CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of December 14, 2011 among SYMETRA FINANCIAL CORPORATION, The Lenders Party Hereto, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent, WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Syndication Agent and U.S. BANK, NATIONAL...
CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
December 14, 2011
among
SYMETRA FINANCIAL CORPORATION,
The Lenders Party Hereto,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent,
XXXXX FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Syndication Agent
and
U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Documentation Agent
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
and
XXXXX FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,
as Co-Bookrunners and Co-Lead Arrangers
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE IDefinitions SECTION 1.01. SECTION 1.02. SECTION 1.03. SECTION 1.04. ARTICLE IIThe Credits SECTION 2.01. SECTION 2.02. SECTION 2.03. SECTION 2.04. SECTION 2.05. SECTION 2.06. SECTION 2.07. SECTION 2.08. SECTION 2.09. SECTION 2.10. SECTION 2.11. SECTION 2.12. SECTION 2.13. SECTION 2.14. SECTION 2.15. SECTION 2.16. SECTION 2.17. SECTION 2.18. SECTION 2.19. |
Defined Terms Classification of Loans and Borrowings Terms Generally Accounting Terms; GAAP and SAP Commitments Loans and Borrowings Requests for Revolving Borrowings Swingline Loans Letters of Credit Funding of Borrowings Interest Elections Termination, Reduction and Increase of Commitments. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt Prepayment of Loans Fees Interest Alternate Rate of Interest Increased Costs Break Funding Payments Taxes Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. Defaulting Lenders. |
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| ARTICLE IIIRepresentations and Warranties |
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SECTION 3.01. SECTION 3.02. SECTION 3.03. SECTION 3.04. SECTION 3.05. SECTION 3.06. SECTION 3.07. SECTION 3.08. SECTION 3.09. SECTION 3.10. SECTION 3.11. SECTION 3.12. SECTION 3.13. SECTION 3.14. SECTION 3.15. SECTION 3.16. ARTICLE IVConditions SECTION 4.01. SECTION 4.02. |
Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change. Corporate Existence; Compliance with Law Corporate Power; Authorization; Enforceable Obligations No Legal Bar No Material Litigation Ownership of Property; Liens Intellectual Property Taxes Federal Regulations ERISA Investment Company Act; Other Regulations Use of Proceeds Accuracy of Information, etc Insurance Regulatory Matters Indebtedness and Liens Taxpayer Identification Number Effective Date Each Credit Event |
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| ARTICLE VAffirmative Covenants |
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SECTION 5.01. SECTION 5.02. SECTION 5.03. SECTION 5.04. SECTION 5.05. SECTION 5.06. SECTION 5.07. SECTION 5.08. SECTION 5.09. SECTION 5.10. |
Financial Statements Certificates; Other Information Payment of Obligations Conduct of Business and Maintenance of Existence, etc Maintenance of Property; Insurance Inspection of Property; Books and Records; Discussions Notices Taxes Use of Proceeds Further Assurances |
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| ARTICLE VINegative Covenants |
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SECTION 6.01. SECTION 6.02. SECTION 6.03. SECTION 6.04. SECTION 6.05. |
Financial Condition Covenants. Limitation on Indebtedness Limitation on Liens Limitation on Changes in Fiscal Periods Limitation on Lines of Business |
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| ARTICLE VIIEvents of Default |
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| ARTICLE VIIIThe Administrative Agent |
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ARTICLE IXMiscellaneous SECTION 9.01. SECTION 9.02. SECTION 9.03. SECTION 9.04. SECTION 9.05. SECTION 9.06. SECTION 9.07. SECTION 9.08. SECTION 9.09. SECTION 9.10. SECTION 9.11. SECTION 9.12. SECTION 9.13. SECTION 9.14. SECTION 9.15. |
Notices Waivers; Amendments Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver Successors and Assigns Survival Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness Severability Right of Setoff Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL Headings Confidentiality Interest Rate Limitation USA PATRIOT Act No Fiduciary Duty |
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SCHEDULES:
Schedule 1.01 – Pricing Schedule
Schedule 2.01 – Commitments
Schedule 3.03 – Consents, Authorizations, Filings and Notices
Schedule 3.16 – Tax Payer Identification Number
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit A – Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit B – Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit C – Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit D – Form of Interest Election Request
Exhibit E-1 – Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
Exhibit E-2 – Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
Exhibit E-3 – Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
Exhibit E-4 – Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of December 14, 2011, among SYMETRA FINANCIAL CORPORATION, the LENDERS party hereto, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent, XXXXX FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Syndication Agent, and U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Documentation Agent.
The parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
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.
“Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.
“Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 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, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, is in control of, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” of a Person means the power, directly or indirectly, either to (a) vote 10% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person or (b) direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether by contract or otherwise.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, modified or supplemented from time to time.
“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 Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for deposits in Dollars for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%, provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the rate appearing on the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page 1 (or on any successor or substitute page of such page) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively, is publicly announced as being effective.
“Annual Statement” means the annual statutory financial statement of any Insurance Subsidiary required to be filed with the Department of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, which statement shall be in the form required by such Insurance Subsidiary’s jurisdiction of incorporation or organization or, if no specific form is so required, in the form of financial statements permitted by such Department to be used for filing annual statutory financial statements and shall contain the type of information permitted or required by such Department to be disclosed therein, together with all exhibits or schedules filed therewith.
“Applicable Percentage” means, at any time, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time; provided that in the case of Section 2.19 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Applicable Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the total Commitments (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time. 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 and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.
“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any Eurodollar Loan or ABR Loan or with respect to the facility fees payable hereunder, the applicable rate per annum set forth on Schedule 1.01 under the caption “Eurodollar Spread”, “ABR Spread” or “Facility Fee Rate”, as the case may be.
“Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).
“ASC 810” means FASB ASC (Accounting Standards Codification) Topic 810, Consolidation.
“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 date of termination of the Commitments.
“Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, provided, further, that such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.
“Basel III” means, collectively, those certain Consultative Documents issued by the Basel Committee of Banking Supervisors of the Bank for International Settlements entitled “Strengthening the Resilience of the Banking Sector” issued December 17, 2009, “International Framework for Liquidity Risk Measurement, Standards and Monitoring” issued December 17, 2009, “Countercyclical Capital Buffer Proposal” issued July 16, 2010 and “Capitalization of Bank Exposures to Central Counterparties” issued December 20, 2010.
“Berkshire Hathaway” means, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., or an Affiliate thereof.
“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States (or any successor).
“Borrower” means Symetra Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 5.02(e).
“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 or (b) a Swingline Loan.
“Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03 substantially in the form of Exhibit C or any other form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
“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 dollar deposits in the London interbank market.
“Capital and Surplus” means, as of any date, (a) as to any Insurance Subsidiary domiciled in the United States, the total surplus as regards to policyholders (or any successor line item description that contains the same information) as shown in its Annual Statement or Interim Statement, or an amount determined in a consistent manner for any date other than one as of which an Annual Statement or Interim Statement is prepared and (b) as to any other Insurance Subsidiary, the equivalent amount (determined in good faith by the Borrower).
“Capital Lease Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, 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, for the purposes of this Agreement, the amount of such obligations at any time shall be the capitalized amount thereof at such time determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock or share capital of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation) and any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase any of the foregoing.
“Change of Control” means (a) the acquisition of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), other than the Permitted Holders, of Capital Stock representing more than 30% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of the Borrower (or, if the Permitted Holders own 30% or more of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of the Borrower, a percentage greater than such percentage of ownership), or (b) the 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. For the avoidance of doubt, none of the Capital Stock held by the Permitted Holders shall be included as being owned by a Person or group when determining whether such Person or group has met the 30% threshold set forth in clause (a).
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement (or with respect to any Lender, if later, the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender), of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any Law, (b) any change in any Law or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority, or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline, requirement or directive (whether or not having the force of Law) by any Governmental Authority; provided however, that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives thereunder, issued in connection therewith or in implementation thereof and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law” regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.
“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 Swingline Loans.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“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 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 or increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08 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 $300,000,000.
“Commonly Controlled Entity” means an entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 4001 (a) (14) of ERISA or that is treated as a single employer with the Borrower under Section 414 of the Code.
“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate duly executed by a Responsible Officer on behalf of the Borrower substantially in the form of Exhibit A.
“Conditional Common Equity” means convertible preferred equity issued by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries which will convert to common equity of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries upon shareholder approval (provided that such shareholder approval is obtained within the period required by the terms thereof).
“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.
“Consolidated Net Worth” means, as at any date, the sum of all amounts that would, in conformity with GAAP be included on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries under stockholders’ equity at such date, plus minority interests in Subsidiaries, as determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that in calculating Consolidated Net Worth as at any date, there shall be excluded for purposes of the calculation of Consolidated Net Worth any effects resulting from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes.
“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 Documents” means this Agreement and each promissory note, if any, delivered pursuant to Section 2.09(e).
“Debt” means indebtedness for borrowed money.
“Debtor Relief Laws” the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions, domestic or foreign, from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.
“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.
“Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed, within two Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans or (iii) pay over to any Specified Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Borrower or any Specified Party in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by a Specified Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans under this Agreement, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Specified Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become the subject of a Bankruptcy Event.
“Department” means, with respect to any Insurance Subsidiary, the insurance commissioner or other Governmental Authority of such Insurance Subsidiary’s jurisdiction of incorporation or organization.
“dollars”, “Dollars” or “$” means lawful currency of the United States of America.
“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 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.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“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.
“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.
“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the Laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a Law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.18(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.16, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.16(f) and (d) any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.
“Existing Credit Agreement” means the existing Credit Agreement dated as of August 26, 2007 among the Borrower, the lenders from time to time parties thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent.
“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with) and any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof.
“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.
“Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender, with respect to such Borrower, that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender, with respect to such Borrower, that is resident or organized under the Laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes.
“Fundamental Change” means any of (a) the Borrower consolidating, amalgamating or merging with any other Person, unless the Borrower is the survivor of such consolidation, amalgamation or merger, (b) the Borrower failing to preserve, renew and keep, in full force and effect, its corporate existence, (c) the Borrower, directly or indirectly through one or more of its Subsidiaries, conveying or transferring the properties and assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries) substantially as an entirety (other than to the Borrower or one or more of its Subsidiaries), or (d) the Borrower liquidating, winding up or dissolving itself, other than, in the case of clauses (a) through (d), any such transaction or transactions the sole purpose of which is to change the domicile of the Borrower (in any such redomiciliation (x) the surviving, amalgamated or transferee entity shall expressly assume, by an agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the obligations of the Borrower to be performed or observed hereunder and deliver to the Administrative Agent such corporate authority documents and legal opinions as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request, (y) the surviving, amalgamated or transferee entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Borrower under this Agreement with the same effect as if such surviving, amalgamated or transferee entity had been named as the Borrower herein and (z) the surviving , amalgamated or transferee entity shall be organized under the Laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia).
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States.
“Governmental Authority” means any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof whether state or local and any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, and any corporation or other entity owned or controlled, through stock or capital ownership or otherwise, by any of the foregoing, including any board of insurance, insurance department or insurance commissioner.
“Guarantee Obligation” means as to any Person (the “guaranteeing person”), any obligation of (a) the guaranteeing person or (b) another Person (including, without limitation, any bank under any letter of credit) to induce the creation of which the guaranteeing person has issued a reimbursement, counterindemnity or similar obligation, in either case guaranteeing or in effect guaranteeing any Indebtedness, leases, dividends or other obligations (the “primary obligations”) of any other third Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, any obligation of the guaranteeing person, whether or not contingent, (i) to purchase any such primary obligation or any Property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (ii) to advance or supply funds (1) for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation or (2) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (iii) to purchase Property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation or (iv) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of any such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof; provided, however, that the term Guarantee Obligation shall not include endorsements of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business. The amount of any Guarantee Obligation of any guaranteeing person shall be deemed to be the lower of (a) an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the primary obligation in respect of which such Guarantee Obligation is made and (b) the maximum amount for which such guaranteeing person may be liable pursuant to the terms of the instrument embodying such Guarantee Obligation, unless such primary obligation and the maximum amount for which such guaranteeing person may be liable are not stated or determinable, in which case the amount of such Guarantee Obligation shall be such guaranteeing person’s maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the Borrower in good faith.
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants, solid, liquid or gaseous wastes, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls (“PCBs”) or PCB-containing materials or equipment, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any environmental law.
“Hedge Agreements” means all interest rate swaps, caps or collar agreements or similar arrangements entered into by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries providing for protection against fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates or otherwise providing for the exchange of nominal interest obligations, either generally or under specific contingencies.
“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at any date, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as Indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP (a) all Debt of such Person, (b) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of Property or services (other than trade payables incurred in the ordinary course of such Person’s business), (c) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments, (d) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to Property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such Property), (e) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (f) all obligations of such Person, contingent or otherwise, as an account party or applicant under acceptances, letters of credit, bank guarantees, surety bonds or similar facilities, (g) all obligations of such Person, contingent or otherwise, to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise acquire for value any Capital Stock of such Person, (h) all Guarantee Obligations of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing, (i) all obligations of the kind referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above secured by (or for which the holder of such obligation has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on Property (including, without limitation, accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, whether or not such Person has assumed or become liable for the payment of such obligation, and (j) for the purposes of Section 6.02 and clause (h) of Article VII only, all obligations of such Person in respect of Hedge Agreements (with the “principal amount” of the obligations of such Person in respect of any Hedge Agreement at any time to be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that such Person would be required to pay if such Hedge Agreement were terminated at such time).
“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Credit Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a), Other Taxes.
“Insolvency” means with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA.
“Insolvent” means pertaining to a condition of Insolvency.
“Insurance Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary which is required to be licensed by any Department as an insurer or reinsurer and each direct or indirect Subsidiary of such Subsidiary.
“Intellectual Property” means the collective reference to all rights, priorities and privileges relating to intellectual property, arising under Laws, including, without limitation, copyrights, copyright licenses, patents, patent licenses, trademarks, trademark licenses, technology, know-how and processes, and all rights to xxx at law or in equity for any infringement or other impairment thereof, including the right to receive all proceeds and damages therefrom.
“Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.07, substantially in the form of Exhibit D or any other form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
“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, such day or days 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 and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid.
“Interest Period” means 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 (or, if agreed by each Lender participating therein, nine or twelve months) thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; 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 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 thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
“Interim Statement” means any interim statutory financial statement or financial report (whether quarterly, semiannually or otherwise) of any Insurance Subsidiary required to be filed with the Department of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, which statement or report shall be in the form required by such Insurance Subsidiary’s jurisdiction of incorporation or organization or, if no specific form is so required, in the form of financial statements or financial reports permitted by such Department to be used for filing interim statutory financial statements or financial reports and shall contain the type of information permitted or required by such Department to be disclosed therein, together with all exhibits or schedules filed therewith.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“Issuing Bank” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and each other Lender that agrees in writing with the Borrower to issue Letters of Credit (provided that notice of such agreement is given to the Administrative Agent), in each case in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.05(i) (in each case other than any Person that shall have ceased to be an Issuing Bank as provided in Section 2.05(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. With respect to any Letter of Credit, “Issuing Bank” shall mean the issuer thereof.
“Laws” means any law, treaty, rule, regulation or order of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority.
“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 or Section 2.07(d) hereof, 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 the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page 1 (or on any successor or substitute page provided by Reuters, or any successor to or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such screen, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits 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 dollar deposits 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 at which dollar deposits 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.
“License” means any license, certificate of authority, permit or other authorization which is required to be obtained from any Governmental Authority in connection with the operation, ownership or transaction of insurance or reinsurance business.
“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, charge or security interest of any kind.
“Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
“Mandatory Convertible Securities” means equity securities or subordinated debt securities (which subordinated debt securities, if issued by the Borrower, will include subordination to the obligations of the Borrower hereunder), issued by the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries which (i) are not (w) Mandatory Redeemable Securities (other than Qualified Securities) or (x) Conditional Common Equity and (ii) provide, pursuant to the terms thereof, that the issuer of such securities (or an affiliate of such issuer) may cause (without the payment of additional cash consideration by the issuer thereof) the conversion or exchange of, or has agreed to convert or exchange, such securities to or for equity securities of the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries upon the occurrence of a certain date or of certain events. A Mandatory Convertible Security that is also a Qualified Security shall be treated as a Mandatory Convertible Security.
“Mandatory Redeemable Securities” means debt or equity securities (other than Conditional Common Equity, so long as such Conditional Common Equity may not be required, by the holder thereof, to be repurchased or redeemed during the period provided for shareholder approval of conversion pursuant to the terms of such Conditional Common Equity) issued by the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries which either (i) are subordinated debt securities (which subordinated debt securities, if issued by the Borrower, will include subordination to the obligations of the Borrower hereunder), or (ii) provide, pursuant to the terms thereof, that such securities must be repurchased or redeemed, or the holder of such securities may require the issuer of such securities to repurchase or redeem such securities, upon the occurrence of a certain date or of certain events.
“Material Adverse Effect” means, a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, property or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents or the rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder or thereunder.
“Material Insurance Subsidiary” means any Insurance Subsidiary (whether existing on or acquired or formed after the Effective Date) having Capital and Surplus equal to 10% or more of the Consolidated Net Worth of the Borrower as of the most recent Annual Statement or Interim Statement of such Insurance Subsidiary.
“Maturity Date” means December 14, 2015.
“Maximum Rate” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.13.
“Moody’s” means Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc., and any successor to its rating agency business.
“Multiemployer Plan” means a Plan that is a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“NAIC” means the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any successor thereto, or in the absence of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or such successor, any other association, agency or other organization performing advisory, coordination or other like functions among insurance departments, insurance commissioners and similar Governmental Authorities of the various states of the United States towards the promotion of uniformity in the practices of such Governmental Authorities.
“Non-Regulated Operating Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower engaged directly (as opposed to indirectly through the ownership of Capital Stock of a Person engaged in a Principal Business) in a Principal Business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, which is not an Insurance Subsidiary.
“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Credit Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Credit Document).
“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Credit Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.18).
“Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a Subsidiary.
“Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(c).
“Participant Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(c).
“Patriot Act” shall mean the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001 (Title III of Pub. L. No. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Subtitle A of Title IV of ERISA (or any successor).
“Permitted Holders” means collectively, Berkshire Hathaway and White Mountains.
“Permitted Liens” means (a) any Lien upon Property to secure any part of the cost of development, construction, alteration, repair or improvement of such Property, or Debt incurred to finance such cost; (b) any extension, renewal or replacement, in whole or in part, of any Lien referred to in the foregoing clause (a); (c) any Lien relating to a sale and leaseback transaction; (d) any Lien in favor of the Borrower or any Subsidiary granted by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in order to secure any intercompany obligations; (e) mechanic’s, materialmen’s, carriers’ or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business (including construction of facilities) in respect of obligations which are not due or which are being contested in good faith; (f) any Lien arising in connection with any legal proceeding which is being contested in good faith; (g) Liens for Taxes not yet subject to penalties for non-payment or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; (h) minor survey exceptions, minor encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real property or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties which were not incurred in connection with Debt and which do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person; (i) pledges or deposits under workers’ compensation Laws, unemployment insurance Laws or similar social security legislation or letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments issued supporting such pledges, deposits or obligations; (j) any pledge or deposit to secure performance of letters of credit, bank guarantees, bids, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature in the ordinary course of business or letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments issued supporting such pledges, deposits or obligations; (k) any interest or title of a lessor under any lease entered into in the ordinary course of business; (l) Liens on assets of any Insurance Subsidiary securing (i) short-term Debt (i.e. with a maturity of less than one year when issued, provided that such Debt may include an option to extend for up to an additional one year period) incurred to provide short-term liquidity to facilitate claims payments in the event of catastrophe, (ii) Debt incurred in the ordinary course of its business or in securing insurance-related obligations (that do not constitute Debt) and letters of credit issued for the account of any such Subsidiary in the ordinary course of its business or in securing insurance-related obligations (that do not constitute Debt) or (iii) insurance-related obligations (that do not constitute Debt); (m) Liens on the assets of any mutual fund Subsidiary securing Debt incurred to provide short-term (i.e. not anticipated to be outstanding for more than one year when incurred) liquidity to facilitate redemption payments by such mutual fund Subsidiary; (n) Liens securing the obligations hereunder; (o) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under paragraph (j) of Article VII; and (p) Liens that are contractual rights of setoff.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means at a particular time, any “employee pension benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) that is 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 a Commonly Controlled Entity is (or, if such plan were terminated at such time, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.
“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City.
“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 5.02(e).
“Principal Business” means (a) a business of the type engaged in by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date of this Agreement, (b) any other insurance, insurance services, insurance related, asset management, asset management related or risk management related business and (c) any business reasonably incident to any of the foregoing.
“Property” means any property of any kind whatsoever, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible.
“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 5.02(e).
“Qualified Securities” means (a) Mandatory Redeemable Securities issued by the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries that, pursuant to the terms thereof, must be redeemed or repurchased or repaid, or may be required to be redeemed or repurchased or repaid at the option of the holder of such securities (excluding redemption, repurchase or repayment upon the occurrence of one or more events or conditions but including redemption, repurchase or repayment upon the occurrence of a certain date), (i) if such Mandatory Redeemable Securities are equity securities or subordinated debt securities, not sooner than the Revolving Credit Termination Date (except to the extent permitted by clause (ii) below) or (ii) only in exchange for equity securities or other Qualified Securities of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (except to the extent permitted by clause (i) above) and (b) any other debt securities issued by the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries whose proceeds are or would be accorded, at or about the time of issuance, equity treatment by S&P.
“Recipient” means, as applicable, (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) the Issuing Bank.
“Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(b).
“Regulation U” means Regulation U 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 attorneys of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.
“Reorganization” means, with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such plan is in reorganization within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA.
“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than those events as to which the thirty day notice period is waived.
“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time.
“Requirement of Law” means, as to any Person, the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any Law, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its Property or to which such Person or any of its Property is subject.
“Responsible Officer” means, as to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, chief accounting officer, any vice president or any managing director of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, as the context requires. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer on behalf of the Borrower or a Subsidiary shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of the Borrower or such Subsidiary and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of the Borrower or such Subsidiary.
“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.
“Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, and any successor to its rating agency business.
“SAP” means with respect to any Insurance Subsidiary, the statutory accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Department in the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of such Insurance Subsidiary for the preparation of annual statements and other financial reports by insurance companies of the same type as such Insurance Subsidiary, which are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Single Employer Plan” means any Plan that is covered by Title IV of ERISA, but which is not a Multiemployer Plan.
“Specified Event of Default” means an Event of Default arising under clause (a), (b) (but only as a result of a breach of Section 6.01) or (c) of Article VII.
“Specified Party” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender and each other Lender.
“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 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.
“Subsidiary” of a Person means (a) any corporation more than 50% of the outstanding securities having ordinary voting power of which shall at the time be owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or by one or more of its Subsidiaries or by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries, or (b) any partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or similar business organization more than 50% of the ownership interests having ordinary voting power of which shall at the time be so owned or controlled. Unless otherwise expressly provided, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” shall mean a Subsidiary of the Borrower.
“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, N.A., in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.
“Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.
“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
“Total Consolidated Capitalization” means, as at any date, the sum, without duplication, of (a) Consolidated Net Worth plus (b) Total Consolidated Debt plus, (c) the amounts in respect of Trust Preferred Securities, Mandatory Convertible Securities, Mandatory Redeemable Securities, Conditional Common Equity and any other preferred equity that would, in conformity with GAAP, be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries prepared as of such date and which are not already included in clause (a) or (b) above. Total Consolidated Capitalization shall in any event not include any effects resulting from the application of ASC 810.
“Total Consolidated Debt” means, at any date, the sum, without duplication, of (a) all amounts that would, in conformity with GAAP, be reflected and classified as Debt on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries prepared as of such date (other than amounts excluded by clauses (b) and (c) below), (b) Indebtedness represented by (i) Trust Preferred Securities or Qualified Securities (in each case, owned by Persons other than the Borrower or any of its consolidated Subsidiaries) but only to the extent that such securities (other than Mandatory Convertible Securities) exceed 15% of Total Consolidated Capitalization or (ii) Mandatory Redeemable Securities (owned by Persons other than the Borrower or any of its consolidated Subsidiaries) other than Qualified Securities, and (c) Indebtedness represented by Mandatory Convertible Securities (owned by Persons other than the Borrower or any of its consolidated Subsidiaries) but only to the extent that such Mandatory Convertible Securities plus Trust Preferred Securities and Qualified Securities (in each case, owned by Persons other than the Borrower or any of its consolidated Subsidiaries) exceed 25% of Total Consolidated Capitalization; provided, that in the event that the notes related to the Mandatory Convertible Securities remain outstanding following the exercise of forward purchase contracts related to such Mandatory Convertible Securities, then such outstanding notes will be included in Total Consolidated Debt thereafter. Total Consolidated Debt shall, in any event, not include (1) obligations arising in respect of Hedge Agreements, (2) Indebtedness of the type described in Sections 6.02(a)(ii), (a)(iii), (a)(iv), (a)(vi) and (a)(vii), (3) Conditional Common Equity, (4) any other amounts in respect of Trust Preferred Securities, Mandatory Redeemable Securities, Mandatory Convertible Securities or Qualified Securities, or (5) any effects resulting from the application of ASC 810.
“Total Consolidated Debt to Total Consolidated Capitalization Ratio” means, as at the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower, the ratio of (a) Total Consolidated Debt to (b) Total Consolidated Capitalization.
“Transactions” 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.
“Trust Preferred Securities” means preferred equity issued by a special purpose entity, the proceeds of which are used to purchase subordinated debt securities of the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries having terms that substantially mirror those of such preferred equity issued by the special purpose entity such that the subordinated debt securities constitute credit support for obligations in respect of such preferred equity and such preferred equity is reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.
“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 or the Alternate Base Rate.
“U.S. Person” means a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.
“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.16(f)(ii)(B)(3).
“White Mountains” means White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd., a company organized under the laws of Bermuda, or an Affiliate thereof.
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 Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing”).
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”. Except as otherwise provided herein and 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 definition of or reference to any statute, rule or regulation shall be construed as referring thereto as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (including by succession of comparable successor Laws), and all references to any statute shall be construed as referring to all rules, regulations, rulings and official interpretations promulgated or issued thereunder, (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to any restrictions on assignment set forth herein) and, in the case of any Governmental Authority, any other Governmental Authority that shall have succeeded to any or all functions thereof, (d) 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, (e) 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 (f) 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 and SAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP or SAP, as applicable, in each case 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 SAP, as applicable, 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 SAP, as applicable, or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP or SAP, as applicable, 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. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made (i) without giving effect to any election under Accounting Standards Codification 000-00-00 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or update having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein, (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or update having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described in such provision, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof and (iii) in a manner such that any obligations relating to a lease that was accounted for by a Person as an operating lease as of the Effective Date and any similar lease entered into after the Effective Date by such Person shall be accounted for as obligations relating to an operating lease and not as obligations relating to a Capitalized Lease.
ARTICLE II
The Credits
SECTION 2.01. Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower 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 or (b) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments. 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 of the same Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. 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 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 2.13, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar 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 an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $1,000,000. At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $1,000,000; 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 reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(e). Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $100,000. 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 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 (other than a Swingline Loan), the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, 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, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or electronic mail to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request. 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, the 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 2.06.
If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR 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. Swingline Loans. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans 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 $15,000,000 or (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan. 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 electronic mail), not later than 1:00 p.m., 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 2.05(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 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 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 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 2.05. Letters of Credit. (a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit 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 (other than an automatic renewal permitted pursuant to paragraph (k) of this Section)), the Borrower shall hand deliver (or transmit by electronic mail) 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 requested 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 any 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 $75,000,000 and (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures 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 may expire on a date that is later than the date referred to in clause (ii) subject to paragraphs (j) and (k) of this Section.
(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 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 under such Letter of Credit 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 1:00 p.m., 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 1:00 p.m., New York City time, (i) on the Business Day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time or (ii) on the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is received after 10:00 a.m., New York City time; provided, that if such LC Disbursement is not less than $500,000, the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.04 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. 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 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 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 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 willful 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 electronic mail) 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 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 2.12(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 2.11(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 (i) 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 50% 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 105% of 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 (c) of Article VII or (ii) any Letter of Credit shall have an expiration date after the Maturity Date, the Borrower shall either (1) 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 105% of the face amount of such Letter of Credit or (2) provide a back up letter of credit in such amount in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent from an institution acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in either case, on the date five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date. Such deposit or letter of credit 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 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 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 50% 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. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder pursuant to Section 2.09(f), such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower to the extent that, after giving effect to such return, the Revolving Credit Exposure of the Lenders would not exceed the aggregate Commitment and no Default shall have occurred and be continuing. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder pursuant to Section 2.19, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower as promptly as practicable to the extent that, after giving effect to such return, no Issuing Bank shall have any exposure in respect of any outstanding Letter of Credit that is not fully covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or the remaining cash collateral. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of any Letter of Credit maturing after the Maturity Date, such amount (to the extent not applied to reimburse LC Disbursements related to such Letter of Credit) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after such Letter of Credit shall have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements related to such Letter of Credit shall have been repaid.
(k) Evergreen Letters of Credit. If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit application, a Letter of Credit may contain automatic extension provisions; provided that any such Letter of Credit must permit the Issuing Bank to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the Issuing Bank for any such extension. Once such a Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the Issuing Bank to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section; provided, however, that the Issuing Bank shall not permit any such extension if (i) the Issuing Bank has determined that it would not be permitted or would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof, or (ii) it has received notice on or before the day that is five Business Days before the required notice date from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and directing the Issuing Bank not to permit such extension, and the Administrative Agent has determined, in good faith, that such condition or conditions have not, in fact, been satisfied.
SECTION 2.06. 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 1:00 p.m., 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 2.04. 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; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.
(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.
SECTION 2.07. 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 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 electronic mail to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request 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.
(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. 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 2.08. Termination, Reduction and Increase 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 $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000 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 2.10, the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures 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 or another transaction, 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.
(d) The Borrower at its option may, from time to time, seek to increase the total Commitments by up to an aggregate amount of $100,000,000 (resulting in maximum total Commitments of $400,000,000) upon at least three (3) Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, which notice shall specify the amount of any such increase (which shall not be less than $5,000,000) and shall certify that no Default has occurred and is continuing. After delivery of such notice, the Borrower, in consultation with the Administrative Agent, may offer the increase (which may be declined by any Lender in its sole discretion) in the total Commitments on either a ratable basis to the Lenders or on a non pro-rata basis to one or more Lenders and/or to other lenders or entities reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower. No increase in the total Commitments shall become effective until the existing Lenders or new lenders extending such incremental Commitment amount and the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a document in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent pursuant to which (i) any such existing Lender agrees to the amount of its Commitment increase, (ii) any such new Lender agrees to its Commitment amount and agrees to assume and accept the obligations and rights of a Lender hereunder, (iii) the Borrower accepts such incremental Commitments, (iv) the effective date of any increase in the Commitments is specified and (v) the Borrower certifies that on such date the conditions for a new Loan set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied. Upon the effectiveness of any increase in the total Commitments pursuant hereto, (i) each Lender (new or existing) shall be deemed to have accepted an assignment from the existing Lenders, and the existing Lenders shall be deemed to have made an assignment to each new or existing Lender accepting a new or increased Commitment, of an interest in each then outstanding Revolving Loan (in each case, on the terms and conditions set forth in the Assignment and Assumption) and (ii) the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the existing and new Lenders shall be automatically adjusted such that, after giving effect to such assignments and adjustments, all Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder is held ratably by the Lenders in proportion to their respective Commitments. Assignments pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be made in exchange for, and substantially contemporaneously with the payment to the assigning Lenders of, the principal amount assigned plus accrued and unpaid interest and facility and Letter of Credit fees. Payments received by assigning Lenders pursuant to this Section in respect of the principal amount of any Eurodollar Loan shall, for purposes of Section 2.15 be deemed prepayments of such Loan. Any increase of the total Commitments pursuant to this Section shall be subject to receipt by the Administrative Agent from the Borrower of such supplemental opinions, resolutions, certificates and other documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request. No consent of any Lender (other than the Lenders agreeing to new or increased Commitments) shall be required for any incremental Commitment provided or Loan made pursuant to this Section 2.08(d).
SECTION 2.09. 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 and (ii) to the Swingline Lender 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 15th or last day of a calendar month and is at least two Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans that were outstanding on the date such Borrowing was requested.
(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) and in a form 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).
(f) If at any time the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of the Lenders exceeds the aggregate Commitments of the Lenders, the Borrower shall immediately prepay the Revolving Loans in the amount of such excess. To the extent that, after the prepayment of all Revolving Loans an excess of the Revolving Credit Exposure over the aggregate Commitments still exists, the Borrower shall promptly cash collateralize the Letters of Credit in the manner described in Section 2.05(j) in an amount sufficient to eliminate such excess.
SECTION 2.10. 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.
(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 electronic mail) 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, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 3:00 p.m., 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 contemplated by Section 2.08(c), then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.08(c). 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 2.12.
SECTION 2.11. 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) during the period from and including the Effective Date 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 third Business Day following 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 Effective Date; 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).
(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 interest 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 such Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate or rates per annum separately agreed upon between the Borrower and such Issuing Bank on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (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 such 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 2.12. 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 at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.
(c) 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.
(d) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan, upon the final maturity thereof and upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) 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 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 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.
(e) 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 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 2.13. 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 electronic mail 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 such Borrowing shall be continued as an ABR Borrowing 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.
If, after the date hereof, the introduction of, or any change in, any applicable Law or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any of the Lenders (or any of their respective Lending Offices) with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of Law) of any such Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency, shall make it unlawful or impossible for any of the Lenders (or any of their respective Lending Offices) to honor its obligations hereunder to make or maintain any Eurodollar Loan or any ABR Loan as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, such Lender shall promptly give notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice to the Borrower and the other Lenders. Thereafter, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that such circumstances no longer exist, (i) the obligations of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Loans or ABR Loans as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, and the right of the Borrower to convert any Loan to a Eurodollar Loan or continue any Loan as a Eurodollar Loan or an ABR Loan as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be suspended and thereafter the Borrower may select only ABR Loans as to which the interest rate is not determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate hereunder, (ii) all ABR Loans shall cease to be determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate and (iii) if any of the Lenders may not lawfully continue to maintain a Eurodollar Loan to the end of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto, the applicable Loan shall immediately be converted to an ABR Loan as to which the interest rate is not determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the remainder of such Interest Period.
SECTION 2.14. 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) impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or
(iii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, 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), by an amount deemed by such Lender or the Issuing Bank to be material, then from time to time upon request of such Lender or the Issuing Bank, 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 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 180 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 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
SECTION 2.15. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar 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 on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.10(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar 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 2.18, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. 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 (but not including the Applicable Rate applicable thereto), 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 dollar deposits 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 2.16. Taxes. (a) Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Credit Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Law. If any applicable Law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable withholding agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a withholding agent, then the applicable withholding agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.16) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.
(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. The Borrower shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for, Other Taxes.
(c) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.16, 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.
(d) Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify each Recipient, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(e) Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Credit Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Credit Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).
(f) Status of Lenders. (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Credit Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 2.16(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.
(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed originals of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. Federal backup withholding tax;
(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:
(1) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Credit Document, executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Credit Document, IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;
(2) executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI;
(3) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN; or
(4) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-2 or Exhibit E-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;
(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. Federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and
(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Credit Document would be subject to U.S. Federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
(iii) Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or if such Lender is not legally able to do so such Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.
(g) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its reasonable discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to Sections 2.14 or 2.16 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.16), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under Sections 2.14 or 2.16 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid. This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it reasonably deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.
(h) Issuing Bank. For purposes of this Section 2.16, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Bank.
SECTION 2.17. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs. (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 2.14, 2.15 or 2.16, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement), 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 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 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.
(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, 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.
(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of 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 without recourse or warranty from the other Lenders except as contemplated by Section 9.04 in respect of assignments 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 not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (as amended and in effect at the time of such payment) 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 2.04(c), 2.05(d) or (e), 2.06(b), 2.17(d) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion and notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender and for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid, and/or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under such Sections, in the case of each of clause (i) and (ii) above, in any order as determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.
SECTION 2.18. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, 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 Sections 2.14 or 2.16, 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 (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14 hereof, (ii) 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 2.16 hereof, (iii) any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender or (iv) any Lender (other than the Administrative Agent) has failed to consent to a proposed amendment, waiver, discharge or termination that under Section 9.02 requires the consent of all the Lenders (or all the affected Lenders) and with respect to which the Required Lenders shall have granted their consent, 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 hereof), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (A) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, (and, in circumstances where its consent would be required under Section 9.04, each Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (B) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and, if applicable, 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); provided however, that in the case of the Borrower’s replacement of a Defaulting Lender for failure to fund Loans hereunder, the assignee or the Borrower, as the case may be, shall hold back from such amounts payable to such Lender and pay directly to the Administrative Agent, any payments due to the Administrative Agent or the non-Defaulting Lenders by the Defaulting Lender under this Agreement and (C) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.14 hereof or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.16 hereof, 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. Each party hereto agrees that an assignment and delegation required pursuant to this paragraph may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee and that the Lender required to make such assignment and delegation need not be a party thereto.
SECTION 2.19. Defaulting Lenders.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:
(a) fees shall cease to accrue on the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.11(a);
(b) the Commitments, LC Exposure and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment or waiver pursuant to Section 9.02), provided that this clause (b) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender affected thereby;
(c) if any Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure exists at the time a Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:
(i) all or any part of such Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures plus such Defaulting Lender’s Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Commitments;
(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (x) first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y) second, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Bank only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.05(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;
(iii) if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.11(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;
(iv) if any portion of the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.11(b) shall be adjusted to give effect to such reallocation (and in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages); or
(v) if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither cash collateralized nor reallocated pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all facility fees that otherwise would have been payable to such Defaulting Lender (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment that was utilized by such LC Exposure) and letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.11(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure that is neither cash collateralized nor reallocated) shall be payable to the Issuing Bank until such LC Exposure is cash collateralized and/or reallocated; and
(d) so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.19(c), and participating interests in any such newly issued or increased Letter of Credit or newly made Swingline Loan shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.19(c)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).
If (i) a Bankruptcy Event with respect to a Parent of any Lender shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit (in each case, an “Affected Lender”), the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, is satisfied that the related exposure and such Affected Lender’s then outstanding Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of Lenders which are not either Defaulting Lenders or Affected Lenders, and participating interests in any such newly issued or increased Letter of Credit or newly made Swingline Loan shall be allocated among the Lenders which are not Defaulting Lenders or Affected Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.19(c)(i) (and such Affected Lender shall not participate therein) and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.19(c). In addition, the Borrower has the right to require a reallocation of participating interests in any such newly issued or increased Letter of Credit or newly made Swingline Loan among the Lenders which are not Defaulting Lenders or Affected Lenders is a manner consistent with Section 2.19(c)(i) (and such Affected Lender shall not participate therein).
In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank each agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:
SECTION 3.01. Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change.
(a) The audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as at December 31, 2010 and the related consolidated statements of income and of cash flows for the fiscal year ended on such date, reported on and accompanied by unqualified reports from Ernst & Young LLP or another independent certified public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as at such date, and the consolidated results of their operations and their consolidated cash flows for such fiscal year then ended in accordance with GAAP applied consistently throughout the periods involved (except as approved by the aforementioned firm of accountants and disclosed therein).
(b) The audited statutory financial statements of Symetra Life Insurance Company for fiscal year 2010, reported on and accompanied by unqualified reports from Ernst & Young LLP or another independent certified public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, present fairly in all material respects the financial condition of Symetra Life Insurance Company, for the period covered thereby in accordance with SAP applied consistently through the period involved (except as approved by the aforementioned firm of accountants and disclosed therein).
(c) The unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as of and for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2011, and the related unaudited consolidated statements of income and cash flows for such fiscal quarters ended on such dates, present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at such date, and the consolidated results of their operations and their consolidated cash flows for the fiscal quarter then ended in accordance with GAAP applied consistently throughout the period involved (except (x) as approved by the aforementioned firms of accountants and disclosed therein or (y) for normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes).
(d) The unaudited interim statutory financial statements of Symetra Life Insurance Company for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2011 present fairly in all material respects the financial condition of Symetra Life Insurance Company for the quarter then ended in accordance with SAP applied consistently throughout the period involved.
(e) Since December 31, 2010, there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, property or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
SECTION 3.02. Corporate Existence; Compliance with Law. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, except to the extent that the failure of the Subsidiaries to be so organized, validly existing and in good standing could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (b) has the corporate or other power and authority, and the legal right, to own and operate its Property, to lease the Property it operates as lessee and to conduct the business in which it is currently engaged, except to the extent that the failure to have such power, authority and legal right could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (c) is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of Property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except to the extent failure to so qualify or be in good standing could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (d) is in compliance with all Requirements of Law, including, without limitation, with respect to environmental Laws, except to the extent that the failure to comply therewith could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.03. Corporate Power; Authorization; Enforceable Obligations. The Borrower has the corporate or other power and authority, and the legal right, to make, deliver and perform the Credit Documents to which it is a party and to borrow hereunder. The Borrower has taken all necessary corporate or other action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of the Credit Documents to which it is a party and to authorize the borrowings on the terms and conditions of this Agreement. No consent or authorization of, filing with, notice to or other act by or in respect of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is required in connection with the borrowings hereunder or the execution, delivery, performance, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents, except consents, authorizations, filings and notices described in Schedule 3.03, which consents, authorizations, filings and notices have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect and except to the extent failure to obtain any consents, authorizations, filings, and notices could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Credit Document to which the Borrower is a party has been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Borrower. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Credit Document to which the Borrower is a party upon execution will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or at law).
SECTION 3.04. No Legal Bar. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, the issuance of Letters of Credit, the borrowings hereunder and the use of the proceeds thereof will not violate any Requirement of Law or any Contractual Obligation of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and will not result in, or require, the creation or imposition of any Lien on any of their respective properties or revenues pursuant to any Requirement of Law or any such Contractual Obligation, except to the extent such violation or Lien could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.05. No Material Litigation. No litigation, investigation or proceeding of or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their respective properties or assets that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Credit Document or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or (b) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.06. Ownership of Property; Liens. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has title in fee simple to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its real property, and good title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its other Property, and none of such Property is subject to any Lien except as permitted by Section 6.03, except to the extent such defects in title could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.07. Intellectual Property. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all Intellectual Property material to the conduct of its business as currently conducted. No material claim has been asserted and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning the use of any Intellectual Property or the validity or effectiveness of any Intellectual Property, nor does the Borrower know of any valid basis for any such claim, other than claims that could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The use of Intellectual Property by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe on the rights of any Person in any material respect, except for infringements that could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.08. Taxes. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has filed or caused to be filed all material Federal, state and other Tax returns that are required to be filed (taking into account any applicable extensions) and has paid all Taxes shown to be due and payable on said returns or on any assessments made against it or any of its Property and all other material Taxes imposed on it or any of its Property by any Governmental Authority and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, no Tax Lien has been filed, and no claim is being asserted, with respect to any such Tax, except (i) those in respect of which the amount or validity are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with SAP or GAAP, as applicable, have been provided on the books of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, and (ii) any amount the failure of which to pay could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.09. Federal Regulations. No part of the proceeds of any Loans will be used for “purchasing” 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 or for any purpose that violates 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 FR Form G-3 or FR Form U-1 referred to in Regulation U. After application of the proceeds of any Loan, not more than 25% of the assets that are subject to any restrictions under this Agreement on the pledge thereof will be “margin stock”.
SECTION 3.10. ERISA. Except as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no Reportable Event and no failure to meet the minimum funding standards under Section 430 of the Code has occurred during the five-year period prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made with respect to any Single Employer Plan, and each Plan has complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code. Except as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no termination of a Single Employer Plan has occurred, and no Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan has arisen, during such five-year period. The present value of all accrued benefits under each Single Employer Plan (based on those assumptions used to fund such Plans) did not, as of the last annual valuation date prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made, exceed the value of the assets of such Plan allocable to such accrued benefits by an amount which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrower nor any Commonly Controlled Entity has had a complete or partial withdrawal from any Multiemployer Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no such Multiemployer Plan is in Reorganization or Insolvent and no notice that such Multiemployer Plan is in endangered or critical status (under Section 432 of the Code) has been received.
SECTION 3.11. Investment Company Act; Other Regulations. The Borrower is not an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Borrower is not subject to regulation under any Requirement of Law (other than Regulation X of the Board) which limits its ability to incur Indebtedness hereunder.
SECTION 3.12. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit shall be used for working capital and general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, (a) acquisitions, (b) the issuance of Letters of Credit, (c) refinancings of outstanding indebtedness, if any, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including under the Existing Credit Agreement), and (d) for payment of fees and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement.
SECTION 3.13. Accuracy of Information, etc. No statement or information contained in any document, certificate or statement furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders or any of them, by or on behalf of the Borrower for use in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the other Credit Documents, taken as a whole contained, as of the date such statement, information, document or certificate was so furnished, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained therein not materially misleading in light of the circumstances under which such statement, information, document or certificate was made or furnished. The projections and pro forma financial information contained in the materials referenced above were prepared in good faith based on assumptions believed by management of the Borrower to be reasonable at the time made, it being recognized by the Lenders that such financial information as it relates to future events is not to be viewed as fact and that actual results during the period or periods covered by such financial information may differ from the projected results set forth therein by a material amount.
SECTION 3.14. Insurance Regulatory Matters. No License of any Insurance Subsidiary, the loss of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, is the subject of a proceeding for suspension or revocation. To the knowledge of the Borrower, there is no sustainable basis for such suspension or revocation, and no such suspension or revocation has been threatened by any Governmental Authority.
SECTION 3.15. Indebtedness and Liens. As of the Closing Date, (i) no Subsidiary of the Borrower had outstanding any Indebtedness that was created, incurred or assumed after September 30, 2011, except Indebtedness that would have been permitted by Section 6.02 (without giving effect to the Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.02(a)(i)) if created, incurred or assumed by such Subsidiary on the Closing Date and (ii) there does not exist (a) any Lien that was created, incurred or assumed after September 30, 2011, upon any stock or Indebtedness of any Subsidiary to secure any Debt of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any other Person (other than the obligations hereunder) or (b) any Lien that was created, incurred or assumed after September 30, 2011, upon any other Property, to secure any Debt of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any other Person (other than the obligations hereunder), except, in the case of (a) or (b), Liens that would have been permitted by Section 6.03 hereof (without giving effect to the Liens that would have been permitted by Section 6.03(i)(x)) if so created, incurred or assumed on the Closing Date.
SECTION 3.16. Taxpayer Identification Number. As of the date hereof, the Borrower’s true and correct U.S. taxpayer identification number is set forth on Schedule 3.16.
ARTICLE IV
Conditions
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans 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 electronic mail 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 opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of Cravath, Swaine & Xxxxx, LLP, counsel for the Borrower, and of Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of the Borrower, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and covering such matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request. The Borrower hereby requests 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) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
(f) The Existing Credit Agreement shall have been terminated, all principal, interest and other amounts owing thereunder (other than contingent obligations for which no claim has been made) shall have been (or shall substantially contemporaneously be) repaid in full and the Administrative Agent shall have received a payoff or termination letter in form and substance acceptable to it from Bank of America, N.A. to such effect.
(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) satisfactory GAAP audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for fiscal years 2009 and 2010, (ii) satisfactory GAAP unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2011, (iii) satisfactory audited statutory financial statements of Symetra Life Insurance Company for fiscal years 2009 and 2010 and (iv) satisfactory unaudited interim statutory financial statements of Symetra Life Insurance Company for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2011.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on December 30, 2011 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).
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 (other than the representation set forth in Section 3.01(e) hereof) shall be true and correct in all material respects 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, except in the case of any such representation or warranty that expressly relates to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be so true and correct in all material respects on and as of such earlier date.
(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
Affirmative 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 the Borrower shall and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to:
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements. Furnish to the Administrative Agent (either electronically or with sufficient copies for distribution by the Administrative Agent to each Lender):
(a) (i) not later than the date required to be filed pursuant to the Act of 1934 (after giving effect to any extension permitted or granted by the SEC), but in any event (including if not required to be filed pursuant to the Act of 1934) not later than 95 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower ending subsequent to the Effective Date, a copy of the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related audited consolidated statements of income and of cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures as of the end of and for the previous fiscal year, accompanied by an opinion by Ernst & Young LLP, or other independent certified public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and applicable securities Laws and shall not be subject to a “going concern” or like qualification or exception, or qualification as to the scope of the audit (for purposes hereof, delivery of the Borrower’s annual report on Form 10-K (which shall be deemed delivered on the date when such document is posted on the SEC’s website at xxx.xxx.xxx or any replacement website) will be sufficient in lieu of delivery of such financial statements); and (ii) not later than the date required to be filed pursuant to the Act of 1934 (after giving effect to any extension permitted or granted by the SEC), but in any event (including if not required to be filed pursuant to the Act of 1934) not later than 70 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower ending subsequent to the Effective Date, a copy of the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter and the related unaudited consolidated statements of income and of cash flows for such fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year through the end of such fiscal quarter, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures as of the end of and for the corresponding period in the previous year, certified by a Responsible Officer on behalf of the Borrower as being fairly stated in all material respects in accordance with GAAP (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes) (for purposes hereof, delivery of the Borrower’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (which shall be deemed delivered on the date when such document is posted on the SEC’s website at xxx.xxx.xxx or any replacement website) will be sufficient in lieu of delivery of such financial statements and certifications); all such financial statements, together with notes to such financial statements, to fairly present in all material respects the financial condition and income and cash flows of the subject thereof as at the dates and for the periods covered thereby in accordance with GAAP applied consistently throughout the periods reflected therein and with prior periods (except (x) as approved by such accountants or officer, as the case may be, and disclosed therein or (y) in the case of unaudited financial statements, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes);
(b) not later than the date required by Law to be prepared (or such later date as may be allowed by the applicable Governmental Authority), but in any event not later than (i) 95 days after the end of each fiscal year of a Material Insurance Subsidiary (as of the date of delivery pursuant hereto), copies of the unaudited Annual Statement of such Material Insurance Subsidiary, certified by a Responsible Officer on behalf of such Material Insurance Subsidiary; all such statements to be prepared in accordance with SAP consistently applied throughout the periods reflected therein and, if required by the applicable Governmental Authority, audited and certified by independent certified public accounting firm of recognized national standing (it being understood that delivery of audited statements shall be made within 10 days following the delivery of such statements to the applicable Governmental Authority); and (ii) 70 days after the end of each interim financial period of each Material Insurance Subsidiary in respect of which an Interim Statement is required to be prepared (as of the date delivery of such Interim Statement is required), copies of the Interim Statement of such Material Insurance Subsidiary for such interim financial period, all such statements to be prepared in accordance with SAP consistently applied throughout the period reflected herein;
(c) within 15 days after being delivered to any Material Insurance Subsidiary subsequent to the Effective Date, any final Report on Examination issued by the applicable Department or the NAIC that results in material adjustments to the financial statements referred to in paragraph (b) above;
(d) to the extent such a statement is required by Law to be prepared, within 10 days following the delivery to the applicable Department, a copy of each “Statement of Actuarial Opinion” and “Management Discussion and Analysis” for a Material Insurance Subsidiary which is provided to the applicable Department as to the adequacy of loss reserves of such Material Insurance Subsidiary, such opinion to be in the format prescribed by the insurance code of the state of domicile of such Material Insurance Subsidiary; and
(e) promptly after the Borrower’s receipt thereof, subject to any restrictions imposed by such independent accountants, copies of any management letters submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of the Borrower by independent accountants in connection with the annual audit of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
SECTION 5.02. Certificates; Other Information. Furnish to the Administrative Agent (either electronically or with sufficient copies for distribution by the Administrative Agent to each Lender) or, in the case of clause (d), to the relevant Lender:
(a) within 5 Business Days after the delivery of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 5.01(a)(i), a certificate of the independent certified public accounting firm reporting on such financial statements stating that in making the examination necessary therefor no knowledge was obtained of any Default or Event of Default (it being understood that (i) such certificate shall only be required if delivery by such independent certified public accounting firm of such a certificate is not prohibited by its policies and (ii) any such certificate may be limited in scope and qualified in accordance with customary practices of the accounting profession), except as specified in such certificate;
(b) within 5 Business Days after the deadline for the delivery of any financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01(a), (i) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating that such Responsible Officer has obtained no knowledge of any continuing Default or Event of Default except as specified in such certificate and (ii) a Compliance Certificate containing all information and calculations necessary for determining compliance by the Borrower with Section 6.01 as of the last day of the fiscal quarter or fiscal year of the Borrower;
(c) within 10 days after the same are filed with the SEC (unless posted on the SEC’s website at xxx.xxx.xxx or any replacement website), all reports and filings on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K that the Borrower may make to, or file with, the SEC, including any request of an extension of time for the filing of any such reports; and
(d) promptly, such additional financial and other information as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.
(e) The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) unless otherwise directed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and/or the Arranger will make available to the Lenders and the Issuing Bank materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”), subject to confidentiality undertakings reasonably acceptable to the Borrower and the Arranger, and (b) certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities) (each, a “Public Lender”). The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as either publicly available information or not material information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities Laws; (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arranger shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Investor.” Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, if the Borrower also delivers any materials and/or information pursuant to this Section 5.02(e) in paper format to the Administrative Agent, such paper materials shall be deemed to be Borrower Materials for all purposes. Nothing in this Section 5.02(e) shall limit the obligations of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under Section 9.12.
SECTION 5.03. Payment of Obligations. Pay, discharge or otherwise satisfy at or before maturity or before they become delinquent, as the case may be, all its material obligations of whatever nature (other than Indebtedness), except where the amount or validity thereof is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and reserves in conformity with GAAP with respect thereto have been provided on the books of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be; provided, that the Borrower may, in the ordinary course of business, extend payments on those payables if beneficial to the operation of their businesses.
SECTION 5.04. Conduct of Business and Maintenance of Existence, etc. (a) Except as otherwise would not be a Fundamental Change (i) with respect to each Subsidiary of the Borrower, preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and (ii) with respect to the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries, take all reasonable action to maintain all licenses, permits, rights, privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except, in the case of clause (i) above and clause (ii) above, to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (b) comply with all Contractual Obligations (other than in respect of Indebtedness) and Requirements of Law, except to the extent that failure to comply therewith could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Property; Insurance. (a) Keep all Property and systems useful and necessary in its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted and (b) maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies (other than with the Borrower or its Subsidiaries) insurance on all its Property in at least such amounts and against at least such risks (but including in any event public liability, product liability and business interruption) as are usually insured against in the same general area by companies engaged in the same or a similar business (it being understood that, to the extent consistent with prudent business practices of Persons carrying on a similar business in a similar location, a program of self-insurance for first and other loss layers may be utilized).
SECTION 5.06. Inspection of Property; Books and Records; Discussions. (a) Keep proper books of records and account in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP (or SAP as applicable) and all Requirements of Law shall be made of all material dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities and (b) upon reasonable prior notice, permit representatives of the Administrative Agent (who may be accompanied by representatives of other Lenders) and, during the continuance of an Event of Default, any Lender to (x) visit and inspect any of its properties, (y) during the continuance of an Event of Default, conduct reasonable examinations of (and, with the consent of the Borrower, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, make abstracts from) any of its books and records at any reasonable time and as often as may reasonably be requested and (z) discuss the business, operations, properties and financial and other condition of the Borrower with officers and employees of the Borrower. It is understood that (i) any information obtained by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in any visit or inspection pursuant to this Section 5.06 shall be subject to the confidentiality requirements of Section 9.12, (ii) the Borrower may impose, with respect to any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender reasonably deemed by the Borrower to be engaged significantly in a business which is directly competitive with any material business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, reasonable restrictions on access to proprietary information of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (iii) the Lenders will coordinate their visits through the Administrative Agent with a view to preventing the visits provided for by this Section 5.06 from becoming unreasonably burdensome to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
SECTION 5.07. Notices. Give notice to the Administrative Agent (it being agreed that the Administrative Agent shall, upon receipt of such notice, notify each Lender thereof) of the following within the time periods specified:
(a) Promptly after any Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtains knowledge thereof, the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;
(b) Within five days after any Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtains knowledge thereof, the occurrence of:
(i) any default or event of default under any Contractual Obligation (other than in respect of Indebtedness) of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any litigation, investigation or proceeding which may exist at any time between the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and any Governmental Authority, that in either case, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(ii) (A) any litigation or proceeding affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than claims-related litigation involving an Insurance Subsidiary) in which (x) the amount involved (and not covered by insurance) is $50,000,000 or more or (y) in which injunctive or similar relief is sought that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (B) any claims-related litigation affecting any Insurance Subsidiary which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and
(iii) of any announcement by Xxxxx’x or S&P of any change in a Rating (as defined in Schedule 1.01) that changes the Applicable Rate.
(c) As soon as possible and, in any event, within 30 days after a Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtains knowledge thereof: (A) the occurrence of any Reportable Event with respect to any Single Employer Plan, a failure to make any required contribution to a Plan, the creation of any Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan or any withdrawal from, or the termination, Reorganization or Insolvency of, any Multiemployer Plan or (B) the institution of proceedings or the taking of any other action by the PBGC or the Borrower or any Commonly Controlled Entity or any Multiemployer Plan with respect to the withdrawal from, or the termination, Reorganization or Insolvency of, any Plan except, in each case, as could not reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries in excess of $50,000,000.
Each notice pursuant to this Section 5.07 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer on behalf of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence or such default referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower or the relevant Subsidiary proposes to take with respect thereto.
SECTION 5.08. Taxes. Pay, discharge, or otherwise satisfy before the same shall become overdue, all Taxes imposed upon it and its real estate, sales and activities, or any part thereof, or upon the income or profits therefrom, other than where failure to pay such Taxes could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided that any such Tax need not be paid if the validity or amount thereof shall currently be contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and reserves in conformity with SAP or GAAP, as applicable, have been provided on the books of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as the case may be.
SECTION 5.09. Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit solely for the purposes set forth in Section 3.12.
SECTION 5.10. Further Assurances. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, cooperate with the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and execute such further instruments and documents as the Lenders or the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request to give effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.
ARTICLE VI
Negative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or been 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 shall have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 6.01. Financial Condition Covenants.
(a) Authorized Control Level Risk-Based Capital of Material Insurance Subsidiaries. The Borrower will cause Symetra Life Insurance Company and each of its other Material Insurance Subsidiaries to maintain a ratio of (x) “Total Adjusted Capital” to (y) “Company Action Level Risk-Based Capital” of at least 225%”, in each case as determined at the end of each fiscal year and as each such term is defined from time to time by the rules and regulations of the NAIC.
(b) Maintenance of Total Consolidated Debt to Total Consolidated Capitalization Ratio. The Borrower shall not permit its Total Consolidated Debt to Total Consolidated Capitalization Ratio, as at the end of any fiscal quarter, commencing with the first fiscal quarter ending after the Effective Date, to exceed thirty-five percent (35.0%).
SECTION 6.02. Limitation on Indebtedness. (a) The Borrower will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to create, incur or assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(i) Indebtedness outstanding as of the Effective Date and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof (without any increase in the principal amount thereof, other than by the amount of any necessary pre-payment premiums, unpaid accrued interest and other costs of refinancing, or any shortening of the final maturity of any principal amount thereof to a date prior to the Maturity Date);
(ii) Indebtedness of any Insurance Subsidiary incurred or issued in the ordinary course of its business or in securing insurance-related obligations (that do not constitute Indebtedness) of such Insurance Subsidiary and letters of credit, bank guarantees, surety bonds or similar instruments issued for the account of any Insurance Subsidiary in the ordinary course of its business or in securing insurance-related obligations (that do not constitute Indebtedness) of such Insurance Subsidiary;
(iii) Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, surety and appeal bonds, or performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature arising in the ordinary course of business and not for capital raising purposes and issued for the account of any Non-Regulated Operating Subsidiary;
(iv) short-term Indebtedness (i.e. with a maturity of less than one year when issued, provided that such Indebtedness may include an option to extend for up to an additional one year period) of any Insurance Subsidiary incurred to provide short-term liquidity to facilitate claims payment in the event of catastrophe;
(v) Indebtedness of a Subsidiary acquired after the Effective Date or a corporation merged into or consolidated with a Subsidiary after the Effective Date and Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets, which Indebtedness, in each case, exists at the time of such acquisition, merger or consolidation and is not created in contemplation of such event, as well as any refinancings, refunds, renewals or extensions of such Indebtedness (without increase in the principal amount thereof other than by the amount of any necessary pre-payment premiums, unpaid accrued interest and other costs of refinancing);
(vi) Indebtedness owing or issued by a Subsidiary to any other Subsidiary or to the Borrower;
(vii) Guarantee Obligations made by a Subsidiary in respect of obligations of another Subsidiary;
(viii) Indebtedness under the Credit Documents;
(ix) Indebtedness represented by Qualified Securities, Trust Preferred Securities or Mandatory Convertible Securities (except to the extent such Indebtedness is included in the calculation of Total Consolidated Debt);
(x) Indebtedness of any mutual fund Subsidiary incurred to provide short-term (i.e. not anticipated to be outstanding for more than one year when incurred) liquidity to facilitate redemption payments by such mutual fund Subsidiary;
(xi) Indebtedness in respect of Hedge Agreements other than Hedge Agreements entered into for speculative purposes; and
(xii) other Indebtedness of such Subsidiaries, provided that at the time such Indebtedness is incurred or issued, the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness when added to all other Indebtedness incurred or issued pursuant to this clause (xi) and then outstanding, does not exceed 15% of the Consolidated Net Worth of the Borrower.
SECTION 6.03. Limitation on Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist (a) any Lien upon any stock or indebtedness of any Subsidiary, whether owned on the date of this Agreement or hereafter acquired, to secure any Debt of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any other Person (other than the obligations hereunder) or (b) any Lien upon any other Property of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, whether owned or leased on the date of this Agreement, or thereafter acquired, to secure any Debt of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any other Person (other than the obligations hereunder), except:
(i) (x) any Lien existing on the date of this Agreement or (y) any Lien upon stock or Indebtedness or other Property of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or existing upon stock or Indebtedness of a Subsidiary or any other Property at the time of acquisition of such stock or Indebtedness or other Property (provided that such Lien was not created in connection with the acquisition of such Person or such Property), and any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements) in whole or in part of any such Lien in clauses (x) or (y) above; provided, however, that the principal amount of Debt secured by such Lien shall not be increased, other than by the amount of any necessary pre-payment premiums, unpaid accrued interest and other costs of refinancing; and provided, further, that such Lien shall be limited to all or such part of the stock or Indebtedness or other Property which secured the Lien so extended, renewed or replaced;
(ii) any Permitted Liens; and
(iii) any Lien upon any Property if the aggregate amount of all Debt then outstanding secured by such Lien and all other Liens permitted pursuant to this clause (iii) does not exceed 15% of the Consolidated Net Worth of the Borrower as shown on the audited consolidated balance sheet contained in the latest annual report to stockholders of the Borrower; provided that Debt secured by Liens permitted by clauses (i) and (ii) shall not be included in the amount of such secured Debt.
SECTION 6.04. Limitation on Changes in Fiscal Periods. The Borrower shall not permit its fiscal year to end on a day other than December 31 or change its method of determining fiscal quarters.
SECTION 6.05. Limitation on Lines of Business. The Borrower shall not engage to any extent that is material for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in any business, either directly or through any Subsidiary, other than a Principal Business.
ARTICLE VII
Events of Default
If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur (except, in the case
of each of paragraphs (f) through (k) of this Article VII, that an Event of Default shall not be
deemed to have occurred unless such event continues unremedied for a period of 30 days after the
Borrower shall have received written notice of such event from the Administrative Agent):
(a) The Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan made to the Borrower or LC Disbursement owing by the Borrower when due in accordance with the terms hereof; or the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan made to the Borrower or LC Disbursement owing to the Borrower, or any other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder or under any other Credit Document, within three Business Days after any such interest or other amount becomes due in accordance with the terms hereof; or
(b) The Borrower shall default in the observance or performance of any agreement contained in Section 5.07(a) or Article VI; or
(c) (i) The Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Material Insurance Subsidiaries shall voluntarily commence any case, proceeding or other action (A) under any Debtor Relief Law, (B) seeking appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator or other similar official for it or for all or any substantial part of its assets, or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Material Insurance Subsidiaries shall make a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or (ii) there shall be commenced against the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Material Insurance Subsidiaries any case, proceeding or other action under any Debtor Relief Law that (A) results in the entry of an order for relief or any such adjudication or appointment or (B) remains undismissed, undischarged or unbonded for a period of 60 days; or (iii) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Material Insurance Subsidiaries shall take any corporate action to authorize or effect any of the acts set forth in clause (i), or (ii), above; or (iv) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Material Insurance Subsidiaries shall generally not, or shall be unable to, or shall admit in writing its inability to, pay its debts as they become due; or
(d) A Change of Control; or
(e) A Fundamental Change; or
(f) Any representation or warranty made or deemed made by the Borrower herein or in any other Credit Document or that is contained in any certificate, document or financial or other statement furnished by it at any time under or in connection with this Agreement or any such other Credit Document shall prove to have been inaccurate in any material respect on or as of the date made or deemed made or furnished; or
(g) The Borrower shall default in the observance or performance of any other agreement, covenant, term or condition contained in this Agreement or any other Credit Document (not specified in clause (a), (b) or (f) of this Article VII); or
(h) The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall (i) default in making any payment of any principal of any Indebtedness (including, without limitation, any Guarantee Obligation, but excluding the Loans and LC Disbursements) on the scheduled or original due date with respect thereto (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods); or (ii) default in making any payment of any interest on any such Indebtedness beyond the period of grace, if any, provided in the instrument or agreement under which such Indebtedness was created; or (iii) default in the observance or performance of any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, the effect of which default is to cause, or to permit the holder or beneficiary of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or beneficiary) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity or to become subject to a mandatory offer to purchase by the obligor thereunder as a result of the occurrence of such default thereunder or (in the case of any such Indebtedness constituting a Guarantee Obligation) to become payable; provided, that a default described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph (h) shall not at any time constitute an Event of Default unless, at such time, one or more defaults of the type described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph (h) shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to Indebtedness the outstanding principal amount of which exceeds in the aggregate $50,000,000; or
(i) (i) Any Person shall engage in any “prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 406 of ERISA or within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code) involving any Plan, (ii) any failure to make a minimum required contribution under Section 430 of the Code with respect to a Single Employer Plan or any Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan shall arise on the assets of the Borrower or any Commonly Controlled Entity, (iii) a Reportable Event shall occur with respect to, or proceedings shall commence to have a trustee appointed, or a trustee shall be appointed, to administer or to terminate, any Single Employer Plan, which Reportable Event or commencement of proceedings or appointment of a trustee is, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, likely to result in the termination of such Plan for purposes of Title IV of ERISA, (iv) any Single Employer Plan shall terminate for purposes of Title IV of ERISA or, (v) the Borrower or any Commonly Controlled Entity shall, or in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders is likely to, incur any liability in connection with a withdrawal from, or the Insolvency or Reorganization of, a Multiemployer Plan and in each case in clauses (i) through (v) above, such event or condition, together with all other such events or conditions for which liability to the Borrower is reasonably expected to occur, if any, could, in the reasonable judgment of the Majority Lenders, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; or
(j) One or more judgments or decrees shall be entered against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries involving for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole a liability (to the extent not paid or fully covered by insurance above applicable deductions) of $50,000,000 or more, and all such judgments or decrees shall not have been vacated, discharged, stayed or bonded pending appeal within 45 days from the entry thereof; or
(k) Any License of any Insurance Subsidiary (i) shall be revoked by the Governmental Authority which issued such License, or any action (administrative or judicial) to revoke such License shall have been commenced against such Insurance Subsidiary and shall not have been dismissed within thirty days after the commencement thereof, (ii) shall be suspended by such Governmental Authority for a period in excess of thirty days or (iii) shall not be reissued or renewed by such Governmental Authority upon the expiration thereof following application for such reissuance or renewal of such Insurance Subsidiary, which, in the case of each of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described in sub-clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of clause (c) 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 sub-clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of clause (c) 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.
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 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 as directed 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 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 willful 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 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 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 Administrative Agent.
Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the 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.
No Lender identified in this Agreement as a “Documentation Agent” or a “Syndication Agent” shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those applicable to all Lenders as such. Without limiting the foregoing, none of such Lenders shall have or be deemed to have a fiduciary relationship with any Lender. Each Lender hereby makes the same acknowledgments with respect to such Lenders as it makes with respect to the Agent in the preceding paragraph.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
SECTION 9.01. Notices. (a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), 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 electronic mail, as follows:
(i) if to the Borrower, to it at Symetra Financial Corporation, 000 000xx Xxxxxx XX, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx (Email: xxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx), with a copy to Symetra Financial Corporation, 000 000xx Xxxxxx XX, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx (Email: xxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx);
(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Loan and Agency Services Group, 00 X. Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx (Email: xxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx), with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 X. Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxx XX0-0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx (Email: xxxxxx.x.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx);
(iii) if to JPMorgan, in its capacity as Issuing Bank, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Agency Services Group, 00 X. Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx (Email: xxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx);
(iv) if to the Swingline Lender, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Agency Services Group, 00 X. Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx (Email: xxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx); and
(v) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or email number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders and Issuing Bank hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications (including email and Internet and intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent (or Issuing Bank, in the case of notices to it); provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to Lenders 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.
(c) Any party hereto may change its address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received and notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in paragraph (b) of this Section shall be effective as provided in such paragraph.
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 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, 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 (other than a waiver of the default rate of interest imposed pursuant to Section 2.12(c)), 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 2.17(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 (i) amend, modify or waive Section 2.19 without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender or (ii) 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 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 willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or any Related Party of such Indemnitee. This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.
(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.
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), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) 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) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, 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) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:
(A) the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to (1) a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, (2) if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, an Approved Fund or (3) if a Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within 5 Business Days after having received notice thereof; provided, that if the consent of the Borrower shall not be required for an assignment for any reason the applicable Lender shall provide written notice of such assignment to the Borrower promptly following such assignment;
(B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of any Commitment to an assignee that is a Lender with a Commitment immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment; and
(C) the Issuing Bank.
(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A) 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 or Loans, the amount of the Commitment or Loans 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 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if a Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;
(B) 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;
(C) 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; provided, that the Administrative Agent may elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment;
(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more “Credit Contacts” to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower and its affiliates and their related parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable Laws, including Federal and state securities Laws;
(E) no assignment shall be made to the Borrower or any Affiliates or Subsidiaries of the Borrower;
(F) no assignment shall be made to a natural person; and
(G) notwithstanding the foregoing, no assignment shall be made to an Affiliate of a Lender or to an Approved Fund having a senior unsecured debt rating of less than “A-”, or its equivalent, by S&P unless (x) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or (y) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower have provided their prior written consent.
For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the term “Approved Fund” has the following meaning:
“Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) 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 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 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.04 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 (c) of this Section.
(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices 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 (and stated interest) 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 absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall treat each 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.
(v) 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; provided that, in the case of any assignment other than an assignment made as a result of the Borrower’s exercise of its rights pursuant to Section 2.18, if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.04(c), 2.05(d) or (e), 2.06(b), 2.17(d) or 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.
(c) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, 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. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 2.16(e) with respect to any payments made by such Lender to its Participant(s). 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. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.14, 2.15 and 2.16 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.16(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.16(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (i) agrees to be subject to the provisions of 2.18 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (ii) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.14 or 2.16, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive. A Participant shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.16 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.18(b) with respect to any Participant. 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 that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.17(c) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Credit Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans or Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Credit Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(d) 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 without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, in the event that, in connection with the refinancing or repayment in full of the credit facilities provided for herein, an Issuing Bank shall have provided to the Administrative Agent a written consent to the release of the Lenders from their obligations hereunder with respect to any Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (whether as a result of the obligations of the Borrower (and any other account party) in respect of such Letter of Credit having been collateralized at 105% of the face amount thereof by a deposit of cash with such Issuing Bank, or being supported in such amount by a letter of credit that names such Issuing Bank as the beneficiary thereunder, or otherwise to the satisfaction of such Issuing Bank), then from and after such time such Letter of Credit shall cease to be a “Letter of Credit” outstanding hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, and the Lenders shall be deemed to have no participations in such Letter of Credit, and no obligations with respect thereto, under Section 2.05(d) or 2.05(e). The provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 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 electronic mail 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 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 (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 Related Parties, 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 required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (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 or any Subsidiary and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower, (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 non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrower, (i) to any rating agency when required by it in connection with rating the Borrower or the credit facility provided for herein, provided that prior to any disclosure, such rating agency shall undertake in writing to preserve the confidentiality of any confidential information relating to the Borrower received by it from the Administrative Agent or any Lender or (j) disclosure on a confidential basis to the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to the Loans. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or their businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential 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.
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, 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. USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the Patriot Act hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.
SECTION 9.15. No Fiduciary Duty. The Administrative Agent, each Lender and their Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of this paragraph, the “Lenders”) may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Borrower, its stockholders and/or its Affiliates. The Borrower agrees that nothing in the Credit Documents or otherwise will be deemed to create an advisory, fiduciary or agency relationship or fiduciary or other implied duty between any Lender, on the one hand, and the Borrower, its stockholders or its Affiliates, on the other. The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by the Credit Documents (including the exercise of rights and remedies hereunder and thereunder) are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Lenders, on the one hand, and the Borrower, on the other, and (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading thereto, (x) no Lender has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Borrower, its stockholders or its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby (or the exercise of rights or remedies with respect thereto) or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Lender has advised, is currently advising or will advise the Borrower, its stockholders or its Affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to the Borrower except the obligations expressly set forth in the Credit Documents and (y) each Lender is acting solely as principal and not as the agent or fiduciary of the Borrower, its management, stockholders, creditors or any other Person. The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that it has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate and that it is responsible for making its own independent judgment with respect to such transactions and the process leading thereto. The Borrower agrees that it will not claim that any Lender has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty, to the Borrower in connection with such transactions or the process leading thereto.
[signature pages follow]
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.
SYMETRA FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By
Name:
Title:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually and as an Issuing Bank, Swingline Lender and Administrative Agent
By
Name:
Title:
XXXXX FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, individually and as Syndication Agent
By
Name:
Title:
U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, individually and as Documentation Agent
By
Name:
Title:
BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as a Lender
By
Name:
Title:
XXXXXXX SACHS BANK USA, as a Lender
By
Name:
Title:
ASSOCIATED BANK, N.A., as a Lender
By
Name:
Title:
THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY, as a Lender
By
Name:
Title:
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, as a
Lender
By
Name:
Title:
Schedule 1.01
PRICING SCHEDULE
| Applicable Rate | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV | Level V | |||||||||||||||
| Status | Status | Status | Status | Status | ||||||||||||||||
Eurodollar Spread
|
1.025 | % | 1.10 | % | 1.175 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.325 | % | ||||||||||
ABR Spread
|
0.025 | % | 0.10 | % | 0.175 | % | 0.25 | % | 0.325 | % | ||||||||||
Facility Fee Rate
|
0.10 | % | 0.15 | % | 0.20 | % | 0.25 | % | 0.30 | % | ||||||||||
For the purposes of this Schedule, the following terms have the following meanings, subject to the final paragraph of this Schedule:
“Level I Status” exists at any date if, on such date, the Borrower’s Xxxxx’x Rating is A3 or better or the Borrower’s S&P Rating is A- or better.
“Level II Status” exists at any date if, on such date, (i) the Borrower has not qualified for Level I Status and (ii) the Borrower’s Xxxxx’x Rating is Baa1 or better or the Borrower’s S&P Rating is BBB+ or better.
“Level III Status” exists at any date if, on such date, (i) the Borrower has not qualified for Level I Status or Level II Status and (ii) the Borrower’s Xxxxx’x Rating is Baa2 or better or the Borrower’s S&P Rating is BBB or better.
“Level IV Status” exists at any date if, on such date, (i) the Borrower has not qualified for Level I Status, Level II Status or Level III Status and (ii) the Borrower’s Xxxxx’x Rating is Baa3 or better or the Borrower’s S&P Rating is BBB- or better.
“Level V Status” exists at any date if, on such date, the Borrower has not qualified for Level I Status, Level II Status, Level III Status, or Level IV Status.
“Xxxxx’x Rating” means, at any time, the rating issued by Moody’s and then in effect with respect to the Borrower’s senior unsecured long-term debt securities without third-party credit enhancement.
“Rating” means a Xxxxx’x Rating or S&P Rating.
“S&P Rating” means, at any time, the rating issued by S&P and then in effect with respect to the Borrower’s senior unsecured long-term debt securities without third-party credit enhancement.
“Status” means Level I Status, Level II Status, Level III Status, Level IV Status, or Level V Status.
The Applicable Rate shall be determined in accordance with the foregoing table based on the Borrower’s Status as determined from its then-current Moody’s Ratings and S&P Ratings; provided that if at any time there is a split in the Ratings issued by Moody’s and S&P, then the higher of such Ratings shall apply (with the Rating for Level I Status being the highest and the Rating for Level V Status being the lowest), unless there is a split in Ratings of more than one Status, in which case the Status that is one Status lower than the Status of the higher Rating shall apply. The Rating in effect on any date for the purposes of this Schedule is that in effect at the close of business on such date. If at any time the Borrower has no Xxxxx’x Rating or no S&P Rating, Level V Status shall exist.
Schedule 2.01
Commitments
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. |
$ | 67,500,000.00 | ||
Xxxxx Fargo Bank, N.A. |
$ | 67,500,000.00 | ||
U.S. Bank, National Association |
$ | 50,000,000.00 | ||
Barclays Bank PLC |
$ | 30,000,000.00 | ||
Xxxxxxx Sachs Bank USA |
$ | 20,000,000.00 | ||
Associated Bank, N.A. |
$ | 20,000,000.00 | ||
The Northern Trust Company |
$ | 25,000,000.00 | ||
State Street Bank and Trust Company |
$ | 20,000,000.00 | ||
TOTAL |
$ | 300,000,000.00 | ||
Schedule 3.03
Consents, Authorizations, Filings and Notices
None
Schedule 3.16
Tax Payer Identification Number
00-0000000
