNEX I
[___________________]
STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
1. Representations and Warranties.
1.1 Assignor. The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the
legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest
is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it
has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and
deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any
statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the
Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document , (ii) the
execution,legality,validity,enforceability,genuineness,suffciency or value of
the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition
of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person
obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance
by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of
any of their respective. obligations under any Loan Document.
1.2. Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full
power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver
this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the
requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be
satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender,
(iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of
the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned
Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has
received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent
financial statements delivered pursuant to Section thereof, as applicable, and
such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its
own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption
and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such
analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative
Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender ,attached to the
Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it
pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by
the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without
reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor 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 the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their
terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are
required to be performed by it as a Lender.
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EXHIBIT
2. Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent
shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments
of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts
which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for
amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.
3. General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon,
and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors
and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of
counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an
executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by
telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of
this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed
by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.
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