Commitment to Issue Letters of Credit Subject to the terms and conditions hereof and the execution and delivery by the Borrowers of a letter of credit application on the Administrative Agent's customary form (a "Letter of Credit Application"), the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders and in reliance upon the agreement of the Lenders set forth in §5.1(d) and upon the representations and warranties of the Borrowers contained herein, agrees, in its individual capacity, to issue, extend and renew for the account of the Borrowers one or more standby letters of credit (individually, a "Letter of Credit"), in such form as may be requested from time to time by the Borrowers and agreed to by the Administrative Agent; provided, however, that, at all times, after giving effect to such request, (a) the sum of the aggregate Maximum Drawing Amount and all Unpaid Reimbursement Obligations shall not exceed $15,000,000 at any one time, and (b) the sum of (i) all L/C Obligations, and (ii) the amount of all Revolving Credit Loans outstanding shall not exceed the Total Revolving Credit Commitment at any time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to issue any Letter of Credit to support or secure any Indebtedness of the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries to the extent that such Indebtedness was incurred prior to the proposed issuance date of such Letter of Credit, unless in any such case the Borrowers demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Administrative Agent that (x) such prior incurred Indebtedness was then fully secured by a prior perfected and unavoidable security interest in collateral provided by the Borrowers or such Subsidiary to the proposed beneficiary of such Letter of Credit or (y) such prior incurred Indebtedness was then secured or supported by a letter of credit issued for the account of the Borrowers or such Subsidiary and the reimbursement obligation with respect to such letter of credit was fully secured by a prior perfected and unavoidable security interest in collateral provided to the issuer of such letter of credit by the Borrowers or such Subsidiary.
Actions in Respect of Letters of Credit (a) If, at any time and from time to time, any Letter of Credit shall have been issued hereunder and the same shall expire on a date after the Revolving Credit Termination Date, then, on the Revolving Credit Termination Date, the Borrower or the applicable Qualified Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, in same day funds at the Administrative Agent’s office designated in such demand, for deposit in a special cash collateral account (the “Letter of Credit Collateral Account”) to be maintained in the name of the Administrative Agent (on behalf of the Lenders) and under its sole dominion and control at such place as shall be designated by the Administrative Agent, an amount equal to the amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations, in the applicable currency, under the Letters of Credit. Interest shall accrue on the Letter of Credit Collateral Account at a rate equal to the rate on overnight funds. The Borrower shall also make deposits into the Letter of Credit Collateral Account in accordance with Section 11.2 and Section 14.25(c).
(b) The Borrower or the applicable Qualified Borrower hereby pledges, assigns and grants to the Administrative Agent, as Administrative Agent for its benefit and the ratable benefit of the Lenders a lien on and a security interest in, the following collateral (the “Letter of Credit Collateral”):
(i) the Letter of Credit Collateral Account, all cash deposited therein and all certificates and instruments, if any, from time to time representing or evidencing the Letter of Credit Collateral Account;
(ii) all notes, certificates of deposit and other instruments from time to time hereafter delivered to or otherwise possessed by the Administrative Agent for or on behalf of the Borrower in substitution for or in respect of any or all of the then existing Letter of Credit Collateral;
(iii) all interest, dividends, cash, instruments and other property from time to time received, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of or in exchange for any or all of the then existing Letter of Credit Collateral; and
(iv) to the extent not covered by the above clauses, all proceeds of any or all of the foregoing Letter of Credit Collateral.
(c) The lien and security interest granted hereby secures the payment of all obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing hereunder and under any other Loan Document.
(d) The Borrower and the applicable Qualified Borrower hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders to apply, from time to time after funds are deposited in the Letter of Credit Collateral Account and for so long as an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, funds then held in the Letter of Credit Collateral Account to the payment of any amounts, in such order as the Administrative Agent may elect, as shall have become due and payable by the Borrower to the Lenders in respect of the Letters of Credit.
(e) Neither the Borrower nor the applicable Qualified Borrower nor any Person claiming or acting on behalf of or through the Borrower or the applicable Qualified Borrower shall have any right to withdraw any of the funds held in the Letter of Credit Collateral Account.
(f) The Borrower and the applicable Qualified Borrower each agrees that it will not (i) sell or otherwise dispose of any interest in the Letter of Credit Collateral or (ii) create or permit to exist any lien, security interest or other charge or encumbrance upon or with respect to any of the Letter of Credit Collateral, except for the security interest created by this Section 3.4.
(g) If any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing:
(i) The Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, without notice to the Borrower or the applicable Qualified Borrower except as required by law and at any time from time to time, charge, set off or otherwise apply all or any part of first, (x) amounts previously drawn on any Letter of Credit that have not been reimbursed by the Borrower and (y) any Letter of Credit Obligations described in clause (ii) of the definition thereof that are then due and payable and second, any other unpaid Obligations then due and payable against the Letter of Credit Collateral Account or any part thereof, in such order as the Administrative Agent shall elect. The rights of the Administrative Agent under this Section 3.4 are in addition to any rights and remedies which any Lender may have.
(ii) The Administrative Agent may also exercise, in its sole discretion, in respect of the Letter of Credit Collateral Account, in addition to the other rights and remedies provided herein or otherwise available to it, all the rights and remedies of a secured party upon default under the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York at that time.
(iii) The Administrative Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of the Letter of Credit Collateral if the Letter of Credit Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which the Administrative Agent accords its own property, it being understood that, assuming such treatment, the Administrative Agent shall not have any responsibility or liability with respect thereto.
(iv) At such time as all Events of Default have been cured or waived in writing, all fees and expenses, if any, owing to the Lenders paid in full, and all Letters of Credit returned to the Issuing Banks, all amounts remaining in the Letter of Credit Collateral Account shall be promptly returned to the Borrower or the applicable Qualified Borrower. Absent such cure or written waiver, any surplus of the funds held in the Letter of Credit Collateral Account and remaining after payment in full of all of the Obligations of the Borrower or the applicable Qualified Borrower hereunder and under any other Loan Document after the Revolving Credit Termination Date shall be paid promptly to the Borrower or the applicable Qualified Borrower or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive such surplus.
Reaffirmation of Credit Party Obligations Each Credit Party hereby ratifies the Credit Agreement and acknowledges and reaffirms (a) that it is bound by all terms of the Credit Agreement applicable to it and (b) that it is responsible for the observance and full performance of its respective Credit Party Obligations.
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.
Use of Proceeds; Letters of Credit The Borrower will not permit the proceeds of any Advance or Letters of Credit to be used for any purpose other than those permitted by Section 5.09. The Borrower will not engage in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U). Neither the Borrower nor any Person acting on behalf of the Borrower has taken or shall take, nor permit any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries to take any action which might cause any of the Loan Documents to violate Regulation T, U or X or any other regulation of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or to violate Section 7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation thereunder, in each case as now in effect or as the same may hereinafter be in effect, including without limitation, the use of the proceeds of any Advance or Letters of Credit to purchase or carry any margin stock in violation of Regulation T, U or X.
Actions in Respect of the Letters of Credit upon Default If any Event of Default described in Section 6.01(f) with respect to the Borrower shall have occurred and be continuing or the Borrowings shall have otherwise been accelerated or the Commitments terminated pursuant to Section 6.01, then the Administrative Agent may, or shall at the request of the Required Lenders, make demand upon the Borrower to, and forthwith upon such demand (or, in the case of an Event of Default under Section 6.01(f) with respect to the Borrower, automatically without demand) the Borrower will, deposit in an account designated in such demand (the “LC Collateral Account”) with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders and LC Issuing Banks, in same day funds, an amount equal to 103% of the aggregate undrawn stated amounts of all Letters of Credit that are outstanding on such date. If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that any funds held in the LC Collateral Account are subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the LC Issuing Banks or that the total amount of such funds is less than 103% of the aggregate undrawn stated amounts of all Letters of Credit that are outstanding on such date, the Borrower will, forthwith upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay to the Administrative Agent, as additional funds to be deposited and held in the LC Collateral Account, an amount equal to the excess of (i) 103% of such aggregate undrawn stated amounts of all Letters of Credit that are outstanding on such date over (ii) the total amount of funds, if any, then held in the LC Collateral Account that the Administrative Agent determines to be free and clear of any such right and claim. Upon the drawing of any Letter of Credit for which funds are on deposit in the LC Collateral Account, such funds shall be applied to reimburse the relevant LC Issuing Bank or Lender holding a participation in the reimbursement obligation of the Borrower to such LC Issuing Bank to the extent permitted by Applicable Law.
Issuing Bank’s Duties Regarding Letters of Credit; Unconditional Nature of Reimbursement Obligations In examining documents presented in connection with drawings under Letters of Credit and making payments under such Letters of Credit against such documents, the Issuing Bank shall only be required to use the same standard of care as it uses in connection with examining documents presented in connection with drawings under letters of credit in which it has not sold participations and making payments under such letters of credit. The Borrower assumes all risks of the acts and omissions of, or misuse of the Letters of Credit by, the respective beneficiaries of such Letters of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, none of the Issuing Bank, Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders shall be responsible for, and the Borrower’s obligations in respect of Letters of Credit shall not be affected in any manner by, (i) the form, validity, sufficiency, accuracy, genuineness or legal effects of any document submitted by any party in connection with the application for and issuance of or any drawing honored under any Letter of Credit even if such document should in fact prove to be in any or all respects invalid, insufficient, inaccurate, fraudulent or forged; (ii) the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign any Letter of Credit, or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason; (iii) failure of the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit to comply fully with conditions required in order to draw upon such Letter of Credit; (iv) errors, omissions, interruptions or delays in transmission or delivery of any messages, by mail, cable, facsimile, electronic mail, telecopy or otherwise, whether or not they be in cipher; (v) errors in interpretation of technical terms; (vi) any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under any Letter of Credit, or of the proceeds thereof; (vii) the misapplication by the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit, or of the proceeds of any drawing under any Letter of Credit; or (viii) any consequences arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank, Administrative Agent or the Lenders. None of the above shall affect, impair or prevent the vesting of any of the Issuing Bank’s or Administrative Agent’s rights or powers hereunder. Any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Issuing Bank under or in connection with any Letter of Credit, if taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, non-appealable judgment), shall not create against the Issuing Bank any liability to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Lender. In this connection, the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any drawing made under any Letter of Credit, and to repay any Revolving Loan made pursuant to the second sentence of the immediately preceding subsection (e), shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and any other applicable Letter of Credit Document under all circumstances whatsoever, including without limitation, the following circumstances: (A) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit Document or any term or provisions therein; (B) any amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from all or any of the Letter of Credit Documents; (C) the existence of any claim, setoff, defense or other right which the Borrower may have at any time against the Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any beneficiary of a Letter of Credit or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or in the Letter of Credit Documents or any unrelated transaction; (D) any breach of contract or dispute between the Borrower, the Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other Person; (E) any demand, statement or any other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein or made in connection therewith being untrue or inaccurate in any respect whatsoever; (F) any non-application or misapplication by the beneficiary of a Letter of Credit or of the proceeds of any drawing under such Letter of Credit; (G) payment by the Issuing Bank under any Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate which does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; and (H) any other act, omission to act, delay or circumstance whatsoever that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable defense to or discharge of the Borrower’s Reimbursement Obligations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section or Section 12.10., but not in limitation of the Borrower’s unconditional obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any drawing made under a Letter of Credit as provided in this Section and to repay any Revolving Loan made pursuant to the second sentence of the immediately preceding subsection (e), the Borrower shall have no obligation to indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender in respect of any liability incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or such Lender arising solely out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or such Lender in respect of a Letter of Credit as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, non-appealable judgment. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, nothing in this Section shall affect any rights the Borrower may have with respect to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender with respect to any Letter of Credit.
CONDITIONS TO LOANS AND LETTERS OF CREDIT The obligations of Lenders to make Loans and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions.
Payment Permitted If No Default Nothing contained in this Article XII or elsewhere in this Indenture or in any of the Securities shall prevent (a) the Company, at any time, except during the pendency of the conditions described in paragraph (a) of Section 12.2 or of any Proceeding referred to in Section 12.2, from making payments at any time of principal of and any premium or interest (including any Additional Interest) on the Securities or (b) the application by the Trustee of any moneys deposited with it hereunder to the payment of or on account of the principal of and any premium or interest (including any Additional Interest) on the Securities or the retention of such payment by the Holders, if, at the time of such application by the Trustee, it did not have knowledge (in accordance with Section 12.8) that such payment would have been prohibited by the provisions of this Article XII, except as provided in Section 12.8.
Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit The proceeds of the Loans will be used only (i) to refinance amounts outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement; (ii) to pay the fees, expenses and other transaction costs of the Transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) to fund working capital needs, (iv) to fund acquisitions permitted hereunder, together with related expenses, and engage in other transactions permitted hereby, (v) to provide funding in connection with capital expenditures, (vi) to make Restricted Payments permitted hereunder and (vii) for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X. Letters of Credit will be issued only to support the working capital needs and general corporate obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries relating to their respective lines of business. The Borrower will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (A) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (B) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, to the extent such activities, businesses or transaction would be prohibited by Sanctions if conducted by a corporation incorporated in the United States, or (C) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.
