Interest Rate Protection No later than the 90th day after the Closing Date, the Borrower shall enter into, and for a minimum of three years thereafter maintain, Hedging Agreements acceptable to the Administrative Agent that result in at least 50% of the aggregate principal amount of its funded long-term Indebtedness being effectively subject to a fixed or maximum interest rate acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
Interest Rate Protection Agreement (a) Prior to or contemporaneously with the Closing Date, Borrower shall enter into an Interest Rate Protection Agreement. The Interest Rate Protection Agreement (i) shall at all times be in a form and substance reasonably acceptable to Administrative Agent (it being agreed that the items in clauses (ii) through (v) below shall not be subject to Administrative Agent approval), (ii) shall at all times be with an Acceptable Counterparty, (iii) shall during the continuance of a Cash Sweep Period direct such Acceptable Counterparty to deposit directly into the Cash Management Account any amounts due Borrower under such Interest Rate Protection Agreement so long as any portion of the Debt exists or any amounts remain due and owing to Administrative Agent or the Lenders, provided that the Debt shall be deemed to exist if the Properties are transferred by judicial or non-judicial foreclosure or deed-in-lieu thereof, (iv) shall be for a term through the then-applicable Maturity Date of the Loan and (v) shall at all times have a notional amount equal to or greater than the then outstanding principal balance of the Loan and shall at all times provide for the applicable Strike Price. Borrower shall collaterally assign to Administrative Agent, for the benefit of Lenders, pursuant to the Collateral Assignment of Interest Rate Protection Agreement (the “Assignment of Interest Rate Protection Agreement”), all of its right, title and interest to receive any and all payments under the Interest Rate Protection Agreement, and shall deliver to Administrative Agent an executed counterpart of such Interest Rate Protection Agreement (which shall, by its terms, authorize the assignment to Administrative Agent for the benefit of Lenders and require that payments be deposited directly into the Cash Management Account) and shall notify the Acceptable Counterparty of such assignment.
(b) Borrower shall comply with all of its obligations under the terms and provisions of the Interest Rate Protection Agreement. All amounts paid by the Acceptable Counterparty under the Interest Rate Protection Agreement to Borrower or Administrative Agent for the benefit of Lenders shall be directly deposited immediately into the Lockbox Account. Borrower shall take all actions reasonably requested by Administrative Agent to enforce Administrative Agent’s rights under the Interest Rate Protection Agreement in the event of a default by the Acceptable Counterparty and shall not waive, amend or otherwise modify any of its rights thereunder.
(c) In the event of any downgrade, withdrawal or qualification of the rating of the Acceptable Counterparty by any Rating Agency such that it is no longer an Acceptable Counterparty, Borrower shall either (i) replace or cause the cap provider to replace the Interest Rate Protection Agreement with a Replacement Interest Rate Protection Agreement not later than the period of time provided for in such Interest Rate Protection Agreement following such downgrade, withdrawal or qualification (not to exceed ten (10) Business Days) or (ii) if provided in such Interest Rate Protection Agreement, in the case of such downgrade, withdrawal or qualification of the Rating of such Acceptable Counterparty, cause the Acceptable Counterparty to deliver collateral to secure Borrower’s exposure under the Interest Rate Protection Agreement in such amount and pursuant to such terms as are acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
(d) In the event that Borrower fails to purchase and deliver to Administrative Agent the Interest Rate Protection Agreement or fails to maintain the Interest Rate Protection Agreement in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement, Administrative Agent may purchase the Interest Rate Protection Agreement and the cost incurred by Administrative Agent in purchasing such Interest Rate Protection Agreement shall be paid by Borrower to Administrative Agent with interest thereon at the Default Rate from the date such cost was incurred by Administrative Agent until such cost is reimbursed by Borrower to Administrative Agent.
(e) In connection with the Interest Rate Protection Agreement, Borrower shall obtain and deliver to Administrative Agent within fifteen (15) Business Days following (x) the date upon which an Interest Rate Protection Agreement is required pursuant to Section 2.2.7(a) or (y) the first day of any applicable Extension Option, as applicable (i) a resolution/consent, as applicable, of the Acceptable Counterparty authorizing the delivery of the Interest Rate Protection Agreement acceptable to Administrative Agent, and (ii) an opinion from counsel (which counsel may be in-house counsel for the Acceptable Counterparty) for the Acceptable Counterparty (upon which Administrative Agent and its successors and assigns for the benefit of Lenders and their successors and assigns may rely) which shall provide, in relevant part, that:
(i) the Acceptable Counterparty is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation and has the organizational power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, the Interest Rate Protection Agreement;
(ii) the execution and delivery of the Interest Rate Protection Agreement by the Acceptable Counterparty, and any other agreement which the Acceptable Counterparty has executed and delivered pursuant thereto, and the performance of its obligations thereunder have been and remain duly authorized by all necessary action and do not contravene any provision of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or equivalent organizational documents) or any law, regulation or contractual restriction binding on or affecting it or its property;
(iii) all consents, authorizations and approvals required for the execution and delivery by the Acceptable Counterparty of the Interest Rate Protection Agreement, and any other agreement which the Acceptable Counterparty has executed and delivered pursuant thereto, and the performance of its obligations thereunder have been obtained and remain in full force and effect, all conditions thereof have been duly complied with, and no other action by, and no notice to or filing with any governmental authority or regulatory body is required for such execution, delivery or performance; and
(iv) the Interest Rate Protection Agreement, and any other agreement which the Acceptable Counterparty has executed and delivered pursuant thereto, has been duly executed and delivered by the Acceptable Counterparty and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Acceptable Counterparty, enforceable against the Acceptable Counterparty in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and subject, as to enforceability, to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(f) At such time as the Loan is repaid in full, all of Administrative Agent’s right, title and interest in and to the Interest Rate Protection Agreement shall terminate and Administrative Agent shall execute and deliver such documents as may be required to evidence Administrative Agent’s release of the Interest Rate Protection Agreement on behalf of Lenders and to notify Acceptable Counterparty of such release.
Interest Rate Protection Agreements Within thirty (30) days of the Closing Date, the Borrower shall enter into interest rate protection agreements (protecting against fluctuations in interest rates) reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, which agreements shall provide coverage in an amount equal to $100,000,000 and for a duration of at least two (2) years.
Applicable Margin (i) The Applicable Margin provided for in Section 5.1(a) with respect to any Revolving Credit Loans and Swingline Loans (the "Applicable Margin") shall be based upon the table set forth below and shall be determined and adjusted quarterly on the date (each a "Calculation Date") ten (10) Business Days after the date by which the Borrower is required to provide an Officer's Compliance Certificate for the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower; provided, however, that (A) the initial Applicable Margin for the Revolving Credit Loans and Swingline Loans shall be based on Pricing Level IV (as shown below) and shall remain at Pricing Level IV until December 31, 2001, and, thereafter the Pricing Level shall be determined by reference to the Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding the applicable Calculation Date, and (B) if the Borrower fails to provide the Officer's Compliance Certificate as required by Section 8.2 for the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding the applicable Calculation Date, the Applicable Margin for Revolving Credit Loans and Swingline Loans from such Calculation Date shall be based on Pricing Level IV (as shown below) until such time as an appropriate Officer's Compliance Certificate is provided, at which time the Pricing Level shall be determined by reference to the Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding such Calculation Date. The Applicable Margin for Revolving Credit Loans and Swingline Loans shall be effective from one Calculation Date until the next Calculation Date. Any adjustment in the Applicable Margin shall be applicable to all Extensions of Credit then existing or subsequently made or issued. PRICING LEVEL TOTAL LEVERAGE RATIO LIBOR BASE RATE ------------- -------------------- ----- --------- I <2.00x 2.25% 1.25% II greater than or equal to 2.00x but <2.50x 2.50% 1.50% III greater than or equal to 2.50x but <3.00x 2.75% 1.75% IV greater than or equal to 3.00x 3.00% 2.00%
(ii) Subject to the provisions of Section 4.6(g), the Applicable Margin for Term Loans shall be based on the table set forth below and shall be determined and adjusted on each Calculation Date until such time as any change in the Applicable Margin or pricing grid, as applicable for Term Loans pursuant to Section 4.6; provided, however that (A) the initial Applicable Margin for Term Loans shall be based on Pricing Level II until the Calculation Date of March 31, 2002 and (B) if the Borrower fails to provide the Officer's Compliance Certificate as required by Section 8.2 for the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding the applicable Calculation Date, the Applicable Margin for Term Loans from such Calculation Date shall be based on Pricing Level II (as shown below) until such time as an appropriate Officer's Compliance Certificate is provided, at which time the Pricing Level shall be determined by reference to the Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding such Calculation Date. The Applicable Margin for Term Loans shall be effective from one Calculation Date until the next Calculation Date. Any adjustment in the Applicable Margin shall be applicable to all Term Loans then existing or subsequently made or issued. Applicable LIBOR Applicable Base Rate Level Total Leverage Ratio Rate Margin (bps) Margin (bps) ----- -------------------- ----------------- -------------------- I < 2.50x 300.0 200.0 II greater than or equal to 2.50x 325.0 225.0
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 that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period; then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.
Interest Rate Computations All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and be binding upon the parties hereto.
Negotiation of alternative rate of interest If the Agent’s notice under Clause 5.6 is served after an Advance is made, the Borrower, the Agent and the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender shall use reasonable endeavours to agree, within the 30 days after the date on which the Agent serves its notice under Clause 5.6 (the “Negotiation Period”), an alternative interest rate or (as the case may be) an alternative basis for the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender to fund or continue to fund their or its Contribution to the relevant Advance or Advances during the Interest Period concerned.
Base Rate The higher of (a) the annual rate of interest announced from time to time by BKB at its head office in Boston, Massachusetts, as its "base rate" and (b) one-half of one percent (1/2%) above the Federal Funds Effective Rate. For the purposes of this definition, "Federal Funds Effective Rate" shall mean for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next preceding 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 of the quotations for such day on such transactions received by the Agent from three funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Agent.
Interest Rate Options The Borrower shall pay interest in respect of the outstanding unpaid principal amount of the Loans as selected by it from the Base Rate Option or LIBOR Rate Option set forth below applicable to the Loans, it being understood that, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Borrower may select different Interest Rate Options and different Interest Periods to apply simultaneously to the Loans comprising different Borrowing Tranches and may convert to or renew one or more Interest Rate Options with respect to all or any portion of the Loans comprising any Borrowing Tranche; provided that (i) there shall not be at any one time outstanding more than ten (10) Borrowing Tranches in the aggregate among all of the Loans and (ii) if an Event of Default or Potential Default exists and is continuing, the Borrower may not request, convert to, or renew the LIBOR Rate Option for any Loans and the Required Lenders may demand that all existing Borrowing Tranches bearing interest under the LIBOR Rate Option shall be converted immediately to the Base Rate Option, subject to the obligation of the Borrower to pay any indemnity under Section 5.9 [Indemnity] in connection with such conversion. If at any time the designated rate applicable to any Loan made by any Lender exceeds such Lender’s highest lawful rate, the rate of interest on such Lender’s Loan shall be limited to such Lender’s highest lawful rate.
Interest and Applicable Margins (a) Borrowers shall pay interest to Agent, for the ratable benefit of Lenders in accordance with the various Revolving Credit Advances and Swing Line Loans being made by each Lender, and in respect of all unreimbursed Letters of Credit Obligations, in arrears on each applicable Interest Payment Date, at the following rates: (i) with respect to the Revolving Credit Advances and unreimbursed Letter of Credit Obligations and all other Obligations (other than LIBOR Loans and Swing Line Loans), the Index Rate plus the Applicable Revolver Index Margin per annum or, at the election of Borrower Representative, the applicable LIBOR Rate plus the Applicable Revolver LIBOR Margin per annum, based on the aggregate Revolving Credit Advances outstanding from time to time; and (ii) with respect to the Swing Line Loan, the Index Rate plus the Applicable Revolver Index Margin per annum, based on the aggregate amount of the Swing Line Loan outstanding from time to time. The Applicable Margins, on a per annum basis, are as follows: Applicable Revolver Index Margin 1.50 % Applicable Revolver LIBOR Margin 3.00 % Applicable L/C Margin 3.00 % Applicable Unused Line Fee Margin 0.50 %
(b) If any payment on any Loan becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, the maturity thereof will be extended to the next succeeding Business Day (except as set forth in the definition of LIBOR Period) and, with respect to payments of principal, interest thereon shall be payable at the then applicable rate during such extension.
(c) All computations of Fees calculated on a per annum basis and interest shall be made by Agent on the basis of a three hundred sixty (360) day year, in each case for the actual number of days occurring in the period for which such interest and Fees are payable. The Index Rate is a floating rate determined for each day. Each determination by Agent of an interest rate and Fees hereunder shall be final, binding and conclusive on Borrowers, absent manifest error.
(d) So long as an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and at the election of Agent (or upon the written request of Requisite Lenders) confirmed by written notice from Agent to Borrower Representative, the interest rates applicable to the Loans and the Letter of Credit Fees shall be increased by two percentage points (2%) per annum above the rates of interest or the rate of such Fees otherwise applicable hereunder (“Default Rate”), and all outstanding Obligations shall bear interest at the Default Rate applicable to such Obligations. Interest and Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate shall accrue from the initial date of such Event of Default until that Event of Default is cured or waived and shall be payable upon demand.
(e) So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, Borrower Representative - shall have the option to (i) request that any Revolving Credit Advance be made as a LIBOR Loan, (ii) convert at any time all or any part of outstanding Loans (other than the Swing Line Loan) from Index Rate Loans to LIBOR Loans, (iii) convert any LIBOR Loan to an Index Rate Loan, subject to payment of LIBOR breakage costs in accordance with Section 1.13(b) if such conversion is made prior to the expiration of the LIBOR Period applicable thereto, or (iv) continue all or any portion of any Loan (other than the Swing Line Loan) as a LIBOR Loan upon the expiration of the applicable LIBOR Period and the succeeding LIBOR Period of that continued Loan shall commence on the first day after the last day of the LIBOR Period of the Loan to be continued. Any Loan or group of Loans having the same proposed LIBOR Period to be made or continued as, or converted into, a LIBOR Loan must be in a minimum amount of $1,000,000 and integral multiples of $100,000 in excess of such amount. Any such election must be made by noon (New York time) on the third (3rd) Business Day prior to (1) the date of any proposed Advance which is to bear interest at the LIBOR Rate, (2) the end of each LIBOR Period with respect to any LIBOR Loans to be continued as such, or (3) the date on which the applicable Borrower wishes to convert any Index Rate Loan to a LIBOR Loan for a LIBOR Period designated by Borrower Representative in such election. If no election is received with respect to a LIBOR Loan by noon (New York time) on the third (3rd) Business Day prior to the end of the LIBOR Period with respect thereto (or if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), that LIBOR Loan shall be converted to an Index Rate Loan at the end of its LIBOR Period. Borrower Representative must make such election by notice to Agent in writing, by telecopy or overnight courier. In the case of any conversion or continuation, such election must be made pursuant to a written notice (a “Notice of Conversion/Continuation”) in the form of Exhibit 1.5(e). No Loan may be made as or converted into a LIBOR Loan until the earlier of (i) forty-five (45) days after the Closing Date or (ii) completion of primary syndication as determined by Agent.
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Section 1.5, if a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final order that the rate of interest payable hereunder exceeds the highest rate of interest permissible under law (the “Maximum Lawful Rate”), then so long as the Maximum Lawful Rate would be so exceeded, the rate of interest payable hereunder shall be equal to the Maximum Lawful Rate; provided, that if at any time thereafter the rate of interest payable hereunder is less than the Maximum Lawful Rate, Borrowers shall continue to pay interest hereunder at the Maximum Lawful Rate until such time as the total interest received by Agent, on behalf of Lenders, is equal to the total interest that would have been received had the interest rate payable hereunder been (but for the operation of this paragraph) the interest rate payable since the Closing Date as otherwise provided in this Agreement. Thereafter, interest hereunder shall be paid at the rate(s) of interest and in the manner provided in Sections 1.5(a) through (e) above, unless and until the rate of interest again exceeds the Maximum Lawful Rate, and at that time this paragraph shall again apply. In no event shall the total interest received by any Lender pursuant to the terms hereof exceed the amount that such Lender could lawfully have received had the interest due hereunder been calculated for the full term hereof at the Maximum Lawful Rate. If the Maximum Lawful Rate is calculated pursuant to this paragraph, such interest shall be calculated at a daily rate equal to the Maximum Lawful Rate divided by the number of days in the year in which such calculation is made. If, notwithstanding the provisions of this
