CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of February 16, 2005 as Amended and Restated as of August 31, 2005 among CINCINNATI BELL INC., as the Borrower, Certain Subsidiaries of the Borrower from time to time party hereto, as Guarantors, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as...
Annex
I to First Amendment to Credit Agreement
PUBLISHED
CUSIP NUMBER: 00000XXX0
Dated
as
of February 16, 2005
as
Amended and Restated as of August 31, 2005
among
CINCINNATI
XXXX INC.,
as
the
Borrower,
Certain
Subsidiaries of the Borrower
from
time
to time party hereto,
as
Guarantors,
BANK
OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as
Administrative Agent and an L/C Issuer,
PNC
BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as
Swingline Lender and an L/C Issuer,
and
The
Other
Lenders party hereto
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Section
|
Page
|
|
ARTICLE
I
|
DEFINITIONS
AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
|
1
|
1.01
|
Defined
Terms.
|
1
|
1.02
|
Other
Interpretive Provisions.
|
36
|
1.03
|
Accounting
Terms.
|
37
|
1.04
|
Rounding.
|
38
|
1.05
|
Times
of Day.
|
38
|
1.06
|
Letter
of Credit Amounts.
|
38
|
ARTICLE
II
|
THE
COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
|
38
|
2.01
|
Committed
Loans.
|
38
|
2.02
|
Borrowings,
Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans.
|
39
|
2.03
|
Letters
of Credit.
|
41
|
2.04
|
Swingline
Loans
|
49
|
2.05
|
Prepayments.
|
52
|
2.06
|
Termination
or Reduction of Aggregate Revolving Commitments.
|
54
|
2.07
|
Repayment
of Loans.
|
55
|
2.08
|
Interest.
|
55
|
2.09
|
Fees.
|
56
|
2.10
|
Computation
of Interest and Fees.
|
56
|
2.11
|
Evidence
of Debt.
|
57
|
2.12
|
Payments
Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.
|
57
|
2.13
|
Sharing
of Payments by Lenders.
|
59
|
ARTICLE
III
|
TAXES,
YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
|
60
|
3.01
|
Taxes.
|
60
|
3.02
|
Illegality.
|
62
|
3.03
|
Inability
to Determine Rates.
|
63
|
3.04
|
Increased
Costs.
|
63
|
3.05
|
Compensation
for Losses; Breakage Payments.
|
65
|
3.06
|
Mitigation
Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
|
66
|
3.07
|
Survival.
|
66
|
ARTICLE
IV
|
GUARANTY
|
66
|
4.01
|
The
Guaranty.
|
66
|
4.02
|
Obligations
Unconditional.
|
67
|
4.03
|
Reinstatement.
|
68
|
4.04
|
Certain
Additional Waivers.
|
68
|
4.05
|
Remedies.
|
69
|
4.06
|
Rights
of Contribution.
|
69
|
4.07
|
Guarantee
of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.
|
69
|
ARTICLE
V CONDITIONS
|
PRECEDENT
TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
|
69
|
5.01
|
Conditions
of Closing Date and Initial Credit Extension.
|
69
|
5.02
|
Conditions
to all Credit Extensions.
|
72
|
ARTICLE
VI
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
|
73
|
6.01
|
Existence,
Qualification and Power.
|
73
|
i
6.02
|
Authorization;
No Contravention.
|
73
|
6.03
|
Governmental
Authorization; Other Consents.
|
73
|
6.04
|
Binding
Effect.
|
74
|
6.05
|
Financial
Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.
|
74
|
6.06
|
Litigation.
|
75
|
6.07
|
No
Default.
|
75
|
6.08
|
Ownership
of Property; Liens.
|
75
|
6.09
|
Environmental
Compliance.
|
75
|
6.10
|
Insurance.
|
76
|
6.11
|
Taxes.
|
76
|
6.12
|
ERISA
Compliance.
|
77
|
6.13
|
Capital
Structure/Subsidiaries.
|
77
|
6.14
|
Margin
Regulations; Investment Company Act; Public Utility Holding Company
Act.
|
77
|
6.15
|
Disclosure.
|
77
|
6.16
|
Compliance
with Laws.
|
78
|
6.17
|
Intellectual
Property.
|
78
|
6.18
|
Solvency.
|
78
|
6.19
|
Telecommunications
Regulatory Matters.
|
78
|
ARTICLE
VII
|
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
|
79
|
7.01
|
Financial
Statements.
|
79
|
7.02
|
Certificates;
Other Information.
|
80
|
7.03
|
Notices
and Information.
|
81
|
7.04
|
Payment
of Obligations.
|
82
|
7.05
|
Preservation
of Existence, Etc.
|
82
|
7.06
|
Maintenance
of Properties.
|
83
|
7.07
|
Maintenance
of Insurance.
|
83
|
7.08
|
Compliance
with Laws and Contractual Obligations.
|
83
|
7.09
|
Books
and Records.
|
83
|
7.10
|
Inspection
Rights.
|
84
|
7.11
|
Use
of Proceeds.
|
84
|
7.12
|
Additional
Guarantors.
|
84
|
7.13
|
Further
Assurances.
|
86
|
ARTICLE
VIII
|
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
|
86
|
8.01
|
Liens.
|
87
|
8.02
|
Investments.
|
89
|
8.03
|
Indebtedness.
|
92
|
8.04
|
Fundamental
Changes.
|
95
|
8.05
|
Dispositions.
|
96
|
8.06
|
Restricted
Payments.
|
96
|
8.07
|
Change
in Nature of Business.
|
97
|
8.08
|
Transactions
with Affiliates and Insiders.
|
97
|
8.09
|
Burdensome
Agreements.
|
98
|
8.10
|
Use
of Proceeds.
|
98
|
8.11
|
Financial
Covenants.
|
98
|
ii
8.12
|
Prepayment
of Other Indebtedness, Amendment of Documents, Etc.
|
100
|
8.13
|
Organization
Documents; Fiscal Year.
|
101
|
8.14
|
Ownership
of Subsidiaries.
|
101
|
8.15
|
Negative
Covenants Applicable to Wireless Holdco.
|
101
|
8.16
|
Designated
Senior Indebtedness.
|
101
|
ARTICLE
IX
|
EVENTS
OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
|
102
|
9.01
|
Events
of Default.
|
102
|
9.02
|
Remedies
Upon Event of Default.
|
104
|
9.03
|
Application
of Funds.
|
105
|
ARTICLE
X
|
ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT
|
106
|
10.01
|
Appointment
and Authority.
|
106
|
10.02
|
Rights
as a Lender.
|
106
|
10.03
|
Exculpatory
Provisions.
|
106
|
10.04
|
Reliance
by Administrative Agent.
|
107
|
10.05
|
Delegation
of Duties.
|
108
|
10.06
|
Resignation
of Administrative Agent.
|
108
|
10.07
|
Non-Reliance
on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.
|
109
|
10.08
|
No
Other Duties, Etc..
|
109
|
10.09
|
Administrative
Agent May File Proofs of Claim.
|
109
|
10.10
|
Collateral
and Guaranty Matters.
|
110
|
ARTICLE
XI
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
111
|
11.01
|
Amendments,
Etc.
|
111
|
11.02
|
Notices.
Effectiveness of Electronic Communications.
|
115
|
11.03
|
No
Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.
|
117
|
11.04
|
Expenses;
Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
|
118
|
11.05
|
Payments
Set Aside.
|
119
|
11.06
|
Successors
and Assigns.
|
120
|
11.07
|
Treatment
of Certain Information; Confidentiality.
|
124
|
11.08
|
Set-off.
|
124
|
11.09
|
Interest
Rate Limitation.
|
125
|
11.10
|
Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness.
|
125
|
11.11
|
Survival
of Representations and Warranties.
|
126
|
11.12
|
Severability.
|
126
|
11.13
|
Replacement
of Lenders.
|
126
|
11.14
|
Governing
Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.
|
127
|
11.15
|
Waiver
of Jury Trial.
|
128
|
11.16
|
Term
of Agreement.
|
128
|
11.17
|
USA
PATRIOT Act Notice.
|
128
|
11.18
|
Subordination
of Intercompany Debt.
|
129
|
11.19
|
Matters
Related to Existing Indentures.
|
129
|
11.20
|
Permitted
Receivables Financings.
|
129
|
iii
SCHEDULES
1.01A Existing
Letters of Credit
1.01B Guarantors
2.01
Commitments and Applicable Percentages
6.03
Required Consents, Authorizations, Notices and Filings
6.13(a) Corporate
Structure
6.13(b)
Subsidiaries
8.01
Existing Liens
8.02
Existing Investments
8.03
Existing Indebtedness
11.02
Administrative Agent’s Office, Certain Addresses for Notices
11.06
Processing and Recordation Fees
EXHIBITS
A
Form of Committed Loan Notice
B
Form of Swingline Loan Notice
C
Form of Revolving Note
C-1
Form of Swingline Note
C-2
Form of Tranche B Term Note
D
Form of Compliance Certificate
E
Form of Joinder Agreement
F
Form of Assignment and Assumption
iv
This
CREDIT AGREEMENT (as amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time
to
time, the “Agreement”) is entered into as of February 16, 2005, and
amended and restated as of August 31, 2005 by and among CINCINNATI XXXX INC.,
an
Ohio corporation (together with any permitted successors and assigns, the
“Borrower”), the Guarantors (as defined herein), the Lenders (as defined
herein), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent and an L/C Issuer,
and PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Swingline Lender and an L/C
Issuer.
The
Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide credit facilities in an
aggregate amount of $650,000,000 for the purposes hereinafter set forth, and
the
Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth
herein.
In
consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, and
other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01 Defined
Terms.
As
used
in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth
below:
“1993
Senior Note Documents” means the 1993 Senior Notes, the 1993 Senior Note
Indenture, and any other agreements, indentures and instruments pursuant to
which the 1993 Senior Notes issued.
“1993
Senior Note Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of
July 1, 1993, between the Borrower, as issuer, and The Bank of New
York, as Trustee.
“1993
Senior Notes” means the Borrower’s 7¼% Senior Notes due 2023 issued pursuant
to the 1993 Senior Note Indenture.
“2003
8⅜% Junior Note Documents” means the 2003 8⅜% Junior Notes, the 2003 8⅜%
Junior Note Indenture, and any other agreements, indentures and instruments
pursuant to which the 2003 8⅜% Junior Notes are issued.
“2003
8⅜% Junior Note Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of
November 19, 2003, by and among the Borrower, as issuer, the
guarantors party thereto and The Bank of New York, as trustee.
“2003
8⅜% Junior Notes” means the Borrower’s 8⅜% Senior Subordinated Notes due
2014 issued pursuant to the 2003 8⅜% Junior Note Indenture.
1
“2003
16% Junior Note Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of
March 26, 2003, by and among the Borrower, as issuer, the guarantors
party thereto and The Bank of New York, as trustee.
“2003
16% Junior Note Purchase Agreement” means the Purchase Agreement dated as of
December 9, 2002 among the Borrower, GS Mezzanine Partners II, L.P.
and GS Mezzanine Partners II Offshore, L.P.
“2003
16% Junior Notes” means the Borrower’s 16% Senior Subordinated Discount
Notes due 2009.
“2003
Senior Note Documents” means the 2003 Senior Notes, the 2003 Senior Note
Indenture, and any other agreements, indentures and instruments pursuant to
which the 2003 Senior Notes issued.
“2003
Senior Note Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of
July 11, 2003, by and among the Borrower, as issuer, the guarantors
party thereto and The Bank of New York, as Trustee.
“2003
Senior Notes” means the Borrower’s 7¼% Senior Notes due 2013 issued by the
Borrower pursuant to the 2003 Senior Note Indenture.
“2005
Junior Note Documents” means the 2005 Junior Notes, the 2003 8⅜% Junior Note
Indenture, and any other agreements, indentures and instruments pursuant to
which the 2005 Junior Notes are issued.
“2005
Junior Notes” means the Borrower’s 8⅜% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2014
issued on the Closing Date pursuant to the 2003 8⅜% Junior Note
Indenture.
“2005
Senior Note Documents” means the 2005 Senior Notes, the 2005 Senior Note
Indenture, and any other agreements, indentures and instruments pursuant to
which the 2005 Senior Notes issued.
“2005
Senior Note Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of the Closing Date, by
and among the Borrower, as issuer, and The Bank of New York, as
trustee.
“2005
Senior Notes” means the Borrower’s 7% Senior Notes due 2015 issued by the
Borrower pursuant to the 2005 Senior Note Indenture.
“Acquisition”
means, with respect to any Person, the acquisition by such Person, in a single
transaction or in a series of related transactions, of substantially all of
the
Capital Stock or all or substantially all of the Property, or a business unit
or
product line, of another Person, whether or not involving a merger or
consolidation with such other Person and whether for cash, property, services,
assumption of Indebtedness, securities or otherwise.
2
“Administrative
Agent” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under
any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.
“Administrative
Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as
appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 11.02, or such other
domestic address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time
notify the Borrower and the Lenders.
“Administrative
Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by
the Administrative Agent.
“Affiliate”
means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under
common Control with the Person specified.
“Aggregate
Revolving Commitments” means the Revolving Commitments of all the Lenders.
The initial amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in effect on the
Closing Date is TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS
($250,000,000).
“Agreement”
has the meaning assigned to such term in the heading hereof.
“Applicable
Percentage” means as to each Lender, (a) with respect to such Lender’s
Revolving Commitment at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth
decimal place) of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments represented by such
Lender’s Revolving Commitment at such time; provided that if the
commitment of each Lender to make Revolving Loans and the obligation of each
L/C
Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to
Section 9.02 or if the Revolving Commitments have expired, then the
Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable
Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any
subsequent assignments, and (b) with respect to such Lender’s outstanding
Tranche B Term Loans at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth
decimal place), of the total aggregate principal amount of the Tranche B
Term Loan represented by the Tranche B Term Loans held by such Lender at such
time. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite
the
name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption
pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.
“Applicable
Rate” means, for the purposes of calculating (a) the Letter of Credit
Fees for the purposes of Section 2.03(i), (b) the interest rate
applicable to Eurodollar Rate Loans for the purposes of
Section 2.08(a), (c) the interest rate applicable to Base Rate
Loans for the purposes of Section 2.08(a), and (d) the
Commitment Fee for the purposes of Section 2.09(a), the following
percentages per annum, based upon the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as
set
forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative
Agent pursuant to Section 7.02(b) for the four-quarter period ending
as of the last day of the fiscal quarter to which such Compliance Certificate
relates:
3
Applicable
Rates
|
|||||||
|
|
For
Revolving
Loans
|
For
Tranche B
Term
Loan
|
For
Letter
of Credit Fees
|
For
Commitment Fee
|
||
Pricing
Level
|
Consolidated
Total Leverage Ratio
|
Eurodollar
Rate Loans
|
Base
Rate Loans
|
Eurodollar
Rate
Loans
|
Base
Rate Loans
|
||
1
|
<
3.0
to
1.0
|
1.25%
|
0.25%
|
1.50%
|
0.50%
|
1.25%
|
0.50%
|
2
|
>
3.0 to
1.0
but
<
3.5
to
1.0
|
1.50%
|
0.50%
|
1.50%
|
0.50%
|
1.50%
|
0.50%
|
3
|
>
3.5 to
1.0
but
<
4.0
to
1.0
|
1.75%
|
0.75%
|
1.50%
|
0.50%
|
1.75%
|
0.50%
|
4
|
>
4.0 to
1.0
but
<
4.5
to
1.0
|
2.00%
|
1.00%
|
1.50%
|
0.50%
|
2.00%
|
0.50%
|
5
|
>
4.5 to
1.0
|
2.25%
|
1.25%
|
1.50%
|
0.50%
|
2.25%
|
0.50%
|
Any
increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate for Revolving Loans resulting from
a
change in the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of
the
first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate
is
delivered pursuant to Section 7.02(b); provided,
however, that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered
when due in
accordance with such Section, then Pricing Level 5 shall apply during the period
commencing on the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance
Certificate was required to have been delivered and ending on the date on which
delivered. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Applicable Rate in effect from
the
Closing Date through the date on which the Borrower is required to deliver
the
required financial statements and Compliance Certificate for the fiscal quarter
ending on or about December 31, 2004 shall be no lower than the Applicable
Rate
determined based upon Pricing Level 4.
“Application
Period” means, in respect of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Disposition and/or
the Excess Proceeds of any Involuntary Disposition, the period of 360 days
(or
such earlier date as provided for reinvestment of the proceeds thereof under
any
of the Senior Note Indentures and/or the documents evidencing or governing
any
Subordinated Indebtedness) following receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess
Proceeds by any Consolidated Party.
“Approved
Fund” means any Fund 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.
“Arrangers”
means Banc of America Securities LLC and Credit Suisse First Boston, acting
in
their capacities as joint lead arranger and joint book manager, and
“Arranger” means either of them.
4
“Assignee
Group” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one
another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment
advisor.
“Assignment
and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender
and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is
required by Section 11.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative
Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit F or any other form
approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Attributable
Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any Capital Lease
of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance
sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and
(b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of
the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on
a
balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP
if
such lease were accounted for as a Capital Lease.
“Attributed
Principal Amount” means, on any day, with respect to any Permitted
Receivables Financing, the aggregate principal, stated or invested amount of
notes, bonds or other debt instruments, beneficial interests in a trust,
undivided ownership interests in receivables or other securities issued for
cash
consideration by the relevant Receivables Financing SPC to Receivables
Financiers the proceeds of which are used to finance, in whole or in part,
the
purchase by such Receivables Financing SPC of Transferred Assets in such
Permitted Receivables Financing.
“Audited
Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2003, and the related consolidated statements of income
or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.
“Availability
Period” means, with respect to the Revolving Commitments, the period from
the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the
date of termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to
Section 2.06 and (c) the date of termination of the commitment
of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of each L/C Issuer to make
L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 9.02.
“Bank
of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.
“Bankruptcy
Code” means the Bankruptcy Code in Title 11 of the United States Code, as
amended, modified, succeeded or replaced from time to time.
“Base
Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the higher of
(a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% and (b) the rate of
interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by
Bank
of America as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of
America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired
return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a
reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below
such announced rate. Any change
5
in
such
rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business
on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.
“Base
Rate Committed Loan” means a Committed Loan that is a Base Rate
Loan.
“Base
Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base
Rate.
“Base
Rate Revolving Loan” means a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate
Loan.
“Borrower”
has the meaning specified in the heading hereof.
“Borrower
Materials” has the meaning specified in the final paragraph of Section
7.02.
“Borrowing”
means a Committed Borrowing or a Swingline Borrowing, as the context may
require.
“Business
Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which
commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact
closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if
such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day on which
dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London
interbank eurodollar market.
“Businesses”
means, at any time, a collective reference to the businesses operated by the
Consolidated Parties at such time.
“Calculation
Date” means the date of the applicable Specified Transaction which gives
rise to the requirement to calculate the financial covenants set forth in
Section 8.11(a)-(d) on a Pro Forma
Basis.
“Calculation
Period” means, in respect of any Calculation Date, the period of four fiscal
quarters of the Borrower ended as of the last day of the most recent fiscal
quarter of the Borrower preceding such Calculation Date for which the
Administrative Agent shall have received the Required Financial
Information.
“Capital
Lease” means, as applied to any Person, any lease of any Property (whether
real, personal or mixed) by that Person as lessee which, in accordance with
GAAP, is required to be accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet
of
that Person.
“Capital
Stock” means (a) in the case of a corporation, capital stock,
(b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares,
interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated)
of
capital stock, (c) in the case of a partnership, partnership interests
(whether general or limited), (d) in the case of a limited liability
company, membership interests and (e) any other interest or participation
that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses
of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person.
“Cash
Collateral” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.03(g).
6
“Cash
Collateralize” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.03(g).
“Cash
Equivalents” means, as at any date, (a) securities issued or directly
and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States or any agency or
instrumentality thereof (provided that the full faith and credit of the United
States is pledged in support thereof) having maturities of not more than two
years from the date of acquisition, (b) Dollar denominated time deposits
and certificates of deposit of (i) any Lender, (ii) any domestic
commercial bank of recognized standing having capital and surplus in excess
of
$500,000,000 or a commercial bank organized under the laws of any other country
that is a member of the OECD having total assets in excess of $500,000,000
(or
its foreign currency equivalent at the time) or (iii) any bank whose
short-term commercial paper rating from S&P is at least A-1 or the
equivalent thereof or from Xxxxx’x is at least P-1 (or, if at any time neither
S&P nor Moody’s shall be rating such obligations, then an equivalent rating
from such other nationally recognized rating service acceptable to the
Administrative Agent) or the equivalent thereof (any such bank being an
“Approved Bank”), in each case with maturities of not more than one year from
the date of acquisition, (c) commercial paper and variable or fixed rate
notes issued by any Approved Bank (or by the parent company thereof) or any
variable rate notes issued by, or guaranteed by, any domestic corporation rated
A-2 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or P-2 (or the equivalent
thereof) or better by Moody’s (or, if at any time neither S&P nor Moody’s
shall be rating such obligations, then an equivalent rating from such other
nationally recognized rating service acceptable to the Administrative Agent)
and
maturing within one year of the date of acquisition, (d) repurchase
obligations with a term of not more than 30 days for underlying securities
of
the types described in clause (a) above entered into with (x) any bank
meeting the qualifications specified in clause (b) above or (y) any
primary government securities dealer reporting to the Market Reports Division
of
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, (e) direct obligations issued by any
state of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such
state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing, or subject to tender
at
the option of the holder thereof, within 90 days after the date of acquisition
thereof, provided that, at the time of acquisition, the long-term debt of
such state, political subdivision or public instrumentality has a rating of
A
(or higher) from S&P or A-2 (or higher) from Moody’s (or, if at any time
neither S&P nor Moody’s shall be rating such obligations, then an equivalent
rating from such other nationally recognized rating service acceptable to the
Administrative Agent), (f) overnight bank deposits and bankers’ acceptances
at any commercial bank organized in the United States having capital and surplus
in excess of $500,000,000 or a commercial bank organized under the laws of
any
other country that is a member of the OECD having total assets in excess of
$500,000,000 (or its foreign currency equivalent at the time), (g) deposits
available for withdrawal on demand with a commercial bank organized in the
United States having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 or a
commercial bank organized under the laws of any other country that is a member
of the OECD having total assets in excess of $500 million) or its foreign
currency equivalent at the time) and (h) Investments, classified in
accordance with GAAP as current assets, in money market funds which comply
with
the criteria set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 2a-7 under
the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the portfolios of which are limited
to Investments of the character described in the foregoing clauses (a)
through (g).
7
“CBET”
means Cincinnati Xxxx Extended Territories LLC, an Ohio limited liability
company and a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of CBT.
“CBT”
means Cincinnati Xxxx Telephone Company LLC, an Ohio limited liability company
and a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower.
“CBT
1993 Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of October 27, 1993,
among CBT, as issuer, the Borrower, as guarantor, and the Bank of New York,
as
trustee.
“CBT
1998 Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of
November 30, 1998, among CBT, as issuer, the Borrower, as guarantor,
and the Bank of New York, as trustee.
“CBT
Indentures” means a collective reference to the CBT 0000 Xxxxxxxxx and the
CBT 1998 Indenture, and “CBT Indenture” means either of
them.
“CBT
Note Documents” means a collective reference to the CBT Notes, the CBT
Indentures, and any other agreements, indentures and instruments pursuant to
which any CBT Notes are issued.
“CBT
Notes” means a collective reference to (a) the medium term notes issued
by CBT pursuant to the CBT 0000 Xxxxxxxxx and (b) CBT’s 6.30% Debentures
issued pursuant to the CBT 1998 Indenture.
“CBT
Subsidiaries” means a collective reference to Cincinnati Xxxx
Telecommunication Services LLC, CBET and each other direct or indirect
Subsidiary of CBT, and “CBT Subsidiary” means any of them.
“Change
in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of
the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule,
regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty
or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any
Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request,
guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any
Governmental Authority.
“Change
of Control” means an event or series of events by which:
(a) any
“person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan
of
such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity
as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes
the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have
“beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right
to acquire (such right, an “option right”), whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or
indirectly, of 35% or more of the equity securities of the Borrower entitled
to
vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of
the
Borrower
8
on
a
fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such
person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right);
or
(b) during
any period of 24 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board
of
directors or other equivalent governing body of the Borrower cease to be
composed of individuals (i) who were members of that board or equivalent
governing body on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or
nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by
individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of
such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent
governing body or (iii) whose election or nomination to that board or other
equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in
clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or
nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body
(excluding, in the case of both clause (ii) and clause (iii), any
individual whose initial nomination for, or assumption of office as, a member
of
that board or equivalent governing body occurs as a result of an actual or
threatened solicitation of proxies or consents for the election or removal
of
one or more directors by any person or group other than a solicitation for
the
election of one or more directors by or on behalf of the board of directors);
or
(c) there
shall occur a “Change of Control” (or any comparable term) under, and as defined
in, any Senior Note Indenture, either CBT Indenture, the 2003 8 3/8 Junior
Note
Indenture and/or the documents evidencing or governing any other Subordinated
Indebtedness.
“Cingular”
means Cingular Wireless LLC (f/k/a AT&T Wireless Services,
Inc.)
“Closing
Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in
Section 5.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with
Section 11.01.
“Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Collateral”
means a collective reference to all Property with respect
to which Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent (for the
ratable benefit of the Lenders) are purported to be granted pursuant
to and in accordance with the terms
of the Collateral Documents.
“Collateral
Agent” means Bank of America, in its capacity as collateral agent under the
Collateral Documents, together with any successors or assigns.
“Collateral
Documents” means a collective reference to the Security Agreements and such
other security documents as may be executed and delivered by the Loan Parties
pursuant to the terms of Sections 7.12 and 7.13.
“Commitment”
means, as to each Lender, the Revolving Commitment of such Lender and/or the
Tranche B Term Loan Commitment of such Lender.
9
“Committed
Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of
the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same
Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to
Section 2.01.
“Committed
Loan” means each Revolving Loan and the Tranche B Term Loan.
“Committed
Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Committed Borrowing, (b) a
conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a
continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a),
which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of
Exhibit A.
“Compliance
Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of
Exhibit D.
“Consolidated
Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, for the Consolidated
Parties on a consolidated basis, all capital expenditures made during such
period, as determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however,
that Consolidated Capital Expenditures shall not include (a) Eligible
Reinvestments made with proceeds of any (i) Involuntary Disposition, (ii)
Disposition of like-kind Property or (iii) Disposition by a Consolidated Party
consisting of the sale, lease, license, transfer or other disposition of
machinery and equipment no longer used or useful in the conduct of such
Consolidated Party’s business, or (b) Acquisitions.
“Consolidated
Cash Taxes” means, for any period, for the Consolidated Parties
on a consolidated basis, the aggregate of all income taxes, as determined in
accordance with GAAP, to the extent the same are paid in cash during such
period.
“Consolidated
EBITDA” means, for any period, for the Consolidated Parties on a
consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period
plus, without duplication (a) the following to the extent deducted
in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest
Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for Federal, state, local and
foreign income taxes payable by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries,
(iii) depreciation and amortization expense, (iv) other non-cash items
and (v) restructuring charges in respect of cash payments relating to the
Borrower’s workforce reduction restructuring plan reported on the Borrower’s
Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 3, 2004, taken on or
before December 31, 2007, in an aggregate amount not to exceed
$20,000,000, minus (b) the following to the
extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Federal,
state, local and foreign income tax credits, (ii) all non-cash items
increasing Consolidated Net Income and (iii) all charges and expenses
(other than charges and expenses relating to the Disposition of the Borrower’s
broadband business in an aggregate amount not exceeding $35,000,000 in the
aggregate) which represent a cash realization in respect of any non-cash item
that was added back to Consolidated Net Income in the calculation of
Consolidated EBITDA for any prior period.
“Consolidated
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter
of the Consolidated Parties, the ratio for the four fiscal quarter period ending
on such date, of (a) the sum of (i) Consolidated EBITDA minus
(ii) Consolidated Capital Expenditures minus
10
(iii) Consolidated
Cash Taxes to (b) the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Charges
plus (ii) Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments.
“Consolidated
Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, for the
Consolidated Parties on a consolidated basis, without duplication, the sum
of
(a) the principal portion of all obligations for borrowed money,
(b) the principal portion of all obligations evidenced by bonds,
debentures, notes or similar instruments, or upon which interest payments are
customarily made, (c) the principal portion of all obligations under
conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to Property
purchased by the Consolidated Parties (other than customary reservations or
retentions of title under agreements with suppliers entered into in the ordinary
course of business), (d) the principal portion of all obligations issued or
assumed as the deferred purchase price of Property or services purchased by
the
Consolidated Parties (other than trade debt incurred in the ordinary course
of
business and due within six months of the incurrence thereof) which would appear
as liabilities on a balance sheet of the Consolidated Parties, (e) the
Attributable Indebtedness with respect to Capital Leases and Synthetic Lease
Obligations, (f) all direct and contingent reimbursement obligations in
respect of financial letters of credit, including, without duplication, all
unreimbursed drafts drawn thereunder (less the amount of any cash collateral
securing any such letters of credit), (g) the principal component or
liquidation preference of all preferred Capital Stock issued by such Person
and
which by the terms thereof could at any time prior to the Maturity Date (other
than pursuant to a change of control provision that is defined no more broadly
that the definition of “Change of Control” set forth in Section 1.01) be
(at the request of the holders thereof or otherwise) subject to mandatory
sinking fund payments, mandatory redemption or other
acceleration, (h) the outstanding Attributed Principal
Amount under any Permitted Receivables Financing (all such Indebtedness of
the
types described in the forgoing clauses (a) through (h), as to any Person,
“Funded Indebtedness”), (i) all Funded Indebtedness of others
secured by (or for which the holder of such Funded Indebtedness has an existing
right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on, or payable out
of
the proceeds of production from, Property owned or acquired by the Consolidated
Parties, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed,
(j) all Guarantees with respect to Funded Indebtedness of another Person
and (k) the Funded Indebtedness of any partnership or unincorporated joint
venture in which a Consolidated Party a general partner or a joint venturer
to
the extent such Indebtedness is recourse to a Consolidated Party.
“Consolidated
Interest Charges” means, for any period, for the Consolidated Parties on a
consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all interest expenses of the
Consolidated Parties in connection with borrowed money (excluding all
Indebtedness and payment obligations referred to in clause (f) of the definition
of Indebtedness herein, and including capitalized interest, the interest
component under Capital Leases and the implied interest component of Permitted
Receivables Financings and Synthetic Lease Obligations) or in connection with
the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as
interest in accordance with GAAP, (b) the portion of rent expense with
respect to such period under capital leases that is treated as interest in
accordance with GAAP, and (c) cash dividends paid in respect of Permitted
Preferred Stock and Other Permitted Equity, but excluding in each case for
purposes of clauses (a), (b) and (c) above, (i) any amortization of
original issue discount, (ii) the interest portion of any deferred payment
obligation, (iii) any other interest not payable in cash, (iv) any
financing fees or other charges or expenses, or the amortization thereof,
incurred in connection with the issuance of any Indebtedness or preferred
Capital Stock or the obtaining of
any amendment, waiver or other
11
modification
in respect of any Indebtedness or preferred Capital Stock, (v) to the
extent included in “interest expense” in accordance with GAAP, any penalties
paid or payable in connection with the prepayment of any Indebtedness and
(vi) all non-cash interest expense due to the initial recording of any
expense item in respect of an obligation classified as a debt obligation under
FASB Interpretation No. 45 and all subsequent non-cash adjustments to such
amount. For purposes of the foregoing, interest shall be determined after giving
effect to any net payments made or received by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
with respect to Swap Contracts on a consolidated basis for any
period.
“Consolidated
Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter of
the Consolidated Parties, the ratio, for the four fiscal quarter period ending
on such date, of (a) Consolidated EBITDA to (b) Consolidated Interest
Charges.
“Consolidated
Net Income” means, for any period, for the Consolidated Parties on a
consolidated basis, net income (excluding extraordinary items and any prepayment
costs, tender premiums or other cash or non-cash transaction charges expensed
in
connection with the prepayment of the 2003 16% Junior Notes) after interest
expense, income taxes and depreciation and amortization, all as determined
in
accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Parties” means a collective reference to the Borrower and the Subsidiaries
of the Borrower, and “Consolidated Party” means any one of
them.
“Consolidated
Scheduled Funded Debt Payments” means, for any period, for
the Consolidated Parties on a consolidated basis, the sum of all scheduled
payments of principal on Consolidated Funded Indebtedness, as determined in
accordance with GAAP. For purposes of this definition, “scheduled payments of
principal” (a) shall be determined without giving effect to any reduction
of such scheduled payments resulting from the application of any voluntary
or
mandatory prepayments made during the applicable period, (b) shall be
deemed to include, to the extent amortizing during such period, the Attributable
Indebtedness in respect of Capital Leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations and
(c) shall not include any voluntary prepayments or mandatory prepayments
required pursuant to Section 2.05.
“Consolidated
Senior Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, for the
Consolidated Parties on a consolidated basis, without duplication, the sum
of
the following: (a) the principal portion of the Obligations under the Loan
Documents, (b) the principal portion of Consolidated Funded Indebtedness
that is not expressly subordinated to the Obligations under the Loan Documents
and Secured Hedge Agreements and is secured by any collateral (including,
without limitation, the Attributed Principal Amount under any Permitted
Receivables Financing), (c) the principal portion of Consolidated Funded
Indebtedness which is recourse to any Excluded Subsidiary or to any Property
of
any Excluded Subsidiary, but excluding any Indebtedness owed to any Consolidated
Party and (d) to the extent then due and payable, the Swap Termination Value
under Secured Hedge Agreements to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is a
party.
“Consolidated
Senior Leverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter of
the Consolidated Parties, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Senior Indebtedness
as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the four fiscal quarter
period ending on such date.
12
“Consolidated
Senior Secured Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, for the
Consolidated Parties on a consolidated basis, without duplication, the sum
of
the following: (a) the principal portion of the Obligations under the Loan
Documents, (b) the principal portion of Consolidated Funded Indebtedness
that is not expressly subordinated to the Obligations under the Loan Documents
and Secured Hedge Agreements and is secured by any collateral (including,
without limitation, the Attributed Principal Amount under any Permitted
Receivables Financing), and (c) to the extent then due and payable, the
Swap Termination Value under Secured Hedge Agreements to which the Borrower
or
any Subsidiary is a party.
“Consolidated
Senior Secured Leverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of any fiscal
quarter of the Consolidated Parties, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Senior
Secured Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the
four fiscal quarter period ending on such date.
“Consolidated
Total Assets” means, as of the last day of any fiscal year of the
Consolidated Parties for the Consolidated Parties on a consolidated basis,
total
assets as determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Total Leverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter of the
Consolidated Parties, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as
of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the four fiscal quarter period
ending on such date.
“Contractual
Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by
such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other consensual 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
Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an
L/C Credit Extension.
“Debt
Issuance” means the issuance by any Consolidated Party of any Indebtedness
of the type referred to in clause (a) or (b) of the definition thereof set
forth in this Section 1.01.
“Debt
Issuance Prepayment Event” means the receipt by any Consolidated Party of
proceeds from any Debt Issuance other than an Excluded Debt
Issuance.
“Debtor
Relief Laws” means 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 from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors
generally.
13
“Default”
means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that,
with
the giving of any notice, the passage of a stated grace period, or both, would
be an Event of Default. It is understood and agreed that the institution of
any
proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any Consolidated Party (other
than an Immaterial Subsidiary) or to all or any material part of its Property
without the consent of such Person shall constitute an immediate Default that
with the passage of the 60-calendar day period referred to in
Section 9.01(g) would be an Event of Default.
“Default
Rate” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter
of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus
(ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus
(iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a
Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the
interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such
Loan
plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees,
a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.
“Defaulting
Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the
Loans or participations in L/C Obligations or participations in Swingline Loans
required to be funded by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date
required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over
to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to
be
paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due, unless the
subject of a good faith dispute, or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become
the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.
“Discretionary
L/C Issuer” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.03(b)(v).
“Disposition”
or “Dispose” means any disposition (including pursuant to a Sale and
Leaseback Transaction) of any or all of the Property (including without
limitation the Capital Stock of a Subsidiary) of any Consolidated Party whether
by sale, lease, licensing, transfer or otherwise; provided,
however, that the term “Disposition” shall be deemed to exclude any
Equity Issuance.
“Disposition
Prepayment Event” means, with respect to any Disposition other than an
Excluded Disposition, the failure of the Loan Parties to apply (or cause to
be
applied) the Net Cash Proceeds of such Disposition to Eligible Reinvestments
during the Application Period for such Disposition; provided that no
Disposition Prepayment Event shall be deemed to have occurred during any fiscal
year until the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds with respect to all Dispositions
consummated during such fiscal year exceeds $25 million.
“Dollar”
and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.
“Domestic
Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any
political subdivision of the United States.
“Eligible
Assignee” means (a) a Lender; (b) an Affiliate of a Lender; (c)
any Approved Fund and (d) any other bank or financial institution approved
by (i) the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuers, and (ii) unless
an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the
14
Borrower
(each such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided
that notwithstanding the foregoing, “Eligible Assignee” shall not include the
Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.
“Eligible
Reinvestment” means (a) any acquisition (whether or not constituting a
capital expenditure, but not constituting an Acquisition) of assets or any
business (or any substantial part thereof) used or useful in the same or a
similar line of business as the Borrower and its Subsidiaries were engaged
in on
the Closing Date (or any reasonable extensions or expansions thereof) and
(b) any Permitted Acquisition.
“Environmental
Laws” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws,
regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, agreements or other
legally-binding governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the
protection of the environment or the release of any hazardous materials,
substances or wastes into the environment, including those related to hazardous
materials, substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges of hazardous
materials, substances or wastes to waste or public systems.
“Environmental
Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any
liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties
or
indemnities), of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective
Subsidiaries 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.
“Equity
Issuance” means any issuance by any Consolidated Party to any Person of
(a) shares of its Capital Stock, (b) any shares of its Capital Stock
pursuant to the exercise of options or warrants, (c) any shares of its
Capital Stock pursuant to the conversion of any debt securities to equity or
the
conversion of any class equity securities to any other class of equity
securities or (d) any options or warrants relating to its Capital Stock.
The term “Equity Issuance” shall not be deemed to include any
Disposition.
“ERISA”
means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ERISA
Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under
common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or
(c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of
provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).
“ERISA
Event” means any of the following events that the Borrower knows or could
reasonably be expected to know occurred: (a) a Reportable Event with
respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a
plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in
Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated
as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or
partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any
15
ERISA
Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan
is
in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the
treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041
or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate
a
Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which
constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or
the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer
Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA,
other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of
ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.
“Eurodollar
Rate” means, for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan,
the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“BBA
LIBOR”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source
providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Administrative Agent
from
time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior
to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery
on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such
Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason,
then
the “Eurodollar Rate” for such Interest Period shall be the rate per annum
determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in
Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds
in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being made, continued
or
converted by Bank of America and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period
are offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London
interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London
time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest
Period.
“Eurodollar
Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the
Eurodollar Rate.
“Event
of Default” has the meaning specified in
Section 9.01.
“Excess
Proceeds” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 7.07(b).
“Excluded
Debt Issuance” means any Debt Issuance permitted by
Section 8.03.
“Excluded
Disposition” means, with respect to any Consolidated Party, any Disposition
consisting of (a) the sale, lease, license, transfer or other disposition
of Property in the ordinary course of such Consolidated Party’s business,
(b) the sale, lease, license, transfer or other disposition of machinery
and equipment no longer used or useful in the conduct of such Consolidated
Party’s business, (c) any sale, lease, license, transfer or other
disposition of Property by such Consolidated Party to any Loan Party,
(d) if such Consolidated Party is an Excluded Subsidiary (other than CBT or
any CBT Subsidiary), any sale, lease, license, transfer or other disposition
of
Property by such Consolidated Party to any other Excluded Subsidiary, (e) any
sale, lease, license, transfer or other disposition of Property by CBT to a
CBT
Subsidiary, by a CBT Subsidiary to CBT, or among CBT Subsidiaries, (f) the
sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of equipment that, in the aggregate
for all such equipment during any fiscal year, has a fair market value or book
value, which ever is greater, of not more that $1,000,000, (g) any
Involuntary Disposition by such Consolidated Party, (h) any
Disposition by such Consolidated Party
16
constituting
a Permitted Investment, (i) any Disposition of Transferred Assets by such
Consolidated Party in connection with a Permitted Receivables Financing,
(j) the sale or discount without recourse of delinquent accounts receivable
or notes receivable for collection purposes, or the conversion or exchange
of
delinquent accounts receivable into or for notes receivable in connection with
the compromise or collection thereof, each in the ordinary course of business
and not intended to constitute a financing arrangement, (k) the disposition
of cash or investment securities in the ordinary course of management of the
investment portfolio of the applicable Consolidated Party, (l) any sale or
granting of any interest in conduits, fibers, dark fiber or an indefeasible
right to use dark fiber or fiber capacity, (m) subleases of real Property
and licenses of Intellectual Property, in each case entered into in the ordinary
course of business and not intended to constitute a financing arrangement;
(n) any Wireless Disposition; and (o) any exchange of assets to the extent
qualifying for like kind treatment under Section 1031 of the Code.
“Excluded
Subsidiaries” means, subject to Section 7.12, (a) CBT and CBET,
(b) Wireless LLC, (c) the Mutual Subsidiaries, (d) each
Receivables Financings SPC, (e) each Foreign Subsidiary, (f) each
Subsidiary created or acquired after the Closing Date as a Joint Venture, or
that becomes a Joint Venture as a result of a permitted Disposition, and
(g) each Subsidiary created or acquired after the Closing Date in respect
of which (i) the Borrower shall have advised the Administrative Agent
that it would be a violation of applicable law for such Subsidiary to become
a
Loan Party or (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have determined that the
contractual, operational, expense, tax or regulatory consequences or difficulty
of causing such Subsidiary to become a Guarantor would not, in light of the
benefits to accrue to the Lenders, justify such Subsidiary becoming a Loan
Party, and “Excluded Subsidiary” means any one of
them.
“Excluded
Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any L/C
Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of
any
obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by
its overall net income (however denominated), and franchise Taxes imposed on
it
(in lieu of net income Taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision
thereof) under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its
principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its
applicable Lending Office is located, (b) any branch profits Taxes imposed
by the United States or any similar Tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in
which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender
(other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under
Section 11.13), any withholding Tax that is imposed on amounts
payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party
hereto (or designates a new Lending Office) or is attributable to such Foreign
Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to
comply with Section 3.01(e), except to the extent that such Foreign
Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of
a
new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the
Borrower with respect to such withholding Tax pursuant to
Section 3.01(a).
“Existing
Credit Agreement” means that certain Third Amendment and Restatement of
Credit Agreement dated as of November 17, 2003, as amended, among the
Borrower and BCSI, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as the borrowers thereunder,
a
syndicate of lenders, Bank of
17
America,
N.A., as syndication agent for the lenders, CitiCorp USA, Inc., as
administrative agent for the lenders, Credit Suisse First Boston and The Bank
of
New York, as co-documentation agents for the lenders, PNC Bank, N.A., Citigroup
Global Markets, Inc. and Banc of America Securities LLC, as joint lead arrangers
and joint book managers, the various other agents and arrangers party
thereto.
“Existing
Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit described on Schedule
1.01A.
“FCC”
means the Federal Communications Commission or any successor commission or
agency of the United States of America having jurisdiction over the federal
telecommunications licensing of any Consolidated Party.
“Federal
Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum (rounded upward, if
necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) equal to the weighted average
of
the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published
by
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such
day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the
Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on
the
next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business
Day,
and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business
Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate charged
to
Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the
Administrative Agent.
“Fee
Letters” means a collective reference to (a) the fee letter agreement,
dated January 12, 2005, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent
and Banc of America Securities LLC, and (b) the fee letter agreement, dated
January 12, 2005, between the Borrower and Credit Suisse First Boston.
“First
Amendment” means the First Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of August
31, 2005 among the Borrower, the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Lenders party
thereto and the Administrative Agent.
“First
Amendment Effective Date” means August 31, 2005.
“Foreign
Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction
other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes
of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District
of
Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
“Foreign
Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of a Consolidated Party that is not a
Domestic Subsidiary.
“FRB”
means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United
States.
18
“Fully
Satisfied” means, with respect to the Obligations as of any date, that, as
of such date, (a) all principal of and interest accrued to such date which
constitute Obligations shall have been paid in full in cash, (b) all fees,
expenses and other amounts then due and payable which constitute Obligations
shall have been paid in cash, (c) all outstanding Letters of Credit shall
have been (i) terminated, (ii) fully Cash Collateralized,
(iii) secured by one or more letters of credit on terms and conditions, and
with one or more financial institutions, reasonably satisfactory to the
applicable L/C Issuer(s) or (iv) continued under a credit facility that in
part or in whole replaces or refinances this Agreement or otherwise treated
in a
manner satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer(s), in either case, pursuant
to
an arrangement resulting in the simultaneous termination (in a manner
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion) of the
participations of the Lenders under this Agreement in such Letters of Credit,
and (d) the Commitments shall have expired or been terminated in
full.
“Fund”
means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged
in
making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and
similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its
business.
“Funded
Indebtedness” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of
Consolidated Funded Indebtedness in Section 1.01.
“GAAP”
means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth
in
the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants 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, as in effect from time to time.
“Governmental
Approval” means, with respect to any Person, any license, permit, or
certificate of public convenience and necessity issued to such Person by the
FCC, any State PUC or any other Governmental Authority in connection with the
operation of the Businesses.
“Governmental
Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or
of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency,
authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or
administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including
any
supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central
Bank).
“Guarantee”
means, as to any Person, any (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise,
of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any
Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the
“primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including
any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay
(or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness
or
other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease Property, securities or
services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness
or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other
obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other
financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or
19
cash
flow
of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such
Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the primary
purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such
Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to
protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part),
or
(b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or
other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other
obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise,
of
any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any
Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable
amount of the related primary obligation, or portion or limited amount thereof,
in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable,
the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined
by
the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a
corresponding meaning.
“Guarantors”
means a collective reference to the Subsidiaries of the Borrower identified
as
“Guarantors” on the signature pages hereto, and each other Person that
subsequently becomes a Guarantor by executing a Joinder Agreement as
contemplated by Section 7.12, and “Guarantor” means any one
of them. A list of the Guarantors as of the Closing Date is set forth on
Schedule 1.01B.
“Guaranty”
means the Guarantee made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent
and the Lenders pursuant to Article IV.
“Hazardous
Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all
hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum
or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials,
polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all
other
substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental
Law.
“Honor
Date” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.03(c)(i).
“Immaterial
Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary in respect of which (a) the portion of
Consolidated Total Assets (determined as of the last day of the most recent
fiscal year of the Borrower with respect to which the Administrative Agent
has
received the Required Financial Information) attributable thereto (on an
unconsolidated basis) is less than 5% of Consolidated Total Assets as of such
date or (b) the portion of Consolidated EBITDA (determined as of the last
day of the most recent fiscal year of the Borrower with respect to which the
Administrative Agent has received the Required Financial Information for the
fiscal year ending on such date) attributable thereto (on an unconsolidated
basis) is less than 5% of Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal year;
provided, however, the occurrence of any event or condition of the
types referred in any of subsections (g), (h), (i) or (k) of
Section 9.01 with respect to more than three Immaterial Subsidiaries
concurrently shall (subject to any applicable grace period) constitute an Event
of Default notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary set forth in
this
Agreement if the portion of Consolidated Total Assets (determined as provided
above) attributable to all of such Immaterial Subsidiaries taken together would
constitute more than 15% of Consolidated Total Assets as of the applicable
date
or if the portion of Consolidated EBITDA (determined as
20
provided
above) attributable to all of such Immaterial Subsidiaries taken together would
constitute more than 15% of Consolidated EBITDA for the applicable fiscal
year
“Incremental
Facilities” and “Incremental Facility” shall each have the meaning
specified in Section 11.01(b).
“Indebtedness”
means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, (a) all obligations
of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all
obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention
agreements relating to Property purchased by such Person (other than customary
reservations or retentions of title under agreements with suppliers entered
into
in the ordinary course of business), (d) all obligations of such Person
issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of Property or services
purchased by such Person (other than trade debt incurred in the ordinary course
of business and due within six months of the incurrence thereof) which would
appear as liabilities on a balance sheet of such Person, (e) the
Attributable Indebtedness of such Person with respect to Capital Leases and
Synthetic Lease Obligations, (f) all net obligations of such Person under
Swap Contracts, (g) all direct and contingent reimbursement obligations in
respect of financial letters of credit, including, without duplication, all
unreimbursed drafts drawn thereunder (less the amount of any cash collateral
securing any such letters of credit), (h) the principal component or
liquidation preference of all preferred Capital Stock issued by such Person
and
which by the terms thereof could at any time prior to the Maturity Date (other
than pursuant to a change of control provision that is defined no more broadly
that the definition of “Change of Control” set forth in Section 1.01) be
(at the request of the holders thereof or otherwise) subject to mandatory
sinking fund payments, mandatory redemption or other acceleration, (i) the
outstanding Attributed Principal Amount under any Permitted Receivables
Financing, (j) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the
holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise,
to
be secured by) any Lien on, or payable out of the proceeds of production from,
Property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the obligations
secured thereby have been assumed, (k) all Guarantees of such Person with
respect to Indebtedness of another Person and (l) the Indebtedness of any
partnership or unincorporated joint venture in which such Person is a general
partner or a joint venturer to the extent such Indebtedness is recourse to
such
Person. The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date
shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such
date.
“Indemnified
Taxes” means Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, arising from any payment or
obligation hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution,
delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or
any
other Loan Document.
“Indemnitee”
has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).
“Information”
has the meaning specified in Section 11.07.
“Intellectual
Property” has the meaning specified in
Section 6.17.
“Interest
Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan,
the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity
Date; provided, however,
21
that
if
any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the
respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such
Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any
Base Rate Loan (including a Swingline Loan), the last Business Day of each
March, June, September and December and the Maturity
Date.
“Interest
Period” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the
date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as
a
Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months
thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice, or such
other period that is 12 months or less requested by the Borrower and consented
to by all the Lenders; provided that:
(i) any
Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day
shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business
Day
falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end
on
the next preceding Business Day;
(ii) any
Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or
on
a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month
at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the
calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and
(iii) no
Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.
“Investment”
in any Person means (a) any Acquisition of such Person or its Property,
(b) any other acquisition of Capital Stock, bonds, notes, debentures,
partnership, joint ventures or other ownership interests or other securities
of
such other Person, (c) any deposit with, or advance, loan or other
extension of credit to, such Person (other than deposits made in connection
with
the purchase of equipment inventory and supplies in the ordinary course of
business) or (d) any other capital contribution to or investment in such
Person, including, without limitation, any Guarantee incurred for the benefit
of
such Person, but excluding any Restricted Payment to such Person. Investments
which are capital contributions or purchases of Capital Stock which have a
right
to participate in the profits of the issuer thereof or are purchases of other
Property shall be valued at the amount (or, in the case of any Investment made
with Property other than cash, the fair market value of such Property) actually
contributed or paid (including cash and non-cash consideration and any
assumption of Indebtedness) to purchase such Capital Stock or other Property
as
of the date of such contribution or payment less the amount of all returns
of
capital in respect of such Investment (including, without limitation, pursuant
to the Disposition or liquidation of all or part of such Investment) through
and
including the date of determination. Investments which are loans, advances,
extensions of credit or Guarantees shall be valued at the principal amount
of
such loan, advance or extension of credit outstanding as of the date of
determination or, as applicable, the principal amount of the loan or advance
outstanding as of the date of determination actually guaranteed by such
Guarantees. An exchange of assets will be deemed not to constitute an
“Investment” to the extent qualifying for like kind treatment under Section 1031
of the Code.
22
“Involuntary
Disposition” means any loss of, damage to or destruction of, or any
condemnation or other taking for public use of, any Property of any Consolidated
Party.
“Involuntary
Disposition Prepayment Event” means, with respect to any Involuntary
Disposition, the failure of the Loan Parties to apply (or cause to be applied)
an amount equal to the Excess Proceeds of such Involuntary Disposition, if
any, to make Eligible Reinvestments (including but not limited to the
repair or replacement of the Property affected by such Involuntary Disposition)
during the Application Period for such Involuntary Disposition, subject to
the
terms and conditions of Section 7.07(b).
“IRS”
means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“ISP”
means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby
Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law &
Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of
issuance).
“Issuer
Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit
Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into
by
the applicable L/C Issuer and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor
the
applicable L/C Issuer and relating to any such Letter of Credit.
“Joinder
Agreement” means a Joinder Agreement substantially in the form of
Exhibit E hereto, executed and delivered by a new Guarantor in
accordance with the provisions of Section 7.12.
“Joint
Venture” means any corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint
venture, company or partnership which is not a Subsidiary as of the Closing
Date
and in respect which (a) any of the Consolidated Parties makes (or is deemed
to
make pursuant to the last paragraph of Section 8.02) an Investment
after the Closing Date that results in one or more Consolidated Parties holding
no more than 90% and no less than 10% of the Capital Stock of such
Person.
“Junior
Note Documents” means a collective reference to the 2003 8⅜% Junior Note
Documents and the 2005 Junior Note Documents.
“Junior
Notes” means a collective reference to the 2003 8⅜% Junior Notes and the
2005 Junior Notes.
“Laws”
means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local
statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and
administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the
interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged
with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all
applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses,
authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority,
in each case whether or not having the force of law.
23
“L/C
Advance” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its
participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable
Percentage.
“L/C
Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any
Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when such drawing
is
made or refinanced as a Borrowing of Revolving Loans.
“L/C
Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance
thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount
thereof.
“L/C
Issuer” means each of Bank of America and PNC, each in its capacity as an
issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, any Discretionary L/C Issuer, or any
successor to Bank of America, PNC or any Discretionary L/C Issuer that becomes
an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.
“L/C
Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount
available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the
aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For the
purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of
Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance
with Section 1.06. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any
date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount
may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the
ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so
remaining available to be drawn.
“Lenders”
means a collective reference to the Persons identified as “Lenders” on the
signature pages hereto, together with any Person that subsequently becomes
a
Lender by way of assignment in accordance with the terms of
Section 11.06, together with their respective successors, other than
any Person that ceases to be a Lender as a result of an assignment in accordance
with the terms of Section 11.06 or Section 11.13 or an
amendment of this agreement in accordance with the terms of
Section 11.01, and “Lender” means any one of them, and, as
the context requires, includes the Swingline Lender.
“Lending
Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender
described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other
office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and
the
Administrative Agent.
“Letter
of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder and shall
include the Existing Letters of Credit.
“Letter
of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance
or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by
the
applicable L/C Issuer.
“Letter
of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.03(i).
24
“Letter
of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is 7 days prior to the
Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next
preceding Business Day).
“Letter
of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to $40,000,000. The Letter of
Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving
Commitments.
“Lien”
means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement,
encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or
other
security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security
interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or
other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance
on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the
same
economic effect as any of the foregoing).
“Loan”
means any extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article
II in the form of a Revolving Loan, a Swingline Loan and/or a Tranche B
Term Loan, as the context may require. The term “Loan” also shall mean,
as appropriate, (i) any portion of the Revolving Loans bearing interest at
the same rate of interest and having an Interest Period which begins and ends
on
the same date, and (ii) any portion of the Tranche B Term Loan bearing
interest at the same rate of interest and having an Interest Period which begins
and ends on the same date.
“Loan
Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Letter of Credit, each
Issuer Document, each Joinder Agreement, the Collateral Documents and the Fee
Letters.
“Loan
Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor, and “Loan
Party” means any one of them.
“Material
Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material
adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual
or contingent), or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material adverse impairment of the
ability of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their material
obligations under the Loan Documents; or (c) a material adverse effect upon
the rights or remedies, taken as a whole, of the Administrative Agent or the
Lenders under the Loan Documents.
“Material
Contract” means, with respect to any Person, each contract or other
arrangement to which such Person is a party for which breach, nonperformance,
cancellation or failure to renew could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
“Maturity
Date” means (a) as to the Revolving Loans and Letters of Credit (and
the related L/C Obligations), February 16, 2010 and (b) as to the Tranche B
Term Loan, August 31, 2012.
“Moody’s”
means Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.
“Multiemployer
Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in
Sections 3(37) and 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate makes
25
or
is
obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has
made or been obligated to make contributions.
“Mutual
Subsidiaries” means, collectively, (i) Mutual Signal Holding
Corporation, a Delaware corporation, (ii) Mutual Signal Corporation, a New
York corporation, (iii) Mutual Signal Corporation of Michigan, a New York
corporation, and (iv) MSM Associates Limited Partnership, a Delaware
limited partnership.
“Net
Cash Proceeds” means the aggregate cash or Cash Equivalents proceeds
received by any Consolidated Party in respect of any Disposition, Debt Issuance
or Involuntary Disposition, net of (a) direct costs incurred in connection
therewith (including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment
banking fees, and sales commissions), (b) Taxes paid or payable as a result
thereof and (c) in the case of any Disposition, the amount necessary to
retire any Indebtedness secured by a Permitted Lien on the related Property;
it
being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include, without limitation, any
cash or Cash Equivalents received upon the sale or other disposition of any
non-cash consideration received by any such Consolidated Party in any
Disposition, Debt Issuance or Involuntary Disposition.
“Non-Pledged
Subsidiaries” means, subject to Section 7.12, (a) the Mutual
Subsidiaries, (b) the CBT Subsidiaries, (c) Wireless LLC,
(d) each Subsidiary of an Excluded Subsidiary created or acquired by such
Excluded Subsidiary after the Closing Date, (e) each Receivables Financing
SPC, (f) each Subsidiary created or acquired after the Closing Date as a
Joint Venture, or that becomes a Joint Venture as a result of a permitted
Disposition, and (g) each other Subsidiary created or acquired after the
Closing Date in respect of which (i) the Borrower shall have advised the
Administrative Agent that it would be a violation of applicable law for the
Capital Stock of such Subsidiary to be pledged or (ii) the Administrative
Agent shall have determined that the contractual, operational, expense, tax
or
regulatory consequences or difficulty of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary
being pledged would not, in light of the benefits to accrue to the Lenders,
justify such pledge, and “Non-Pledged Subsidiary” means any one of
them.
“Non-Shared
Collateral Security Agreement” means the Non-Shared Collateral Security and
Pledge Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, among the Loan Parties
signatories thereto and the Collateral Agent.
“Note”
or “Notes” means the Revolving Notes, the Swingline Note and/or the
Tranche B Term Notes, individually or collectively, as appropriate.
“Obligations”
means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties
of, any Loan Party arising under (a) any Loan Document with respect to any
Loan or Letter of Credit, (b) any Secured Hedge Agreement, and (c) all
obligations under any Treasury Management Agreement between any Loan Party
and
any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender, in each case whether direct or indirect,
absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising
and including interest, expenses, costs and fees that accrue after the
commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any
proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in
such
proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims
in
such proceeding.
26
“OECD”
shall mean the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and its
successors.
“Operating
Lease” means, as applied to any Person, any lease (including, without
limitation, leases which may be terminated by the lessee at any time) of any
Property (whether real, personal or mixed) which is not a Capital Lease other
than any such lease in which that Person is the lessor.
“Organization
Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate
or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable
constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with
respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of
formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to
any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the
partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or
organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect
thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the
applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or
organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or
organization of such entity.
“Other
Permitted Equity” means any Capital Stock of the Borrower other than common
stock that (a) is a security that is not guaranteed or secured and ranks
junior in right of payment to the Obligations, the Senior Notes, the Junior
Notes and any Subordinated Indebtedness in all respects, (b) has a term
extending to at least February 28, 2013 and is not mandatorily redeemable or
putable prior to such date (other than pursuant to a “change of control” that is
defined no more broadly than the definition of “Change of Control” set forth in
Section 1.01), and (c) if convertible or exchangeable, is
convertible or exchangeable into the common stock of the Borrower or other
Capital Stock of the Borrower satisfying the conditions of clauses (a) and
(b) of this definition.
“Other
Taxes” means all present or future stamp or documentary Taxes or any other
excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment
made hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery
or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other
Loan Document.
“Outstanding
Amount” means (a) with respect to Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans
on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving
effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Revolving Loans or
Swingline Loans as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (b) with
respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations
on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such
date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as
of
such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrower of
Unreimbursed Amounts.
“Participant”
has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).
“PBGC”
means the United States Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
27
“Pension
Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in
Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to
Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by the Borrower or any
ERISA Affiliate or to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes
or
has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other
plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any
time during the immediately preceding five plan years.
“Permitted
Acquisition” means an Acquisition by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the
Borrower permitted pursuant to the terms of
Section 8.02(h).
“Permitted
Investments” means, at any time, Investments by the Consolidated Parties
permitted to exist at such time pursuant to the terms of
Section 8.02.
“Permitted
Liens” means, at any time, Liens in respect of Property of the Consolidated
Parties permitted to exist at such time pursuant to the terms of
Section 8.01.
“Permitted
Preferred Stock” means the 6¾% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock of the
Borrower.
“Permitted
Receivables Financing” means any transaction or series of transactions that
may be entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary pursuant to which it
may
sell, convey, contribute to capital or otherwise transfer (which sale,
conveyance, contribution to capital or transfer may include or be supported
by
the grant of a security interest) Transferred Assets (a) to any Receivables
Financier, which transfer is funded in whole or in part, directly or indirectly,
by the incurrence or issuance by the transferee or any successor transferee
of
Indebtedness, fractional undivided interests or other securities that are to
receive payments from, or that represent interests in, the cash flow derived
from such Transferred Assets or interests in such Transferred Assets, or
(b) directly to one or more investors or other purchasers (other than the
Borrower or any Subsidiary), it being understood that a Permitted Receivables
Financing may involve (i) one or more sequential transfers or pledges of the
same Transferred Assets, or interests therein, e.g., a sale, conveyance
or other transfer to a Receivables Financing SPC followed by a pledge of the
Transferred Assets to secure Indebtedness incurred by the Receivables Financing
SPC, and all such transfers, pledges and Indebtedness incurrences shall be
part
of and constitute a single Permitted Receivables Financing, and (ii) periodic
transfers or pledges of Transferred Assets and/or revolving transactions in
which new Transferred Assets, or interests therein, are transferred or pledged
upon collection of previously transferred or pledged Transferred Assets, or
interests therein, provided that any such transactions shall provide for
recourse to such Subsidiary (other than any Receivables Financing SPC) or the
Borrower (as applicable) only in respect of the cash flows in respect of such
Transferred Assets and to the extent of other customary securitization
undertakings in the United States, and provided further that
the aggregate Attributed Principal Amount for all Permitted Receivables
Financings at any time outstanding shall not exceed $150,000,000.
“Person”
means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint
venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other
entity.
28
“Platform”
has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.
“PNC”
means PNC Bank, National Association and its successors.
“Principal
Amortization Payment” means a principal payment on the Tranche B Term
Loan as set forth in Section 2.07(c).
“Pro
Forma Basis” means, in connection with the calculation as of the applicable
Calculation Date (utilizing the principles set forth in
Section 1.03(c)) of the financial covenants set forth in
Section 8.11(a)-(d) and/or of the Consolidated Senior
Secured Leverage Ratio for the purposes of Section 8.06(d) and/or
Section 8.12(b) in respect of a proposed transaction (a
“Specified Transaction”) as of the date on which such Specified
Transaction is to be effected, the making of such calculation after giving
effect on a pro forma basis to:
(a) the
consummation of such Specified Transaction as of the first day of the applicable
Calculation Period;
(b) the
assumption, incurrence or issuance of any Indebtedness by any of the
Consolidated Parties (including any Person which became a Subsidiary pursuant
to
or in connection with such Specified Transaction) in connection with such
Specified Transaction, as if such Indebtedness had been assumed, incurred or
issued (and the proceeds thereof applied) on the first day of such Calculation
Period (with any such Indebtedness bearing interest at a floating rate being
deemed to have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period equal
to
the rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as
of
the applicable Calculation Date);
(c) the
permanent repayment, retirement or redemption of any Indebtedness (other than
revolving Indebtedness, except to the extent accompanied by a permanent
commitment reduction) by any of the Consolidated Parties (including any Person
which became a Subsidiary pursuant to or in connection with such Specified
Transaction) in connection with such Specified Transaction, as if such
Indebtedness had been repaid, retired or redeemed on the first day of such
Calculation Period;
(d) other
than in connection with such Specified Transaction, any assumption, incurrence
or issuance of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness in an aggregate amount
not to exceed $10,000,000 which may be disregarded for purposes of this
paragraph (d)) by any of the Consolidated Parties after the first day of
the applicable Calculation Period, as if such Indebtedness had been assumed,
incurred or issued (and the proceeds thereof applied) on the first day of such
Calculation Period (with any such Indebtedness bearing interest at a floating
rate being deemed to have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period
equal to the weighted average of the interest rates actually in effect with
respect to such Indebtedness during the portion of such period that such
Indebtedness was outstanding); and
29
(e) other
than in connection with such Specified Transaction, the permanent repayment,
retirement or redemption of any Indebtedness (other than revolving Indebtedness,
except to the extent accompanied by a permanent commitment reduction and other
than other Indebtedness in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10,000,000 which
may be disregarded for purposes of this paragraph (e)) by any of the
Consolidated Parties after the first day of the applicable Calculation Period,
as if such Indebtedness had been repaid, retired or redeemed on the first day
of
such Calculation Period.
“Pro
Forma Compliance Certificate” means a certificate of a Responsible Officer
of the Borrower delivered to the Administrative Agent in connection with
Specified Transaction, such certificate to contain reasonably detailed
calculations satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, upon giving effect to
the
applicable Specified Transaction on a Pro Forma Basis, of the financial
covenants set forth in Section 8.11(a)-(d) for
the applicable Calculation Period.
“Property”
means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal
or
mixed, or tangible or intangible.
“Public
Lenders” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.
“Real
Properties” means, at any time, a collective reference to each of the
facilities and real Properties owned, leased or operated by the Consolidated
Parties at such time.
“Receivables
Financier” means any Person that is not the Borrower or any Subsidiary or
Affiliate of the Borrower (other than a Receivables Financing SPC).
“Receivables
Financing SPC” shall mean, in respect of any Permitted Receivables
Financing, any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Borrower to which any Consolidated
Party sells, contributes or otherwise conveys any Transferred Assets in
connection with such Permitted Receivables Financing.
“Register”
has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(c).
“Registered
Public Accounting Firm” has the meaning specified in the Securities Laws and
shall be independent of the Borrower as prescribed by the Securities
Laws.
“Related
Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the
partners, directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person
and
of such Person’s Affiliates
“Remaining
Present Value” means, as of any date with respect to any lease, the present
value as of such date of the scheduled future lease payments with respect to
such lease, determined with a discount rate equal to a market rate of interest
for such lease, as reasonably determined by the Borrower at the time such lease
is entered into.
“Reportable
Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA,
other than events for which the 30-day notice period has been
waived.
30
“Request
for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Committed Borrowing,
conversion or continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice,
(b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit
Application, and (c) with respect to a Swingline Loan, a Swingline Loan
Notice.
“Required
Financial Information” means, with respect to each fiscal period or quarter
of the Borrower, (a) the financial statements required to be delivered
pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of Section 7.01 for such
fiscal period or quarter, and (b) the certificate of a Responsible Officer
of the Borrower required by Section 7.02(b) to be delivered with the
financial statements described in clause (a) above.
“Required
Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50%
of (a) the unfunded Commitments (and participations therein) and the
outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein or (b) if the
Commitments have been terminated, the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and
participations therein. The unfunded Commitments of, and the outstanding Loans,
L/C Obligations and participations therein held or deemed held by, any
Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination
of
Required Lenders.
“Responsible
Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial
officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer of
a
Loan Party (or the equivalent of any of the foregoing). Any document delivered
hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be
conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate,
partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such
Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf
of
such Loan Party.
“Restricted
Payment” means, with respect to any Person, (a) any dividend or other
payment or distribution, direct or indirect, on account of any shares of any
class of Capital Stock of such Person, now or hereafter outstanding (including
without limitation any payment in connection with any dissolution, merger,
consolidation or disposition involving any Consolidated Party), or to the
holders, in their capacity as such, of any shares of any class of Capital Stock
of such Person, now or hereafter outstanding, (b) any redemption,
retirement, sinking fund or similar payment, purchase or other acquisition
for
value, direct or indirect, of any shares of any class of Capital Stock of such
Person, now or hereafter outstanding, and (c) any payment made to retire,
or to obtain the surrender of, any outstanding warrants, options or other rights
to acquire shares of any class of Capital Stock of such Person, now or hereafter
outstanding; provided that no such dividend, distribution, redemption,
retirement, acquisition or other payment shall constitute a “Restricted Payment”
to the extent made solely with the Capital Stock of such Person.
“Revolving
Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make
Revolving Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01,
(b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations and (c) purchase
participations in Swingline Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any
one
time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name
on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to
which such Lender becomes a
31
party
hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in
accordance with this Agreement.
“Revolving
Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
“Revolving
Note” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a).
“S&P”
means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The XxXxxx-Xxxx
Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.
“Sale
and Leaseback Transaction” means any arrangement pursuant to which any
Consolidated Party, directly or indirectly, becomes liable as lessee, guarantor
or other surety with respect to any lease, whether an Operating Lease or a
Capital Lease, of any Property (a) which such Consolidated Party has sold
or transferred (or is to sell or transfer) to a Person which is not a
Consolidated Party and (b) which such Consolidated Party intends to use for
substantially the same purpose as any other Property which has been
substantially contemporaneously sold or transferred (or is to be sold or
transferred) by such Consolidated Party to another Person which is not a
Consolidated Party.
“SEC”
means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority
succeeding to any of its principal functions.
“Secured
Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract of a Loan Party that (a) is in
effect on the Closing Date with a counterparty that is a Lender or an Affiliate
of a Lender as of the Closing Date or (b) is entered into after the Closing
Date with a counterparty that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the
time such Swap Contract is entered into.
“Securities
Laws” means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the applicable accounting and auditing
principles, rules, standards and practices promulgated, approved or incorporated
by the SEC or the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, as each of the
foregoing may be amended and in effect on any applicable date
hereunder.
“Security
Agreements” means a collective reference to the Non-Shared Collateral
Security Agreement and the Shared Collateral Security Agreement.
“Senior
Note Documents” means a collective reference to the 1993 Senior Note
Documents, the 2003 Senior Note Documents and the 2005 Senior Note
Documents.
“Senior
Note Indentures” means a collective reference to the 1993 Senior Note
Indenture, the 2003 Senior Note Indenture and the 2005 Senior Note Indenture,
and “Senior Note Indenture” means any one of them.
“Senior
Notes” means a collective reference to the 1993 Senior Notes, the 2003
Senior Notes and the 2005 Senior Notes.
32
“Shared
Collateral Security Agreement” means the Shared Collateral Security and
Pledge Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, among the Borrower and the
Collateral Agent.
“Solvent”
or “Solvency” means, with respect to any Person as of a particular date,
that on such date (a) such Person is able to pay its debts and other
liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in
the
ordinary course of business, (b) such Person does not intend to, and does
not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s
ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature in their ordinary course,
(c) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not
about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which such Person’s Property
would constitute unreasonably small capital after giving due consideration
to
the prevailing practice in the industry in which such Person is engaged or
is to
engage, (d) the fair value of the Property of such Person is greater than
the total amount of liabilities, including, without limitation, contingent
liabilities, of such Person and (e) the present fair salable value of the
assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to
pay
the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute
and
matured. In computing the amount of contingent liabilities at any time, it
is
intended that such liabilities will be computed at the amount which, in light
of
all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount
that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured
liability.
“Specified
Transaction” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the definition
of “Pro Forma Basis” set forth in this Section 1.01.
“Spectrum
Assets” means any spectrum license granted by the FCC.
“State
PUC” means any state Governmental Authority having utility or communications
regulatory authority over any Consolidated Party, or any applicable successor
agency.
“Subordinated
Indebtedness” means, collectively, (a) Indebtedness arising under the
2003 8⅜ Junior Note Indenture and the Junior Notes, and (b) any other
Indebtedness of any of the Consolidated Parties which by its terms is
subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations on terms, taken as a whole,
no less favorable to the Lenders in any material respect than those set forth
in
the 2003 8⅜% Junior Note Indenture, as in effect on the Closing
Date.
“Subsidiary”
of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of Capital
Stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other
governing body (other than Capital Stock having such power only by reason of
the
happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the
management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through
one
or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified,
all
references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a
Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.
“Swap
Contract” means any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit
derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity
options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options,
bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward
bond price or forward bond index transactions,
33
interest
rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor
transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency
rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar
transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options
to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is
governed by or subject to any master agreement.
“Swap
Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts,
after taking into account the effect of any netting agreement relating to such
Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts
have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance
therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the
date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the
xxxx-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one
or
more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized
dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate
of a
Lender).
“Swingline”
means the revolving credit facility made available by the Swingline Lender
pursuant to Section 2.04.
“Swingline
Borrowing” means a borrowing of a Swingline Loan pursuant to
Section 2.04.
“Swingline
Lender” means PNC, in its capacity as provider of Swingline Loans, or any
successor Swingline lender hereunder.
“Swingline
Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).
“Swingline
Loan Notice” means a notice of a Swingline Borrowing pursuant to
Section 2.04(b), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the
form of Exhibit B.
“Swingline
Note” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(g).
“Swingline
Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $25,000,000 and
(b) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. The Swingline Sublimit is part of,
and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.
“Synthetic
Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under a
so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, including,
without limitation, any financing lease or other agreement for the use or
possession of Property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance
sheet of such Person but which are characterized as the indebtedness of such
Person for U.S. tax purposes (without regard to accounting
treatment).
“Taxes”
means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions,
withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental
Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable
thereto.
“Threshold
Amount” means $35,000,000.
34
“Total
Revolving Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all
Revolving Loans, all Swingline Loans and all L/C Obligations.
“Tranche B
Term Loan” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.01(b).
“Tranche B
Term Loan
Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make its portion of
the Tranche B Term Loan to the Borrower pursuant to
Section 2.01(b), in the principal amount set forth opposite such
Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01. The aggregate principal amount of
the Tranche B Term Loan Commitments of all of the Lenders as in effect on the
First Amendment Effective Date is FOUR HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ($400,000,000).
“Tranche
B Term Note” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.11(a).
“Transferred
Assets” means any accounts receivable, notes receivable, rights to future
lease payments or residuals (collectively, the “Receivables”) owed to or
owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary (whether now existing or arising or
acquired in the future), all collateral securing such Receivables, all contracts
and contract rights, purchase orders, security interests, financing statements
or other documentation in respect of such Receivables and all guarantees or
other obligations in respect of such Receivables, all proceeds of such
Receivables and other assets which are of the type customarily granted or
transferred in connection with securitization transactions involving receivables
similar to such Receivables.
“Treasury
Management Agreement” means any agreement governing the provision of
treasury or cash management services, including deposit accounts, funds
transfer, automated clearinghouse, zero balance accounts, returned check
concentration, controlled disbursement, lockbox, account reconciliation and
reporting and trade finance services.
“Type”
means, with respect to any Revolving Loan or Tranche B Term Loan, its character
as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.
“United
States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.
“Unreimbursed
Amount” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.03(c)(i).
“Wholly
Owned Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person 100%
of whose Capital Stock (other than directors; qualifying shares or nominee
or
other similar shares required pursuant to applicable Laws) is at the time owned
by such Person directly or indirectly through other Persons 100% of whose
Capital Stock (other than directors; qualifying shares or nominee or other
similar shares required pursuant to applicable Laws) is at the time owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person.
“Wireless
Acquisition” means the acquisition by the Borrower or another Loan Party (or
Person that becomes a Loan Party contemporaneously with the consummation of
such
35
acquisition)
of the Capital Stock of Wireless LLC from Cingular pursuant to the Wireless
Acquisition Agreement.
“Wireless
Acquisition Agreement” means an agreement entered into by the Borrower or
one or more other Loan Parties pursuant to which such Person(s) has(ve) the
right to acquire any or all of the Capital Stock of Wireless LLC that is
not held by Wireless Holdco.
“Wireless
Co.” means Cincinnati Xxxx Wireless Company, an Ohio corporation and a
Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower.
“Wireless
Disposition” means the (a) any Disposition of all or any portion of the
Capital Stock of Wireless LLC held by the Consolidated Parties and/or all or
any
portion of the Property of Wireless LLC or (b) the contribution by the
Consolidated Parties of all or part of the Capital Stock of Wireless LLC and/or
all or any portion of the Property of Wireless LLC to a new wireless Joint
Venture.
“Wireless
Holdco” means Cincinnati Xxxx Wireless Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company and a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Wireless Co.
“Wireless LLC”
means Cincinnati Xxxx Wireless LLC, an Ohio limited liability company and a
direct Subsidiary of Wireless Holdco.
1.02 Other
Interpretive Provisions.
With
reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise
specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
(a) The
definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural
forms
of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall
include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words
“include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be
followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be
construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless
the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any
agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document)
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
or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person
shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns,
(iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,”
and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document,
shall be construed
to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular
provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles,
Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and
Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such
references appear, and (v) any reference to any law shall include all
statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or
interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless
otherwise
36
specified,
refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time
to time.
(b) In
the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified
date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words
“to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word
“through” means “to and including.”
(c) Section headings
herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference
only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other
Loan
Document.
1.03 Accounting
Terms.
(a) Generally.
Except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein, all accounting terms not
specifically defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all
financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations)
required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in
conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time
to
time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited
Financial Statements (with such changes as may be approved by the Borrower’s
accountants, subject to subsection (b) of this Section 1.03);
provided, however, that calculations of Attributable Indebtedness
under any Synthetic Lease Obligations or the implied interest component of
any
Synthetic Lease Obligations shall be made by the Borrower in accordance with
accepted financial practice and consistent with the terms of such Synthetic
Lease Obligations.
(b) Changes
in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of
any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, the
application of any representation or warranty or any other provision hereof
and
either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative
Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend
such
ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such
change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders);
provided that, if any party shall so request, then until so
amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in
accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower
shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements
and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested
hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio
or
requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in
GAAP.
(c) Effect
of Dispositions and Acquisitions. Notwithstanding the
above, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, for purposes of all
calculations made under the financial covenants set forth in
Section 8.11 (including without limitation for purposes of the
definitions of “Applicable Rate” and “Pro Forma Basis” set forth in
Section 1.01), (i) after consummation of any Disposition of any
Subsidiary or business or line of business (other than Dispositions for
consideration in an aggregate amount for all such Disposition not to exceed
$50,000,000) (A) income statement items (whether positive or negative) and
capital expenditures attributable to the Property disposed
of shall be excluded and (B) Indebtedness which is retired shall be
excluded and deemed to have been retired as of the first day of the applicable
period and (ii) after
37
consummation
of any Acquisition of any Subsidiary or business or line of business (other
than
Acquisitions for consideration in an aggregate amount for all such Acquisitions
not to exceed $50,000,000) (A) income statement items (whether positive or
negative) and capital expenditures attributable to the Person
or Property acquired shall, to the extent not otherwise included in such income
statement items for the Consolidated Parties in accordance with GAAP or in
accordance with any defined terms set forth in Section 1.01, be included to
the extent relating to any period applicable in such calculations, (B) to
the extent not retired in connection with such Acquisition, Indebtedness of
the
Person or Property acquired shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the
first day of the applicable period and (C) pro forma
adjustments may be included to the extent that such adjustments would give
effect to items that are (1) directly attributable to such transaction,
(2) expected to have a continuing impact on the Consolidated Parties and
(3) factually supportable.
1.04 Rounding.
Any
financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this
Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the
other
component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places
by
which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to
the
nearest number within the number of places by which such ratio is expressed
herein (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
1.05 Times
of Day.
Unless
otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references
to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).
1.06 Letter
of Credit Amounts.
Unless
otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall
be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such
time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit
that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides
for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount
of
such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such
Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not
such
maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.
ARTICLE
II
THE
COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
2.01 Committed
Loans.
(a) Revolving
Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender
having a Revolving Commitment severally agrees to make loans (each such loan,
a
“Revolving Loan”) to the Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day
during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any
time
outstanding the amount of
38
such
Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided, however, that after
giving effect to any Borrowing of Revolving Loans, (i) the Total Revolving
Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and
(ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender,
plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all
L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding
Amount of all Swingline Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving
Commitment. Within the limits of each Lender’s Revolving Commitment, and subject
to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this
Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.05(a), and reborrow
under this Section 2.01. Revolving Loans may be Base Rate Loans or
Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.
(b) Tranche B
Term Loan. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender
having a Tranche B Term Loan Commitment as of the First Amendment Effective
Date
agrees to make its portion of a term loan (the “Tranche B Term Loan”) to
the Borrower on the First Amendment Effective Date in an amount equal to such
Lender’s Tranche B Term Loan Commitment. Amounts repaid on the Tranche B
Term Loan may not be reborrowed. The Tranche B Term Loan may consist of
Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided
herein.
2.02 Borrowings,
Conversions and Continuations of Committed
Loans.
(a) Each
Committed Borrowing, each conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the
other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the
irrevocable notice from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, which may
be
given by telephone (provided that such telephonic notice complies with the
information requirements of the form of Committed Loan Notice attached hereto).
Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than
11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any
Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, and
(ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Committed Loans;
provided that if the Borrower wishes to request Eurodollar Rate
Loans having an Interest Period other than one, two, three or six months in
duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” the applicable
notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m.
four Business Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion
or
continuation, whereupon (x) the Administrative Agent shall give prompt
notice to the Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested
Interest Period is acceptable to all of them, and (y) not later than 11:00
a.m., three Business Days before the requested date of such Borrowing,
conversion or continuation, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower
(which notice may be by telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period
has been consented to by all the Lenders. Each telephonic notice by the Borrower
pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by
delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice,
appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.
Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall
be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in
excess thereof. Except as provided in Section 2.03(c) and
Section 2.04(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate
Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple
of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic
or
written) shall specify (i) whether
39
the
Borrower is requesting a Committed Borrowing, a conversion of Committed Loans
from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans,
(ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as
the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount
of Committed Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of
Committed Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Committed Loans are to
be
converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with
respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Committed Loan
in a
Committed Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice
requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Committed Loans
shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic
conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the
Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate
Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation
of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify
an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period
of
one month. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all Borrowings of the Tranche B Term
Loan made on the First Amendment Effective Date shall be made as Base Rate
Loans.
(b) Following
receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly
notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable
Committed Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is
provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender
of
the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the
preceding subsection. In the case of a Committed Borrowing, each Lender shall
make the amount of its Committed Loan available to the Administrative Agent
in
immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than
1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan
Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in
Section 5.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit
Extension, Section 5.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all
funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the
Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on
the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire
transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided
to
(and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower;
provided, however, that if, on the date a Committed Loan Notice
with respect to a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans is given by the
Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such
Borrowing first shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C
Borrowings, and second, shall be made available to the Borrower as provided
above.
(c) Subject
to Section 3.05, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or
converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate
Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted
to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans having Interest Periods greater than
one month without the consent of the Required Lenders. During the existence
of
an Event of Default, no Loans may be converted to or continued as Eurodollar
Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.
(d) The
Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of
the
interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon
determination of such interest rate. At any time that Base Rate Loans are
outstanding, the Administrative
40
Agent
shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s
prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public
announcement of such change.
(e) After
giving effect to all Committed Borrowings, all conversions of Committed Loans
from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Committed Loans as the
same
Type, there shall not be more than twelve Interest Periods in effect with
respect to Revolving Loans.
2.03 Letters
of Credit.
(a) The
Letter of Credit Commitment.
(i) Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) each applicable L/C
Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders having Revolving
Commitments set forth in this Section 2.03, (1) from time to
time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the
Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account
of
the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit
previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and
(2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders
having Revolving Commitments severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit
issued for the account of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries and any drawings
thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension
with respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total Revolving Outstandings
shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (y) the aggregate
Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such
Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations,
plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all
Swingline Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, or
(z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the
Letter of Credit Sublimit. Each request by the Borrower for the issuance or
amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the
Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions
set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits,
and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain
Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may,
during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of
Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed. On the
Closing Date, each L/C Issuer that has issued an Existing Letters of Credit
shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have granted
to
each Lender and each Lender shall be deemed to have purchased from such L/C
Issuer a participation in such Letter of Credit in accordance with paragraph
(b)(ii) below. On and after the Closing Date, each Existing Letter of
Credit shall constitute a Letter of Credit for the purposes hereof.
(ii) No
L/C Issuer shall issue any Letter of Credit if:
(A) subject
to Section 2.03(b)(iii), the expiry date of such requested
Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance
or last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date;
or
(B) the
expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter
of
Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry
date;
41
(iii) No
L/C Issuer shall be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit
if:
(A) any
order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall
by
its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the applicable L/C Issuer from issuing
such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to such L/C Issuer or any request
or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental
Authority with jurisdiction over such L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request
that
such L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or
such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such L/C Issuer with
respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement
(for which such L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect
on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon such L/C Issuer any unreimbursed
loss,
cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which such
L/C
Issuer in good xxxxx xxxxx material to it;
(B) the
issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such
L/C
Issuer applicable to all applicants for Letters of Credit from such L/C Issuer;
or
(C) except
as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable L/C Issuer,
such Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than
$500,000.
(D) such
Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;
or
(E) such
Letter of Credit contains any provision for automatic reinstatement of the
stated amount after any drawing thereunder;
(iv) No
L/C Issuer shall increase or extend any Letter of Credit issued by it if such
L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue such Letter of Credit
in
its increased or extended form under the terms hereof.
(v) No
L/C Issuer shall be under any obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if
(A) such L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such
Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the
beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment
to
such Letter of Credit.
(b) Procedures
for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of
Credit.
(i) Each
Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the
request of the Borrower delivered to the applicable L/C Issuer (with a copy
to
the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application,
appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.
Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the
42
applicable
L/C Issuer not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such
later date and time as such L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in
its
sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment,
as
the case may be, and notice of the proposed issuance or amendment of such Letter
of Credit shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent contemporaneously
therewith. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of
Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail
satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date
of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the
amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address
of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such
beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; and (F) such other matters
as the applicable L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an
amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application
shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer
(1) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (2) the proposed date of
amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (3) the nature of the
proposed amendment; and (4) such other matters as the applicable L/C Issuer
may require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the applicable L/C
Issuer such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter
of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the
applicable L/C Issuer may require.
(ii) Promptly
after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the applicable L/C Issuer
will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the applicable
L/C Issuer has received written notice from the Administrative Agent at least
one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the
applicable Letter of Credit that one or more of the applicable conditions
contained in Article V shall not then be satisfied, the applicable
L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the
account of the Borrower (or the applicable Subsidiary) or enter into the
applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with such
L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the
issuance of each Letter of Credit or amendment thereof, each Lender having
a
Revolving Commitment shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the applicable L/C Issuer a risk
participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of
such
Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of
Credit.
(iii) If
the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the
applicable L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue
a
Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an
“Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such
Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the applicable L/C Issuer 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 (the “Non-Extension Notice
Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such
Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the applicable L/C
Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the
applicable L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter
of
Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but
may
not require) the applicable L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter
of
Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit
Expiration Date; provided, however, that the applicable L/C Issuer
shall not permit any such
43
extension
if (A) the applicable L/C Issuer 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 under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions
of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or
(B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or
before the day that is five Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date
(1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected
not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent that one
or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 5.02 is
not then satisfied, and in each case directing the applicable L/C Issuer not
to
permit such extension.
(iv) Promptly
after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of
Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof,
the applicable L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or
amendment.
(v) Any
Lender with a Revolving Commitment (in such capacity, a “Discretionary L/C
Issuer”) may from time to time, at the written request of the Borrower (with
a copy to the Administrative Agent), and in such Lender’s sole discretion, agree
to issue one or more Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower on the
same terms and conditions in all respects as are applicable to the Letters
of
Credit issued by the then existing L/C Issuer(s) hereunder by executing and
delivering to the Administrative Agent a written agreement to such effect,
among
(and in form and substance satisfactory to) the Borrower, the Administrative
Agent and such Discretionary L/C Issuer. With respect to each of the Letters
of
Credit issued (or to be issued) thereby, each of the Discretionary L/C Issuers
shall have all of the same rights and obligations under and in respect of this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and shall be entitled to all of the
same
benefits (including, without limitation, the rights, obligations and benefits
set forth in Sections 2.04, 9.03 and 11.01), as are
afforded to the then existing L/C Issuers hereunder and thereunder. The
Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each of the Lenders with a Revolving
Commitment of the appointment of any Discretionary L/C Issuer. Each
Discretionary L/C Issuer shall provide to the Administrative Agent, on a monthly
basis, a report that details the activity with respect to each Letter of Credit
issued by such Discretionary L/C Issuer (including an indication of the maximum
amount then in effect with respect to each such Letter of Credit).
(c) Drawings
and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.
(i) Upon
receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing
under such Letter of Credit, the applicable L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower
and the Administrative Agent thereof and of the date that the L/C Issuer is
to
make payment under the applicable Letter of Credit (such payment date, the
“Honor Date”). Not later than 12:00 noon on the Honor Date (if the
Borrower has received notice of such drawing prior to 10:00 a.m. on the Honor
Date), the Borrower shall reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer through the
Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing;
provided, however, if such notice has not been received by the
Borrower prior to 10:00 a.m. on the Honor Date, the Borrower shall so reimburse
the applicable L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00
noon on the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower
receives such notice. If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the applicable
L/C
Issuer by such time, the Administrative
44
Agent
shall promptly notify each Lender having a Revolving Commitment of the Honor
Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “Unreimbursed Amount”),
and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. In such event,
the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing of Base Rate
Revolving Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the
Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified
in
Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Committed Loans,
but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Revolving
Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (other than
the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice). Any notice given by the applicable
L/C
Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this
Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately
confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate
confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such
notice.
(ii) Each
Lender having a Revolving Commitment shall upon any notice pursuant to
Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available to the Administrative Agent
for the account of the applicable L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s
Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed
Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such
notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of
Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Lender that so makes funds available
shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Revolving Loan to the Borrower in
such
amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the
applicable L/C Issuer.
(iii) With
respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Borrowing
of Base Rate Revolving Loans because the conditions set forth in
Section 5.02 (other than delivery of a Committed Loan Notice) cannot
be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have
incurred from the applicable L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the
Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be
due
and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the
Default Rate. In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent
for the account of the applicable L/C Issuer pursuant to
Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its
participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from
such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this
Section 2.03.
(iv) Until
each Lender funds its Revolving Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this
Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer for any
amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s
Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the
applicable L/C Issuer.
(v) Each
Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the
applicable L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated
by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and
shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff,
counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have
against the applicable L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other Person for any
reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or
(C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any
of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation
to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this
Section 2.03(c)
45
is
subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (other than
delivery by the Borrower of a Committed Loan Notice). No such making of an
L/C
Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to
reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the
applicable L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as
provided herein.
(vi) If
any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account
of the applicable L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender
pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the
time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), the applicable L/C Issuer
shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative
Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the
date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately
available to the applicable L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the Federal
Funds Rate from time to time in effect. A certificate of the applicable L/C
Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect
to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent
manifest error.
(d) Repayment
of Participations.
(i) At
any time after the applicable L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter
of
Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of
such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the
Administrative Agent receives for the account of the applicable L/C Issuer
any
payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon
(whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash
Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative
Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof
(appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period
of time during which such Lender’s L/C Advance was outstanding) in the same
funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.
(ii) If
any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the
applicable L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to
be returned under any of the circumstances described in
Section 11.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by
the applicable L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the
Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable L/C Issuer its Applicable
Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest
thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by
such
Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time
in
effect.
(e) Obligations
Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the applicable L/C
Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C
Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid
strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances,
including the following:
(i) any
lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement,
or
any other Loan Document;
46
(ii) the
existence of any claim, counterclaim, set-off, defense or other right that
the
Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or
any
transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary
or any such transferee may be acting), the applicable L/C Issuer or any other
Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated
hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating
thereto, or any unrelated transaction;
(iii) any
draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of
Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect
or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any
loss
or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order
to
make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;
(iv) any
payment by the applicable L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against
presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the
terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the applicable L/C Issuer
under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in
bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors,
liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary
or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection
with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or
(v) any
other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of
the
foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute
a
defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower or any
Subsidiary.
The
Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each
amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of
noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the
Borrower will promptly notify the applicable L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall
be
conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the applicable L/C
Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as
aforesaid.
(f) Role
of L/C Issuer. Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any
drawing under a Letter of Credit, the applicable L/C Issuer shall not have
any
responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates
and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or
inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority
of
the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the applicable
L/C
Issuer, any Related Party of such L/C Issuer, nor any of the respective
correspondents, participants or assignees of the applicable L/C Issuer shall
be
liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection
herewith in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or
(ii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any
document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Letter of Credit
Application. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions
of
any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit;
provided, however, that this
47
assumption
is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing such rights
and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or
under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent,
any
of their respective Related Parties, nor any of the respective correspondents,
participants or assignees of the applicable L/C Issuer, shall be liable or
responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of
Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in
such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim
against the applicable L/C Issuer, and the applicable L/C Issuer may be liable
to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as
opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which
the Borrower proves were caused by the applicable L/C Issuer’s willful
misconduct or gross negligence or the applicable L/C Issuer’s willful failure to
pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary
of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and
conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the
foregoing, the applicable L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their
face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation,
regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the applicable
L/C
Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any
instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a
Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof,
in
whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any
reason.
(g) Cash
Collateral. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent, if, as of the
Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any Letter of Credit for any reason remains
outstanding and partially or wholly undrawn, and the Administrative Agent or
the
Required Lenders so request, the Borrower shall immediately Cash Collateralize
the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to such
Outstanding Amount determined as of the date of such L/C Borrowing or the Letter
of Credit Expiration Date, as the case may be). Section 2.05 and
Section 9.02(c) set forth certain additional requirements to deliver
Cash Collateral hereunder. For purposes of this Section 2.03,
Section 2.05 and Section 9.02(c), “Cash
Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the
Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the applicable L/C Issuer and the
Lenders, as collateral for the L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances
pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent and the applicable L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby
consented to by the Lenders). Derivatives of such term have corresponding
meanings. “Cash Collateral” means cash or deposit account balances used
to Cash Collateralize an obligation, and all proceeds thereof. The Borrower
hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the applicable
L/C
Issuer and the Lenders, a security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts
and all balances therein and all proceeds of the foregoing. Cash Collateral
shall be maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank
of
America.
(h) Applicability
of ISP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the applicable L/C Issuer and
the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement
applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), the rules of the ISP shall apply
to
each Letter of Credit.
(i) Letter
of Credit Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the
account of each Lender having a Revolving Commitment in accordance with its
Applicable
48
Percentage a
Letter of Credit fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of
Credit accruing at the Applicable Rate in effect from time to time multiplied
by the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. For
the purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any
Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in
accordance with Section 1.06. Letter of Credit Fees shall be
(i) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears, and (ii) due and payable
on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and
December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of
such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter
on
demand. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, while any
Event of Default exists, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default
Rate.
(j) Fronting
Fee and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay
directly to the applicable L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee for
each Letter of Credit in such amount as may be agreed to by the Borrower and
the
applicable L/C Issuer. Such fronting fee shall be (i) computed on a
quarterly basis in arrears, and (ii) due and payable on the tenth Business
Day after the end of each March, June, September and December in respect of
the
most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the
first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance
of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter
on demand. For the purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn
under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be
determined in accordance with Section 1.06. In addition, the
Borrower shall pay directly to the applicable L/C Issuer for its own account
the
customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and
other
standard costs and charges, of the applicable L/C Issuer relating to letters
of
credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs
and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.
(k) Conflict
with Issuer Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof
and the terms of any Issuer Documents, the terms hereof shall
control.
(l) Letters
of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit
issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is
for
the account of, a Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse
the
applicable L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter
of
Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit
for the account of Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and
that
the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such
Subsidiaries.
2.04 Swingline
Loans.
(a) The
Swingline. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the
Swingline Lender agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders
having Revolving Commitments set forth in this Section 2.04, to make
loans (each such loan, a “Swingline Loan”) to the Borrower from time to
time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount
not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swingline Sublimit,
notwithstanding the fact that such Swingline Loans, when aggregated with the
Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and L/C
Obligations of the Lender
49
acting
as
Swingline Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment;
provided, however, that after giving effect to any Swingline Loan,
(i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate
Revolving Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the
Committed Loans of any Lender (other than the Swingline Lender), plus
such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C
Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding
Amount of all Swingline Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and
provided, further, that the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of
any Swingline Loan to refinance any outstanding Swingline Loan. Within the
foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the
Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.04, prepay under
Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.04.
Immediately upon the making of a Swingline Loan, each Lender having a Revolving
Commitment shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees
to, purchase from the Swingline Lender a risk participation in such Swingline
Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage
times the amount of such Swingline Loan.
(b) Borrowing
Procedures. Each Swingline Borrowing shall be made upon the Borrower’s
irrevocable notice to the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent, which
may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Swingline
Lender not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date (or such later
time as the Swingline Lender shall agree to in the case of any Swingline
Borrowing) with a copy to the Administrative Agent, and shall specify
(i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $100,000 or a
whole multiple of $10,000 in excess thereof and (ii) the requested
borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day. Each such telephonic notice
must
be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swingline Lender and the Administrative
Agent of a written Swingline Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed
by
a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Promptly after receipt by the Swingline
Lender of any telephonic Swingline Loan Notice, the Swingline Lender will
confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the
Administrative Agent has also received such Swingline Loan Notice and, if not,
the Swingline Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or
in
writing) of the contents thereof. Unless the Swingline Lender has received
notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent within one
hour of the Borrower’s notice requesting a Swingline Borrowing
(A) directing the Swingline Lender not to make such Swingline Loan as a
result of the limitations set forth in the proviso to the first sentence of
Section 2.04(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable
conditions specified in Article V is not then satisfied (a copy of
which notice shall be delivered simultaneously to the Borrower by the
Administrative Agent), then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the
Swingline Lender will, promptly by in any event not later than 2:00 p.m. on
the
borrowing date specified in such Swingline Loan Notice, make the amount of
its
Swingline Loan available to the Borrower in immediately available
funds.
(c) Refinancing
of Swingline Loans.
(i) The
Swingline Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may request,
on
behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swingline Lender
to so request on its behalf), that each Lender having a Revolving Commitment
make a Base Rate Revolving Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable
Percentage of the amount of Swingline Loans then outstanding. Such request
shall
be made in writing (which written request
50
shall
be
deemed to be a Committed Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance
with
the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and
multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but
subject to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the
conditions set forth in Section 5.02. The Swingline Lender shall
furnish the Borrower with a copy of the applicable Committed Loan Notice
promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent. Each Lender
having a Revolving Commitment shall make an amount equal to its Applicable
Percentage of the amount specified in such Committed Loan Notice available
to
the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds for the account of
the
Swingline Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 10:00 a.m.
on the day specified in such Committed Loan Notice (which day shall be not
sooner than the first Business Day following the date on which such Committed
Loan Notice is delivered), whereupon, subject to
Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall
be deemed to have made a Base Rate Revolving Loan to the Borrower in such
amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the
Swingline Lender.
(ii) If
for any reason any Swingline Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Committed
Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for
Base Rate Revolving Loans submitted by the Swingline Lender as set forth herein
shall be deemed to be a request by the Swingline Lender that each of the Lenders
having a Revolving Commitment fund its risk participation in the relevant
Swingline Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the
account of the Swingline Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall
be deemed payment in respect of such participation.
(iii) If
any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account
of the Swingline Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant
to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time
specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), the Swingline Lender shall be
entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent),
on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such
payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available
to the Swingline Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal
Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swingline Lender in accordance with
banking industry rules on interbank compensation. A certificate of the Swingline
Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect
to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent
manifest error.
(iv) Each
Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or to purchase and fund risk
participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c)
shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any
circumstance, including (A) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense
or other right which such Lender may have against the Swingline Lender, the
Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence
or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or
condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided,
however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant
to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in
Section 5.02. No such funding of risk participations shall relieve
or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swingline Loans,
together with interest as provided herein.
51
(d) Repayment
of Participations.
(i) At
any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in
a
Swingline Loan, if the Swingline Lender receives any payment on account of
such
Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender will distribute to such Lender its
Applicable Percentage of such payment (appropriately adjusted, in the case
of
interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s risk
participation was funded) in the same funds as those received by the Swingline
Lender.
(ii) If
any payment received by the Swingline Lender in respect of principal or interest
on any Swingline Loan is required to be returned by the Swingline Lender under
any of the circumstances described in Section 11.06 (including
pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swingline Lender in its
discretion), each Lender having a Revolving Commitment shall pay to the
Swingline Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the
Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to
the
date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds
Rate. The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the
Swingline Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive
payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this
Agreement.
(e) Interest
for Account of Swingline Lender. The Swingline Lender shall be responsible
for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swingline Loans. Until each
Lender funds its Base Rate Revolving Loan or risk participation pursuant to
this
Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any
Swingline Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be
solely for the account of the Swingline Lender.
(f) Payments
Directly to Swingline Lender. The Borrower shall make all payments of
principal and interest in respect of the Swingline Loans directly to the
Swingline Lender.
(g) Swingline
Note. The Swingline Loans shall be evidenced by a duly executed promissory
note of the Borrower to the Swingline Lender in the form of Exhibit
C-1.
2.05 Prepayments.
(a) Voluntary
Prepayments of Loans.
(i)
|
Committed
Loans. The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent,
at
any time or from time (i) voluntarily prepay Base Rate Committed
Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty, and
(ii) subject to Section 3.05, voluntarily prepay
Eurodollar Rate Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty;
provided that (i) such notice must be received by the
Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (A) three
Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate
Loans and
(B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans;
(ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal
amount of
|
52
$5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding); (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding) and (iv) any prepayment of the Tranche B Term Loan shall be applied ratably to the remaining Principal Amortization Payments thereof; and, provided further that during the period from the First Amendment Effective Date to but excluding the first anniversary of the First Amendment Effective Date, any voluntary prepayment of the Tranche B Term Loans of any Lender using proceeds of Indebtedness incurred by any Consolidated Party from a substantially concurrent issuance or incurrence of syndicated term loans provided by one or more banks or other financial institutions for which the interest rate payable thereon is lower than the Eurodollar Rate on the date of such voluntary prepayment plus the Applicable Rate with respect to the Tranche B Term Loans shall be accompanied by payment of a 1% prepayment premium on the principal amount of such Lender’s Tranche B Term Loan prepaid (unless such prepayment premium is waived by such Lender). Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Committed Loans to be prepaid. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein; provided that if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Revolving Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.06(b), then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.06. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Each such prepayment shall be applied to the Committed Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages. |
(ii)
|
Swingline
Loans. The Borrower may, upon notice to the Swingline Lender (with
a
copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time,
voluntarily prepay Swingline Loans in whole or in part without premium
or
penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the
Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00
a.m.
(or such later time as may be acceptable to the Swingline Lender)
on the
date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a
minimum principal amount of $100,000. Each such notice shall specify
the
date and amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the
Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment
amount
specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified
therein.
|
(b) Mandatory
Prepayments.
(i)
|
Aggregate
Revolving Commitments. If for any reason the Total Revolving
Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments
then
in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Revolving Loans
and/or
Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal
to
such excess; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not
be required to Cash
|
53
Collateralize
the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(i))
unless after the prepayment in full of the Revolving Loans the
Total
Revolving Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments
then in effect. |
(ii) (A) Dispositions.
Not later than the second Business Day following the date of any Disposition
Prepayment Event, the Borrower shall prepay the Tranche B Term Loan in an
aggregate amount equal to 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds of the related
Disposition not applied (or caused to be applied) by the Loan Parties during
the
related Application Period to make Eligible Reinvestments as contemplated by
the
terms of Section 8.05(b)(vii) (such prepayment to be applied as set
forth in clause (iv) below); provided that no amount shall be
required to be applied under this Section 2.04(b)(ii)(A) until the
aggregate Net Cash Proceeds with respect to all Dispositions (other than
Excluded Dispositions) consummated during the fiscal year in which such
Disposition Prepayment Event occurred exceeds $25 million, and then only the
excess thereof.
(B) Involuntary
Dispositions. Not later than the second Business Day following the date of
any Involuntary Disposition Prepayment Event, the Borrower shall prepay the
Tranche B Term Loan in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of the Excess Proceeds
of the related Involuntary Disposition (such prepayment to be applied as set
forth in clause (iv) below).
(iii)
|
Debt
Issuances. Not later than the second Business Day following the date
of any Debt Issuance Prepayment Event, the Borrower shall prepay
the
Tranche B Term Loan in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of the Net
Cash
Proceeds of the related Debt Issuance (such prepayment to be applied
as
set forth in clause (iv)
below).
|
(iv) Application
of Mandatory
Prepayments. All amounts required to be paid pursuant to
Sections 2.05(b)(ii) or (iii) shall be applied ratably to the
remaining Principal Amortization Payments of the Tranche B Term
Loan).
Within
the parameters of the applications set forth above, prepayments shall be applied
first to Base Rate Loans and then to Eurodollar Rate Loans in direct order
of
Interest Period maturities. All prepayments under this
Section 2.05(b) shall be subject to Section 3.05, but
otherwise without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest
on
the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.
2.06 Termination
or Reduction of Commitments.
(a) Voluntary
Reduction of Aggregate Revolving Commitments. The Borrower may, upon notice
to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Revolving Commitments,
or
from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments;
provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the
Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. three Business Days prior to
the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction
shall
54
be
in an
aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess
thereof, (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate
Revolving Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent
prepayments hereunder, the Total Revolving Outstandings would exceed the
Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any
reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit
or Swingline Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments,
such sublimit automatically shall be reduced by the amount of such
excess.
(b) General.
The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice
of
termination or reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. Any reduction
of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be applied to the Revolving
Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All commitment
fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate
Revolving Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.
A
notice of termination of all the Revolving Commitments delivered by the Borrower
may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit
facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by such Borrower (by notice
to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if
such
condition is not satisfied.
(c) Tranche
B Term Loan Commitment. The Tranche B Term Loan Commitment of each Lender,
if any, automatically shall terminate at such time as such Lender shall have
made available to the Borrower its share of the Tranche B Term
Loan.
2.07 Repayment
of Loans.
(a) Revolving
Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the
aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans outstanding on such
date.
(b) Swingline
Loans. The Borrower shall repay each Swingline Loan on the earlier to occur
of (i) the date that is fifteen (15) Business Days after such Loan is made
(or, provided that the aggregate outstanding amount of all Swingline Loans
does
not exceed $5,000,000, such later date as shall be acceptable to the Swingline
Lender) and (ii) the Maturity Date.
(c) Tranche B
Term Loan. The Borrower shall repay the outstanding principal amount of the
Tranche B Term Loan in consecutive quarterly installments as follows (as
such installments may hereafter be adjusted as a result of prepayments made
pursuant to Section 2.05), unless accelerated sooner pursuant to
Section 9.02:
Payment
Dates
|
Principal Amortization Payment |
Each
March 31, June 30, September 30
and
December 31, commencing
December
31, 2005 commencing
December
31, 2005 and continuing
through
September 30, 2011
|
$1,000,000
|
December 31, 2011 |
$94,000,000
|
March 31, 2012 |
$94,000,000
|
June 30, 2012 |
$94,000,000
|
Maturity Date |
Unpaid
Balance
|
55
2.08 Interest.
(a) Subject
to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate
Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each
Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such
Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; and (ii) each Base Rate
Committed Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof
from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate
plus the Applicable Rate and (iii) each Swingline Loan shall bear
interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable
borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable
Rate.
(b) (i) If
any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to
any
applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or
otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest
rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Laws.
(ii) If
any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under
any
Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace
periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then, unless
otherwise agreed to by the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear
interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the
Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iii) Accrued
and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due
interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
(c) Interest
on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date
applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest
hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before
and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding
under any Debtor Relief Law.
2.09 Fees.
In
addition to certain fees described in subsections (i) and (j) of
Section 2.03:
(a) Commitment
Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of
each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee
accruing at the Applicable Rate in effect from time to time multiplied by
the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Revolving Commitments exceed
the
sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and (ii) the
Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations. The commitment fee shall accrue at all
times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one
or
more of the conditions in Article V is not met, and shall be due and
payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of
56
each
March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to
occur after the Closing Date, and on the Maturity Date.
(b) Other
Fees. The Borrower shall pay (i) to the Arrangers and the
Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts
and
at the times specified in the Fee Letters, and (ii) to the Lenders such
fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and
at
the times so specified. In each case such fees shall be fully earned when paid
and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
2.10 Computation
of Interest and Fees.
All
computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined
by
Bank of America’s “prime rate” shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or
366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations
of
fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days
elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid
than
if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each
Loan
for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any
portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid,
provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made
shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day. Each
determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder
shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest
error.
2.11 Evidence
of Debt.
(a) The
Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts
or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the
ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the
Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent demonstrable
error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower
and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error
in
doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the
Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations.
In
the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any
Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect
of
such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control
in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through
the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender
(through the Administrative Agent) a promissory note which shall evidence such
Lender’s Revolving Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each such
promissory note shall (i) in the case of Revolving Loans, be in the form of
Exhibit C (a “Revolving Note”), and (ii) in the case of the
Tranche B Term Loan, be in the form of Exhibit C-2 (a “Tranche B Term
Note”). Each Lender may attach schedules to its Revolving Note and endorse
thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and
payments with respect thereto.
(b) In
addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each
Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual
practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender
of participations in Letters of Credit
57
and
Swingline Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records
maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any
Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the
Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of demonstrable
error.
2.12 Payments
Generally; Administrative Agent’s
Clawback.
(a) General.
All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without deduction for
any
counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly
provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the
Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such
payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in
immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified
herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its
Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such
payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending
Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 4:00 p.m.
may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been
received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or
fee
shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come
due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next
following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in
computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
(b) (i) Funding
by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative
Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of
any
Committed Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Committed
Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Committed
Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent
such Lender’s share of such Committed Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may
assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance
with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Committed Borrowing of Base
Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with
and at the time required by Section 2.02) 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 Committed
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 in immediately available funds 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 (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the
greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative
Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation and
(B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate
applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such
interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period,
the
Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such
interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share
of
the applicable Committed Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount
so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Committed
Borrowing. Any
58
payment
by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have
against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the
Administrative Agent.
(ii) Payments
by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. 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 L/C Issuers 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 L/C Issuers, 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 L/C Issuers, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay
to
the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such
Lender or such L/C Issuer, in immediately available funds 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 Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in
accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
A
notice
of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any
amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest
error.
(c) Failure
to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the
Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided
in
the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not
made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the
conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article V
are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the
Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from
such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.
(d) Obligations
of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make
Committed Loans and to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline
Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several
and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Committed Loan, to fund
any
such participation or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on
any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its
corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be
responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Committed Loan,
purchase its participation or make its payment pursuant to
Section 11.04(c).
(e) Funding
Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the
funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a
representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds
for
any Loan in any particular place or manner.
2.13 Sharing
of Payments by Lenders.
If
any
Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise,
obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the
Committed Loans made by it, or
59
the
participations in L/C Obligations or in Swingline Loans held by it resulting
in
such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such
Committed Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than
its
pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender
receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent
of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in
the Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans of the
other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, 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 Committed Loans and other amounts owing them, provided
that:
(i) if
any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any
portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations
or
subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the
extent of such recovery, without interest; and
(ii) the
provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any
payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express
terms of this Agreement or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as
consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its
Committed Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swingline Loans
to
any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary
thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).
Each
Loan
Party 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 such Loan Party rights of setoff
and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender
were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the amount of such
participation.
ARTICLE
III
TAXES,
YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01 Taxes.
(a) Payments
Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of
the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made free
and
clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Indemnified Taxes or
Other
Taxes, provided that if the Borrower shall be required by applicable law
to deduct any Indemnified Taxes (including any Other Taxes) from such payments,
then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after
making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional
sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or L/C Issuer,
as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received
had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such
deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall timely pay the full amount deducted
to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable
law.
60
(b) Payment
of Other Taxes by the Borrower. Without limiting the provisions of
subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the
relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c) Indemnification
by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each
Lender and each L/C Issuer, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full
amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes
or
Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under
this
Section) paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer,
as
the case may be, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising
therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or
Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant
Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or
liability and setting forth in reasonable detail the calculation and basis
for
such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or an L/C Issuer
(with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on
its
own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or an L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent
manifest error.
(d) Evidence
of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes
or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall
deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a
receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy
of
the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(e) Status
of Lenders. Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or
reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the
Borrower is resident for tax purposes, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction
is a party, with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document
shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at
the
time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the
Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed
documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such payments to
be
made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition,
any
Lender, if 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. Each Lender shall
promptly notify the Borrower at any time it determines that it is no longer
in a
position to provide any such previously delivered documentation to the
Borrower.
61
Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is
resident for tax purposes in the United States, any Foreign Lender shall 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 request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, but only if such
Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so), whichever of the following is
applicable:
(i) duly
completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility
for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a
party,
(ii) duly
completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,
(iii) 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 to
the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning
of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the
Borrower within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a
“controlled foreign corporation” described in section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code
and (y) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN,
or
(iv) any
other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from
or a reduction in United States Federal withholding tax duly completed together
with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law
to
permit the Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be
made.
Each
Lender and L/C Issuer that is a United States Person, as defined in Section
7701(a)(30) of the Code (other than Persons that are corporations or otherwise
exempt from United States backup withholding Tax), shall deliver at the time(s)
and in the manner(s) prescribed by applicable law, to the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent (as applicable), a properly completed and duly executed
United States Internal Revenue Form W-9 or any successor form, certifying that
such Person is exempt from United States backup withholding Tax on payments
made
hereunder.
(f) Treatment
of Certain Refunds. If the Administration Agent, any Lender or any L/C
Issuer shall become aware that it is entitled to claim a refund from a
Governmental Authority in respect of the Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid
by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 3.01, the Administrative Agent or
such
Lender or such L/C Issuer, as applicable, shall promptly notify the Borrower
of
the availability of such refund claim and, if the Administrative Agent or such
Lender or L/C Issuer, as applicable, determines in good faith that making a
claim for a refund will not have an adverse effect on its Taxes or business
operations, shall, within 60 days after receipt of a request by the Borrower,
make a claim to such Governmental Authority for such refund. If the
Administrative Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer determines, in its sole
discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to
which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the
Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall pay
to
the Borrower an amount equal to
62
such
refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts
paid, by the Borrower under this Section with respect to the Taxes or Other
Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the
Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and
without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental
Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Borrower, upon
the request of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer, agrees
to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest
or
other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the
Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer in the event the
Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer is required to repay such
refund to such Governmental Authority. This subsection shall not be construed
to
require the Administrative Agent, any Lender or such L/C Issuer to make
available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that
it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.
3.02 Illegality.
If
any
Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental
Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable
Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Eurodollar Rate Loans, or to determine
or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental
Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender
to
purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank
market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the
Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make or continue
Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans
shall be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and
the
Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer
exist. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall, upon demand from such
Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable,
convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans, either
on
the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully
continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately,
if
such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans.
Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued
interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.
3.03 Inability
to Determine Rates.
If
the
Required Lenders determine that for any reason in connection with any request
for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that
(a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank
eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such
Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for
determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect
to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (c) the Eurodollar Rate for any
requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does
not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such
Loan,
the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender.
Thereafter, the obligation of the Lenders to make or continue into new interest
periods Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent
(in its sole discretion or upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes
such notice. Upon receipt of such notice,
63
the
Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or
continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have
converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in
the
amount specified therein.
3.04 Increased
Costs.
(a) Increased
Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose,
modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan,
insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or
for
the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except
any
reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e)) or any L/C
Issuer;
(ii) subject
any Lender or any L/C Issuer to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect
to
this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, any participation in a Letter of Credit
or
any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments
to such Lender or such L/C Issuer in respect thereof (except for Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes covered by Section 3.01 and the imposition of,
or any change in the rate of, any Excluded Tax payable by such Lender or such
L/C Issuer); or
(iii) impose
on any Lender or such L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other
condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans
made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation
therein;
and
the
result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender
of
making or maintaining any Eurodollar Rate Loan (or of maintaining its obligation
to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or such L/C
Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or
of
maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit),
or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or
such
L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then
the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be,
such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such L/C
Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction
suffered, in each case upon receipt of a written request of such Lender or
such
L/C Issuer showing the computation of such amount in reasonable detail and
certifying that it is the general practice of such Lender or such L/C Issuer
to
charge such amount to its borrowers.
(b) Capital
Requirements. If any Lender or any L/C Issuer determines that any Change in
Law affecting such Lender or such L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such
Lender or such Lender’s or such L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding
capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return
on such Lender’s or such L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s
or such L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this
Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or
participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of
Credit issued by such L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or
such L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or such L/C Issuer’s holding company could have
achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into
64
consideration
such Lender’s or such L/C Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or
such L/C Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from
time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the
case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender
or
such L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or such L/C Issuer’s holding company for any
such reduction suffered, in each case upon receipt of a written request of
such
Lender or L/C Issuer showing the computation of such amount in reasonable detail
and certifying that it is the general practice of such Lender or L/C Issuer
to
charge such amount to its borrowers.
(c) Certificates
for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender or an L/C Issuer setting forth
the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or such L/C Issuer
or
its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or
(b) of this Section 3.04, showing the computation of such amount or
amounts in reasonable detail and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive
absent demonstrable error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or such L/C
Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate
within 10 days after receipt thereof.
(d) Delay
in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or any L/C Issuer to
demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall
not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such L/C Issuer’s right to demand
such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to
compensate a Lender or such L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions
of
this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than
six months prior to the date that such Lender or such L/C Issuer, 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 such L/C Issuer’s intention to claim
compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such
increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the six-month period referred
to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect
thereof).
(e) Reserves
on Eurodollar Rate Loans. The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as
such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities
or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently
known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid
principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of
such
reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender
reasonably and in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive absent
demonstrable error), which shall be due and payable on each date on which
interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have
received at least 10 days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative
Agent) of such additional interest from such Lender together with a computation
in reasonable detail of such additional interest. If a Lender fails to give
notice 10 days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional
interest shall be due and payable 10 days from receipt of such
notice.
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3.05 Compensation
for Losses; Breakage Payments.
Upon
demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to
time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such
Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result
of:
(a) any
continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base
Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such
Loan
(whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or
otherwise);
(b) any
failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender
to
make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base
Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or
(c) any
assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the
Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant
to
Section 11.13;
Such
loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to equal 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 Eurodollar Rate that would have been applicable
to
such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the
then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow,
convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period
for
such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such
principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would
offer were it to offer, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits
of a comparable amount and period from major banks in the London interbank
eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth in reasonable
detail any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant
to
this Section 3.05 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be
conclusive absent demonstrable error. The Borrower shall also pay any customary
administrative fees charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with
the
foregoing.
3.06 Mitigation
Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) Designation
of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under
Section 3.04, or 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 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant
to Section 3.02, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to
designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder
or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices,
branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation
or
assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to
Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or
eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as
applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any
unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous
in
66
any
significant respect 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) Replacement
of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under
Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional
amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender
pursuant to Section 3.01, the Borrower may replace such Lender in
accordance with Section 11.13.
3.07 Survival.
All
of
the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive
termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and repayment of all other
Obligations hereunder.
ARTICLE
IV
GUARANTY
4.01 The
Guaranty.
Each
of
the Guarantors hereby jointly and severally guarantees to each Lender, each
applicable Affiliate of a Lender that is party to a Secured Hedge Agreement
or a
Treasury Management Agreement (and each Person (and/or each applicable Affiliate
thereof) that ceases to be a Lender as a result of an assignment in accordance
with the terms of Section 11.06 or Section 11.13 or an
amendment of this agreement in accordance with the terms of
Section 11.01 that is party to a Secured Hedge Agreement), the
Collateral Agent and the Administrative Agent as hereinafter provided, as
primary obligor and not as surety, the prompt payment of the Obligations in
full
when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by
acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) strictly
in
accordance with the terms thereof. The Guarantors hereby further agree that
if
any of the Obligations are not paid in full when due (whether at stated
maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash
collateralization or otherwise), the Guarantors will, jointly and severally,
promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in
the
case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Obligations,
the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity,
as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash
collateralization or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension
or renewal.
Notwithstanding
any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other of the Loan
Documents or Secured Hedge Agreements or Treasury Management Agreements, the
obligations of each Guarantor under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents
shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would
not render such obligations subject to avoidance under the Debtor Relief Laws
or
any comparable provisions of any applicable state law.
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4.02 Obligations
Unconditional.
The
obligations of the Guarantors under Section 4.01 are joint and
several, absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the value, genuineness,
validity, regularity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents, Secured
Hedge Agreements or Treasury Management Agreements, or any other agreement
or
instrument referred to therein, or any substitution, release, impairment or
exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Obligations,
and,
to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, irrespective of any other
circumstance whatsoever which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable
discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this
Section 4.02 that the obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall
be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances. Each Guarantor
agrees that its rights of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution
against the Borrower or any other Guarantor for amounts paid under this
Article IV shall not be enforceable until, and shall be subordinate
and subject in right of payment to, the Obligations, until such time as the
Obligations have been Fully Satisfied. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, it is agreed that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the
occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the
liability of any Guarantor hereunder which shall remain absolute and
unconditional as described above:
(a) at
any time or from time to time, without notice to any Guarantor, the time for
any
performance of or compliance with any of the Obligations shall be extended,
or
such performance or compliance shall be waived;
(b) any
of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of any of the Loan Documents,
any
Secured Hedge Agreement or any Treasury Management Agreement between any
Consolidated Party and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, or any other
agreement or instrument referred to in the Loan Documents or such Secured Hedge
Agreements shall be done or omitted;
(c) the
maturity of any of the Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the
Obligations shall be modified, supplemented or amended in any respect, or any
right under any of the Loan Documents, any Secured Hedge Agreement or any
Treasury Management Agreement between any Consolidated Party and any Lender,
or
any Affiliate of a Lender, or any other agreement or instrument referred to
in
the Loan Documents or such Secured Hedge Agreements or such Treasury Management
Agreements shall be waived or any other guarantee of any of the Obligations
or
any security therefor shall be released, impaired or exchanged in whole or
in
part or otherwise dealt with;
(d) any
Lien granted to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent
or any Lender or Lenders as security for any of the Obligations shall fail
to
attach or be perfected; or
(e) any
of the Obligations shall be determined to be void or voidable (including,
without limitation, for the benefit of any creditor of any Guarantor) or shall
be subordinated to the claims of any Person (including, without limitation,
any
creditor of any Guarantor).
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With
respect to its obligations hereunder, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives
diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever,
and any requirement that the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or
any
Lender exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against any Person under
any of the Loan Documents, any Secured Hedge Agreement or any Treasury
Management Agreement between any Consolidated Party and any Lender, or any
Affiliate of a Lender, or any other agreement or instrument referred to in
the
Loan Documents or such Secured Hedge Agreements or such Treasury Management
Agreements, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or
security for, any of the Obligations.
4.03 Reinstatement.
The
obligations of the Guarantors under this Article IV shall be
automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment
by
or on behalf of any Person in respect of the Obligations is rescinded or must
be
otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Obligations, whether as a result
of any proceedings in bankruptcy or reorganization or otherwise, and each
Guarantor agrees that it will indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Collateral
Agent and each Lender on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses
(including, without limitation, fees and expenses of counsel) incurred by the
Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or such Lender in connection with
such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred
in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a
preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any bankruptcy,
insolvency or similar law.
4.04 Certain
Additional Waivers.
Each
Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of recourse to security
for the Obligations, except through the exercise of rights of subrogation
pursuant to Section 4.02 and through the exercise of rights of
contribution pursuant to Section 4.06.
4.05 Remedies.
The
Guarantors agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, as between the
Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent
and the Lenders, on the other hand, the Obligations may be declared to be
forthwith due and payable as provided in Section 9.02 (and shall be
deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances
provided in said Section 9.02) for purposes of
Section 4.01 notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other
prohibition preventing such declaration (or preventing the Obligations from
becoming automatically due and payable) as against any other Person and that,
in
the event of such declaration (or the Obligations being deemed to have become
automatically due and payable), the Obligations (whether or not due and payable
by any other Person) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors
for purposes of Section 4.01. The Guarantors acknowledge and agree
that their obligations hereunder are secured in accordance with the terms of
the
Collateral Documents and that the Lenders may exercise their remedies thereunder
in accordance with the terms thereof.
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4.06 Rights
of Contribution.
The
Guarantors hereby agree as among themselves that, in connection with payments
made hereunder, each Guarantor shall have a right of contribution from each
other Guarantor in accordance with applicable Law. Such contribution rights
shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the Obligations until
such time as the Obligations have been Fully Satisfied, and none of the
Guarantors shall exercise any such contribution rights until the Obligations
have been Fully Satisfied.
4.07 Guarantee
of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.
The
guarantee in this Article IV is a guaranty of payment and not of
collection, is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to all Obligations
whenever arising.
ARTICLE
V
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
5.01 Conditions
of Closing Date and Initial Credit
Extension.
The
occurrence of the Closing Date, the effectiveness of this Agreement and the
obligation of each L/C Issuer and each Lender to make its initial Credit
Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions
precedent:
(a) Loan
Documents, Organization Documents, Etc. The Administrative Agent’s receipt
of the following, each of which shall be originals or telecopies (followed
promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by
a
Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Closing Date
(or,
in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before
the
Closing Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent and each of the Lenders:
(i) executed
counterparts of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;
(ii) a
Revolving Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender, and a Swingline
Note in favor of the Swingline Lender;
(iii) copies
of the Organization Documents of each Loan Party certified to be true and
complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the
state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, where
applicable, and certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of such Loan
Party to be true and correct as of the Closing Date;
(iv) such
certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or
other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as
70
the
Administrative Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity
of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer
in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such
Loan Party is a party; and
(v) such
documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require
to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and is validly
existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization.
(b) Opinions
of Counsel. The Administrative Agent shall have received, in each case dated
as of the Closing Date and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
the
Administrative Agent:
(i) a
legal opinion of Cravath, Swaine & Xxxxx LLP, special counsel for the Loan
Parties; and
(ii) a
legal opinion of The Law Offices of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, PLLC, Esq., special Ohio
counsel for each Loan Party organized in the State of Ohio.
(c) Personal
Property Collateral. The Administrative Agent shall have
received:
(i) searches
of Uniform Commercial Code filings in the jurisdiction of organization of each
Loan Party and the chief executive office of each Loan Party, and copies of
the
financing statements on file in such jurisdictions and evidence that no Liens
exist other than Permitted Liens;
(ii) all
certificates evidencing any certificated Capital Stock pledged to the Collateral
Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement, together with duly executed in blank,
undated stock powers attached thereto (unless, with respect to the pledged
Capital Stock of any Foreign Subsidiary, such Capital Stock is uncertificated
such stock powers are deemed unnecessary by the Administrative Agent in its
reasonable discretion under the law of the jurisdiction of incorporation of
such
Person);
(iii) searches
of ownership of, and Liens on, Intellectual Property of each Loan Party in
the
appropriate governmental offices; and
(iv) all
instruments in the possession of any of the Loan Parties evidencing any
Indebtedness owed by an Excluded Subsidiary to a Loan Party, together with
such
allonges or assignments as may be necessary to perfect the Collateral Agent’s
security interest in such Indebtedness.
(d) Officer’s
Certificates. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate or
certificates executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as of the Closing
Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, stating
that
71
(i) the
conditions specified in Section 5.02(a) and (b) have been
satisfied, (ii) all governmental, shareholder and third party consents and
approvals, if any, with respect to the Loan Documents and the transactions
contemplated thereby have been obtained (and attaching copies thereof), and
(iii) no action, suit, investigation or proceeding is pending or threatened
in any court or before any arbitrator or governmental instrumentality that
purports to affect any Loan Party or any transaction contemplated by the Loan
Documents, if such action, suit, investigation or proceeding could reasonably
be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Solvency.
The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate executed by a
Responsible Officer of the Borrower as of the Closing Date, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, regarding the Solvency
of
the Consolidated Parties on a consolidated basis.
(f) Fees.
Any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date shall have been
paid.
(g) Attorney
Costs. The Borrower shall have paid all reasonable fees, charges and
disbursements of counsel of the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced
prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such
fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate
of
such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through
the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter
preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent).
(h) Existing
Credit Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that the Existing
Credit Agreement has been or concurrently with the Closing Date is being
terminated and all Liens securing obligations under the Existing Credit
Agreement have been or concurrently with the Closing Date are being
released.
(i) Proceeds
of 2005 Senior Notes and the 2005 Junior Notes. The Borrower shall have
contemporaneously received gross proceeds of at least $300,000,000 from the
issuance by the Borrower of (i) the 2005 Senior Notes and (ii) the 2005 Junior
Notes, in each case on the terms contemplated by the latest draft thereof posted
to Intralinks prior to the Closing Date, with no changes therefrom other than
such as the Administrative Agent shall have determined are not materially
adverse to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall have received a copy,
certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as true and complete of
the
2005 Senior Note Indenture and the applicable supplement to the 2003 8⅜% Junior
Note Indenture, each as originally executed and delivered, together with all
schedules and exhibits thereto.
(j) Accuracy
of Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the
Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in Article VI or any
other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any
time
72
under
or
in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct in all material
respects on and as of the Closing Date.
(k) No
Default. No Default shall exist, or would result from, such proposed Credit
Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.
5.02 Conditions
to all Credit Extensions.
The
obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other
than
a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to
the
other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans), is subject to the
following conditions precedent:
(a) The
representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party
contained in Article VI or any other Loan Document, or which are
contained in any certification or representation provided in writing to the
Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent by a Responsible Officer of a
Loan
Party under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document,
shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of
such
Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties
specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and
correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for
purposes of this Section 5.02, the representations and warranties
contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 6.05 shall be
deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to
clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of
Section 7.01.
(b) No
Default shall exist, or would result from, such proposed Credit
Extension.
(c) The
Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the applicable L/C Issuer or the
Swingline Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in
accordance with the requirements hereof.
Each
Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting
only
a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type or a continuation of
Eurodollar Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty that the conditions specified in
Section 5.02(a), (b) and (c) have been satisfied on
and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.
ARTICLE
VI
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
The
Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
that:
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6.01 Existence,
Qualification and Power.
Each
Consolidated Party (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in
good standing (to the extent applicable in its jurisdiction) under the Laws
of
the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all
requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses,
authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own its assets and carry on
its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under
the Loan Documents, if any, to which it is a party and (c) is duly
qualified and is licensed and in good standing (to the extent applicable in
its
jurisdiction) under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease
or
operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i)
or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected
to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.02 Authorization;
No Contravention.
The
execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document
to
which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the
terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or
result in any breach or contravention of, or result in or require the creation
of any Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (i) except for
Liens under the Loan Documents and the lien creation requirements of the 1993
Senior Note Indenture, any Material Contract to which such
Person is a party or affecting such Person or the Property of such Person or
any
of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any
Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its
property is subject; or (c) violate any Law (including, without limitation,
Regulation U or Regulation X issued by the FRB). Each Loan Party and
each Subsidiary thereof is in compliance in all material respects with all
Contractual Obligations, except to the extent that failure to do so could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect
6.03 Governmental
Authorization; Other Consents.
No
approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice
to,
or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary
or
required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or
enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document, except for (a) consents, authorizations, notices and filings
described in Schedule 6.03, all of which have been obtained or made
or have the status described in such Schedule 6.03 and
(b) filings to perfect the Liens created by the Collateral
Documents.
6.04 Binding
Effect.
This
Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder,
will
have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto.
This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered
will
constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party,
enforceable against each Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with
its
terms except as enforceability may be limited by applicable
74
Debtor
Relief Laws and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought
by proceedings in equity or at law).
6.05 Financial
Statements; No Material Adverse
Effect.
(a) The
Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP
consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise
expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the
Consolidated Parties as of the date thereof and their results of operations
for
the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied
throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted
therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities,
direct or contingent, of the Consolidated Parties as of the date thereof,
including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness, in
each
case to the extent required to be disclosed by GAAP.
(b) The
unaudited consolidated and consolidating balance sheet of the Consolidated
Parties dated September 30, 2004 and the related consolidated and
consolidating statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash
flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby,
except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present the
financial condition of the Consolidated Parties as of the date thereof and
their
results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case
of
clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end
audit adjustments.
(c) During
the period from December 31, 2003 to and including the Closing Date,
there has been no sale, transfer or other disposition by any Consolidated Party
of any material part of the business or Property of the Consolidated Parties,
taken as a whole, and no purchase or other acquisition by any of them of any
business or property (including any Capital Stock of any other Person) material
in relation to the consolidated financial condition of the Consolidated Parties,
taken as a whole, in each case, which is not reflected in the foregoing
financial statements or in the notes thereto and has not otherwise been
disclosed in writing to the Lenders on or prior to the Closing
Date.
(d) The
financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) and
(b) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except as may
otherwise
be permitted under Section 7.01(a) and (b)) and present
fairly (on the basis disclosed in the footnotes to such financial statements)
the consolidated (and, in the case of the annual statements, consolidating)
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Consolidated
Parties as of such date and for such periods.
(e) There
has not occurred a material adverse change in the business, assets, properties,
liabilities (actual or contingent), operations or condition (financial or
otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, since the
date of the Audited Financial Statements.
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6.06 Litigation.
There
are
no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge
of the Loan Parties, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in
arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against any Consolidated
Party or against any of its properties or revenues that (a) purport to
affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the
transactions the consummation of which is a condition precedent to the Closing
Date, or (b) either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.07 No
Default.
No
Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation
of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan
Document.
6.08 Ownership
of Property; Liens.
Each
Consolidated Party has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or
valid leasehold interests in, or other applicable rights in, all real property
necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such
defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The property of the Consolidated
Parties is subject to no Liens, other than Permitted Liens.
6.09 Environmental
Compliance.
Except
in
each case as where the existence and/or occurrence of any of the following
could
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:
(a) All
operations of each Consolidated Party at the Real Properties are in compliance
with all applicable Environmental Laws, no Consolidated Party has violated
any
Environmental Law with respect to the Real Properties or the Businesses, no
Consolidated Party has caused, and, to the knowledge of the Responsible Officers
of the Loan Parties, no other Person has caused, any conditions relating to
the
Real Properties or the Businesses that could give rise to liability under any
applicable Environmental Laws.
(b) No
Consolidated Party has received any written notice of, or inquiry from any
Governmental Authority regarding, any violation, alleged violation,
non-compliance, liability or alleged liability pursuant to Environmental Laws
with regard to any of the Real Properties or the Businesses.
(c) Hazardous
Materials have not been transported or disposed of from the Real Properties,
or
generated, treated, stored or disposed of at, on or under any of the Real
Properties or any other location, in each case by or on behalf of any
Consolidated Party, or, to the knowledge of the Responsible Officers of the
Loan
Parties, by any other Person on behalf of a Consolidated Party, in violation
of,
or in a manner that would give rise to liability under, any applicable
Environmental Law.
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(d) No
judicial proceeding or governmental or administrative action is pending or,
to
the knowledge of the Responsible Officers of the Loan Parties, threatened,
under
any Environmental Law to which any Consolidated Party is or will be named as
a
party, nor are any Consolidated Parties subject to any consent decrees, consent
orders, administrative orders, or other administrative or judicial requirements
outstanding under any Environmental Law.
(e) There
has been no release, or threat of release, of Hazardous Materials at or from
the
Real Properties, or arising from or related to the operations (including,
without limitation, disposal) of any Consolidated Party, or, to the knowledge
of
the Responsible Officers of the Loan Parties, of any other Person in connection
with the Real Properties or otherwise in connection with the Businesses, in
violation of or in amounts or in a manner that would give rise to liability
under Environmental Laws.
6.10 Insurance.
The
properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially
sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in
such
amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily
carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties
in localities where the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary
operates.
6.11 Taxes.
The
Consolidated Parties have filed all Federal, state and other tax returns and
reports required to be filed, and have paid all Federal, state and other taxes,
assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them
or
their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except (a) those
which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for
which
adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP, or (b) to the
extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in
Material Adverse Effect. There is no proposed tax assessment against the
Borrower or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse
Effect.
6.12 ERISA
Compliance.
No
ERISA
Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together
with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected
to
occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
6.13 Capital
Structure/Subsidiaries.
The
corporate capital and ownership structure of the Consolidated Parties as of
the
Closing Date is as described in Schedule 6.13(a). Set forth on
Schedule 6.13(b) is a complete and accurate list as of the Closing
Date with respect to each of the direct and indirect Subsidiaries of the
Borrower of (i) jurisdiction of incorporation or formation,
(ii) number of shares of each class of
77
Capital
Stock outstanding, (iii) number and percentage of outstanding shares of
each class owned (directly or indirectly) by the Consolidated Parties and
(iv) number and effect, if exercised, of all outstanding options, warrants,
rights of conversion or purchase and all other similar rights with respect
thereto as of the Closing Date. The outstanding Capital Stock of all such
Persons is validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the
Consolidated Parties, directly or indirectly, in the manner set forth on
Schedule 6.13(b), free and clear of all Liens (other than those
arising under or contemplated in connection with the Loan Documents). Other
than
as set forth in Schedule 6.13(b), none of the Borrower’s
Subsidiaries has outstanding any securities convertible into or exchangeable
for
its Capital Stock nor does any such Person have outstanding any rights to
subscribe for or to purchase or any options for the purchase of, or any
agreements providing for the issuance (contingent or otherwise) of, or any
calls, commitments or claims of any character relating to its Capital Stock
(other than Wireless LLC). As of the Closing Date, the Borrower has no Foreign
Subsidiaries.
6.14 Margin
Regulations; Investment Company Act; Public Utility Holding Company
Act.
(a) The
Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its
important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock
(within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit
for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.
(b) None
of the Loan Parties (i) is a “holding company,” or a “subsidiary company”
of a “holding company,” or an “affiliate” of a “holding company” or of a
“subsidiary company” of a “holding company,” within the meaning of the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, (ii) is or is required to be
registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940
or (iii) is subject to regulation under any other Law which limits its
ability to incur Indebtedness.
6.15 Disclosure.
The
Borrower has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all
agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or
any
of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it that are
not
disclosed in its public filings with the SEC and that, individually or in the
aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
No written report, financial statement, certificate or other information
furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or
any
Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the
negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan
Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented from time to time by other
information so furnished, and taken together with the information disclosed
in
the Borrower’s public filings with the SEC, as such information is modified or
supplemented by other information so disclosed) contains any material
misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make
the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial
information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared
in
good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the
time.
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6.16 Compliance
with Laws.
Each
Consolidated Party is in compliance in all material respects with the
requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees
applicable to it or to its Properties, except in such instances in which
(a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or (b) the failure to
comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.17 Intellectual
Property.
Each
Consolidated Party owns, or has the legal right to use, all material trademarks,
service marks, trade names, trade dress, patents, copyrights, technology,
know-how and processes (the “Intellectual Property”) necessary for each
of them to conduct its business as currently conducted. No claim has been
asserted and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning the use of
the
Intellectual Property or the validity or effectiveness of the Intellectual
Property, nor does any Loan Party know of any such claim, and, to the knowledge
of the Responsible Officers of the Loan Parties, the use of the Intellectual
Property by any Consolidated Party or the granting of a right or a license
in
respect of the Intellectual Property from any Consolidated Party does not
infringe on the rights of any Person, except for such claims and infringements
that, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
6.18 Solvency.
The
Consolidated Parties are Solvent on a consolidated basis.
6.19 Telecommunications
Regulatory Matters.
(a) Each
Consolidated Party has obtained all material Governmental Approvals of any
Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over such Consolidated Party, which
Governmental Approvals are necessary for the operation of the Businesses. All
Governmental Approvals of such Consolidated Party are in full force and effect,
are duly issued in the name of, or validly assigned to, such Consolidated Party
and such Consolidated Party has the power and authority to operate thereunder,
except in each case to the extent the failure thereof could not reasonably
be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) No
consent or approval of, or notification to, the FCC, a State PUC or any other
Governmental Authority responsible for telecommunications matters is required
in
connection with the consummation of this Agreement of the making of the Loans,
except where the failure to obtain such consent or approval, or to give such
notification could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(c) There
are no proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened
from
or before the FCC, a State PUC or any other Governmental Authority responsible
for telecommunications matters naming any of the Consolidated Parties, that
either
79
individually
or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
ARTICLE
VII
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
So
long
as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation
hereunder shall not be Fully Satisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain
outstanding, the Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary
to:
7.01 Financial
Statements.
Deliver
to the Administrative Agent:
(a) after
the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the Borrower shall provide to
the
Administrative Agent, as soon as available, but in any event within 15 days
after it files or is required to file the same with the SEC (whether or not
required by the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act), a consolidated balance sheet of the Consolidated
Parties as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated
statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such
fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for
the
previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with
GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of a Registered Public
Accounting Firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion
shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards
and
shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification, together with
unaudited consolidating statements certified by a Responsible Officer of the
Borrower to the effect that such consolidating statements are fairly stated
in
all material respects when considered in relation to the consolidated financial
statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries; and
(b) after
the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the
Borrower, the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent, as soon as
available, but in any event within 15 days after it files or is required to
file
the same with the SEC (whether or not required by the reporting requirements
of
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act), a consolidated balance sheet of the
Consolidated Parties as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related
consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash
flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year
then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for
the
corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding
portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, such consolidated
statements to be certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly
presenting the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity
and cash flows of the Consolidated Parties in accordance with GAAP, subject
only
to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.
80
7.02 Certificates;
Other Information.
Deliver
to the Administrative Agent:
(a) concurrently
with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in
Section 7.01(a), a certificate of its independent certified public
accountants (which may be limited to accounting matters) certifying such
financial statements;
(b) concurrently
with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in
Section 7.01(a) and (b) (commencing with the delivery of the
financial statements for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2005), a
duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the
Borrower;
(c) at
least 30 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, an annual
business plan and budget of the Consolidated Parties containing, among other
things, pro forma financial statements for the next fiscal year, beginning
with
an annual business plan and budget for fiscal year 2006;
(d) promptly
after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial
statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of the
Borrower, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and
registration statements which the Borrower may file or be required to file
with
the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;
(e) promptly,
such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate
affairs of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of
the
Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to
time
reasonably request; and
(f) within
90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a certificate
containing information regarding the amount of all Dispositions (other than
any
Excluded Disposition), Involuntary Dispositions and Acquisitions that occurred
during the prior fiscal year.
Documents
required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01 or
Section 7.02 may be delivered electronically and if so delivered,
shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the
Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto, on the Borrower’s
website on the Internet at the website address listed on
Schedule 11.02; (ii) on which such documents are posted on the
Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each
Lender and the Administrative Agent are offered access (whether a commercial,
third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent) or (iii)
on which such documents become available on the website of the SEC at
xxxx://xxx/xxx/xxx; provided that the Borrower shall notify the
Administrative Agent (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any
such documents (other than those referred to in clause (d) above that have
been
posted to the SEC’s website) and provide to the Administrative Agent by
electronic mail electronic versions of such documents. Notwithstanding anything
contained herein, in every instance the
81
Borrower
shall be required to provide paper copies of the Compliance Certificates
required by Section 7.02(b) to the Administrative Agent. Except for
such Compliance Certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation
to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to
above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance
by
the Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely
responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such
documents.
The
Loan
Parties hereby acknowledge that (a) the Administrative Agent will make
available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information
provided by or on behalf of the Loan Parties hereunder (collectively,
“Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or
another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) 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 Loan Parties hereby agree
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 Loan Parties shall
be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the L/C
Issuer 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 Arrangers 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.”
7.03 Notices
and Information.
(a) Promptly
notify the Administrative Agent of the occurrence of any Default known to any
Responsible Officer of the Borrower and the nature thereof.
(b) Promptly
notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender of any matter that has resulted
or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect,
including those resulting from (i) breach or non-performance of, or any
default under, a Contractual Obligation of any Consolidated Party; (ii) any
dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between any
Consolidated Party and any Governmental Authority; or (iii) the
commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding
affecting any Consolidated Party, including pursuant to any applicable
Environmental Laws.
(c) Promptly
notify the Administrative Agent of the occurrence of any ERISA Event that could
reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount.
(d) Promptly
notify the Administrative Agent of any material change in internal accounting
policies or internal financial reporting practices by any Consolidated Party
that will have a material effect on financial statement results.
82
(e) At
the time of delivery of the financial statements and reports provided for in
Section 7.01(a), deliver to the Administrative Agent a report signed
by an Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth (i) a list of
registration numbers for all material patents, trademarks, service marks, trade
names and copyrights awarded to any Loan Party since the last day of the
immediately preceding fiscal year and (ii) a list of all material patent
applications, trademark applications, service xxxx applications, trade name
applications and copyright applications submitted by any Loan Party since the
last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year and the status of each such
application, all in such form as shall be reasonably satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent.
Each
notice pursuant to this Section 7.03(a) through (d) shall be
accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting
forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action
the
Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice
pursuant to Section 7.03(a) shall describe with particularity any
and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have
been
breached.
7.04 Payment
of Obligations.
Except
to
the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect, pay and discharge as the same shall become due
and
payable, all its obligations (other than Indebtedness) and liabilities,
including (a) all Tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or
levies upon it or its Properties or assets, unless the same are being contested
in good faith by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves in accordance
with GAAP are being maintained by the applicable Consolidated Party;
(b) all lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon any
material portion of its Property; and (c) all Indebtedness, as and when due
and payable, but subject to any subordination provisions contained in any
instrument or agreement evidencing such Indebtedness, and except to the extent
that non-payment thereof does not result in an Event of Default under Section
9.01(f).
7.05 Preservation
of Existence, Etc.
(a) Preserve,
renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good
standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a
transaction permitted by Section 8.04 or Section 8.05,
except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected
to
result in a Material Adverse Effect; (b) take all reasonable action to
maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary
or
desirable in the normal conduct of its business; and (c) preserve or renew
all of its material registered copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade names
and
service marks, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
7.06 Maintenance
of Properties.
(a) Maintain,
preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary
in
the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary
wear
and tear excepted; (b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and
replacements thereof;
83
and
(c) use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and
maintenance of its facilities.
7.07 Maintenance
of Insurance.
(a) Maintain
in full force and effect insurance in such amounts, covering such risks and
liabilities and with such deductibles or self-insurance retentions as are in
accordance with normal industry practice (it being understood that, to the
extent consistent with prudent business practices of Person carrying on a
similar business in a similar location as the Consolidated Parties, a program
of
self-insurance for first or other loss layers may be utilized in an aggregate
amount not to exceed $50,000,000).
(b) In
the event that the Consolidated Parties receive Net Cash Proceeds in excess
of
$25,000,000 in aggregate amount during any fiscal year of the Consolidated
Parties (“Excess Proceeds”) on account of Involuntary Dispositions, the
Loan Parties shall apply (or cause to be applied) an amount equal to such Excess
Proceeds to (i) make Eligible Reinvestments (including but not limited to
the repair or replacement of the related Property) within the applicable
Application Period, or (ii) prepay the Tranche B Term Loan in accordance
with the terms of Section 2.05(b)(ii)(B). Pending final application
of any Excess Proceeds, the Loan Parties may apply such Excess Proceeds to
temporarily reduce the Revolving Loans or to make Permitted Investments, but
shall not use such proceeds for any other purpose.
7.08 Compliance
with Laws and Contractual
Obligations.
Comply
with the requirements of all Laws, all Contractual Obligations and all orders,
writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or Property,
except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law, Contractual
Obligation or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good
faith
by appropriate proceedings; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.09 Books
and Records.
(a) Maintain
proper books of record and account, in which entries in conformity with GAAP
shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets
and
business of the Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as the case may be; and
(b) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with
all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory
jurisdiction over the Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as the case may
be.
7.10 Inspection
Rights.
Permit
representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and
the
Lenders to visit and inspect any of its Properties, to examine its corporate,
financial and operating records, and, with the prior written consent of the
Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld) make copies thereof or abstracts
therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors,
officers, and independent public accountants, all at such
reasonable
84
times
during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon
reasonable advance notice to the Borrower, and, at any time when an Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing, at the expense of the
Borrower.
7.11 Use
of Proceeds.
Use
the
proceeds of the Credit Extensions made (i) on the Closing Date to refinance
in
part existing Indebtedness of the Consolidated Parties and to pay certain
transaction costs incurred in connection with such refinancing and obtaining
the
agreement of the holders of the 2003 Senior Notes to the first supplemental
indenture dated as of January 28, 2005, to the 2003 Senior Note Indenture,
and
(ii) thereafter, for general corporate purposes, in each case not in
contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document; provided,
however, that 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds of the Tranche B Term
Loan
and any Revolving Loans made on the First Amendment Effective Date shall be
used
by the Borrower to pay all or a portion of the purchase price to redeem all
of
the outstanding 2003 16% Junior Notes and any costs and expenses of the Borrower
related to such redemption.
7.12 Additional
Guarantors.
(a) General.
Notify the Administrative Agent at the time that any Person becomes a Subsidiary
of a Loan Party, and within 30 days thereafter (or such later date as the
Administrative Agent shall agree in its reasonable discretion), (i) unless
such Person is an Excluded Subsidiary, cause such Person to (A) become a
Guarantor by executing and delivering to the Administrative Agent a Joinder
Agreement, and (B) deliver to the Administrative Agent items of the types
referred to for each of the initial Loan Parties pursuant to
Section 5.01, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory
to the Administrative Agent and (ii) unless such Person is a Non-Pledged
Subsidiary, cause the Capital Stock of such Person owned by the Loan Parties
to
be pledged to the Collateral Agent (for the benefit of the Lenders) as and
to
the extent required by Section 7.13.
(b) CBT
and CBET. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary set forth herein or
in any other Loan Document, at such time, if ever, that (i) CBT and/or
CBET, as applicable, ceases to be subject to all applicable Laws, including
all
regulations relating to telecommunications businesses by all Governmental
Authorities which prohibit, restrict or require regulatory approval for
(A) the pledging of assets or (B) the incurrence of Indebtedness
and (ii) any action described in either of clause (A) or (B) above
could not, in the determination of the Borrower reasonably exercised, be
expected to result in any such Governmental Authority taking an action or
refusing to take an action which action or refusal to take any action could
have
a material adverse effect on CBT and/or CBET, as applicable, then
(x)(1) CBT and/or CBET, as applicable, shall cease to be an Excluded
Subsidiary and (2) each applicable CBT Subsidiary shall cease to be a
Non-Pledged Subsidiary and (y) the Loan Parties shall within 30 days
thereafter (or such later date as the Administrative Agent shall agree in its
reasonable discretion) (1) cause CBT and/or CBET, as applicable, to
(I) become a Guarantor by executing and delivering to the Administrative
Agent a Joinder Agreement, and (II) deliver to the Administrative Agent
items of the types referred to for each of the initial Loan Parties pursuant
to
Section 5.01, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory
to the Administrative
85
Agent
and
(2) cause the Capital Stock of each CBT Subsidiary owned by it to be
pledged to the Collateral Agent (for the benefit of the Lenders) as and to
the
extent required by Section 7.13.
(c) Wireless LLC.
Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary set forth herein or in any other
Loan Document, but subject to applicable Laws, including all regulations
relating to telecommunications businesses by all Governmental Authorities which
prohibits, restricts or requires regulatory approval for the pledging of assets,
upon the closing of the Wireless Acquisition, (i) Wireless LLC shall
cease to be an Excluded Subsidiary and a Non-Pledged Subsidiary and
(ii) the Loan Parties shall within 30 days thereafter (or such later date
as the Administrative Agent shall agree in its reasonable discretion)
(A) cause Wireless LLC to (1) become a Guarantor by executing and
delivering to the Administrative Agent a Joinder Agreement, and (2) deliver
to the Administrative Agent items of the types referred to for each of the
initial Loan Parties pursuant to Section 5.01, all in form, content
and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and
(B) cause all of the Capital Stock of Wireless LLC owned by the Loan
Parties to be pledged to the Collateral Agent (for the benefit of the Lenders)
as and to the extent required by Section 7.13. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 7.12(c), in the event that
Wireless LLC becomes a Guarantor as contemplated by the immediately
preceding sentence and thereafter any Wireless Disposition involving the
Disposition of all or any portion of the Capital Stock of Wireless LLC is
consummated, then the Administrative Agent shall take such action as
contemplated by Section 10.10 to evidence the release of the
Collateral Agent’s Lien on the Property and Capital Stock of Wireless LLC,
and the release of Wireless LLC from all of its obligations under the Loan
Documents and, automatically, Wireless LLC shall, if applicable, be deemed
to be an Excluded Subsidiary and a Non-Pledged Subsidiary.
(d) Other
Excluded Subsidiaries; Non-Pledged Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding any
provision to the contrary set forth herein or in any other Loan Document, but
subject to applicable Laws, including all regulations relating to
telecommunications businesses by all Governmental Authorities which prohibits,
restricts or requires regulatory approval for the pledging of
assets:
(i) in
the event that (A) any Subsidiary which is an Excluded Subsidiary by virtue
of clause (f) of the definition of “Excluded Subsidiaries” set forth in
Section 1.01 becomes a Wholly Owned Subsidiary, (B) any
Subsidiary which is an Excluded Subsidiary by virtue of clause (g)(i) of
the definition of “Excluded Subsidiaries” set forth in Section 1.01
could become a Loan Party without causing a violation of applicable law or
(C) the Administrative Agent shall have reasonably determined as a result
of a change in fact, law or circumstance that any Subsidiary which is an
Excluded Subsidiary by virtue of clause (g)(ii) of the definition of
“Excluded Subsidiaries” set forth in Section 1.01 should become a
Loan Party, then (1) such Subsidiary shall cease to be an Excluded
Subsidiary and (2) the Loan Parties shall within 30 days after receipt of
notice of such determination (or such later date as the Administrative Agent
shall agree in its reasonable discretion) cause such Subsidiary to become a
Guarantor by executing and delivering to the Administrative Agent a Joinder
Agreement and deliver to the Administrative Agent items of the types referred
to
for each of the initial Loan Parties
86
pursuant
to Section 5.01, all in form, content and scope reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; or
(ii) in
the event that (A) any Subsidiary which is a Non-Pledged Subsidiary by
virtue of clause (f) of the definition of “Non-Pledged Subsidiaries” set
forth in Section 1.01 becomes a Wholly Owned Subsidiary,
(B) the Capital Stock of any Subsidiary which is a Non-Pledged Subsidiary
by virtue of clause (g)(i) of the definition of “Non-Pledged Subsidiaries”
set forth in Section 1.01 could be pledged to the Collateral Agent
without causing a violation of applicable law or (C) the Administrative
Agent shall have reasonably determined as a result of a change in fact, law
or
circumstance that the Capital Stock of any Subsidiary which is a Non-Pledged
Subsidiary by virtue of clause (g)(ii) of the definition of “Non-Pledged
Subsidiaries” set forth in Section 1.01 should be pledged to the
Collateral Agent, then (1) such Subsidiary shall cease to be a Non-Pledged
Subsidiary and (2) the Loan Parties shall within 30 days after receipt of
notice of such determination (or such later date as the Administrative Agent
shall agree in its reasonable discretion) cause the Capital Stock of such
Subsidiary to be pledged to the Collateral Agent (for the benefit of the
Lenders) as and to the extent required by Section 7.13.
7.13 Further
Assurances.
Cause
(i) all of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of each Domestic
Subsidiary (other than any Non-Pledged Subsidiary) owned by the Loan Parties
and
(ii) 66% of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of each Foreign
Subsidiary (other than any Non-Pledged Subsidiary) directly owned by each Loan
Party to be subject at all times to a valid and perfected, first priority Lien
(subject only to Permitted Liens) in favor of the Collateral Agent pursuant
to
the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents.
ARTICLE
VIII
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
So
long
as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation
hereunder shall not be Fully Satisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain
outstanding, the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to,
directly or indirectly:
8.01 Liens.
Create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its Property, whether
now
owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:
(a) Liens
pursuant to any Loan Document;
(b) Liens
existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 8.01 and any
renewals or extensions thereof, provided that (i) such Lien shall
not apply to any other Property of the Consolidated Parties, (ii) the
maximum amount secured or benefited
87
thereby
is not increased, and (iii) any renewal or extension of the obligations
secured or benefited thereby is permitted by
Section 8.03;
(c) Liens
for Taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies not yet due or which
are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if adequate
reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable
Person in accordance with GAAP;
(d) statutory
Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen
and suppliers and other Liens imposed by law or pursuant to customary
reservations or retentions of title arising in the ordinary course of business,
provided that such Liens secure only amounts not yet due and payable or,
if due and payable, are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce
the same or are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for
which adequate reserves determined in accordance with GAAP have been
established;
(e) pledges
or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’
compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation,
other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;
(f) deposits
to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than
Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance
bonds
and other obligations of a like nature, in each case incurred in the ordinary
course of business;
(g) easements,
rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real
Property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which
do
not in any case materially detract from the value of the Property subject
thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of
the
applicable Person;
(h) Liens
securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default
under Section 9.01(i);
(i) Liens
securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 8.03(e) or (n),
provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any
Property other than the Property financed by such Indebtedness, (ii) the
Indebtedness secured thereby does not, at the time incurred, exceed the cost
or
fair market value, whichever is lower, of the Property being acquired,
constructed or improved on the date of acquisition, construction or improvement,
as applicable, and (iii) such Liens attach to such Property concurrently
with or within 180 days after the acquisition or completion of construction
or
improvement, as applicable, thereof;
(j) subleases
of real Property and licenses of Intellectual Property granted to other Persons,
in each case (i) entered into in the ordinary course of its business, (ii)
not
intended to constitute a financing arrangement, and
(iii) not interfering in any material respect with the
business of any Consolidated Party;
88
(k) any
interest of title of a lessor under, and Liens arising from UCC financing
statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign
jurisdictions) relating to, leases permitted by this Agreement;
(l) Liens
in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure
payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of
goods;
(m) Liens
deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements
permitted under Section 8.02;
(n) normal
and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other
depository institutions;
(o) Liens
of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial
Code on items in the course of collection;
(p) Liens
existing or deemed to exist in connection with any Permitted Receivables
Financing, but only to the extent that any such Lien relates to the applicable
Transferred Assets purported to be sold, contributed, financed or otherwise
conveyed or pledged pursuant to such transaction;
(q) Liens
of sellers of goods to the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries arising under
Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code or similar provisions of
applicable law in the ordinary course of business, covering only the goods
sold
and securing only the unpaid purchase price for such goods and related
expenses;
(r) any
interest of title of a buyer in connection with, and Liens arising from Uniform
Commercial Code financing statements relating to, a sale of receivables
permitted by this Agreement;
(s) any
Lien on Property not owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary on the Closing
Date
that is in existence at the time that such Property is acquired by the Borrower
or any Subsidiary or at the time that the Person that owns such Property becomes
a Subsidiary, provided that such Lien is not created in contemplation of,
or in connection with, such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary,
as
the case may be;
(t) Liens,
leases, and grants of indefeasible rights of use, rights of use and similar
rights in respect of capacity, dark fiber and similar assets of the Consolidated
Parties in the ordinary course of business either existing as of the Closing
Date or as permitted pursuant to Section 8.05; and
(u) other
Liens (other than Liens on Capital Stock of any Subsidiary) securing
Indebtedness or other obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed
$20,000,000 at any time outstanding.
89
8.02 Investments.
Make
any
Investments, except:
(a) Investments
held by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in the form of Cash
Equivalents;
(b) Investments
existing as of the Closing Date and set forth in
Schedule 8.02;
(c) Investments
consisting of advances or loans to directors, officers, employees, agents,
customers or suppliers in an aggregate principal amount (including Investments
of such type set forth in Schedule 8.02) not to exceed $30,000,000
at any time outstanding;
(d) Investments
in any Person which is a Loan Party prior to giving effect to such
Investment;
(e) Investments
consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or
notes
receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of
business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction
thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably
necessary in order to prevent or limit loss;
(f) Guarantees
constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 8.03 (other than
Section 8.03(c)), to the extent such Guarantees also constitute
Investments;
(g) the
Wireless Acquisition and (without double-counting for purposes of determining
compliance with the numerical limit applicable hereunder) Investments in one
or
more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries to enable such Subsidiaries to make the Wireless
Acquisition; provided that (i) the aggregate cash consideration
paid by the Consolidated Parties does not exceed $125,000,000 and (ii) upon
consummation thereof, Wireless LLC shall be a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of
the Borrower;
(h) Investments
consisting of an Acquisition (other than the Wireless
Acquisition) by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the
Borrower and (without double-counting for purposes of determining compliance
with the numerical limit applicable hereunder) Investments in Wholly-Owned
Subsidiaries to enable such Subsidiaries to make such Acquisitions;
provided that
(i) the
Property acquired (or the Property of the Person acquired) in such Acquisition
is used or useful in the same or a similar line of business as the Borrower
and
its Subsidiaries were engaged in on the Closing Date (or any reasonable
extensions or expansions thereof);
90
(ii) in
the case of an Acquisition of the Capital Stock of another Person, the board
of
directors (or other comparable governing body) of such other Person shall have
duly approved such Acquisition;
(iii) if
the aggregate purchase price to be paid by the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries
in connection with such Acquisition exceeds $50,000,000, the Borrower shall
have
delivered to the Administrative Agent a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate
demonstrating that, upon giving effect to such Acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis,
the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth
in Section 8.11 as of the most recent fiscal quarter end with
respect to which the Administrative Agent has received the Required Financial
Information;
(iv) no
Default shall have occurred and be continuing both before and immediately after
the time such Acquisition is consummated;
(v) if
such transaction involves the purchase of an interest in a partnership between
the Borrower (or a Subsidiary of the Borrower) as a general partner and entities
unaffiliated with the Borrower or such Subsidiary as the other partners, absent
any adverse tax consequences for the Borrower or any Subsidiary, such
transaction shall be effected by having such equity interest acquired by a
holding Person directly or indirectly wholly-owned by the Borrower and newly
formed for the sole purpose of effecting such transaction;
(vi) the
aggregate consideration (including cash and non-cash consideration, any
assumption of Indebtedness and any earn-out payments, but excluding
consideration consisting of (A) any Capital Stock of the Borrower issued to
the seller of the Capital Stock or Property acquired in such Acquisition,
(B) amounts not in excess of the aggregate cumulative proceeds of any
Equity Issuance by the Borrower consummated subsequent to the Closing
Date and not more than 365 days prior to the date that such Acquisition is
consummated, provided that such amounts have not previously served as the
basis for allowing a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 8.06(d),
any other Acquisition pursuant to this subsection (h)(vi) or any prepayment
under Section 8.12(b)(ii), and (C) amounts not in excess of the
aggregate cumulative proceeds of any Disposition, Excluded Disposition or
Involuntary Disposition consummated subsequent to the Closing Date and not
more
than 365 days prior to the date that such Acquisition is consummated,
provided that such amounts have not previously served as the basis for
allowing a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 8.06(d) or any
other Acquisition pursuant to this subsection (h)(vi)) paid by the
Consolidated Parties for all such Acquisitions occurring after the Closing
Date
(net, in the case of each such Acquisition, of return of capital received at
or
prior to the time of determination) shall not exceed $250,000,000;
91
(i) Investments
made with the proceeds of an Equity Issuance by the Borrower so long as the
proceeds thereof are not otherwise required to be applied to the prepayment
of
the Loans pursuant to the terms of this Agreement;
(j) Investments
in a Receivables Financing SPC made in connection with a Permitted Receivables
Financing;
(k) Investments
in Foreign Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding amount at any time for
all
such Investments made after the Closing Date pursuant to this
subsection (k) not to exceed $5,000,000;
(l) in
addition to the Wireless Acquisition, (i) Investments in Wireless LLC
resulting in Wireless LLC owning Spectrum Assets in an aggregate
outstanding amount at any time for all such Investments made after the Closing
Date pursuant to this subsection (l)(i) not to exceed $200,000,000 and
(ii) other Investments in Wireless LLC in an aggregate outstanding
amount at any time for all such Investments made after the Closing Date pursuant
to this subsection (l)(ii) not to exceed $30,000,000;
(m) Investments
in CBT and in any Subsidiary of CBT;
(n) Investments
in Excluded Subsidiaries consisting of Guarantees of operating leases entered
into in the ordinary course of business or of other obligations not constituting
Indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(o) loans
and advances by Loan Parties to Excluded Subsidiaries evidenced by promissory
notes that have been pledged and delivered to the Administrative Agent in
accordance with the terms of the Security Agreement;
(p) Investments
in Joint Ventures (in addition to Investments permitted pursuant to clauses
(g),
(l), (n) and (o) above and any Wireless Disposition) in an aggregate outstanding
amount at any time for all such Investments made after the Closing Date not
to
exceed $200,000,000; provided, however, that no more $50,000,000
of such Investments may be made in Joint Ventures which are not
Subsidiaries;
(q) Investments
by Subsidiaries which are Joint Ventures;
(r) Investments
by BRFS LLC in a Consolidated Party and/or by a Consolidated Party in BRFS,
in
each case made in the form of intercompany debt and for cash management purposes
in connection with cash management system of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries;
(s) to
the extent constituting or resulting in an Investment, any Wireless Disposition;
92
(t) other
Investments not otherwise permitted by this Section 8.02 in an
aggregate outstanding amount at any time for all such Investments made after
the
Closing Date pursuant to this subsection (t) not to exceed $30,000,000;
and
(u) any
Eligible Reinvestment of the proceeds of any Involuntary Disposition as
contemplated by Section 7.07(b) or of any Disposition as contemplated by
Section 8.05(b)(vii).
Notwithstanding
any provision to the contrary set forth in this Agreement (including, without
limitation, the definition of “Joint Venture” set forth in
Section 1.01), the Disposition by any of the Consolidated Parties of
any portion (but not all) of the Capital Stock of any Wholly Owned Subsidiary
acquired or created after the Closing Date shall be deemed to constitute an
Investment in a Joint Venture in an amount equal to the book value of the
Capital Stock of such Person retained by the Consolidated Parties immediately
after giving effect to such Disposition.
8.03 Indebtedness.
Create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness
under the Loan Documents (including Indebtedness in respect of any Incremental
Facility established in accordance with the terms of
Section 11.01(b));
(b) Indebtedness
of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries outstanding on the Closing Date and set
forth in Schedule 8.03, and renewals, refinancings, replacements and
extensions thereof that do not (i) increase the amount of such Indebtedness
(except by the amount of a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid,
and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection therewith),
(ii) shorten the final maturity or the average life to maturity of such
Indebtedness or (iii) cause the terms of subordination, if any, taken as a
whole, of such Indebtedness to be materially less favorable to the Lenders
than
the terms of subordination, taken as a whole, under the 2003 8⅜% Junior Note
Indenture, as in effect on the Closing Date;
(c) intercompany
Indebtedness and Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness, so long as in each
case the related Investment made by the holder of such Indebtedness or by the
provider of such Guarantee, as applicable, is permitted under
Section 8.02 (other than Section 8.02(f));
(d) obligations
(contingent or otherwise) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing or arising
under any Swap Contract, provided that (i) such obligations are (or
were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of business for the
purpose of directly hedging or mitigating risks associated with liabilities,
commitments, investments, assets, or Property held or reasonably anticipated
by
such Person, or changes in the value of securities issued by such Person
(including Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar
or
exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate
to
another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any
interest-bearing
93
liability
or investment of the Borrower or any Subsidiary), and not for purposes of
speculation and (ii) such Swap Contract does not contain any provision
exonerating the non-defaulting party from its obligation to make payments on
outstanding transactions to the defaulting party;
(e) purchase
money Indebtedness (excluding obligations in respect of Capital Leases and
Synthetic Lease Obligations) hereinafter incurred by the Borrower or any of
its
Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount that, when taken together with
the
Remaining Present Value of outstanding leases (other than Capital Leases and
Synthetic Leases) relating to Sale and Leaseback Transactions entered into
in
accordance with Section 8.05(ii), does not exceed $100,000,000 at
any one time outstanding;
(f) unsecured
Indebtedness of the Borrower arising under the 2005 Senior Note Documents and,
to the extent relating to the 2005 Junior Notes, the 2005 Junior Note Documents
(and unsecured Guarantees thereof by any Guarantor), in an aggregate principal
amount for all such Indebtedness at any time outstanding pursuant to this
subsection (f) not to exceed $350,000,000, and renewals, refinancings,
replacements and extensions thereof that do not (i) increase the amount of
such Indebtedness (except by the amount of a reasonable premium or other
reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection
therewith), (ii) shorten the final maturity or the average life to maturity
of such Indebtedness or (iii) in the case of any renewal, refinancing,
replacement or extension of the 2005 Junior Notes, cause the terms of
subordination, taken as a whole, of such Indebtedness to be materially less
favorable to the Lenders than the terms of subordination, taken as a whole,
under the 2003 8⅜% Junior Note Indenture, as in effect on the Closing
Date;
(g) obligations
of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection
with any Permitted Receivables Financing, to the extent such obligations
constitute Indebtedness;
(h) Indebtedness
of any Person in existence at the time that such Person becomes a Subsidiary
after the Closing Date, provided that such Indebtedness is not created in
contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary, and
renewals, refinancings, replacements and extensions thereof that do not
(i) increase the amount of such Indebtedness (except by the amount of a
reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses
reasonably incurred, in connection therewith) or (ii) shorten the final
maturity or the average life to maturity of such Indebtedness;
(i) Indebtedness
arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check,
draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary
course of business and extinguished within two Business Days of its
incurrence;
(j) Guarantees
of obligations of any Consolidated Party for customary indemnification, purchase
price adjustments and similar obligations arising under purchase and sale
agreements entered into in respect of Acquisitions and Dispositions
94
permitted
under Section 8.02 or Section 8.05, as applicable, and
reimbursement obligations of any Consolidated Party in respect of letters of
credit, surety bonds and performance bonds delivered in connection
therewith;
(k) Indebtedness
of Excluded Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount which shall not,
at
the time when created, incurred or assumed, exceed $200,000,000 at any time
outstanding;
(l) additional
unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower (and unsecured Guarantees thereof by
any
Guarantor), provided that (i) the terms, taken as a whole, of any
such Indebtedness, and of any agreement entered into and of any instrument
issued in connection therewith, are not materially less favorable to the
Consolidated Parties or the Lenders than the terms of documents governing or
evidencing the 2005 Senior Notes, as in effect on the Closing Date,
(ii) either (A) the proceeds of such Indebtedness are used to
refinance then existing Indebtedness of the Borrower or (B) the Borrower
shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a Pro Forma Compliance
Certificate demonstrating that, upon giving effect on a Pro Forma Basis to
the
incurrence of such additional Indebtedness and to the concurrent retirement
of
any other Indebtedness of any Consolidated Party, the Loan Parties would be
in
compliance with the financial covenants set forth in
Section 8.11(a)-(d) as of the most recent fiscal quarter
end with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received the Required
Financial Information and (iii) in the case of Indebtedness incurred
pursuant to clause (ii)(B) above, the aggregate principal amount of
all such Indebtedness incurred after the Closing Date (together with any
accumulated, pay-in-kind, or capitalized interest thereon) shall not exceed
$200,000,000;
(m) additional
unsecured Subordinated Indebtedness of the Borrower (and unsecured Guarantees
thereof by any Guarantor that are subordinated to the Obligations on identical
terms), provided that (i) the terms, taken as a whole, of any such
Subordinated Indebtedness, and of any agreement entered into and of any
instrument issued in connection therewith, are not materially less favorable
to
the Consolidated Parties or the Lenders than the terms of documents governing
or
evidencing the 2003 8⅜% Junior Notes, as in effect on the Closing Date, and
(ii) either (A) the proceeds of such Subordinated Indebtedness are
used to refinance then existing Subordinated Indebtedness of the Borrower or
(B) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a Pro
Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that, upon giving effect on a Pro
Forma Basis to the incurrence of such additional Subordinated Indebtedness
and
to the concurrent retirement of any other Indebtedness of any Consolidated
Party, the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial covenants
set
forth in Section 8.11(a)-(d) as of the most recent
fiscal quarter end with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received
the Required Financial Information;
(n) Indebtedness
arising under Capital Leases and Synthetic Leases hereinafter incurred by the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount that,
when
taken together with the Remaining Present Value of outstanding Capital Leases
and Synthetic Leases relating to Sale and Leaseback Transactions entered into
in
accordance with Section 8.05(ii), does not exceed $25,000,000 at any
one time outstanding;
95
(o) other
unsecured Indebtedness of Loan Parties in an aggregate principal amount which
shall not exceed $25,000,000 at any time outstanding; and
(p) other
unsecured Indebtedness maturing after the Maturity Date, provided that
100% of the net proceeds of such Indebtedness are used to repay, refinance
or
replace Indebtedness outstanding under this Agreement and the
Notes.
Notwithstanding
any provision to the contrary set forth in this Section 8.03, the
aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Indebtedness incurred by the
Excluded Subsidiaries (other than (i) Indebtedness owed to any Consolidated
Party and (ii) renewals, refinancings, replacements and extensions of
Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date and permitted by Section
8.03(b)), at any time on or after the Closing Date shall not exceed an
amount equal to (i) $250,000,000 minus (ii) the then
outstanding Attributed Principal Amount under any Permitted Receivables
Financing.
8.04 Fundamental
Changes.
Except
in
connection with an Excluded Disposition, merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate
with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in
a
series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now
owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person; provided that,
notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.04 but
subject to the terms of Sections 7.12 and 7.13, (a) the
Borrower may merge or consolidate with any of its Subsidiaries provided that
the
Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, (b) any Loan Party
other than the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any other Loan Party
or
the Borrower, (c) any Consolidated Party which is not a Loan Party may be
merged or consolidated with or into any Loan Party provided that the continuing
or surviving Person shall be a Loan Party, (d) any Consolidated Party which
is not a Loan Party may be merged or consolidated with or into any other
Consolidated Party which is not a Loan Party, (e) any Subsidiary of the
Borrower may merge with any Person that is not a Loan Party in connection with
a
Disposition permitted under Section 8.05, (f) the Borrower or
any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge with any Person (other than a
Consolidated Party with which it could not merge under any of clauses (a)
through (e)) in connection with a Permitted Acquisition provided that, if such
transaction involves the Borrower, the Borrower shall be the continuing or
surviving corporation, (g) any Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower may
dissolve, liquidate or wind up its affairs at any time provided that such
dissolution, liquidation or winding up, as applicable, could not reasonably
be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (h) Cincinnati Xxxx
Entertainment, Inc. (f/k/a XxxxXxxx.xxx Inc.) may merge with CBT or any CBT
Subsidiary.
8.05 Dispositions.
Make
any
Disposition other than (a) an Excluded Disposition, and (b) so long as
no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would
be
directly or indirectly caused as a result thereof, other
Dispositions; provided that (i) at least 50% of the
consideration paid in connection therewith shall be in cash or Cash Equivalents,
such payment to be made within five Business Days after the consummation of
such
transaction, and the aggregate amount of all consideration paid or to be paid
in
connection therewith shall be in an amount not less
96
than
the
fair market value of the Property disposed of, (ii) such transaction is not
a Sale and Leaseback Transaction unless, after giving effect to the entering
into of the applicable lease in connection therewith, the Remaining Present
Value of such lease, when taken together with the aggregate then outstanding
principal amount of all Indebtedness incurred pursuant to
Section 8.03(e) or (n) and the Remaining Present Value of
outstanding leases previously entered into pursuant to this clause (ii),
would not exceed $25,000,000, (iii) such transaction does not involve the
Disposition of a part but not all of the Capital Stock of any Consolidated
Party
that does not result in an Investment that is permitted under
Section 8.02, (iv) such transaction does not involve a
Disposition of receivables other than receivables owned by or attributable
to
other Property concurrently being disposed of in a transaction otherwise
permitted under this Section 8.05, (v) the fair market value of
all of the assets sold or otherwise Disposed of in all such transactions after
the Closing Date (other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted
hereunder) shall not exceed $75,000,000 per fiscal year, (vi) if the fair
market value of the Property Disposed of in any single Disposition (or in any
series of related Dispositions) exceeds $50,000,000, the Borrower shall have
delivered to the Administrative Agent a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate
demonstrating that, upon giving effect on a Pro Forma Basis to such transaction
(including any proposed use of the proceeds thereof for debt reduction or the
making of any Investment), the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the
financial covenants set forth in Section 8.11(a)-(d), as of
the most recent fiscal quarter end with respect to which the Administrative
Agent has received the Required Financial Information, and (vii) the Loan
Parties shall apply (or cause to be applied) an amount equal to the Net Cash
Proceeds of such Disposition to (A) make Eligible Reinvestments within the
applicable Application Period or (B) prepay the Tranche B Term Loan, in
each case in accordance with the terms of Section 2.05(b)(ii)(A).
Pending final application of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Disposition (other
than Excluded Dispositions), the Consolidated Parties shall not use such Net
Cash Proceed for any purpose other than to temporarily reduce the Revolving
Loans or to make Investments in Cash Equivalents.
8.06 Restricted
Payments.
Make,
directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except that:
(a) each
Consolidated Party may make Restricted Payments (directly or indirectly) to
any
other Consolidated Party that is a Loan Party;
(b) each
Subsidiary of the Borrower may declare and make ratable dividend payments or
other distributions to holders of the Capital Stock of such Person.
(c) so
long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would
arise immediately after giving effect thereof, the Borrower may:
(i) declare
and pay scheduled dividend payments on the Permitted Preferred Stock and the
Other Permitted Equity;
(ii) (A) make
payments pursuant to stock option plans or other stock related benefit plans
(1) approved by the Board of Directors of the Borrower and (2) in the
ordinary course of business made to directors, officers and employees of
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the
Borrower to repurchase Capital Stock of the Borrower held by such Persons in
case of resignation, the cessation or employment or retirement of such Person
(by death, disability or otherwise); and (B) purchase or repurchase Capital
Stock of the Borrower with the proceeds received by it from the exercise of
rights under such plans by directors, officers and employees; and
(iii) refinance
Permitted Preferred Stock or Other Permitted Equity with the proceeds of Other
Permitted Equity; and
(d) so
long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would
be directly or indirectly caused as a result thereof, the Borrower may make
other Restricted Payments; provided that immediately after giving effect
to any such Restricted Payment, on a Pro Forma Basis as of the most recent
fiscal quarter end with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received
the Required Financial Information, (i) the Loan Parties would be in compliance
with the financial covenants set forth in Sections 8.11(a) and
(b), and (ii) the Consolidated Senior Secured Leverage Ratio would
not
exceed 2.00:1.00.
8.07 Change
in Nature of Business.
Engage
in
any material line of business substantially different from those lines of
business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date
or
any business substantially related or incidental thereto.
8.08 Transactions
with Affiliates and Insiders.
Enter
into or permit to exist any transaction or series of transactions with any
officer, director or Affiliate of such Person other than (a) transactions
among Loan Parties, (b) intercompany transactions expressly permitted by
Section 8.02, Section 8.03, Section 8.04,
Section 8.05 or Section 8.06, (c) normal
compensation and reimbursement of expenses of officers and directors,
indemnification of officers and directors in respect of their services as such
which indemnification is either required or permitted under the applicable
corporate law of the applicable Consolidated Party’s jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization, and Investments permitted under
Section 8.02(c), (d) in connection with Permitted Receivables
Financings, (e) to the extent not permitted by clause (b) of this
Section 8.08, other Restricted Payments permitted under
Section 8.06 and (f) except as otherwise specifically limited
in this Agreement, other transactions which are entered into in the ordinary
course of such Person’s business consistent with past practices or on terms and
conditions substantially as favorable to such Person as would be obtainable
by
it in a comparable arms-length transaction with a Person is not an officer,
director or Affiliate.
8.09 Burdensome
Agreements.
(a) Enter
into any Contractual Obligation that encumbers or restricts the ability of
any
such Person to (i) pay dividends or make any other distributions to any
Loan Party on its Capital Stock or with respect to any other interest or
participation in, or measured by, its profits, (ii) pay any Indebtedness or
other obligation owed to any Loan Party, (iii) make loans or advances to
any
98
Loan
Party, (iv) sell, lease or transfer any of its Property to any Loan Party
or (v) except in respect of any Subsidiary which is not a Guarantor,
(A) pledge its Property pursuant to the Loan Documents or any renewals,
refinancings, exchanges, refundings or extension thereof or (B) act as a
Loan Party pursuant to the Loan Documents or any renewals, refinancings,
exchanges, refundings or extension thereof, except (in respect of any of the
matters referred to in clauses (i)-(v)(A) above) for (1) this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (2) the Senior Note Documents,
(3) the Junior Note Documents, (4) any document or instrument
governing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 8.03(e) or
(n), provided that any such restriction contained therein
relates only to the asset or assets constructed or acquired in connection
therewith, (5) any document or instrument governing Indebtedness incurred
pursuant to subsection (g), (h), (k), (l), (m) or (o) of Section
8.03, (6) any document or instrument governing Indebtedness incurred to
renew, refinance, replace or extend any Indebtedness governed by any document
or
instrument otherwise permitted to contain any such Contractual Obligation
pursuant to this Section 8.09, (7) any Permitted Lien or any
document or instrument governing any Permitted Lien, provided that any
such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets subject
to such Permitted Lien; or (8) customary restrictions and conditions
contained in any agreement relating to the sale of any Property permitted under
Section 8.05 pending the consummation of such sale;
(b) Enter
into any Contractual Obligation (other than the documents governing or
evidencing the Obligations, the 1993 Senior Note Indenture and the CBT
Indentures) that requires the grant of a Lien by any Consolidated Party on
any
Collateral to secure obligations arising under such Contractual
Obligation.
8.10 Use
of Proceeds.
Use
the
proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether
immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock
(within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to
others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund
indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.
8.11 Financial
Covenants.
(a) Consolidated
Total Leverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the
end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be greater than the ratio set
forth
below opposite such fiscal quarter:
Fiscal
Quarter Ended
|
Ratio
|
March 31,
2005
|
5.00:1.00
|
June 30,
2005
|
5.00:1.00
|
September 30,
2005
|
5.00:1.00
|
December 31,
2005
|
5.00:1.00
|
March 31,
2006
|
5.00:1.00
|
June 30,
2006
|
5.00:1.00
|
September 30,
2006
|
5.00:1.00
|
December 31,
2006
|
5.00:1.00
|
March 31,
2007
|
4.75:1.00
|
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Fiscal Quarter Ended | Ratio |
June 30,
2007
|
4.75:1.00
|
September
30, 2007
|
4.75:1.00
|
December
31, 2007
|
4.75:1.00
|
March
31, 2008
|
4.75:1.00
|
June 30,
2008
|
4.75:1.00
|
September 30,
2008
|
4.75:1.00
|
December 31,
2008
|
4.75:1.00
|
Each
fiscal quarter ended thereafter
|
4.50:1.00
|
(b) Consolidated
Senior Leverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Senior Leverage Ratio as of
the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be greater than the ratio
set
forth below opposite such fiscal quarter:
Fiscal
Quarter Ended
|
Ratio
|
March 31,
2005
|
2.50:1.00
|
June 30,
2005
|
2.50:1.00
|
September 30,
2005
|
2.50:1.00
|
December 31,
2005
|
2.50:1.00
|
March 31,
2006
|
2.25:1.00
|
June 30,
2006
|
2.25:1.00
|
September 30,
2006
|
2.25:1.00
|
December 31,
2006
|
2.25:1.00
|
Each
fiscal quarter ended thereafter
|
2.00:1.00
|
(c) Consolidated
Interest Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as
of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than the ratio
set
forth below opposite such fiscal quarter:
Fiscal
Quarter Ended
|
Ratio
|
March 31,
2005
|
2.00:1.00
|
June 30,
2005
|
2.00:1.00
|
September 30,
2005
|
2.00:1.00
|
December 31,
2005
|
2.00:1.00
|
March 31,
2006
|
2.25:1.00
|
June 30,
2006
|
2.25:1.00
|
September 30,
2006
|
2.25:1.00
|
December 31,
2006
|
2.25:1.00
|
Each
fiscal quarter ended thereafter
|
2.50:1.00
|
(d) Consolidated
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than 1.20
to 1.00.
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8.12 Prepayment
of Other Indebtedness, Amendment of Documents,
Etc.
Permit
any Consolidated Party to:
(a) if
any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise
immediately after giving effect thereto as a result
thereof, amend or modify any of the terms of any Junior
Note Document or Senior Note Document if such amendment or modification would
add or change any terms in a manner adverse to the Consolidated Parties or
the
Lenders, or shorten the final maturity or average life to maturity thereof
or
require any principal payment to be made sooner than originally scheduled or
increase the interest rate applicable thereto;
(b) make
(or give any notice with respect thereto) any voluntary, optional or other
non-scheduled payment, prepayment, redemption, acquisition for value (including
without limitation, by way of depositing money or securities with the trustee
with respect thereto before due for the purpose of paying when due), refund,
refinance or exchange of the 2005 Senior Notes, the 2005 Junior Notes or the
2003 8⅜% Junior Notes, except for (i) a refinancing of any such
Indebtedness to the extent permitted pursuant to Section 8.03 (in
each case whether or not mandatory), and (ii) so long as no Default or
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would be directly or
indirectly caused as a result thereof, other prepayments, redemptions or
acquisitions of such Indebtedness not otherwise permitted by this
subsection (b); provided that after giving effect to any such
prepayment, on a Pro Forma Basis as of the most recent fiscal quarter end with
respect to which the Administrative Agent has received the Required Financial
Information, (A) the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial
covenants set forth in Section 8.11 and (B) the Consolidated Senior
Secured Leverage Ratio would not exceed 2.00:1.00.
(c) except
as otherwise provided in subsection (b) above, make any payments in respect
of Subordinated Indebtedness in violation of the relevant subordination
provisions; or
(d) enter
to any Contractual Obligation or amend or modify any of the terms of either
CBT
Indenture if the effect of such Contractual Obligation, amendment or
modification would (i) encumber or restrict the ability of CBT to (i) pay
dividends or make any other distributions to the any Loan Party on its Capital
Stock or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured
by,
its profits, (ii) pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to any Loan
Party, (iii) make loans or advances to any Loan Party, or (iv) sell,
lease or transfer any of its Property to any Loan Party.
8.13 Organization
Documents; Fiscal Year.
Permit
any Consolidated Party (other than a Joint Venture) to (a) amend, modify or
change its Organization Documents in a manner materially adverse to the Lenders
or (b) change its fiscal year.
8.14 Ownership
of Subsidiaries.
Notwithstanding
any other provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, permit any Consolidated
Party to (a) permit any Person (other than the Borrower or any Wholly
Owned
101
Subsidiary
of the Borrower) to own any Capital Stock of any Loan Party, CBT, any CBT
Subsidiary, except (i) to qualify directors where required by applicable
law or to satisfy other requirements of applicable law with respect to the
ownership of Capital Stock of Foreign Subsidiaries, and (ii) as a result of
or in connection with an Investment not prohibited under
Section 8.02 or a dissolution, merger, consolidation or Disposition
of all or any portion of the Property or Capital Stock of a Subsidiary not
prohibited by Section 8.02, Section 8.04 or
Section 8.05, (b) permit any Subsidiary (other than any Joint
Venture or any Wholly Owned Subsidiary) to issue or have outstanding any shares
of preferred Capital Stock (other than preferred Capital Stock held by any
Loan
Party, CBT or any CBT Subsidiary or (c) permit, create, incur, assume or
suffer to exist any Lien on any Capital Stock of any Subsidiary of the Borrower,
except for Permitted Liens.
8.15 Negative
Covenants Applicable to Wireless
Holdco.
Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Article VIII, until such time as
Wireless LLC shall have become a Guarantor, permit Wireless Holdco to enter
into or conduct any business, or engage in any activity (including, without
limitation, any action or transaction that is restricted under
Article VIII without regard to any of the enumerated exceptions to
such covenants) other than providing general management services to
Wireless LLC, holding the Capital Stock of Wireless LLC, exercising
the voting rights and obligations as a member of Wireless LLC, holding and
operating the Spectrum Assets, performing any obligations under the Loan
Documents and engaging in other activities incidental and directly related
to
its existence and the foregoing.
8.16 Designated
Senior Indebtedness.
The
Borrower hereby agrees and acknowledges that all Obligations shall be
“Designated Senior Indebtedness” (or any comparable term) for purposes of and as
defined in the 2003 8⅜ Junior Note Indenture and any documents governing any
other Subordinated Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
in
respect of which such term (or comparable term) has relevance.
ARTICLE
IX
EVENTS
OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
9.01 Events
of Default.
Any
of
the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a) Non-Payment.
The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required
to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation,
or
(ii) within three days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan
or on any L/C Obligation, any fee due hereunder or any other amount payable
hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or
102
(b) Specific
Covenants. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or
agreement contained in Section 7.03(a) or Article VIII;
or
(c) Certain
Reporting Covenants. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any term,
covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 7.01,
7.02(a) or 7.02(b) and any such failure continues for 15 days
after (i) a Responsible Officer of the Borrower has knowledge of such
failure or (ii) notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the
Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
or
(d) Other
Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or
agreement (not specified in subsection (a), (b) or (c) above) contained in
any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure
continues for 30 days after (i) a Responsible Officer of the Borrower has
knowledge of such failure or (ii) notice thereof from the Administrative
Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
or
(e) Representations
and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of
fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan
Party
herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection
herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect
when made or deemed made; or
(f) Cross-Default.
(i) Any Loan Party (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by
scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise)
in
respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder
and
Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount
(including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated
credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to
observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such
Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing
or
relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or
other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness
or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent
on
behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause,
with
the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to become due (automatically
or otherwise), prior to its stated maturity; provided that this
clause (i) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a
result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the Property or assets securing
such
Indebtedness or (ii) there occurs (other than on a voluntary basis) under
any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract)
resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to
which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in
such
Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap
Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as
so
defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Borrower
or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount;
or
103
(g) Insolvency
Proceedings, Etc. The Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial
Subsidiary) institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under
any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors;
or
applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian,
conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all
or
any material part of its Property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian,
conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without
the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues
undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any
Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part
of
its Property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues
undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered
in any such proceeding; or
(h) Inability
to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) The Borrower or any Subsidiary (other
than an Immaterial Subsidiary) becomes unable or admits in writing its inability
or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or
warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied
against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is
not
released, vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or levy;
or
(i) Judgments.
There is entered against the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than an
Immaterial Subsidiary) any one or more final judgments or orders for the payment
of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent
not covered by independent third-party insurance), and (i) enforcement
proceedings are lawfully commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order,
or (ii) there is a period of 60 consecutive days during which such judgment
is unpaid and a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending
appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
(j) ERISA.
An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan
which
has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect; or
(k) Invalidity
of Loan Documents; Guarantees. (i) Any material Loan Document, at any
time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly
permitted hereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases
to be
in full force and effect; or any Loan Party contests in any manner the validity
or enforceability of any Loan Document (other than any Issuer Document); or
any
Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under
any
Loan Document (other than any Issuer Document), or purports to revoke, terminate
or rescind any Loan Document (other than any Issuer Document); or
(ii) except as the result of or in connection with a dissolution, merger or
disposition of all or part of the assets or Capital Stock of a Subsidiary not
prohibited by Section 8.04 or Section 8.05, the Guaranty
given by any Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) hereunder or
any
provision thereof shall cease to be in full force and effect, or any Guarantor
hereunder or any Person acting by or on behalf of such Guarantor shall deny
or
disaffirm such Guarantor’s obligations under its Guaranty, or any Subsidiary
(other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) shall default in the due
104
performance
or observance of any term, covenant or agreement on its part to be performed
or
observed pursuant to its Guaranty; or
(l) Change
of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.
9.02 Remedies
Upon Event of Default.
If
any
Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall,
at
the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any
or
all of the following actions:
(a) declare
the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of all L/C
Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such
commitments and obligation shall be terminated;
(b) declare
the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued
and
unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any
other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment,
demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly
waived by the Borrower;
(c) require
that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal
to
the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and
(d) exercise
on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it
and
the Lenders under the Loan Documents;
provided,
however, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in
Section 9.01(g) with respect to the Borrower, the obligation of each
Lender to make Loans and any obligation of all L/C Issuers to make L/C Credit
Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all
outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall
automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to
Cash
Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become
effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or
any
Lender.
9.03 Application
of Funds.
After
the
acceleration of the Obligations as provided for in Section 9.02(b)
(or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and
the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized
as set forth in the proviso to Section 9.02), any amounts received
on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent
in
the following order:
First,
to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities,
expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel
to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III)
payable to the Administrative
105
Agent
and
the Collateral Agent, each in its capacity as such, ratably among them in
proportion to the amounts described in this clause First payable to
them;
Second,
to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities
and
other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable
to the Lenders (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the
respective Lenders and the respective L/C Issuers and amounts payable under
Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective
amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
Third,
to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid
Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other
Obligations, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuers in proportion to
the
respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to
them;
Fourth,
to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal
of
the Loans, L/C Borrowings, obligations under Swap Contracts between any Loan
Party and any Lender of Affiliate of any Lender, obligations under an Treasury
Management Agreement between any Loan Party and any Lender of Affiliate of
any
Lender and to Cash Collateralize the undrawn amounts of Letters of Credit,
ratably among such parties in proportion to the respective amounts described
in
this clause Fourth held by them;
Last,
the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid
in
full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
Subject
to Section 2.03(c), amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate
undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth above shall
be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur.
If
any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit
have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied
to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above. If at any time
after any Obligation shall have been Cash Collateralized no Event of Default
shall be continuing, the Administrative Agent shall promptly return to the
Borrower all the Cash Collateral.
ARTICLE
X
ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT
10.01 Appointment
and Authority.
(a) Each
of the Lenders and each L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America
to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other
Loan Documents 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 or thereof, together with such actions and powers
as
are reasonably incidental thereto. Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably
appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Collateral Agent hereunder
and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Collateral Agent to take
such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to
the
Collateral Agent by the
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terms
hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably
incidental thereto. The Lenders and the Agents agree that the Collateral Agent
shall be entitled to all of the benefits and privileges of this Article
X to the same extent as the Administrative Agent. The provisions of
this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the
Collateral Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers, and neither the Borrower
nor
any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any
of
such provisions.
10.02 Rights
as a Lender.
The
Person 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 the term “Lender” or
“Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context
otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent
hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept
deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other
advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the
Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were
not
the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor
to
the Lenders.
10.03 Exculpatory
Provisions.
The
Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those
expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting
the
generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:
(a) shall
not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether
a
Default has occurred and is continuing;
(b) shall
not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary
powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby
or
by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to
exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number
or
percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the
other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not
be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its
counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary
to
any Loan Document or applicable law; and
(c) shall
not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents,
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 Affiliates that is
communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent
or
any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
The
Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken
by it
(i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such
other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the
Administrative Agent shall
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believe
in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in
Sections 11.01 and 9.02) or (ii) 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 notice describing
such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender
or
an L/C Issuer.
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 or any other Loan Document, (ii) the
contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or
thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or
observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions
set
forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the
validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any
other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or
(v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article V or
elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required
to
be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
10.04 Reliance
by 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 (including any electronic
message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed
by
it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated 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 have been made by the proper
Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining
compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance
of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction
of a Lender or the applicable L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume
that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the applicable L/C Issuer
unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary
from
such Lender or the applicable L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or
the
issuance of such Letter of Credit. 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.
10.05 Delegation
of Duties.
The
Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its
rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document 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 of its duties and exercise
its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The
exculpatory provisions of this Article 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.
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10.06 Resignation
of Administrative Agent.
The
Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the
Lenders, the L/C Issuers and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice
of
resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with
the
Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the
United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United
States. If no such 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 L/C Issuers, appoint
a
successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above;
provided that if the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and
the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such
resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice
and (1) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its
duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except
that
in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on
behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuers under any of the Loan Documents, the
retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security
until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and
(2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by,
to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each
Lender and each L/C Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders
appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section.
Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent
hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the
rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired)
Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged
from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan
Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this
Section). 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 retiring Administrative
Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions
of this Article and Section 10.04 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 the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as
Administrative Agent.
Any
resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section
shall also constitute its resignation as an L/C Issuer. Upon the acceptance
of a
successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (a) such
successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers,
privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer, (b) the retiring L/C
Issuer shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations
hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor L/C
Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit,
if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements
satisfactory to the retiring L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations
of
the retiring L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.
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10.07 Non-Reliance
on Administrative Agent and Other
Lenders.
Each
Lender and each L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without
reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their
Related Parties 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 and each L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will,
independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other
Lender or any of their Related Parties 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 other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished
hereunder or thereunder.
10.08 No
Other Duties, Etc..
Anything
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Book Managers, Arrangers
or
agents listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or
responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except
in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or an
L/C
Issuer hereunder.
10.09 Administrative
Agent May File Proofs of Claim.
In
case
of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial
proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective
of
whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and
payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective
of
whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower)
shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or
otherwise
(a) to
file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing
and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations
that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary
or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuers and
the
Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation,
expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuers and the
Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other
amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuers and the Administrative Agent under
Section 2.03(i) and (j), Section 2.08 and
Section 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(b) to
collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on
any
such claims and to distribute the same;
and
any
custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other
similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each
Lender and each L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent
and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making
of
such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer(s), to pay to the
Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation,
expenses,
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disbursements
and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any
other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.08 and
11.04.
Nothing
contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to
authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or any L/C
Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition
affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the
Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such
proceeding.
10.10 Collateral
and Guaranty Matters.
The
Lenders and the L/C Issuers irrevocably authorize and direct each of the
Administrative Agent and/or Collateral Agent, as applicable:
(a) to
release (i) any Lien on any Property granted to or held by the Collateral
Agent under any Loan Document (A) upon termination of the Aggregate
Revolving Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations outstanding under
the Loan Documents (other than contingent indemnification obligations) and
the
expiration, termination or Cash Collateralization of all Letters of Credit,
(B) that is transferred or to be transferred as part of or in connection
with any Disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document or
(C) subject to Section 11.01, if approved, authorized or
ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, (ii) any Lien on the Capital
Stock of any Subsidiary that becomes a Non-Pledged Subsidiary at any time after
the Closing Date as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder and
(iii) any Lien on the Property or Capital Stock of Wireless LLC
contemplated by Section 7.12(c), upon the consummation of a Wireless
Disposition;
(b) to
subordinate any Lien on any Property granted to or held by the Collateral Agent
under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such Property that is
permitted by Section 8.01(i); and
(c) to
release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty (i) if such
Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted
hereunder or (ii) if such Person (including, without limitation,
Wireless LLC, as contemplated by Section 7.12(c)) becomes an
Excluded Subsidiary at any time after the Closing Date as a result of a
transaction permitted hereunder.
In
connection with any termination or release pursuant to this
Section 10.10, the Administrative Agent and/or the Collateral Agent
shall promptly execute and deliver to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, at the
Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s expense, all documents that the Borrower or such
Subsidiary shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release.
Effective immediately upon any Loan Party ceasing to be a Subsidiary or ceasing
to be a Guarantor, such Loan Party shall cease to be a party to this Agreement.
Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders
will
confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s and/or Collateral Agent’s, as
applicable, authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular
types
or items of Property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under
the
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Guaranty
pursuant to this Section 10.10; provided that the
failure to obtain such confirmation shall not derogate from the rights of the
Borrower and the Subsidiaries under this Section 10.10.
ARTICLE
XI
MISCELLANEOUS
11.01 Amendments,
Etc.
(a) General.
No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan
Party therefrom, shall be effective, except, in the case of this Agreement,
pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower,
each Loan Party upon which such agreement will place additional obligation
or
from the rights of which such agreement will derogate and the and the Required
Lenders or, in the case of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement
or
agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan
Parties or other Subsidiaries that are parties thereto, in each case with the
consent of the Required Lenders, and each such waiver or consent shall be
effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which
given; provided, however, that:
(i) no
such amendment, waiver or consent shall, without the written consent of each
Lender affected thereby:
(A) extend
or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated
pursuant to Section 9.02) (it being understood and agreed that a
waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 5.02 or of
any Default or Event of Default or mandatory reduction in the Commitments shall
not constitute a change in the terms of any Commitment of any
Lender);
(B) postpone
any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment
(excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts
due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan
Document;
(C) reduce
or forgive the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any
Loan or L/C Borrowing, or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under
any other Loan Document; provided, however, that only the consent
of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default
Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of
Credit Fees at the Default Rate;
(D) change
Section 2.13 or Section 9.03 in a manner that would
alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby;
(E) except
as contemplated by paragraph (b) below, change the definition of “Required
Lenders,” any provision of this Section 11.01(a)(i) or
any
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other
provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to
amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination
or grant any consent hereunder;
(F) (i) except
as the result of or in connection with a Disposition not prohibited by
Section 8.05, release all or substantially all of the Collateral and
(ii) except as otherwise provided in Section 10.10, release all
or substantially all of the Guarantors; or
(G) release
the Borrower from its obligations under the Loan Documents.
(ii) (A) no
Default or Event of Default existing at the time of any proposed Credit
Extension under the Revolving Commitments may be waived for the purposes of
satisfying the condition precedent set forth in Section 5.02(b) in
respect of such proposed Credit Extension without the consent at such time
of
Lenders holding in the aggregate at least a majority of the Revolving
Commitments; and (B) without the consent of each Lender holding a Revolving
Commitment or any outstanding Revolving Loans or participations (whether funded
or not) in L/C Obligations (and/or participations therein), no amendment, waiver
or consent relating to this Section 11.01(a)(ii) shall be
effective;
(iii) without
the consent of Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders) holding in the aggregate
at least a majority of the outstanding Tranche B Term Loan (and/or
participation therein), amend, change, waive, discharge or terminate
Section 2.05(b)(iv) so as to alter the manner of application of
proceeds of any mandatory prepayment required by Section 2.05(b)(ii)
or (iii) hereof;
(iv) (A) no
amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by each
affected L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights
or duties of an L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating
to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; and (B) no amendment,
waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swingline Lender
in
addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the
Swingline Lender under this Agreement
(v) no
amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the
Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the
rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other
Loan Document;
(vi) no
amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the
Collateral Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights
or
duties of the Collateral Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document;
(vii) the
Fee Letters may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in each
case in a writing executed only by the parties thereto; and
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(viii) no
amendment, waiver or consent shall, without the written consent of each Lender
affected thereby, impose any greater restriction on the ability of any Lender
to
assign any of its rights or obligations hereunder.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, (A) any provision of this Agreement may be amended by an
agreement in writing entered into by the Borrower, the Required Lenders and
the
Administrative Agent (and, if their rights or obligations are affected thereby,
the L/C Issuers and the Swingline Lender) if (i) by the terms of such agreement
the Commitment of each Lender not consenting to the amendment provided for
therein shall terminate upon the effectiveness of such amendment and (ii) at
the
time such amendment becomes effective, each Lender not consenting thereto
receives payment in full of the principal of and interest accrued on each Loan
made by it and all other amounts owing to it or accrued for its account under
this Agreement, and (B) any waiver, amendment or modification of this Agreement
that by its terms affects the rights or duties under this Agreement of the
Lenders under one or more tranches but not under any other tranche may be
effected by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower
and the requisite percentage in interest of the affected tranche or tranches
of
Lenders that would be required to consent thereto under this Section
11.01 if such tranche or tranches of Lenders were the only tranche or
tranches of Lenders hereunder at the time.
(b) Incremental
Facilities.
(i) For
the avoidance of doubt and notwithstanding any provision to the contrary set
forth in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, this Agreement may be
amended (or amended and restated) at any time and from time to time to increase
the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or to establish one or more additional
separate tranches of term loans (each such increase to the Revolving Commitments
and/or establishment of a new tranche term loans being referred to herein as
an
“Incremental Facility,” and all of such increases and establishments
being referred to collectively as the “Incremental Facilities”) to be
made to the Borrower by an agreement in writing entered into by the Borrower,
the Administrative Agent and each Person (including any Lender) that shall
agree
to provide any such increase to the Revolving Commitments or such separate
tranches of term loans (but without the consent of any other Lender), and each
such Person that shall not already be a Lender shall, at the time such agreement
becomes effective, become a Lender with the same effect as if it had originally
been a Lender under this Agreement with the Revolving Commitment and/or term
loan set forth in such agreement; provided, however, that:
(A) without the consent of the Required Lenders, the aggregate principal
amount of increases in the Revolving Commitments and/or separate term loans
effected pursuant to this Section 11.01(b) shall not exceed
$500,000,000; (B) no Default or Event of Default shall
exist at the time of the amendment giving effect to any such increase in the
Revolving Commitments and/or the making of a separate term loan, as applicable,
becomes effective; and (C) no Lender shall be obligated to participate in
any such increase by increasing its own commitment hereunder unless such Lender
elects to do so in its sole discretion at the time of such increase. The terms
applicable to any additional Revolving Commitments or term loans shall be the
same as those applicable to the initial Revolving Commitments (after giving
effect to any amendment in connection with the establishment of such
additional
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Revolving
Commitments or term loans), except in respect of pricing, amortization and
maturity; provided, however, that (A) each such Incremental
Facility structured as a separate term loan tranche may be provided the right
to
ratable (with the Tranche B Term Loan and each other Incremental Facility
structured as a separate term loan tranche) prepayment in connection with any
voluntary or mandatory prepayment, (B) no more than 20% of the initial
principal amount of any Incremental Facility structured as a separate term
loan
tranche shall amortize (pursuant to schedule amortization) prior to the Maturity
Date of the Tranche B Term Loan, and (C) the final maturity date of any
Incremental Facility structured as a separate term loan tranche shall not occur
prior to the Maturity Date of the Tranche B Term Loan or the final maturity
date
of any other then existing Incremental Facility structured as a separate term
loan tranche.
(ii) Any
such amendment (or amendment and restatement) effected pursuant to
Section 11.01(b)(i) shall amend the provisions of this Agreement and
the other Loan Documents to set forth the terms of each Incremental Facility
established thereby (including the amount and the final maturity thereof, any
provisions relating to the amortization or mandatory prepayment thereof, the
interest to accrue and be payable thereon and any fees to be payable in respect
thereof (in each case subject to any applicable restrictions set forth in
subsection (i) of this Section 11.01(b)) and to effect such
other changes (including changes to the provisions of
Section 11.01(a), Section 2.05 and the definition of
“Required Lenders”) as the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall deem
necessary or advisable in connection with the establishment of any such
Incremental Facility; provided, however, that no such agreement
shall: (A) effect any change described in any of clauses (A), (B),
(C), (F) and (G) of Section 11.01(a) without the consent of each
Person required to consent to such change under such clause (it being agreed,
however, that any increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or
establishment of any Incremental Facility consisting of a separate tranche
of
term loans will not, of itself, be deemed to effect any of the changes described
in clauses (A), (B), (C), (F) and (G) of Section 11.01(a)(i),
and that modifications to Section 2.12, Section 9.03 or the
definition of “Required Lenders” or other provisions relating to voting
provisions to provide the Persons providing the applicable Incremental Facility
with the benefit of such provisions will not, by themselves, be deemed to effect
any of the changes described in clauses (D) and (E) of
Section 11.01(a)(i)), or (B) amend Article VII,
VIII or IX in any manner that by its terms benefits one
or more
tranches, but not all tranches, of Loans or Commitments without the prior
written consent of Lenders holding a majority in interest of the Revolving
Commitments then existing, if the Lenders holding Revolving Commitments are
not
so benefited, and of Lenders holding a majority in interest of each separate
tranche of term loans then existing and not so benefited, (it being agreed
that
no provision requiring the Borrower to prepay term loans of one or more
Incremental Facilities with the proceeds of Dispositions, Involuntary
Dispositions, Debt Issuances, Equity Issuances or with the proceeds of excess
cash flow will be deemed to violate this clause). The loans, commitments and
borrowings of any Incremental Facility established pursuant to this
Section 11.01(b) shall constitute Loans, Commitments and Borrowings
under, and shall be entitled to all the benefits afforded by, this Agreement
and
the other Loan Documents, and shall, without limiting the foregoing, benefit
equally and ratably from the Guaranty set forth in Article IV
hereunder and the security interests
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and
Liens
created by the Collateral Documents, and the Borrower shall take any actions
reasonably required by the Administrative Agent to ensure and/or demonstrate
that the requirements of this sentence are satisfied after the establishment
of
any such Incremental Facility.
(c) Voting
Rights of Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove
any
amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except that the Commitment of such
Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such
Lender.
(d) Voting
Rights of Lenders During Bankruptcy Proceedings. Notwithstanding the fact
that the consent of all the Lenders is required in certain circumstances as
set
forth above, (x) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on
any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender
acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code
supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein and (y) the
Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow a Loan Party to use
cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and
such
determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders.
11.02 Notices.
Effectiveness of Electronic
Communications.
(a) Notices
Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly
permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in
subsection (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 telecopier as
follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder
to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number,
as
follows:
(i) if
to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or Bank of
America, in its capacity as an L/C Issuer, to the address, telecopier number,
electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on
Schedule 11.02; and
(ii) if
to any other Lender or L/C Issuer, to the address, telecopier number, electronic
mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative
Questionnaire.
Notices
sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered
mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by
telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not
given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have
been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the
recipient). Notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent
provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such
subsection (b).
(b) Electronic
Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C
Issuers hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication
(including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures
approved by the
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Administrative
Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any
Lender or any L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or
such L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that
it is
incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.
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.
Unless
the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other
communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the
sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by
the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other
written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other
communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient,
such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening
of
business on the next business day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or
communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed
received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address
as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice
or communication is available and identifying the website address
therefor.
(c) The
Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT
PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE
BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM
LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY
OF
ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD
PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY
AGENT
PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event
shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively,
the
“Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C
Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses
of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the
Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials
through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction
by a
final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence
or
willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in
no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender,
the L/C Issuer or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental,
consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual
damages).
(d) Change
of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the
Collateral Agent, the Swingline Lender and each L/C Issuer may change its
address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications
hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change
its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications
hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral
Agent, the Swingline Lender and each L/C Issuer. In addition, each Lender agrees
to
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notify
the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative
Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone
number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and
other
communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such
Lender.
(e) Reliance
by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders. The Administrative Agent,
the Collateral Agent, each L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to
rely
and act upon any notices (including telephonic Committed Loan Notices and
Swingline Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even
if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were
incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice
specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the
recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify
the Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties
of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting
from
the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf
of
the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications
with
the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each
of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.
11.03 No
Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.
No
failure by any Lender, any L/C Issuer, the Collateral Agent or the
Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising,
any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver
thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power
or
privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the
exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies,
powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any
rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.
11.04 Expenses;
Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a) Costs
and Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and their
Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel
for the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent), in connection with the
syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation,
negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the
other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the
provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses incurred by each L/C Issuer 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 Collateral Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer
(including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the
Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent any Lender or any L/C
Issuer), in connection with the enforcement or protection of
its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan
Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection
with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder,
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including
all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring
or
negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.
(b) Indemnification
by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and
any sub-agent thereof), Collateral Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each
Lender and each L/C Issuer, 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 any Indemnitee or
asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by the Borrower or any
other Loan Party arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of
(i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or
any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance
by
the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder
or
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in
the
case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related
Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Parties,
(ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the
proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by any L/C Issuer 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, whether brought by a third
party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, 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 (x) 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 its Related Parties
or
(y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower or any other Loan Party
against an Indemnitee for breach of contract, if the Borrower or such Loan
Party
has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim
as
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(c) Reimbursement
by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to
indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this
Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof),
the Collateral Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), each L/C Issuer or any Related
Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the
Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Collateral Agent (or any
such
sub-agent), each L/C Issuer or such Related Party, 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 (or any such sub-agent), the
Collateral Agent (or any such sub-agent) or the applicable L/C Issuer in its
capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting
for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Collateral Agent
(or
any such sub-agent) or the applicable L/C Issuer in connection with
such
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capacity.
The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the
provisions of Section 2.12(d).
(d) Waiver
of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest 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, any other Loan Document
or
any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds
thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable
for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information
or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic
or
other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or
the
other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby.
(e) Payments.
All amounts due under this Section 11.04 shall be payable not later than
ten Business Days after demand therefor.
(f) Survival.
The agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of the
Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and any L/C Issuer, the replacement
of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the
repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.
11.05 Payments
Set Aside.
To
the
extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the
Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any L/C Issuer or any Lender, or
the
Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any L/C Issuer or any Lender
exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff
or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent
or
preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement
entered into by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, such L/C Issuer
or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any
other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law
or
otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part
thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued
in
full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had
not occurred, and (b) each Lender and each L/C Issuer severally agrees to
pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without
duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative
Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such
payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time
to
time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuers under
clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of
the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
11.06 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,
except that
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neither
the Borrower nor any other Loan Party may assign or otherwise transfer any
of
its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the
Administrative Agent and each Lender, and no Lender may assign or otherwise
transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an
Eligible Assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of
this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the
provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of
pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of
subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or
transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). 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,
Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and,
to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of
the
Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Lenders) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) Assignments
by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible
Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement
(including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for
purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations and in
Swingline Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that
(i) except
in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning
Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an
assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, the
aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans
outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitments are not then in effect, the
outstanding principal balance of the 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 or,
if
“Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade
Date, shall not be less than (A) in the case of a Revolving Commitment and/or
Revolving Loans, $5,000,000 and (B) in the case of the Tranche B Term Loan,
$1,000,000, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event
of
Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each
such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided,
however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group
and
concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible
Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will
be
treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum
amount has been met;
(ii) 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 with respect
to the Loans or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall
not apply to rights in respect of the Swingline Loans;
(iii) any
assignment of a Revolving Commitment must be approved by the Administrative
Agent, the Swingline Lender and each L/C Issuer unless the Person that is the
proposed assignee is itself a Lender (whether or not the proposed assignee
would
otherwise qualify as an Eligible Assignee); and
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(iv) the
parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative
Agent
an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee
in
the amount, if any, required as set forth in Schedule 11.06, and the
Eligible Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the
Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
Subject
to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to
subsection (c) of this Section 11.06, from and after the effective
date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the Eligible Assignee
thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement 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 3.01, 3.04,
3.05, and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring
prior to the effective date of such assignment). Upon request, the Borrower
(at
its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any
assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement
that does not comply with this subsection 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 subsection (d) of this Section.
(c) Register.
The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the
Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office 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 Commitments of, and principal
amounts of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to
the
terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the
Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and
the
Lenders may 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 each of the Borrower and the L/C Issuers at any reasonable time
and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. In addition, at any time
that a request for a consent for a material or other substantive change to
the
Loan Documents is pending, any Lender may request and receive from the
Administrative Agent a copy of the Register.
(d) Participations.
Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower
or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than
a
natural person or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or
Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such
Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a
portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s
participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swingline 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
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Borrower,
the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers shall continue to
deal
solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and
obligations under this Agreement.
Any
agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation
shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this
Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision
of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide
that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to
any
amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to
Section 11.01 that affects such Participant. Subject to
subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant
shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and
3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender
and had
acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this
Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled
to the benefits of Section 11.08 as though it were a
Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to
Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender.
(e) Limitation
on Participation Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any
greater payment under Section 3.01 or 3.04 than
the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the
participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation
to
such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A
Participant that would be a Foreign Lender or a Lender not otherwise exempt
from
backup withholding and information reporting if it were a Lender shall not
be
entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01 unless the Borrower is
notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant
agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 3.01(e)
as though it were a Lender.
(f) Certain
Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in
all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its
Note,
if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment
to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such
pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations
hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party
hereto.
(g) Electronic
Execution of Assignments. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and
words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption shall be deemed to include
electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of
which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a
manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system,
as
the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law,
including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce
Act,
the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar
state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
(h) Resignation
Swingline Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, if at any time PNC assigns all of its Commitment and Loans
pursuant to subsection (b) above, PNC may, upon 30 days’ notice to the
Borrower and the Lenders, resign as Swingline Lender. In the event of any such
resignation as Swingline Lender, the Borrower
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shall
be
entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor Swingline Lender
hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to
appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of PNC as Swingline
Lender. If PNC resigns as Swingline Lender, it shall retain all the rights
of
the Swingline Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swingline Loans
made
by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including
the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Committed Loans or fund
risk
participations in outstanding Swingline Loans pursuant to
Section 2.04(c)). Upon the appointment of a successor Swingline
Lender, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the
rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Swingline
Lender.
(i) Resignation
as an L/C Issuer after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, if at any time Bank of America, PNC or any other Lender that
is also acting as an L/C Issuer hereunder assigns all of its Commitment and
Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America, PNC or such Lender
may, upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as an L/C
Issuer. In the event of any such resignation as an L/C Issuer, the Borrower
shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer
hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to
appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America,
PNC
or such Lender as an L/C Issuer. If Bank of America, PNC or such other Lender
resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges
and
duties of an L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit
outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as an L/C Issuer and
all
L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders
to make Base Rate Committed Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed
Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)). Upon the appointment of a
successor L/C Issuer, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested
with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C
Issuer, and (b) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in
substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of
such
succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America, PNC
or
such Lender to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America, PNC or
such applicable Lender with respect to such Letters of Credit.
11.07 Treatment
of Certain Information;
Confidentiality.
Each
of
the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and each L/C Issuer agrees to maintain
the
confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information
may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’
respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors, auditors
and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such
disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such
Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to
the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction
over it (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 hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of
any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or
proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the
enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (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,
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(ii)
any
pledgee referred to in Section 11.06(f) or (iii) any actual or
prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction
relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the
Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly
available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 11.07 or
(y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any L/C
Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from
a
source other than the Borrower.
For
purposes of this Section 11.07, “Information” means all
information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the
Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than
any
such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender
or
any L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower
or
any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from
the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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.
Each
of
the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and each L/C Issuer acknowledges that
(a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning
the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed
compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information
and
(c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with
applicable Law, including Federal and state securities Laws.
11.08 Set-off.
If
an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, each L/C
Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any
time
and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the
Administrative Agent, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to
set
off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand,
provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other
obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, such L/C
Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower
or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower
or such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other
Loan Document to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, irrespective of whether or
not
such Lender or such L/C Issuer shall have made any demand under this Agreement
or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or
such
Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office
of
such Lender or such L/C Issuer different from the branch or office holding
such
deposit or obligated on such indebtedness. The rights of each Lender, each
L/C
Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to
other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender,
such L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and each
L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly
after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give
such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and
application.
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11.09 Interest
Rate Limitation.
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid
or
agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate
of
non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”).
If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount
that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the
principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to
the
Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or
received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate,
such
Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any
payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than
interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and
(c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the
total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations
hereunder.
11.10 Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness.
This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto
in
different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all
of
which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement
and
the other Loan Documents 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 5.01, 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 that,
when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.
Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by
telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart
of
this Agreement.
11.11 Survival
of Representations and Warranties.
All
representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document
or
other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith
or
therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such
representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the
Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made
by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding
that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge
of
any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full
force and effect until such time as the Obligations under the Loan Documents
have been Fully Satisfied.
11.12 Severability.
If
any
provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal,
invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of
the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall
not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in
good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable
provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close
as
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possible
to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity
of a
provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render
unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
11.13 Replacement
of Lenders.
If
(i) any Lender requests
compensation under Section 3.04, (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 3.01, (iii) any Lender
delivers a notice pursuant to Section 3.02 with respect to
circumstances that do not affect the other Lenders hereunder, (iv) a Lender
does
not consent to a proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination with respect
to any Loan Document that requires unanimous consent of all Lenders and that
has
been approved by the Required Lenders as provided in Section 11.01,
or (v) any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, 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,
and
consents required by, Section 11.06), all of its interests, rights
and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents 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 paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee
specified in Section 11.06(b);
(b) such
Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding
principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued
fees
and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents
(including any amounts under Section 3.05) 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);
(c) in
the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under
Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to
Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such
compensation or payments thereafter; and
(d) such
assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and
(e) in
the case of any such assignment resulting from a Lender’s failure to consent to
a proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination with respect to any Loan
Document, the applicable amendment, modification and/or waiver of this Agreement
that the Borrower has requested shall become effective upon giving effect to
such assignment (and any related assignments required to be effected in
connection therewith in accordance with this
Section 11.06).
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A
Lender
shall not be required to make any such assignment or 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.
11.14 Governing
Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.
(a) GOVERNING
LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH,
THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
(b) SUBMISSION
TO JURISDICTION. THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND
UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE
JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS 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 ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR
RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO
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 COURT
OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE 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 OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR ANY L/C ISSUER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING
ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT
AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY OR ITS
PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
(c) WAIVER
OF VENUE. THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND
UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW,
ANY
OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION
OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN
DOCUMENT 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
APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF
SUCH
ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.
(d) SERVICE
OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN
THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02. NOTHING IN THIS
AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY
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PARTY
HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE
LAW.
11.15 Waiver
of Jury Trial.
EACH
PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY 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 ANY
OTHER
LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED
ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES
THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED,
EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON 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
AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND
CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
11.16 Term
of Agreement.
The
term
of this Agreement shall be until the Obligations under the Loan
Documents have been Fully Satisfied.
11.17 USA
PATRIOT Act Notice.
Each
Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the
Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby
notifies each Loan Party that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot
Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001))
(the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that
identifies such Loan Party, which information includes the name and address
of
such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the
Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify such Loan Party in accordance
with the Act.
11.18 Subordination
of Intercompany Debt.
Each
Loan
Party agrees that all intercompany Indebtedness among Loan Parties (the
“Intercompany Debt”) is subordinated in right of payment, to the prior
payment in full of all Obligations. Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, provided that no Event of Default has occurred and
is
continuing, Loan Parties may make and receive payments with respect to the
Intercompany Debt to the extent otherwise permitted by this Agreement; provided,
that in the event of and during the continuation of any Event of Default, under
Section 9.01(a) or in the event the maturity of the Loans is accelerated
under Section 9.02, no payment shall be made by or on behalf of any Loan
Party on account of any Intercompany Debt after the Administrative Agent shall
have delivered a written notice to the Borrower to such effect. In the event
that any Loan Party receives any payment of any Intercompany Debt at a time
when
such payment is prohibited by this Section 11.18, such payment shall
be held by such Loan Party, in
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trust
for
the benefit of, and shall be paid forthwith over and delivered, upon written
request, to, the Administrative Agent.
11.19 Matters
Related to Existing Indentures.
The
Lenders hereby ratify and approve the amendments set forth in (i) the fourth
supplemental indenture dated as of January 31, 2005, to the 2003 16% Junior
Note
Indenture; (ii) the amendment to the purchase agreement dated as of January
31,
2005, to the 2003 16% Junior Note Purchase Agreement; and (iii) the first
supplemental indenture dated as of January 28, 2005, to the 2003 Senior Note
Indenture.
11.20 Permitted
Receivables Financings.
(a) Each
Lender, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent agrees that, prior
to
the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all the
obligations in respect of the Attributed Principal Amount in respect of any
Permitted Receivables Financing, (i) it shall not be entitled, whether
before or after the occurrence of any Event of Default, to (A) institute
against, or join any other Person in instituting against, any Receivables
Financing SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or
liquidation proceeding under the laws of the United States or any State thereof,
(B) transfer and register the Capital Stock of any Receivables Financing
SPC or any other instrument evidencing any Investment in any Receivables
Financing SPC in its name or the name of any of its designees or nominees,
(C) foreclose such security interest in the Capital Stock of any
Receivables Financing SPC regardless of the bankruptcy or insolvency of any
Loan
Party, (D) exercise any voting rights granted or appurtenant to such
Capital Stock of any Receivables Financing SPC or any other instrument
evidencing any Investment therein or (E) enforce any right that the holder
of any such Capital Stock of any Receivables Financing SPC or any other
instrument evidencing any Investment therein might otherwise have to liquidate,
consolidate, combine, collapse or disregard the entity status of such
Receivables Financing SPC and (ii) it hereby waives and releases any right
to require (A) that any Receivables Financing SPC be in any manner merged,
combined, collapsed or consolidated with or into any Loan Party, including
by
way of substantive consolidation in a bankruptcy case or (B) that the
status of any Receivables Financing SPC as a separate entity be in any respect
disregarded; provided, however, that the provisions of this
Section 11.20 shall cease to be of any force or effect when the
Obligations have been paid in full and the Revolving Commitments have been
terminated or expired; and provided further, that the provisions hereof will
not
apply to a Lender, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent in its
capacity as a holder of any Indebtedness or other asset included in the
Attributed Principal Amount or its ability to exercise any rights thereunder.
Each Lender, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent agree and
acknowledge that each Receivables Financier is an express third party
beneficiary with respect to this Section 11.20 (and only this
Section 11.20) and such agent shall have the right to enforce
compliance by the parties hereto with this
Section 11.20.
(b) Upon
the transfer or purported transfer by the Borrower or any Consolidated Party
of
Transferred Assets to a Receivables Financing SPC in a Permitted Receivables
Financing, the Liens with respect to such Transferred Assets under the Security
Documents shall automatically
130
be
released (and each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, as
applicable, is hereby authorized to execute and enter into any such releases
and
other documents as the Borrower may reasonably request in order to give effect
thereto).
(c) Each
Lender hereby authorizes and directs each of the Administrative Agent and the
Collateral Agent, as applicable, in connection with any Permitted Receivables
Financing, upon the request and at the expense of the Borrower, to enter into
an
intercreditor agreement with the applicable Receivables Financier to facilitate
the establishment of such Permitted Receivables Financing and to effect the
purposes of the provisions of this Agreement relating to Permitted Receivables
Financings.