Borrowing Subsidiaries Within two Business Days after the receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement executed by a Subsidiary and the Company, the Administrative Agent shall deliver to each Lender a notice of such request to become a Borrowing Subsidiary under this Agreement. If the designation of such Borrowing Subsidiary obligates the Administrative Agent or a Lender to comply with “know your customer” or similar identification procedures in circumstances where the necessary information is not already available to it, the Administrative Agent or such Lender shall deliver to the Company, (a) within five Business Days after the receipt of such a Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement in respect of a Domestic Subsidiary or (b) within 10 Business Days after the receipt of such a Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement in respect of a Foreign Subsidiary, a request to that effect, and the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such request, supply such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in order for the Administrative Agent or such Lender to carry out and comply with the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act or any other applicable laws and regulations, and, unless the results of such inquiry conflict with the requirements of such laws and regulations, or if no such request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender is made within the time period set forth above, such Borrowing Subsidiary shall become a party hereto and a Borrower hereunder with the same effect as if it had been an original party to this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Subsidiary shall become a Borrower Subsidiary if it shall be unlawful for such Subsidiary to become a Borrower hereunder or for any Lender to make Loans or otherwise extend credit to such Subsidiary as provided herein or for any Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit for the account of such Subsidiary. Upon the execution by the Company and a Borrowing Subsidiary and delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Subsidiary Termination with respect to such Borrowing Subsidiary, such Borrowing Subsidiary shall cease to be a Borrowing Subsidiary hereunder; provided that no Borrowing Subsidiary Termination will become effective as to any Borrowing Subsidiary (other than to terminate such Borrowing Subsidiary’s right to obtain further Loans or Letters of Credit under this Agreement) at a time when any principal of or interest on any Loan to such Borrowing Subsidiary or any Letter of Credit issued for the account of such Borrowing Subsidiary shall be outstanding hereunder. Promptly following receipt of any Borrowing Subsidiary Termination, the Administrative Agent shall send a copy thereof to each Lender.
Subsidiary Borrowers The Company may at any time or from time to time, with the consent of the Administrative Agent add as a party to this Agreement any Subsidiary to be a Subsidiary Borrower hereunder by the execution and delivery to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of (a) a duly completed Assumption Letter by such Subsidiary, with the written consent of the Company at the foot thereof, (b) such guaranty and subordinated intercompany indebtedness documents as may be reasonably required by the Administrative Agent and such other opinions, documents, certificates or other items as may be required by Section 5.2, such documents with respect to any additional Subsidiaries to be substantially similar in form and substance to the Loan Documents executed on or about the Closing Date by the Subsidiaries parties hereto as of the Closing Date. Upon such execution, delivery and consent such Subsidiary shall for all purposes be a party hereto as a Subsidiary Borrower as fully as if it had executed and delivered this Agreement. So long as the principal of and interest on any Advances made to any Subsidiary Borrower under this Agreement shall have been repaid or paid in full, all Letters of Credit issued for the account of such Subsidiary Borrower have expired or been returned and terminated and all other obligations of such Subsidiary Borrower under this Agreement shall have been fully performed, the Company may, by not less than five (5) Business Days' prior notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders thereof), terminate such Subsidiary Borrower's status as a "Subsidiary Borrower". The Administrative Agent shall give the Lenders written notice of the addition of any Subsidiary Borrowers to this Agreement.
Additional Borrowers (a) The Parent may from time to time designate one or more wholly-owned Subsidiaries of Parent organized in the United States as an Additional Borrower by delivering to the Agent:
(i) all documentation and other customary information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Patriot Act, that the Agent or any Lender has reasonably requested, including, if such Subsidiary qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to such Subsidiary, without any written objection submitted by any Lender or the Agent within five (5) Business Days of its receipt of such documentation and other information;
(ii) solely to the extent such Subsidiary is not already a Loan Party, (A) all documents, joinders, supplements, updated schedules, instruments, certificates and agreements and all other actions and information, then required by or in respect of such Subsidiary by Section 5.11 or by the Guaranty and Security Agreement (without giving effect to any grace periods for delivery of such items, the updating of such information or the taking of such actions), (B) a customary opinion of counsel of such Subsidiary and (C) a customary secretary’s certificate attaching such documents as were delivered by the existing Borrowers on the Closing Date;
(iii) promissory notes in respect of such Subsidiary in its capacity as Additional Borrower in favor of any Lender requesting such promissory notes, in form and substance consistent with the notes (if any) provided by the existing Borrowers as of the Closing Date; and
(iv) a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent whereby such Subsidiary becomes party hereto as a Borrower.
(b) The designation of any wholly-owned Subsidiary of Parent organized in the United States as an Additional Borrower shall only be effective two (2) Business Days following the delivery of the documents set forth in, and satisfaction of the requirements of, Section 2.2(a).
Co-Borrowers (a) Each of the Lead Borrower and the Co-Borrower accepts joint and several liability hereunder in consideration of the financial accommodation provided or to be provided by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, for the mutual benefit, directly and indirectly, of each of the Lead Borrower and the Co-Borrower and in consideration of the undertakings of the Lead Borrower and the Co-Borrower to accept joint and several liability for the obligations of each other.
(b) Each of the Lead Borrower and the Co-Borrower shall be jointly and severally liable for the Obligations. Each of the Lead Borrower’s and the Co-Borrower’s obligations arising as a result of the joint and several liability of such Borrower hereunder, with respect to Term Loans made to the Lead Borrower hereunder, shall be separate and distinct obligations, but all such obligations shall be primary obligations of each of the Lead Borrower and the Co-Borrower.
(c) Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may proceed directly and at once, without notice, against either the Lead Borrower or the Co-Borrower to collect and recover the full amount, or any portion of, the Obligations, without first proceeding against any other Borrower or any other Person, or against any security or collateral for the Obligations. Each of the Lead Borrower and the Co-Borrower waives, to the maximum extent permitted by law, all suretyship defenses and consents and agrees that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be under no obligation to marshal any assets in favor of either the Lead Borrower or the Co-Borrower or against or in payment of any or all of the Obligations.
(d) Each representation and warranty made on behalf of the Co-Borrower by the Lead Borrower shall be deemed for all purposes to have been made by the Co-Borrower and shall be binding upon and enforceable against the Co-Borrower to the same extent as if the same had been made directly by the Co-Borrower.
(e) Any reference to the “Borrower” in this Agreement and in any other Loan Document means the Lead Borrower, individually, or the Lead Borrower and the Co-Borrower collectively, as the context may require; provided that (i) any reference in this Agreement and in any other Loan Document to the “Borrower and its Subsidiaries” (or phrases of like nature) shall be deemed to refer to the “Lead Borrower and its Subsidiaries” (as applicable and modified as necessary as the context requires), (ii) any reference in this Agreement and in any other Loan Document to the fiscal year or any fiscal quarter of the Borrower shall be deemed to refer to the fiscal year or the applicable fiscal quarter of the Lead Borrower and (iii) unless the context requires otherwise, any reference in this Agreement and in any other Loan Document to financial statements of the Borrower shall be deemed to refer to financial statements of the Lead Borrower.
(f) For all purposes of this Agreement, the Co-Borrower hereby (i) authorizes the Lead Borrower to make such requests, give such notices or furnish such certificates to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders as may be required or permitted by this Agreement for the benefit of the Lead Borrower and the Co-Borrower and to give any consents on behalf of the Co-Borrower required by this Agreement and (ii) authorizes the Administrative Agent to treat such requests, notices, certificates or consents made, given or furnished by the Lead Borrower as having been made, given or furnished by the Lead Borrower and the Co-Borrower for purposes of this Agreement. Unless otherwise agreed to by the Administrative Agent or specified in this Agreement, the Lead Borrower shall be the only Person entitled to make, give or furnish such requests, notices, certificates or requests directly to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders for purposes of this Agreement. The Co-Borrower agrees to be bound by all such requests, notices, certificates and consents and other such actions by the Lead Borrower. In each case, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely upon all such requests, notices, certificates and consents made, given or furnished by the Lead Borrower pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement or any other Loan Document as being made or furnished on behalf of, and with the effect of irrevocably binding, the Lead Borrower and the Co-Borrower.
Initial Borrowing Before or concurrently with the initial Borrowing:
(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received the favorable written opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel to Borrower;
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received copies of the Borrower’s (i) Articles of Incorporation, together with all amendments and (ii) bylaws (or comparable constituent documents) and any amendments thereto, certified in each instance by its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary;
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received copies of resolutions of the Borrower’s Board of Directors authorizing the execution 1663651.11-New York Server 7A - MSW and delivery of the Credit Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby together with specimen signatures of the persons authorized to execute such documents on the Borrower’s behalf, all certified in each instance by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary;
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received for each Lender that requests a Note, such Lender’s duly executed Note of the Borrower dated the date hereof and otherwise in compliance with the provisions of Section 2.9(a) hereof;
(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received a duly executed counterpart of this Agreement from each of the Lenders and the Borrower;
(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received a duly executed Compliance Certificate containing financial information as of December 31, 2010;
(g) Except as set forth on Schedule 6.1, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have, during the period from December 31, 2010 to the Closing Date, issued, incurred, assumed, created, become liable for, contingently or otherwise, any material Indebtedness other than the issuance of commercial paper consistent with past practices;
(h) The Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of each Lender the applicable fees for providing its Commitment under this Agreement;
(i) The Borrower shall have delivered the SEC Disclosure Documents which Nicor or the Borrower shall have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (or any governmental agency substituted therefore) or any national securities exchange on or after January 1, 2011;
(j) The 364 Day Credit Agreement, dated as of April 23, 2010, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other financial institutions party thereto has terminated (upon maturity or otherwise) in accordance with its terms; and
(k) The Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents and information as it may reasonably request. By executing this Agreement, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders agrees that each condition set forth in this Section 6.1 has been satisfied. 1663651.11-New York Server 7A - MSW
Excluded Subsidiaries (a) The Borrower will not permit any Excluded Subsidiary to (i) own or hold any Lien on any property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Loan Party, (ii) incur any Indebtedness that is not Non-Recourse Debt, (iii) enter into any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Borrower or any Subsidiary Loan Party that is not expressly permitted by Section 6.09 or (iv) directly or indirectly own any Indebtedness of or Equity Interests in, or have any other investments in, the Borrower or any Subsidiary Loan Party.
(b) Each Excluded Subsidiary shall be a Person with respect to which neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary Loan Party has any direct or indirect obligation to (i) subscribe for additional Equity Interests, (ii) maintain or preserve such Person's financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results or (iii) except to the extent permitted by Section 6.04, otherwise guarantee performance or payment of any obligations of such Person.
(c) If, at any time, any Excluded Subsidiary fails to meet the requirements set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section, such Subsidiary shall thereafter cease to be an Excluded Subsidiary for purposes of this Agreement and, as of such date, (i) any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be incurred by a Subsidiary Loan Party, (ii) any Liens on the property of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Liens on the property of a Subsidiary Loan Party, (iii) any investments in such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be investments in a Subsidiary Loan Party as of such date (and, if such Indebtedness, investments or Liens are not permitted to be incurred or to exist pursuant to this Agreement, the Borrower shall be in default hereunder) and (iv) the Borrower shall promptly comply with the requirements of Section 5.12 and 5.13 with respect to such Subsidiary.
Designated Borrowers (a) The Company may at any time, upon not less than 15 Business Days’ notice from the Company to the Administrative Agent (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), designate any Domestic Subsidiary of the Company (an “Applicant Borrower”) as a Designated Borrower to receive Loans hereunder by delivering to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly deliver counterparts thereof to each Lender) a duly executed notice and agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit G (a “Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement”). The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that prior to any Applicant Borrower becoming entitled to utilize the credit facilities provided for herein the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) with respect to the first designation of a Subsidiary as a Designated Borrower, the Guaranty duly executed by the Company and opinions of counsel as to the execution, delivery and enforceability of the Guaranty and such other matters concerning the Company and the Guaranty as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request, and (ii) with respect to each designation of a Subsidiary as a Designated Borrower such supporting resolutions, incumbency certificates, opinions of counsel, including such opinions from regulatory counsel reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and such other matters concerning the applicable Subsidiary as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request, and other documents or information, in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, as may be required by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders in their sole discretion, and Notes signed by such new Borrowers to the extent any Lenders so require. If the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders agree that an Applicant Borrower shall be entitled to receive Loans hereunder, then promptly following receipt of all such requested resolutions, incumbency certificates, opinions of counsel and other documents or information, the Administrative Agent shall send a notice in substantially the form of Exhibit H (a “Designated Borrower Notice”) to the Company and the Lenders specifying the effective date upon which the Applicant Borrower shall constitute a Designated Borrower for purposes hereof, whereupon each of the Lenders agrees to permit such Designated Borrower to receive Loans hereunder, on the terms and conditions set forth herein, and each of the parties agrees that such Designated Borrower otherwise shall be a Borrower for all purposes of this Agreement; provided that no Revolving Loan Notice or Letter of Credit Application may be submitted by or on behalf of such Designated Borrower until the date five Business Days after such effective date.
(b) The Obligations of the Company and each Designated Borrower shall be several in nature.
(c) Each Subsidiary of the Company that is or becomes a “Designated Borrower” pursuant to this Section 2.14 hereby irrevocably appoints the Company as its agent for all purposes relevant to this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents, including (i) the giving and receipt of notices, (ii) the execution and delivery of all documents, instruments and certificates contemplated herein and all modifications hereto, and (iii) the receipt of the proceeds of any Loans made by the Lenders, to any such Designated Borrower hereunder. Any acknowledgment, consent, direction, certification or other action which might otherwise be valid or effective only if given or taken by all Borrowers, or by each Borrower acting singly, shall be valid and effective if given or taken only by the Company, whether or not any such other Borrower joins therein. Any notice, demand, consent, acknowledgement, direction, certification or other communication delivered to the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been delivered to each Designated Borrower.
(d) The Company may from time to time, upon not less than 15 Business Days’ notice from the Company to the Administrative Agent (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), terminate a Designated Borrower’s status as such, provided that there are no outstanding Loans payable by such Designated Borrower, or other amounts payable by such Designated Borrower on account of any Loans made to it, as of the effective date of such termination. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such termination of a Designated Borrower’s status.
Letters of Credit Issued for Restricted Subsidiaries Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Restricted Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Letter of Credit Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Restricted Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Restricted Subsidiaries.
Future Subsidiary Guarantors (a) If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquires or creates another Subsidiary after the Issue Date, then the Company shall cause such newly acquired or created Subsidiary to become a Subsidiary Guarantor (in the event that such Subsidiary provides a guarantee of any other Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor of the type specified under clauses (1) or (2) of the definition of “Indebtedness”), at which time such Subsidiary shall:
(1) execute a supplemental indenture in the form attached as Exhibit D hereto pursuant to which such Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee, on a senior basis, all of the Company’s Obligations under this Indenture and the Notes on the terms set forth in this Indenture;
(2) take such further action and execute and deliver such other documents as otherwise may be reasonably requested by the Trustee to give effect to the foregoing; and
(3) deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel that (i) such supplemental indenture and any other documents required to be delivered have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Subsidiary and constitute legal, valid, binding and enforceable Obligations of such Subsidiary.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Guarantee of the Notes created pursuant to the provisions described in paragraph (a) above may provide by its terms that it will be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon:
(1) (with respect to any Guarantee created after the date of this Indenture) the release by the holders of the Company’s or the Subsidiary Guarantor’s Indebtedness described in paragraph (a) above, of their guarantee by such Restricted Subsidiary (including any deemed release upon payment in full of all obligations under such Indebtedness other than as a result of payment under such guarantee), at a time when:
(A) no other Indebtedness of either the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor has been guaranteed by such Restricted Subsidiary; or
(B) the holders of all such other Indebtedness that is guaranteed by such Restricted Subsidiary also release their guarantee by such Restricted Subsidiary (including any deemed release upon payment in full of all obligations under such Indebtedness other than as a result of payment under such guarantee); or
(2) the release of the Note Guarantees on the terms and conditions and in the circumstances described in Section 11.08 hereof.
(c) Each additional Note Guarantee will be limited as necessary to recognize certain defences generally available to guarantors (including those that relate to fraudulent conveyance or transfer, voidable preference, financial assistance, corporate purpose, capital maintenance or similar laws, regulations or defences affecting the rights of creditors generally) or other considerations under applicable law. Notwithstanding Section 4.17(a) hereof, the Company shall not be obligated to cause such Restricted Subsidiary to Guarantee the Notes to the extent that such Guarantee by such Restricted Subsidiary would reasonably be expected to give rise to or result in (i) any liability for the officers, directors or shareholders of such Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) any significant cost, expense, liability or obligation (including with respect of any Taxes, but excluding any reasonable guarantee or similar fee payable to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company) other than reasonable out of pocket expenses.
Initial Borrowing Base For the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the first Redetermination Date, the amount of the Borrowing Base shall be $2,250,000,000. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowing Base may be subject to further adjustments from time to time pursuant to Section 2.14(e), (f) and (g).
