CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of July 27, 2006 among WAUSAU PAPER CORP., as the Borrower, Certain Subsidiaries of the Borrower from time to time party hereto, as Guarantors, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C...
Exhibit 99.1
Dated as of July 27, 2006
among
as the Borrower,
Certain Subsidiaries of the Borrower from time to time party hereto,
as Guarantors,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender
and
an L/C Issuer,
and
The Other Lenders Party Hereto
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,
as
Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section
Page
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
2
1.01
2
1.02
Other Interpretive Provisions.
22
1.03
23
1.04
Rounding.
23
1.05
24
1.06
Letter of Credit Amounts.
24
ARTICLE II THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
24
2.01
Committed Loans.
24
2.02
Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans.
24
2.03
Bid Loans.
26
2.04
Letters of Credit.
29
2.05
Swing Line Loans.
38
2.06
Prepayments.
41
2.07
Termination or Reduction of Commitments.
41
2.08
Repayment of Loans.
42
2.09
Interest.
42
2.10
Fees.
43
2.11
Computation of Interest and Fees.
44
2.12
Evidence of Debt.
44
2.13
Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.
45
2.14
Sharing of Payments by Lenders.
46
2.15
Increase in Commitments.
47
ARTICLE III TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
48
3.01
Taxes.
48
3.02
Illegality.
50
3.03
51
3.04
Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.
51
3.05
53
3.06
Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
53
3.07
Survival.
54
ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO Credit Extensions
54
4.01
Conditions of Initial Credit Extension.
54
4.02
Conditions to all Credit Extensions.
56
ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
56
5.01
Organization; Power; Qualification.
57
5.02
Ownership.
57
5.03
Authorization of Agreement, Loan Documents and Borrowing.
57
5.04
Compliance of Agreement, Loan Documents and Borrowing with Laws, Etc.
57
5.05
Compliance with Law; Governmental Approvals.
58
5.06
Tax Returns and Payments.
58
5.07
Intellectual Property Matters.
58
i
5.08
Environmental Matters.
59
5.09
ERISA.
60
5.10
Margin Stock.
61
5.11
Government Regulation.
61
5.12
Burdensome Provisions.
61
5.13
Financial Statements; Financial Condition; Etc.
61
5.14
No Material Adverse Change.
62
5.15
Liens.
62
5.16
Indebtedness and Guarantees.
62
5.17
Litigation.
62
5.18
Absence of Defaults.
63
5.19
Absence of Bankruptcy Events.
63
5.20
Accuracy and Completeness of Information.
63
5.21
Property.
63
5.22
Labor Practices.
63
5.23
SEC Reports.
64
ARTICLE VI FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND NOTICES
64
6.01
Financial Statements, Etc.
64
6.02
Compliance Certificate.
67
6.03
67
6.04
67
6.05
Notice of Litigation and Other Matters.
67
6.06
Accuracy of Information.
68
ARTICLE VII AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
69
7.01
Preservation of Corporate Existence and Related Matters.
69
7.02
Maintenance of Property.
69
7.03
Insurance.
69
7.04
Accounting Methods and Financial Records.
69
7.05
Payment and Performance of Obligations.
70
7.06
Compliance With Laws and Approvals.
70
7.07
Environmental Laws.
70
7.08
Compliance with ERISA.
71
7.09
Conduct of Business.
71
7.10
Visits and Inspections.
71
7.11
Use of Proceeds.
71
7.12
Additional Loan Parties.
71
ARTICLE VIII NEGATIVE COVENANTS
72
8.01
Financial Covenants.
72
8.02
72
8.03
Limitations on Mergers and Liquidation.
74
8.04
Limitations on Sale or Transfer of Assets.
74
8.05
Prohibitions on Limitations on Dividends and Distributions.
75
8.06
Transactions with Affiliates.
75
8.07
Certain Accounting Changes.
76
8.08
Limitations on Acquisitions.
76
ii
8.09
Sale Leaseback Transactions.
76
8.10
Limitation on Indebtedness.
76
8.11
Limitation on Investments.
77
ARTICLE IX EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
78
9.01
Events of Default.
78
9.02
Remedies Upon Event of Default.
81
9.03
Application of Funds.
82
ARTICLE X ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
83
10.01
Appointment and Authority.
83
10.02
Rights as a Lender.
83
10.03
Exculpatory Provisions.
83
10.04
Reliance by Administrative Agent.
84
10.05
85
10.06
Resignation of Administrative Agent.
85
10.07
Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.
86
10.08
No Other Duties, Etc.
86
10.09
Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.
86
10.10
Guaranty Matters.
87
87
11.01
87
11.02
Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.
89
11.03
No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.
91
11.04
Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
91
11.05
Payments Set Aside.
93
11.06
93
11.07
Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.
97
11.08
Right of Setoff.
98
11.09
99
11.10
Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Amendment and Restatement.
99
11.11
Survival of Representations and Warranties.
99
11.12
Severability.
100
11.13
100
11.14
Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.
101
11.15
Waiver of Jury Trial.
102
11.16
USA PATRIOT Act Notice.
102
11.17
Intercreditor Agreement.
102
ARTICLE XII GUARANTY
103
12.01
The Guaranty.
103
12.02
Obligations Unconditional.
104
12.03
Reinstatement.
105
12.04
Certain Additional Waivers.
105
12.05
Remedies.
105
12.06
Rights of Contribution.
105
12.07
Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.
106
iii
1.01
Existing Letter of Credit
2.01
Commitments and Applicable Percentages
5.16
Debt and Guarantees of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date
8.02
Liens as of the Closing Date
8.05
Restrictions and Limitations on Subsidiary Dividends and Distributions as of the Closing Date
11.02
Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices
11.06
Processing and Recordation Fees
EXHIBITS
Form of
A
Committed Loan Notice
B-1
Bid Request
B-2
Competitive Bid
C
Swing Line Loan Notice
D
Note
E
Compliance Certificate
F
Assignment and Assumption
G
Joinder to Intercreditor Agreement
H
Joinder to Credit Agreement
iv
This CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of July 27, 2006, among WAUSAU PAPER CORP., a Wisconsin corporation (the “Borrower”), certain Subsidiaries of the Borrower from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Guarantors” and individually, a “Guarantor”), each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
WHEREAS, the Borrower (formerly known as Wausau Paper Xxxxx Company and Wausau-Mosinee Paper Corporation, consecutively), Xxxxxx Trust and Savings Bank (now known as Xxxxxx X.X.), M & I Xxxxxxxx & Ilsley Bank, The First National Bank of Chicago (now known as Bank One, NA) and NationsBank, N.A. (now known as Bank of America, N.A.) were parties to that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of March 29, 1996 (as amended by that certain First Amendment thereto dated as of May 8, 1997 and that certain Second Amendment and Waiver thereto dated as of December 15, 1997 and as further amended or modified prior to the date of the Existing Credit Agreement referred to below (the “Original Credit Agreement”)).
WHEREAS, the Borrower amended and restated the Original Credit Agreement by entering into that certain Credit Agreement dated as of December 10, 1999 among the Borrower, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and the lenders party thereto (as amended by that certain First Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of April 14, 2000, that certain Second Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of December 8, 2000, and that certain Third Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2001, and as further amended or modified prior to the date hereof, the “Prior Credit Agreement”).
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
Defined Terms.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
“Absolute Rate” means a fixed rate of interest expressed in multiples of 1/100th of one basis point.
“Absolute Rate Loan” means a Bid Loan that bears interest at a rate determined with reference to an Absolute Rate.
“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 address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to 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 Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders. The Aggregate Commitments as of the Closing Date shall be $125,000,000.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.
“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time. If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 9.02 or if the Aggregate 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. 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.
2
“Applicable Rate” means the following percentages per annum, based upon the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.02:
Applicable Rate | ||||
Pricing Level | Consolidated Leverage Ratio | Facility Fee | Eurodollar Rate Loans and Letters of Credit | Base Rate Loans |
1 | < 20.0% | 0.125% | 0.500% | 0.000% |
2 | > 20.0% but < 30.0% | 0.150% | 0.600% | 0.000% |
3 | > 30.0% but < 40.0% | 0.175% | 0.700% | 0.000% |
4 | > 40.0% but < 50.0% | 0.200% | 0.800% | 0.000% |
5 | > 50.0% | 0.225% | 0.900% | 0.000% |
Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02; provided, however, that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with such Section, then Pricing Level 5 shall apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered. The Applicable Rate in effect from the Closing Date through the first Business Day after the date on which a Compliance Certificate and related financial statements are required to be delivered in connection with the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2006 shall be determined based upon no lower than Pricing Level 3.
“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.
“Arranger” means Banc of America Securities LLC, in its capacity as sole lead arranger and sole book manager.
“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
3
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.
“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005, 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 the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.07, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the 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.
“Bank” means, for purposes of the Existing Intercreditor Agreement, any Lender party to this Agreement; and “Banks” means a collective reference to the same.
“Bankruptcy Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 9.01(i), (j), (k) or (l), or any of those events which with the passage of time, the giving of notice or any other condition, would constitute such an event, in respect of any of the Loan Parties or any of their Material Subsidiaries.
“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 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.
“Bid Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Bid Loans of the same Type from each of the Lenders whose offer to make one or more Bid Loans as part of such borrowing has been accepted under the auction bidding procedures described in Section 2.03.
“Bid Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a).
“Bid Loan Lender” means, in respect of any Bid Loan, the Lender making such Bid Loan to the Borrower.
4
“Bid Request” means a written request for one or more Bid Loans substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1.
“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01.
“Borrowing” means a Committed Borrowing, a Bid Borrowing or a Swing Line 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.
“Cash Collateralize” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(g).
“Change in Control” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 9.01(h).
“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.
“Closing Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 11.01.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Committed Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line 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 party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.
“Committed Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
“Committed Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
5
“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 Committed Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A.
“Competitive Bid” means a written offer by a Lender to make one or more Bid Loans, substantially in the form of Exhibit B-2, duly completed and signed by a Lender.
“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E.
“Consolidated” means, when used with reference to financial statements or financial statement items of a Person and its Subsidiaries, such statements or items on a Consolidated basis in accordance with applicable principles of consolidation under GAAP.
“Consolidated Capitalization” means Consolidated Funded Indebtedness plus Consolidated Net Worth.
“Consolidated EBITDDA” means, for any period, as applied to the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries without duplication, the sum of the amounts for such period of: (i) Consolidated Net Income, (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense, (iii) all federal and state income tax expense and (iv) all depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, all of the foregoing as determined and computed on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date, all Funded Indebtedness of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDDA to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense, in each case for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ending as of such day.
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, as applied to the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries, all interest expense (whether paid or accrued) and capitalized interest, including without limitation (a) the amortization of debt discount and premium, (b) the interest component under capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations and (c) the implied interest component, discount or other similar fees or charges in connection with any asset securitization program, in each case determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness on such day to (b) Consolidated Capitalization on such day, expressed as a percentage.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income, after taxes, of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for such period determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, but excluding, to the extent reflected in determining such net income,
6
(a) extraordinary gains and losses for such period and (b) any equity interests of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the unremitted earnings of any Person that is not a Subsidiary.
“Consolidated Net Worth” means, as of any date, as applied to the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries, Shareholders’ Equity.
“Consolidated Total Assets” means, as of any date, the assets and properties of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“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.
“Current SEC Reports” means the most recent report on Form 10-K, or any successor form, and any amendments thereto filed by the Borrower with the SEC and any reports on Forms 10-Q and/or 8-K, or any successor forms, and any amendments thereto, filed by the Borrower with the SEC after the date of such report on Form 10-K.
“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.
“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, 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 Committed Loans, participations in L/C Obligations or participations in Swing Line 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
7
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 2.04(b)(iv).
“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) an Approved Fund; and (d) any other Person (other than a natural person) approved by (i) the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, and (ii) unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the 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.
“Employee Benefit Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA which (a) is maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or (b) has at any time within the preceding six (6) years been maintained for the employees of the Borrower or any current or former ERISA Affiliate.
“Environmental Laws” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges 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.
“Environmental Permits” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.08.
“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests),
8
and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.
“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 (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 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 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 Bid Margin” means the margin above or below the Eurodollar Rate to be added to or subtracted from the Eurodollar Rate, which margin shall be expressed in multiples of 1/100th of one basis point.
“Eurodollar Margin Bid Loan” means a Bid Loan that bears interest at a rate based upon the Eurodollar Rate.
“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 would be 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.
9
“Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan” means a Committed Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Eurodollar Rate.
“Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan or a Eurodollar Margin Bid Loan.
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 9.01.
“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the 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” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraphs hereto.
“Existing Intercreditor Agreement” means that certain Intercreditor Agreement dated as of August 31, 1999 between each of the lenders party to the Original Credit Agreement, Prudential Insurance Company of America and each of the 1999 Senior Noteholders (as defined therein), as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Existing Letter of Credit” means that certain Letter of Credit as set forth on Schedule 1.01.
“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers 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 (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole
10
multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.
“Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated June 14, 2006, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Arranger.
“FDIC” means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or any successor thereto.
“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 Pension Plan” shall mean any plan, fund (including, without limitation, any superannuation fund) or other similar program established or maintained outside the United States of America by the Borrower or any one or more of its Subsidiaries primarily for the benefit of employees of the Borrower or such Subsidiaries residing outside the United States of America, which plan, fund or other similar program provides, or results in, retirement income, a deferral of income in contemplation of retirement or payments to be made upon termination of employment, and which plan is not subject to ERISA or the Code.
“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.
“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
“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 irrevocably paid in full in cash, (b) all fees, expenses and other amounts then due and payable which constitute Obligations shall have been irrevocably paid in cash, (c) all outstanding Letters of Credit shall have been (i) terminated, (ii) fully irrevocably Cash Collateralized or (iii) secured by one or more letters of credit on terms and conditions, and with one or more financial institutions, reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer 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” of any Person means at any date, without duplication, the sum of the following calculated in accordance with GAAP: (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) 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, (c) 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
11
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, provided that for purposes hereof the amount of such Funded Indebtedness shall be calculated at the greater of (i) the amount of such Funded Indebtedness as to which there is recourse to such Person and (ii) the fair market value of the property which is subject to the Lien, (d) all Guarantees of such Person with respect to Funded Indebtedness of others, (e) the Attributable Indebtedness in respect of capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations, (f) the maximum amount of all standby letters of credit issued or bankers’ acceptances facilities created for the account of such Person and, without duplication, all drafts drawn thereunder (to the extent unreimbursed) and (g) the aggregate amount of uncollected accounts receivable subject at such time to a sale or securitization of receivables (or similar transaction) (whether or not such transaction would be reflected on the balance sheet of the Loan Parties in accordance with GAAP). The Funded Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Funded Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, but only to the extent to which there is recourse to such Person for payment of such Funded Indebtedness.
“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, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.
“Governmental Approvals” means all authorizations, consents, approvals, licenses and exemptions of, registrations and filings with, and reports to, all Governmental Authorities.
“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).
“Granting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(h).
“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 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 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
12
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) provided that the term Guarantee shall not include (i) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or (ii) a contractual commitment by one Person to invest in another Person for so long as such investment is expected to constitute a permitted investment under Section 8.11. 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 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 each Material Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary and, to the extent no material adverse tax consequences would result therefrom, each Material Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary, in each case to the extent (i) identified as a “Guarantor” on the signature pages hereto, or (ii) that becomes a Guarantor by executing a Joinder Agreement as contemplated by Section 7.12, and “Guarantor” means any one of them.
“Guaranty” means the Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Article XII hereof.
“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.
“Indebtedness” of any Person means at any date, without duplication, the sum of the following calculated in accordance with GAAP: (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, or upon which interest payments are customarily made, (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) 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, provided that for purposes hereof the amount of such Indebtedness shall be limited to the greater of (i) the amount of such Indebtedness as to which there is recourse to such Person and (ii) the fair market value of the property which is subject to the Lien, (f) all Guarantees of such Person, (g) the Attributable Indebtedness in respect of capital leases, (h) all net obligations of such Person in respect of Swap Contracts, (i) the maximum amount of all standby letters of credit issued
13
or bankers’ acceptances facilities created for the account of such Person and, without duplication, all drafts drawn thereunder (to the extent unreimbursed), (j) all preferred stock issued by such Person and required by the terms thereof to be redeemed, or for which mandatory sinking fund payments are due, by a fixed date, (k) the outstanding attributed principal amount under any asset securitization program of such Person and (l) the Attributable Indebtedness in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation of such Person, where such transaction is considered borrowed money indebtedness for tax purposes but is classified as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, but only to the extent to which there is recourse to such Person for payment of such Indebtedness. 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.
“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).
“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07.
“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, 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 Swing Line Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.
“Interest Period” means (a) as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or (in the case of any Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan) 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 Bid Request, as the case may be; and (b) as to each Absolute Rate Loan, a period of not less than 7 days and not more than 183 days as selected by the Borrower in its Bid Request; 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, in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Loan, 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 pertaining to a Eurodollar Rate Loan 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.
14
“Internal Control Event” means a material weakness in, or fraud that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in, each of the Borrower’s internal controls over financial reporting, in each case as described in the Securities Laws.
“Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor Guarantees Indebtedness of such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.
“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 Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to any such Letter of Credit.
“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.
“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 made or refinanced as a Committed Borrowing.
“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.
15
“L/C Issuer” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, including any Discretionary L/C Issuer.
“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 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.
“Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and, as the context requires, includes the Swing Line 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 letter of credit issued hereunder and shall include the Existing Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit may be a commercial letter of credit or a standby letter 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 L/C Issuer.
“Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is seven 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 Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(i).
“Letter of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to $50,000,000. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate 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 an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II in the form of a Committed Loan, a Bid Loan or a Swing Line Loan.
16
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, and the Fee Letter.
“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor.
“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.
“Material Subsidiary” means, as of any date of determination, any Subsidiary of the Borrower (a) the assets or liabilities of which exceed five percent (5%) of Consolidated Total Assets measured as of the end of the most recently ended fiscal quarter with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received a Compliance Certificate and related financial statements and information required by Sections 6.01(a) and (b) and Section 6.02, as appropriate, (b) which represents more than five percent (5%) of the Consolidated revenue of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries measured (i) as of the end of the most recently ended fiscal quarter with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received a Compliance Certificate and related financial statements and information required by Sections 6.01(a) and (b) and Section 6.02, as appropriate, and (ii) for the four (4) consecutive fiscal quarter period then ended or (c) which is otherwise material to the business, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent), operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. It is understood that the term “Material Subsidiary” shall include, without limitation, a Subsidiary of the Borrower whose principal assets are one or more Material Subsidiaries.
“Maturity Date” means July 27, 2011; provided, however, that this Agreement may, at the request of the Borrower and upon the consent of all Lenders, which consent shall be in the sole discretion of each Lender, be extended for an additional one-year period.
“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.
“Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit D.
“Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including (i) interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any
17
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 and (ii) any Swap Contract of any Loan Party to which a Lender or any Affiliate of such Lender is a party (determined at the time such Swap Contract was entered into).
“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.
“Original Credit Agreement” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraphs hereto.
“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 (i) with respect to Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (ii) 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 Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
“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.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
18
“Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by the Borrower or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.
“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Prior Credit Agreement” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraphs hereto.
“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(c).
“Registered Public Accounting Firm” has the meaning specified by 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.
“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.
“Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice, (b) with respect to a Bid Loan, a Bid Request, (c) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (d) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.
“Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 9.02, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition); provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.
“Responsible Officer” means any of the following: the chairman, president, chief executive officer, chief financial officer or treasurer of the Borrower or any other officer of the Borrower reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such capital stock or other Equity
19
Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Borrower’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof).
“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx” means the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.
“Securities Laws” means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx and the applicable accounting and auditing principles, rules, standards and practices promulgated, approved or incorporated by the SEC or the PCAOB.
“Shareholders’ Equity” means, as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of that date determined in accordance with GAAP.
“SPC” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(h).
“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 securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests 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 (a) 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, 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, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.
“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and
20
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).
“Swing Line” means the revolving credit facility made available by the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.05.
“Swing Line Borrowing” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 2.05.
“Swing Line Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.
“Swing Line Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(a).
“Swing Line Loan Notice” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.05(b), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
“Swing Line Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $10,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Commitments. The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.
“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (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.
“Termination Event” means any of the following that result in a Material Adverse Effect: (a) a “Reportable Event” described in Section 4043 of ERISA, or (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan during a plan year in which it was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA, or (c) the termination of a Pension Plan, the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan or the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 of ERISA, or (d) the institution of proceedings to terminate, or to seek the appointment of a trustee with respect to, any Pension Plan by the PBGC, or (e) any other event or condition which would constitute grounds under Section 4042(a) of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer any Pension Plan, or (f) the partial or complete withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan, or (g) the imposition of a Lien pursuant to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, or (h) any event or condition which results in the
21
reorganization or insolvency of a Multiemployer Plan under Sections 4241 or 4245 of ERISA, (i) any event or condition which results in the termination of a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4041A of ERISA or the institution by PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4042 of ERISA or (j) the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan.
“Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.
“Type” means (a) with respect to a Committed Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan, and (b) with respect to a Bid Loan, its character as an Absolute Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Margin Bid Loan.
“Unfunded Current Liability” of any Pension Plan means the amount, if any, by which the actuarial present value of the accumulated plan benefits under the Pension Plan as of the close of its most recent year, determined in accordance with actuarial assumptions at such time consistent with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87, exceeds the sum of (a) the market value of the assets allocable thereto and (b) $100,000.
“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.
“Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(c)(i).
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, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending replacing or interpreting
22
such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
(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.
Accounting Terms.
(a)
Generally. All accounting terms not specifically or completely 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, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.
(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, 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, 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.
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 (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
23
Times of Day.
Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).
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
Committed Loans.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Committed 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 such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Committed Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed 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 Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.06, and reborrow under this Section 2.01. Committed Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.
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 Committed Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. 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 Committed Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans to Base Rate Committed Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Committed Loans. 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
24
the Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed 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 Sections 2.04(c) and 2.05(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 the Borrower is requesting a Committed Borrowing, a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed 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 Committed Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed 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 made on the Closing Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless the Administrative Agent shall have received an appropriate funding indemnity letter executed by the Borrower and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent at least three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date.
(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 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), 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 the Committed Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing 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)
Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate
25
Committed Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Committed 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 Committed Loans upon determination of such interest rate. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative 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 six (6) Interest Periods in effect with respect to Committed Loans.
Bid Loans.
(a)
General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees that the Borrower may from time to time request that the Lenders submit offers to make loans (each such loan, a “Bid Loan”) to the Borrower prior to the Maturity Date pursuant to this Section 2.03; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Bid Borrowing, the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments. There shall not be more than six (6) different Interest Periods in effect with respect to Bid Loans at any time.
(b)
Requesting Competitive Bids. The Borrower may request the submission of Competitive Bids by delivering a Bid Request to the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon (i) one Business Day prior to the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is to consist of Absolute Rate Loans, or (ii) four Business Days prior to the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is to consist of Eurodollar Margin Bid Loans. Each Bid Request shall specify (i) the requested date of the Bid Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day), (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Bid Loans requested (which must be $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof), (iii) the Type of Bid Loans requested, and (iv) the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto, and shall be signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. No Bid Request shall contain a request for (i) more than one Type of Bid Loan or (ii) Bid Loans having more than three different Interest Periods. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise agrees in its sole and absolute discretion, the Borrower may not submit a Bid Request if it has submitted another Bid Request within the prior five Business Days.
(c)
Submitting Competitive Bids.
(i)
The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of each Bid Request received by it from the Borrower and the contents of such Bid Request.
(ii)
Each Lender may (but shall have no obligation to) submit a Competitive Bid containing an offer to make one or more Bid Loans in response to such Bid Request. Such Competitive Bid must be delivered to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:30 a.m. (A) on the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is to consist of Absolute
26
Rate Loans, and (B) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is to consist of Eurodollar Margin Bid Loans; provided, however, that any Competitive Bid submitted by Bank of America in its capacity as a Lender in response to any Bid Request must be submitted to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:15 a.m. on the date on which Competitive Bids are required to be delivered by the other Lenders in response to such Bid Request. Each Competitive Bid shall specify (A) the proposed date of the Bid Borrowing; (B) the principal amount of each Bid Loan for which such Competitive Bid is being made, which principal amount (x) may be equal to, greater than or less than the Commitment of the bidding Lender, (y) must be $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, and (z) may not exceed the principal amount of Bid Loans for which Competitive Bids were requested; (C) if the proposed Bid Borrowing is to consist of Absolute Rate Bid Loans, the Absolute Rate offered for each such Bid Loan and the Interest Period applicable thereto; (D) if the proposed Bid Borrowing is to consist of Eurodollar Margin Bid Loans, the Eurodollar Bid Margin with respect to each such Eurodollar Margin Bid Loan and the Interest Period applicable thereto; and (E) the identity of the bidding Lender.
(iii)
Any Competitive Bid shall be disregarded if it (A) is received after the applicable time specified in clause (ii) above, (B) is not substantially in the form of a Competitive Bid as specified herein, (C) contains qualifying, conditional or similar language, (D) proposes terms other than or in addition to those set forth in the applicable Bid Request, or (E) is otherwise not responsive to such Bid Request. Any Lender may correct a Competitive Bid containing a manifest error by submitting a corrected Competitive Bid (identified as such) not later than the applicable time required for submission of Competitive Bids. Any such submission of a corrected Competitive Bid shall constitute a revocation of the Competitive Bid that contained the manifest error. The Administrative Agent may, but shall not be required to, notify any Lender of any manifest error it detects in such Lender’s Competitive Bid.
(iv)
Subject only to the provisions of Sections 3.02, 3.03 and 4.02 and clause (iii) above, each Competitive Bid shall be irrevocable.
(d)
Notice to Borrower of Competitive Bids. Not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) on the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is to consist of Absolute Rate Loans, or (ii) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is to consist of Eurodollar Margin Bid Loans, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of the identity of each Lender that has submitted a Competitive Bid that complies with Section 2.03(c) and of the terms of the offers contained in each such Competitive Bid.
(e)
Acceptance of Competitive Bids. Not later than 11:30 a.m. (i) on the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is to consist of Absolute Rate Loans, and (ii) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is to consist of Eurodollar Margin Bid Loans, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of its acceptance or rejection of the offers notified to it pursuant to Section 2.03(d). The Borrower shall be under no obligation to accept any Competitive Bid and may choose to reject all Competitive Bids. In the case of acceptance, such notice shall specify the aggregate principal amount of Competitive Bids for
27
each Interest Period that is accepted. The Borrower may accept any Competitive Bid in whole or in part; provided that:
(i)
the aggregate principal amount of each Bid Borrowing may not exceed the applicable amount set forth in the related Bid Request;
(ii)
the principal amount of each Bid Loan must be $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof;
(iii)
the acceptance of offers may be made only on the basis of ascending Absolute Rates or Eurodollar Bid Margins within each Interest Period; and
(iv)
the Borrower may not accept any offer that is described in Section 2.03(c)(iii) or that otherwise fails to comply with the requirements hereof.
(f)
Procedure for Identical Bids. If two or more Lenders have submitted Competitive Bids at the same Absolute Rate or Eurodollar Bid Margin, as the case may be, for the same Interest Period, and the result of accepting all of such Competitive Bids in whole (together with any other Competitive Bids at lower Absolute Rates or Eurodollar Bid Margins, as the case may be, accepted for such Interest Period in conformity with the requirements of Section 2.03(e)(iii)) would be to cause the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the applicable Bid Borrowing to exceed the amount specified therefor in the related Bid Request, then, unless otherwise agreed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Lenders, such Competitive Bids shall be accepted as nearly as possible in proportion to the amount offered by each such Lender in respect of such Interest Period, with such accepted amounts being rounded to the nearest whole multiple of $1,000,000.
(g)
Notice to Lenders of Acceptance or Rejection of Bids. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender having submitted a Competitive Bid whether or not its offer has been accepted and, if its offer has been accepted, of the amount of the Bid Loan or Bid Loans to be made by it on the date of the applicable Bid Borrowing. Any Competitive Bid or portion thereof that is not accepted by the Borrower by the applicable time specified in Section 2.03(e) shall be deemed rejected.
(h)
Notice of Eurodollar Rate. If any Bid Borrowing is to consist of Eurodollar Margin Loans, the Administrative Agent shall determine the Eurodollar Rate for the relevant Interest Period, and promptly after making such determination, shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that will be participating in such Bid Borrowing of such Eurodollar Rate.
(i)
Funding of Bid Loans. Each Lender that has received notice pursuant to Section 2.03(g) that all or a portion of its Competitive Bid has been accepted by the Borrower shall make the amount of its Bid Loan(s) available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the requested Bid Borrowing. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02, the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent.
28
(j)
Notice of Range of Bids. After each Competitive Bid auction pursuant to this Section 2.03, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender that submitted a Competitive Bid in such auction of the ranges of bids submitted (without the bidder’s name) and accepted for each Bid Loan and the aggregate amount of each Bid Borrowing.
2.04
Letters of Credit.
(a)
The Letter of Credit Commitment.
(i)
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, (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, 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 severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower 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 Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (y) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed 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 Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and (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. The Existing Letter of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Closing Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.
The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if:
(A)
subject to Section 2.04(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.
29
(iii)
The L/C Issuer shall not 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 L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the 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 the L/C Issuer applicable to such L/C Issuer’s letter of credit applicants generally;
(C)
except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $100,000, in the case of a commercial Letter of Credit, or $500,000, in the case of a standby Letter of Credit;
(D)
such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;
(E)
a default of any Lender’s obligations to fund under Section 2.04(c) exists or any Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender hereunder, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into satisfactory arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s risk with respect to such Lender.
(iv)
The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.
(v)
The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the 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.
(vi)
The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article X with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in
30
connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article X included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.
(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 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 L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. 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 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; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; and (G) such other matters as the 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 L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.
(ii)
Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the
31
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 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 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 L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the 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 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 L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the 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 (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.04(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, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.
(iv)
Any Lender with a 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 with the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), 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 L/C Issuer 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 the rights, obligations and benefits set forth in Sections 2.04, 10.07 and 11.04), as are afforded to the L/C Issuer hereunder and thereunder. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each of the Lenders with a 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
32
an indication of the maximum amount then in effect with respect to each such Letter of Credit).
(v)
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 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.
(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 L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof. Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing. If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender 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 Committed Borrowing of Base Rate 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 Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.04(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 shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) make funds available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the 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 2.04(c)(iii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.
(iii)
With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the 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 L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in
33
such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.04.
(iv)
Until each Lender funds its Committed Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) to reimburse the 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 L/C Issuer.
(v)
Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.04(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 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 Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (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 L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the 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 L/C Issuer 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)(ii), the 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 L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation. A certificate of the 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 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 2.04(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the 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.
34
(ii)
If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the 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. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
(e)
Obligations Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the 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;
(ii)
the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, 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 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 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 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
35
the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the 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 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 L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. 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 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 correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.04(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the 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 L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the 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 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 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, (i) if the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, or (ii) if, as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, the Borrower shall, in each case, immediately Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations. Sections 2.06 and 9.02(c) set forth certain additional requirements to deliver Cash Collateral hereunder. For purposes of this Section 2.04, Section 2.06 and Section 9.02(c), “Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the 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 L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby consented to by the
36
Lenders). Derivatives of such term have corresponding meanings. The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the 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 and UCP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to the Existing Letter of Credit), (i) the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance shall apply to each commercial Letter of Credit.
(i)
Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. For 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. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.
(j)
Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee (i) with respect to each commercial Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Fee Letter, computed on the amount of such Letter of Credit and for the stated duration thereof, and payable upon the issuance thereof, (ii) with respect to any amendment of a commercial Letter of Credit increasing the amount of such Letter of Credit, at a rate separately agreed between the Borrower and the L/C Issuer, computed on the amount of such increase, and payable upon the effectiveness of such amendment, and (iii) with respect to each standby Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Fee Letter, computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit on a quarterly basis in arrears, and 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. For 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 L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in
37
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 Document, the terms hereof shall control.
Swing Line Loans.
(a)
The Swing Line. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.05, to make loans (each such loan, a “Swing Line 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 Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed 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 Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and provided, further, that the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line Loan. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.05, prepay under Section 2.06, and reborrow under this Section 2.05. Each Swing Line Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.
(b)
Borrowing Procedures. Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $500,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day. Each such telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a written Swing Line Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the proviso to
38
the first sentence of Section 2.05(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article IV is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the Borrower.
(c)
Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.
(i)
The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Base Rate Committed Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request 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 4.02. The Swing Line 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 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 Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Committed Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.05(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.
(ii)
If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Committed Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.05(c)(i), the request for Base Rate Committed Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.05(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 Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.05(c) by the time specified in Section 2.05(c)(i), the Swing Line 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 Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swing Line Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation. A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with
39
respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(iv)
Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(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 Swing Line 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 Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02. No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.
(d)
Repayment of Participations.
(i)
At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line 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 Swing Line Lender.
(ii)
If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swing Line 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 Swing Line Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
(e)
Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender. The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swing Line Loans. Until each Lender funds its Base Rate Committed Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.05 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.
(f)
Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender. The Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.
40
Prepayments.
(a)
The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Committed 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 Committed Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (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, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. 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. 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.
(b)
[reserved]
(c)
The Borrower may, upon notice to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. 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.
(d)
If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay 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 Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.06(d) unless after the prepayment in full of the Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect.
Termination or Reduction of Commitments.
The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess
41
thereof, (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, such Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments. Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.
Repayment of Loans.
(a)
The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Committed Loans outstanding on such date.
(b)
The Borrower shall repay each Bid Loan on the last day of the Interest Period in respect thereof.
(c)
The Borrower shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date ten Business Days after such Loan is made and (ii) the Maturity Date.
Interest.
(a)
Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Committed 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; (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; (iii) each Bid Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for the Interest Period therefor at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus (or minus) the Eurodollar Bid Margin, or at the Absolute Rate for such Interest Period, as the case may be; and (iv) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to (x) the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate or (y) such other rate as the Borrower and the Swing Line Lender shall mutually agree upon.
(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 upon the request
42
of 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)
Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iv)
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.
Fees.
In addition to certain fees described in subsections (i) and (j) of Section 2.04:
(a)
Facility Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a facility fee equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount of the Aggregate Commitments (or, if the Aggregate Commitments have terminated, on the Outstanding Amount of all Committed Loans, Swing Line Loans and L/C Obligations), regardless of usage. The facility fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period (and thereafter so long as any Committed Loans, Swing Line Loans or L/C Obligations remain outstanding), including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the Maturity Date (and, if applicable, thereafter on demand). The facility fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.
(b)
Other Fees.
(i)
The Borrower shall pay to the Arranger and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
43
(ii)
The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
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 2.13(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.
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 manifest 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. The Borrower shall execute and deliver to each Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its 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 and Swing Line 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 manifest error.
44
Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.
(a)
General. All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or 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 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed 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 Committed Loan included in such Committed Borrowing. Any 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 hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower
45
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 Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the 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 IV 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, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line 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, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under 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.
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 the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swing Line 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 Committed Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall
46
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 Swing Line 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.
Increase in Commitments.
(a)
Request for Increase. Provided there exists no Default, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower may from time to time, request an increase in the Aggregate Commitments by an amount not exceeding $50,000,000 for all such increases in the aggregate; provided that (i) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 and in incremental amounts of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (ii) the Borrower may make a maximum of three such requests.
(b)
Increase in Commitments by Existing Lenders; Addition of Eligible Assignees. To achieve the full amount of a requested increase, the Borrower may solicit increased commitments from existing Lenders and/or also invite additional Eligible Assignees to become Lenders; provided, however, that no existing Lender shall be obligated and/or required to accept an increase in its Commitment pursuant to this Section 2.15 unless it specifically consents to such increase in writing. Any Lender or Eligible Assignee agreeing to increase its commitment or provide a new Commitment pursuant to this Section 2.15 shall, in connection therewith, deliver to the Administrative Agent a new commitment agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(c)
Effective Date and Allocations. If the Aggregate Commitments are increased in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the effective date (the “Increase Effective Date”) and the final allocation of such increase. The
47
Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.
(d)
Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase. As a condition precedent to such increase, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the Increase Effective Date (in sufficient copies for each Lender) signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase, and (ii) in the case of the Borrower, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, (A) the representations and warranties contained in Article V and the other Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of the Extension Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.15, the representations and warranties contained in Section 5.13 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01, and (B) no Default exists. The Borrower shall prepay any Committed Loans outstanding on the Increase Effective Date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Committed Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages arising from any nonratable increase in the Commitments under this Section. The Borrower shall pay any applicable fee related to each such increase (including, without limitation, any applicable arrangement, upfront and/or increase in the administrative fee).
(e)
Conflicting Provisions. This Section shall supersede any provisions in Sections 2.14 or 11.01 to the contrary.
ARTICLE III
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
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.
(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.
48
(c)
Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the 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 the 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 delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the 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 the 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.
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 IRS 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 IRS 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
49
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 IRS 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.
(f)
Treatment of Certain Refunds. If the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer 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 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 the 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 the 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 the L/C Issuer in the event the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the 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 the 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.
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 Committed Loans to Eurodollar Rate Committed 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.
50
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 Committed Loan, or (c) the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Committed 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 maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.
Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.
(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 the L/C Issuer;
(ii)
subject any Lender or the 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 Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender or the 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 the L/C Issuer); or
(iii)
impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar 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 Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the 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 the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be,
51
such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b)
Capital Requirements. If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or the 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 the L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the 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 the L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c)
Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the 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 the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender or the 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 the 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 nine-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 in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), 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. If a Lender fails to give notice 10 days prior to the relevant
52
Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable 10 days from receipt of such notice.
3.05
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;
including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.
For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan was in fact so funded.
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 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 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.
53
(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.
All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.
ARTICLE IV
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
Conditions of Initial Credit Extension.
The obligation of the L/C Issuer and each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
(a)
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, sufficient in number for distribution to the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Borrower;
(ii)
a Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender;
(iii)
such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as 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;
(iv)
such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that the Borrower is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
54
(v)
a favorable opinion of Xxxxx Xxxx, counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, as to the corporate authority of the Loan Parties enforceability of the Loan Documents and such other matters concerning the Loan Parties and the Loan Documents as the Required Lenders may reasonably request;
(vi)
a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party either (A) attaching copies of all consents, licenses and approvals required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by such Loan Party and the validity against such Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and such consents, licenses and approvals shall be in full force and effect, or (B) stating that no such consents, licenses or approvals are so required;
(vii)
a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied, and (B) that there has been no event or circumstance since the date of the Audited Financial Statements that has had or could be reasonably expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;
(viii)
evidence that each of the credit facilities under the Existing Credit Agreement shall have been (or will be upon the initial borrowings and issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder on the Closing Date and the application of the proceeds thereof) paid in full and fully satisfied and that the commitments under the Existing Credit Agreement shall have been terminated;
(ix)
receipt by the Administrative Agent of supplements to the Existing Intercreditor Agreement executed by each Lender not already party thereto; and
(x)
such other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or the Required Lenders reasonably may require.
(b)
Any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date shall have been paid.
(c)
Unless waived by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to 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).
Without limiting the generality of the provisions of Section 10.04, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has
55
signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.
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 Committed Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a)
The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in Article V or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct 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 as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and warranties contained in Section 5.13 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01, and, in the case of financial statements furnished pursuant to clause (a) of Section 6.01, subject to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.
(b)
No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.
(c)
The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line 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 Committed Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
To induce the Administrative Agent and Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make Credit Extensions, each Loan Party hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and Lenders that:
56
5.01
Organization; Power; Qualification.
Each of the Loan Parties and their Material Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing or active status, as applicable, under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, has the power and authority to own its properties and to carry on its business as now being and hereafter proposed to be conducted and is duly qualified and authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the character of its properties or the nature of its business requires such qualification and authorization, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.02
Ownership.
Each Subsidiary of each of the Loan Parties as of the Closing Date is listed in the Current SEC Reports. As of the Closing Date, all outstanding shares of each such Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. As of the Closing Date, there are no outstanding stock purchase warrants, subscriptions, options, securities, instruments or other rights of any type or nature whatsoever, which are convertible into, exchangeable for or otherwise provide for or permit the issuance of capital stock of the Subsidiaries, except as described in the Current SEC Reports.
5.03
Authorization of Agreement, Loan Documents and Borrowing.
Each of the Loan Parties and, if applicable, their Subsidiaries has the right, power and authority and has taken all necessary corporate and other action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party in accordance with its respective terms. Each of the Loan Documents has been duly executed and delivered by the duly authorized officers of the Loan Parties and each of their Subsidiaries party thereto, as applicable, and each such document constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Loan Parties and, if applicable, each of their Subsidiaries party thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar state or federal Debtor Relief Laws from time to time in effect which affect the enforcement of creditors’ rights in general and the availability of equitable remedies.
5.04
Compliance of Agreement, Loan Documents and Borrowing with Laws, Etc.
The execution, delivery and performance by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries of the Loan Documents to which each such Person is a party, in accordance with their respective terms, the Borrowings hereunder and the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not, by the passage of time, the giving of notice or otherwise, (i) require any of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries to obtain any Governmental Approval or approval of any other Person not otherwise already obtained or violate any applicable Law relating to the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, (ii) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under the articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries or any indenture or other material agreement or instrument to which such Person is a party or by which any of its properties may be bound or any Governmental Approval relating
57
to such Person except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) result in or require the creation or imposition of any material Lien upon or with respect to any property now owned or hereafter acquired by such Person.
5.05
Compliance with Law; Governmental Approvals.
Other than with respect to environmental matters, which are treated exclusively in Section 5.08 hereof, each of the Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries (i) has all Governmental Approvals required by any applicable Law for it to conduct its business, each of which is in full force and effect, is final and not subject to review on appeal and is not the subject of any pending or, to the best of the Loan Parties’ knowledge, threatened attack by direct or collateral proceeding, and (ii) is in compliance with each Governmental Approval applicable to it and in compliance with all other applicable Laws relating to it or any of its respective properties; in each case, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.06
Tax Returns and Payments.
Each of the Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all federal and state, local and other tax returns required by applicable Law to be filed, and has paid, or made adequate provision for the payment of, all federal and state, local and other taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it and its property, income, profits and assets which are due and payable, except taxes (i) that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which such Loan Party or Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (ii) to the extent the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Governmental Authority has asserted any material Lien or other claim against the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary thereof with respect to unpaid taxes which has not been discharged or resolved. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of each of the Loan Parties and any of their respective Subsidiaries in respect of federal and all material state, local and other taxes for all fiscal years and portions thereof since the organization of each of the Loan Parties and any of their Subsidiaries are, in the judgment of the Loan Parties, adequate, and the Loan Parties do not anticipate any material additional taxes or assessments for any of such years.
5.07
Intellectual Property Matters.
Each of the Loan Parties and its Subsidiaries owns or possesses rights to use all franchises, licenses, copyrights, copyright applications, patents, patent rights or licenses, patent applications, trademarks, trademark rights, trade names, trade name rights, copyrights and rights with respect to the foregoing which are required to conduct its business except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No event has occurred which, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, permits, or after notice or lapse of time or both would permit, the revocation or termination of any such rights, and, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, neither the Loan Parties nor any Subsidiary thereof is liable to any Person for infringement under applicable Law with respect to any such rights as a result of its business operations, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
58
5.08
Environmental Matters.
Except as set forth in the Current SEC Reports or as otherwise could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:
(i)
The properties of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries (including soils, surface waters, groundwaters on, at or under such properties) do not contain and are not otherwise affected by, and to the Loan Parties’ knowledge have not previously contained or been affected by, any Hazardous Materials in amounts or concentrations which (A) constitute or constituted a violation of applicable Environmental Laws or (B) could give rise to liability or obligation under applicable Environmental Laws;
(ii)
The properties of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries and all operations conducted in connection therewith are in compliance, and have been in compliance, with all applicable Environmental Laws, and there are no Hazardous Materials at, under or about such properties or such operations which could reasonably be expected to interfere with the continued operation of such properties;
(iii)
The Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have obtained, are in compliance with, and have made all appropriate filings for issuance or renewal of, all permits, licenses, and other governmental consents required by applicable Environmental Laws (“Environmental Permits”), and all such Environmental Permits are in full force and effect;
(iv)
Neither any of the Loan Parties nor any Subsidiary thereof has received any notice of violation, alleged violation, non-compliance, liability or potential liability regarding environmental matters or compliance with Environmental Laws, nor do the Loan Parties have knowledge or reason to believe that any such notice will be received or is being threatened;
(v)
To the knowledge of the Loan Parties, Hazardous Materials have not been transported or disposed of from the properties of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries in violation of, or in a manner or to a location which could reasonably be expected to give rise to liability under, Environmental Laws, nor, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, have any Hazardous Materials been generated, treated, stored or disposed of at, on or under any of such properties in violation of, or in a manner which could reasonably be expected to give rise to liability under, any Environmental Laws;
(vi)
No judicial proceedings or governmental or administrative action is pending, or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened, under any Environmental Law to which any of the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary thereof has been or will be named as a party, nor are there any consent decrees or other decrees, consent orders, administrative orders or other orders, or other administrative or judicial requirements outstanding under any Environmental Law with respect to the properties or operations of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries; and
59
(vii)
To the knowledge of the Loan Parties, there has been no release, or threat of release, of Hazardous Materials at or from the properties of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, in violation of or in amounts or in a manner that could reasonably be expected to give rise to liability under Environmental Laws.
5.09
ERISA.
(i)
Each of the Loan Parties and each ERISA Affiliate is in compliance with all applicable provisions of ERISA and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to all Employee Benefit Plans except where any such noncompliance could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except for any failure that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each Employee Benefit Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has been determined by the IRS to be so qualified, and each trust related to such plan has been determined to be exempt under Section 501(a) of the Code. No liability that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect has been incurred by the Loan Parties or any ERISA Affiliate which remains unsatisfied for any taxes or penalties with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan or any Multiemployer Plan;
(ii)
No accumulated funding deficiency (as defined in Section 412 of the Code) has been incurred (without regard to any waiver granted under Section 412 of the Code), nor has any funding waiver from the IRS been received or requested with respect to any Pension Plan except for any accumulated funding deficiency that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(iii)
Neither the Loan Parties nor any ERISA Affiliate has: (A) engaged in a nonexempt prohibited transaction described in Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, (B) incurred any liability to the PBGC which remains outstanding other than the payment of premiums and there are no premium payments which are due and unpaid, (C) failed to make a required contribution or payment to a Multiemployer Plan, or (D) failed to make a required installment or other required payment under Section 412 of the Code except where any of the foregoing individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(iv)
No Termination Event that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; and
(v)
No proceeding, claim, lawsuit and/or investigation is existing or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened concerning or involving any Employee Benefit Plan that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
60
5.10
Margin Stock.
Neither the Loan Parties nor any Subsidiary thereof is engaged principally or as one of its activities in the business of extending credit for the purpose of “purchasing” or “carrying” any “margin stock” (as each such term is defined or used in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System). No part of the proceeds of any of the Loans or Letters of Credit will be used for purchasing or carrying margin stock, unless the Loan Parties shall have given the Administrative Agent and Lenders prior notice of such event and such other information as is reasonably necessary to permit the Administrative Agent and Lenders to comply, in a timely fashion, with all reporting obligations required by applicable Law, or for any purpose which violates, or which would be inconsistent with, the provisions of Regulation T, U or X of such Board of Governors.
5.11
Government Regulation.
Neither the Loan Parties nor any Subsidiary thereof is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” (as each such term is defined or used in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) and neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary thereof is, or after giving effect to any Extension of Credit will be, subject to regulation under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or the Interstate Commerce Act, each as amended.
5.12
Burdensome Provisions.
Neither the Loan Parties nor any Subsidiary thereof is a party to any indenture, agreement, lease or other instrument, or subject to any corporate or partnership restriction, Governmental Approval or applicable Law which is so unusual or burdensome as in the foreseeable future could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries do not presently anticipate that future expenditures needed to meet the provisions of any statutes, orders, rules or regulations of a Governmental Authority will be so burdensome as to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.13
Financial Statements; Financial Condition; Etc.
(a)
The (i) audited consolidated balance sheets of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2005 and the related statements of income, Shareholders’ Equity and cash flows for the fiscal year then ended and (ii) unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as of March 31, 2006, and related unaudited interim statements of income, Shareholders’ Equity and cash flows, copies of which have been furnished to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except as set forth in the notes thereto), are complete in all material respects and fairly present in all material respects the assets, liabilities and financial position of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as at such dates, and the results of the operations and changes of financial position for the periods then ended, subject to normal year end adjustments.
61
(b)
As of the Closing Date, (i) the sum of the assets, at a fair valuation, of each Loan Party on a stand-alone basis and of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries taken as a whole will exceed its or their debts, respectively; (ii) each Loan Party on a stand-alone basis and the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries taken as a whole has not incurred and does not intend to incur, and does not believe that it will incur, debts beyond its or their ability to pay such debts as such debts mature, respectively; and (iii) each Loan Party on a stand-alone basis and the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries taken as a whole will have sufficient capital with which to conduct its or their business, respectively. For purposes of this Section, “debt” means any liability on a claim, and “claim” means (A) right to payment, whether or not such a right is reduced to judgment, liquidated, unliquidated, fixed, contingent, matured, unmatured, disputed, undisputed, legal, equitable, secured or unsecured or (B) right to an equitable remedy for breach of performance if such breach gives rise to a payment, whether or not such right to an equitable remedy is reduced to judgment, fixed, contingent, matured, unmatured, disputed, undisputed, secured or unsecured. The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the 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.
5.14
No Material Adverse Change; No Internal Control Event.
(a)
Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no Material Adverse Effect.
(b)
To the best knowledge of the Borrower, no Internal Control Event exists or has occurred since the date of the Audited Financial Statements that has resulted in or could reasonably be expected to result in a misstatement in any material respect, in any financial information delivered or to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, of (i) covenant compliance calculations provided hereunder or (ii) the assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.
5.15
Liens.
None of the properties and assets of the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary thereof is subject to any Lien, except Liens permitted pursuant to Section 8.02.
5.16
Indebtedness and Guarantees.
Schedule 5.16 is a complete and correct listing of all Indebtedness and Guarantees of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date.
5.17
There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending nor, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened against or affecting the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary thereof or any of their respective properties in any court or before any arbitrator of any kind or before or by any Governmental Authority, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
62
5.18
Since December 31, 2005, to the knowledge of the Borrower, no event has occurred and is continuing which constitutes a Default or an Event of Default.
5.19
Since December 31, 2005, no event has occurred or is continuing which constitutes a Bankruptcy Event.
5.20
Accuracy and Completeness of Information.
As of the Closing Date, the Loan Parties have disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which they or any of their Subsidiaries are subject, and all other matters known to them, other than general market, economic and industry conditions, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The written information, taken as a whole, furnished by or on behalf of the Loan Parties to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) does not contain any material misstatement of fact or omit 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 any projected financial information, the Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
5.21
The Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all material properties owned by them and valid leasehold interests in all material properties leased by them, including all property reflected in the Current SEC Reports and in the balance sheets referred to in Section 5.13 (except as sold or otherwise disposed of since the date of such balance sheet in the ordinary course of business or as permitted by the terms of this Agreement), free and clear of all Liens, except Liens permitted pursuant to Section 8.02. The properties of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards), 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.
5.22
Neither the Loan Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries is engaged in any unfair labor practices that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is (i) no unfair labor practice complaint pending against any Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened against the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, before the National Labor Relations Board, and no grievance or arbitration
63
proceeding arising out of or under any collective bargaining agreement is so pending against the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened against the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, (ii) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending against the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened against the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries and (iii) no union representation question exists with respect to the employees of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries except (with respect to any matter specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, either individually or in the aggregate) such as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.23
During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2003, December 31, 2004 and December 31, 2005, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed all forms, reports, statements (including proxy statements) and other documents (such filings by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries are collectively referred to as the “SEC Reports”), required to be filed by it with the SEC. The SEC Reports (i) were prepared in all material respects in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder applicable to such SEC Reports at the time of filing thereof and (ii) did not at the time they were filed contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, which untrue statement or omission was not corrected in a subsequent SEC Report.
5.24
Taxpayer Identification Number.
The Borrower’s true and correct U.S. taxpayer identification number is set forth on Schedule 11.02.
ARTICLE VI
FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND NOTICES
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied (other than in respect of any Swap Contract), or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding:
6.01
The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:
(a)
Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available but in any event no later than the earlier of (i) the 45th day after the end of each of the first three fiscal
64
quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower and (ii) the date that is three (3) Business Days after the Borrower’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q is required to be filed with the SEC, either (i) a copy of a report on Form 10-Q, or any successor form, and any amendments thereto, filed by the Borrower with the SEC with respect to the immediately preceding fiscal quarter or (ii) an unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal quarter and unaudited consolidated statements of income, Shareholders’ Equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter then ended and that portion of the fiscal year then ended, including the notes thereto, all in reasonable detail setting forth in comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the preceding fiscal year and prepared by the Borrower in accordance with GAAP and, if applicable, containing disclosure of the effect on the financial position or results of operations of any change in the application of accounting principles and practices during the period, and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to present fairly in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of their respective dates and the results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the respective periods then ended, subject to normal year end adjustments.
(b)
Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available, but in any event no later than the earlier of (i) the 90th day after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower and (ii) the day that is three (3) Business Days after the date the Borrower’s annual report on Form 10-K is required to be filed with the SEC, either (i) a copy of a report on Form 10-K, or any successor form, and any amendments thereto, filed by the Borrower with the SEC with respect to the immediately preceding fiscal year or (ii) an audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal year and audited consolidated statements of income, Shareholders’ Equity and cash flows for the fiscal year then ended, including the notes thereto, all in reasonable detail setting forth in comparative form the corresponding figures for the preceding fiscal year and prepared by a nationally recognized independent certified public accounting firm acceptable to the Administrative Agent in accordance with GAAP and, if applicable, containing disclosure of the effect on the financial position or results of operation of any change in the application of accounting principles and practices during the year, and accompanied by (i) a report and opinion of DeLoitte & Touche LLP or another independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders, 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, exception, assumption or explanatory language or any qualification, exception, assumption or explanatory language as to the scope of such audit or with respect to the absence of any material misstatement and (ii) an opinion of such Registered Public Accounting Firm independently assessing the Borrower’s internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Item 308 of SEC Regulation S-K, PCAOB Auditing Standard Xx. 0, xxx Xxxxxxx 000 xx Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx expressing a conclusion that contains no statement that there is a material weakness in such internal controls, except for such material weaknesses as to which the Required Lenders do not object.
65
(c)
Annual Budgets. As soon as practicable and in any event within sixty (60) days after the end of each fiscal year, an annual business plan and budget of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year immediately following such fiscal year end, containing among other things projections of pro forma financial statements for such fiscal year.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) 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; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on IntraLinks/IntraAgency or another relevant website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender that requests the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent and each Lender of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in every instance the Borrower shall be required to provide paper copies of the Compliance Certificates required by Section 6.02(c) to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders. 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 Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arranger will make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities) (each, a “Public Lender”). The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, the 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 (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arranger shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Investor.”
66
6.02
At each time financial statements are delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders, a duly completed Compliance Certificate in the form of Exhibit E attached hereto including the calculations prepared by such Responsible Officer required to establish whether or not the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries are in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 8.01 hereof as at the end of each respective period.
6.03
At each time financial statements are delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(b), the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender a certificate of the Registered Public Accounting Firm certifying such financial statements addressed to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders stating that in making the examination necessary for the certification of such financial statements, they obtained no knowledge of any Default or Event of Default or, if such is not the case, specifying such Default or Event of Default and its nature and period of existence.
6.04
The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:
(a)
promptly after the filing thereof, a copy of (i) each report or other filing made by any of the Loan Parties or any or their Subsidiaries with the SEC and required by the SEC to be delivered to the shareholders of the Loan Parties or any or their Subsidiaries, (ii) each report made by the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries to the SEC on Form 8-K and (iii) each final registration statement of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries filed with the SEC, except in connection with pension plans and other employee benefit plans; and
(b)
such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries relating to the ability of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries to perform their obligations under the Loan Documents as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.
6.05
Notice of Litigation and Other Matters.
The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders promptly (but in no event later than three (3) Business Days after an executive officer of any of the Loan Parties obtains knowledge thereof) written notice of:
67
(a)
the commencement of all proceedings and investigations by or before any Governmental Authority and all actions and proceedings in any court or before any arbitrator against or involving any of the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary thereof or any of their respective properties, assets or businesses (i) which in the reasonable judgment of the Loan Parties could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) with respect to any material Indebtedness of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries or (iii) with respect to any Loan Document;
(b)
any notice of any violation received by any of the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary thereof from any Governmental Authority including, without limitation, any notice of violation of Environmental Laws, which in the reasonable judgment of the Loan Parties in any such case could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(c)
(i) any unfavorable determination letter from the IRS regarding the qualification of an Employee Benefit Plan under Section 401(a) of the Code (along with a copy thereof) which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) all notices received by any of the Loan Parties or any ERISA Affiliate of the PBGC’s intent to terminate any Pension Plan or to have a trustee appointed to administer any Pension Plan, (iii) all notices received by any of the Loan Parties or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan sponsor concerning the imposition or amount of withdrawal liability pursuant to Section 4202 of ERISA which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (iv) the Loan Parties obtaining knowledge or reason to know that the Loan Parties or any ERISA Affiliate has filed or intends to file a notice of intent to terminate any Pension Plan under a distress termination within the meaning of Section 4041(c) of ERISA and (v) the occurrence of a Reportable Event;
(d)
the occurrence of any event which constitutes, or which could reasonably be expected to result in, a Default or an Event of Default;
(e)
the occurrence of any event which constitutes, or which could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect;
(f)
any material change in the accounting policies or financial reporting practices by and Loan Party or any Subsidiary; and
(g)
of the determination by the Registered Public Accounting Firm providing the opinion required under Section 6.01(a)(ii) (in connection with its preparation of such opinion) or the Borrower’s determination at any time of the occurrence or existence of any Internal Control Event; and
6.06
All written information, reports, statements and other papers and data furnished by or on behalf of the Loan Parties to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (other than financial
68
forecasts) whether pursuant to this Article VI or any other provision of this Agreement, shall be, at the time the same is so furnished, true and complete in all material respects.
ARTICLE VII
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied (other than in respect of any Swap Contract), or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, each of the Loan Parties hereby covenants that each of the Loan Parties will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to:
7.01
Preservation of Corporate Existence and Related Matters.
Except as permitted by Section 8.03, preserve and maintain its separate corporate existence and all rights, franchises, licenses and privileges necessary to the conduct of its business, and qualify and remain qualified as a foreign corporation and authorized to do business in each jurisdiction where the nature and scope of its activities require it to so qualify under applicable Law, except where the failure to so preserve and maintain its existence and rights or to so qualify would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.02
Protect and preserve all properties useful in and material to its business, including copyrights, patents, trade names and trademarks; maintain in good working order and condition all buildings, equipment and other tangible real and personal property material to the conduct of its business, ordinary wear and tear excepted; and from time to time make or cause to be made all renewals, replacements and additions to such property necessary for the conduct of its business, so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times, except, in each case, where the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.03
Maintain insurance with financially sound and reputable insurance companies against such risks and in such amounts as are consistent with past practices and prudent business practice (and in any event consistent with normal industry practice), and as may be required by applicable Law.
7.04
Accounting Methods and Financial Records.
Maintain a system of accounting, and keep such books, records and accounts (which shall be true and complete in all material respects) as may be required or as may be necessary to permit the preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and in compliance with the regulations of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over it or any of its properties.
69
7.05
Payment and Performance of Obligations.
(a)
Pay and perform all Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
(b)
Pay and discharge (i) all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its income or profits, or upon any properties belonging to it, prior to the date on which penalties attach thereto, and (ii) all other material indebtedness, obligations and liabilities in accordance with customary trade practices; provided that the Loan Parties or such Subsidiary may contest any item described in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 7.05(b) in good faith and by proper proceedings so long as adequate reserves are maintained with respect thereto to the extent required by GAAP.
(c)
Perform all of its obligations under the terms of each mortgage, indenture, security agreement, loan agreement or credit agreement and each other agreement, contract or instrument by which it is bound, except where such non-performances as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.06
Compliance With Laws and Approvals.
Observe and remain in compliance with all applicable Laws and maintain in full force and effect all Governmental Approvals, in each case applicable to the conduct of its business, except where the failure to observe or comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.07
In addition to and without limiting the generality of Section 7.06, (a) comply with, and use best efforts to ensure such compliance by all tenants and subtenants with all applicable Environmental Laws and obtain and comply with and maintain, and ensure that all tenants and subtenants obtain and comply with and maintain, any and all licenses, approvals, notifications, registrations or permits required by applicable Environmental Laws, except where the failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (b) conduct and complete all investigations, studies, sampling and testing, and all remedial, removal and other actions required under Environmental Laws, and promptly comply with all lawful orders and directives of any Governmental Authority regarding Environmental Laws, except (i) where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) to the extent the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries are contesting, in good faith, any such requirement, order or directive before the appropriate Governmental Authority so long as adequate reserves are maintained with respect thereto to the extent required by GAAP, and (c) defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and their respective parents, Subsidiaries, Affiliates, employees, agents, officers and directors, from and against any claims, demands, penalties, fines, liabilities, settlements, damages, costs and expenses of whatever kind or nature known or unknown, contingent or otherwise, arising out of, or in any way relating to the violation of, noncompliance with or liability under any
70
Environmental Laws applicable to the operations or properties of the Loan Parties or such Subsidiaries, or any orders, requirements or demands of Governmental Authorities related thereto, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney’s and consultant’s fees, investigation and laboratory fees, response costs, court costs and litigation expenses, except to the extent that any of the foregoing directly result from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the party seeking indemnification therefor.
7.08
In addition to and without limiting the generality of Section 7.06, (a) comply with all applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to all Employee Benefit Plans, except where the failure to so comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (b) not take any action or fail to take action the result of which would result in a liability to the PBGC or to a Multiemployer Plan in an amount that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (c) furnish to the Administrative Agent upon the Administrative Agent’s request such additional information about any Employee Benefit Plan concerning compliance with this covenant as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.
7.09
Maintain substantially all of its businesses in substantially the same fields as the businesses conducted on the Closing Date and in lines of business reasonably related thereto or as otherwise permitted pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
7.10
Permit representatives of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, from time to time upon reasonable prior notice and during ordinary business hours, to visit and inspect its properties; if a Default or an Event of Default exists, inspect and make extracts from its books, records and files, including, but not limited to, management letters prepared by independent accountants; and discuss with its principal officers, and its independent accountants, its business, assets, liabilities, financial condition, results of operations and business prospects.
7.11
Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions (i) to refinance existing Indebtedness, (ii) to provide funds to support opportunistic repurchases of the common stock of the Borrower, (iii) for acquisitions permitted under Section 8.08 hereof, (iv) for liquidity support for commercial paper issuances and (v) for working capital and other general corporate purposes.
7.12
As soon as practicable and in any event within 30 days after any Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with written notice thereof setting forth information in reasonable detail describing the ownership of such
71
Person and shall (a) if such Person is a Material Subsidiary that is (i) a Domestic Subsidiary or (ii) to the extent no material adverse tax consequences would result therefrom, a Foreign Subsidiary of the Borrower, cause such Person to execute a Joinder Agreement in substantially the same form as Exhibit H, and (b) cause such Person to deliver such other documentation as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in connection with the foregoing, including, without limitation, certified resolutions and other organizational and authorizing documents of such Person, favorable opinions of counsel to such Person (which shall cover, among other things, the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability of the documentation referred to above) and other items of the types required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(a), all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE VIII
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied (other than in respect of any Swap Contract), or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, each of the Loan Parties hereby covenants that:
8.01
(a)
Maximum Consolidated Leverage Ratio. As of the end of each fiscal quarter, commencing with the end of the first fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Date, the Loan Parties will not permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio to be greater than 55.00%.
(b)
Minimum Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. As of the end of each fiscal quarter, commencing with the end of the first fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Date, the Loan Parties will not permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio to be less than 3.00 to 1.00.
(c)
Minimum Net Worth. At all times after the Closing Date, the Loan Parties will not permit the Consolidated Net Worth to be less than $285,410,000 plus, as of the end of each fiscal quarter, commencing with the end of the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2006, (i) 25% of Consolidated Net Income for the fiscal quarter then ended (with no deduction for a net loss in any such fiscal quarter) and (ii) 100% of the proceeds of the issuance of any Equity Interests, such increases to be cumulative; provided, however, that this Section 8.01(c) shall be deemed terminated and no longer applicable as of the date on which the 1999 Note Agreement (as defined in the Existing Intercreditor Agreement) is amended to terminate the application of the corresponding minimum net worth covenant set forth therein.
8.02
The Loan Parties will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien on, or with respect to, any of their assets or properties
72
(including without limitation shares of capital stock or other ownership interests), real or personal, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except:
(a)
Liens existing on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 8.02;
(b)
Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies not yet due or as to which the period of grace, if any, related thereto has not expired or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings if adequate reserves are maintained to the extent required by GAAP;
(c)
The claims of materialmen, mechanics, carriers, warehousemen, processors or landlords for labor, materials, supplies or rentals incurred in the ordinary course of business, (i) which are not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or (ii) which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings if adequate reserves are maintained to the extent required by GAAP;
(d)
Liens consisting of deposits or pledges made in the ordinary course of business (i) in connection with, or to secure payment of, obligations under workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or similar legislation or obligations under customer service contracts, or (ii) to secure (or to obtain letters of credit that secure) the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety bonds, appeal bonds, bids, leases (other than capital leases), performance bonds, purchase, construction or sales contracts and other similar obligations, in each case not incurred or made in connection with the borrowing of money, the obtaining of advances or credit or the payment of the deferred purchase price of property;
(e)
Liens constituting encumbrances in the nature of zoning restrictions, easements and rights or restrictions of record on the use of real property, which in the aggregate are not substantial in amount and which do not, in any case, detract from the value of any material parcel of real property or impair the use thereof in the ordinary conduct of business;
(f)
Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders;
(g)
Liens on the property or assets of any Subsidiary existing at the time such Subsidiary becomes a Subsidiary of a Loan Party and not incurred in contemplation thereof, as long as the outstanding principal amount of the Indebtedness secured thereby is not voluntarily increased by such Subsidiary after the date such Subsidiary becomes a Subsidiary of such Loan Party;
(h)
Liens on the property or assets of the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 8.10(e) and which is incurred to finance the acquisition of such property or assets, provided that (i) each such Lien shall be created substantially simultaneously with the acquisition of the related property or assets; (ii) each such Lien does not at any time encumber any property other than the related
73
property or assets financed by such Indebtedness; (iii) the principal amount of Indebtedness secured by each such Lien is not increased; and (iv) the principal amount of Indebtedness secured by each such Lien shall at no time exceed 100% of the original purchase price of such related property or assets at the time acquired;
(i)
Liens consisting of judgment or judicial attachment Liens, provided that (i) the claims giving rise to such Liens are being diligently contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (ii) adequate reserves for the obligations secured by such Liens have been established and (iii) enforcement of such Liens has been stayed;
(j)
Liens on property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary securing Indebtedness owing to the Borrower or any other Loan Party; and
(k)
Liens not otherwise permitted by this Section 8.02 securing Indebtedness not in excess of fifteen percent (15%) of Consolidated Total Assets in the aggregate at any time outstanding.
8.03
Limitations on Mergers and Liquidation.
None of the Loan Parties will, or will permit any of its Subsidiaries to, merge, consolidate or enter into any similar combination with any other Person or liquidate, wind-up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution), except:
(a)
Any Loan Party or a Subsidiary may merge with another Person, provided that (i) such Person is organized under the Law of the United States or one of its states, (ii) such Loan Party or the Subsidiary, as the case may be, is the corporation surviving such merger, (iii) immediately prior to and after giving effect to such merger, no Default or Event of Default exists or would exist and (iv) the Board of Directors of such Person has approved such merger;
(b)
Any wholly-owned Subsidiary of a Loan Party may merge into a Loan Party or any other wholly-owned Subsidiary of a Loan Party; and
(c)
Any wholly-owned Subsidiary of a Loan Party may liquidate, wind-up or dissolve itself into a Loan Party or any other wholly-owned Subsidiary of a Loan Party.
8.04
Limitations on Sale or Transfer of Assets.
The Loan Parties will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to, convey, sell, lease, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of:
(a)
(i) More than 20% of Consolidated Total Assets during any fiscal year measured as of the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year or (ii) more than 40% of Consolidated Total Assets measured as of March 31, 2006 during the term of this Agreement;
74
(b)
Any of their property, business or assets if such transaction would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; or
(c)
Any of their property, business or assets if immediately prior to or after giving effect to such transaction a Default or an Event of Default exists or would exist.
8.05
Prohibitions on Limitations on Dividends and Distributions.
The Loan Parties will not permit any Subsidiary to agree to, incur, assume or suffer to exist any restriction, limitation or other encumbrance (by covenant or otherwise) on the ability of such Subsidiary to make any payment to a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries (in the form of dividends, intercompany advances or otherwise), except:
(a)
Restrictions and limitations existing on the Closing Date and described on Schedule 8.05;
(b)
Restrictions and limitations applicable to a Subsidiary existing at the time such Subsidiary becomes a Subsidiary of a Loan Party and not incurred in contemplation thereof, as long as no such restriction or limitation is made more restrictive after the date such Subsidiary becomes a Subsidiary of such Loan Party; and
(c)
Other restrictions and limitations that are not material either individually or in the aggregate.
8.06
The Loan Parties will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly (a) make any loan or advance to, or purchase or assume any note or other obligation to or from, any of its officers, directors, shareholders or Affiliates, or to or from any member of the immediate family of any of its officers, directors, shareholders or Affiliates, other than (i) loans or advances to customers of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business which are arm’s length, (ii) loans or advances from a Loan Party to another Loan Party, and (iii) any other loan or advance or assumption that would not cause the aggregate amount of all such loans and advances and assumed notes and advances to exceed $5,000,000, (b) enter into, or be a party to, any subcontract of any operations or other transaction with any of its Affiliates, except pursuant to the reasonable requirements of its business and upon fair and reasonable terms that are no less favorable to it than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person not its Affiliate and except for transactions which are not material either individually or in the aggregate. Nothing contained in this Section 8.06 shall prohibit the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries that have obtained an ownership interest in a customer in connection with a loan or credit workout to provide non-standard payment or other terms to such customer or otherwise to do business with such customer in the ordinary course of business.
75
8.07
The Loan Parties will not (a) change their fiscal year ends in order to avoid a Default or an Event of Default or if a Material Adverse Effect would result therefrom or (b) make any material change in their accounting treatment and reporting practices except as required by GAAP.
8.08
The Loan Parties will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to, acquire all or any portion of the capital stock or other ownership interest in any Person which is not a Subsidiary or all or any substantial portion of the assets, property and/or operations of a Person which is not a Subsidiary, unless (a) the Person, assets, property and/or operations being acquired engage in or are engaged in the same line of business as that engaged in by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date or a business reasonably related thereto, (b) in the case of an acquisition of capital stock or other ownership interest of a Person, the Board of Directors of the Person which is the subject of such acquisition shall have approved the acquisition, (c) after giving effect to such acquisition, no Default or Event of Default would exist and (d) in the event the aggregate consideration (including Indebtedness assumed) for such acquisition is at least $20,000,000, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a 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 8.01 as of the most recent fiscal quarter end with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received the financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), as applicable.
8.09
The Loan Parties will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to, sell or transfer any material property or assets to anyone (other than the Borrower or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower) with the intention of taking back a lease of such property or assets or any similar property or assets, except in connection with a lease for a temporary period during or at the end of which it is intended that the use by such Loan Party or its Subsidiary of such property or assets will be discontinued.
8.10
The Loan Parties will not permit any Subsidiary of the Borrower to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a)
Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;
(b)
Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 5.16 and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof; provided that the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees
76
and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder;
(c)
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 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, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;” 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;
(d)
Indebtedness incurred by a Subsidiary from a Loan Party; and
(e)
Indebtedness in respect of capital leases, Synthetic Lease Obligations and purchase money obligations for fixed or capital assets within the limitations set forth in Section 8.02(h); provided, however, that the aggregate amount of all such Indebtedness at any one time outstanding shall not exceed $40,000,000.
8.11
The Loan Parties will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to make any Investments, except:
(a)
Investments held by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of cash equivalents or short-term marketable debt securities;
(b)
advances to officers, directors and employees of the Borrower and Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2,000,000 at any time outstanding, for travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes; provided that all such advances must be in compliance with applicable Laws, including, but not limited to, the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002;
(c)
Investments of the Borrower in any Guarantor and Investments of any Guarantor in the Borrower or in another Guarantor;
(d)
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;
(e)
Guarantees permitted by Section 8.10;
(f)
Investments permitted by Section 8.08; and
(g)
other Investments not permitted by this Section 8.11 in an amount not exceeding $60,000,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year of the Borrower.
77
ARTICLE IX
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
9.01
Events of Default.
Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default, whatever the reason for such event and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority or otherwise:
(a)
Default in Payment of Principal of Loans and L/C Obligations. The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay when, and as required to be paid herein, any amount of any principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation.
(b)
Other Payment Default. The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay when and as due (whether at maturity, by reason of acceleration or otherwise) of any interest, fees or other amounts owing on any Loan or L/C Obligation or the payment of any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document and such default shall continue unremedied for three (3) Business Days after the earlier of a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party becoming aware of such default or written notice thereof has been given to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent.
(c)
Misrepresentation. Any representation, warranty or statement made or deemed to be made by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, if applicable, under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any amendment hereto or thereto or in any certificate delivered to the Administrative Agent or to any Lender pursuant hereto and thereto, shall at any time prove to have been incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made.
(d)
Default in Performance of Certain Covenants. Any of the Loan Parties shall default in the performance or observance of any covenant or agreement contained in Article VIII and in Sections 6.01 – 6.06 and Section 7.01.
(e)
Default in Performance of Other Covenants and Conditions. Any of the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary thereof, if applicable, shall default in the performance or observance of any term, covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than as specifically provided for otherwise in this Section 9.01) or any other Loan Document and such default shall continue for a period of thirty (30) days after the earlier of a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party becoming aware of such default or written notice thereof has been given to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent.
(f)
Swap Contract. Any termination payments in an amount greater than $5,000,000 shall be due by any Loan Party under any Swap Contract and such amount is not paid within thirty (30) Business Days of the due date thereof.
78
(g)
Debt Cross-Default. Any of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries shall (i) default in the payment of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness under this Agreement, the Notes or any L/C Obligation) the aggregate outstanding amount of which Indebtedness is in excess of $10,000,000, beyond the period of grace if any, provided in the instrument or agreement under which such Indebtedness was created, or (ii) default in the observance or performance of any other agreement or condition relating to any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness under this Agreement any L/C Obligation), the aggregate outstanding amount of which Indebtedness is in excess of $5,000,000 or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto or any other event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, any such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity (any such notice having been given and any applicable grace period having expired).
(h)
Change in Control. An event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) below shall have occurred: (i) during any period of twelve (12) consecutive months, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the board of directors of the Borrower (together with any new directors whose election by such board or whose nomination for election by the shareholders of the Borrower was approved by a vote of a majority of the directors then still in office who were either directors at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) and who were entitled to vote on such matters, cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the board of directors of the Borrower then in office, (ii) any person or group of persons (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than Senior Management (as defined below), shall obtain ownership or control in one or more series of transactions of more than 49% of the common stock or 49% of the voting power of the Borrower entitled to vote in the election of members of the board of directors of the Borrower or (iii) there shall have occurred under any indenture or other instrument evidencing any Indebtedness in excess of $5,000,000 any “change in control” (as defined in such indenture or other evidence of debt) obligating the Borrower to repurchase, redeem or repay all or any part of the debt or capital stock provided for therein (any such event, a “Change in Control”). For purposes hereof, “Senior Management” shall mean a person who is either a member of the Borrower’s board of directors or a senior corporate officer of the Borrower, in each case holding such position as of the Closing Date and as of the date of any Change in Control.
(i)
Voluntary Bankruptcy Proceeding. Any Loan Party or any Material Subsidiary thereof shall (i) commence a voluntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws (as now or hereafter in effect), (ii) file a petition seeking to take advantage of any other laws, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, winding up or composition for adjustment of debts, (iii) consent to or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner any petition filed against it in an involuntary case under such bankruptcy laws or other laws, (iv) apply for or consent to, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, the appointment of, or the taking of possession by, a receiver, custodian, trustee or liquidator of itself or of a substantial part of its property, domestic or
79
foreign, (v) admit in writing its inability to pay its debts as they become due, (vi) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or (vii) take any corporate action for the purpose of authorizing any of the foregoing.
(j)
Involuntary Bankruptcy Proceeding. A case or other proceeding shall be commenced against any Loan Party or any Material Subsidiary thereof in any court of competent jurisdiction seeking (i) relief under the federal bankruptcy laws (as now or hereafter in effect) or under any other laws, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, winding up or composition for adjustment of debts, or (ii) the appointment of a trustee, receiver, custodian, liquidator or the like for any Loan Party or any Material Subsidiary thereof or for all or any substantial part of their respective assets, domestic or foreign, and such case or proceeding shall continue without dismissal or stay for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days, or an order granting the relief requested in such case or proceeding (including, but not limited to, an order for relief under such federal bankruptcy laws) shall be entered.
(k)
Enforcement. A creditor or an encumbrance attaches or takes possession of, or a distress, execution, sequestration or other process is levied or enforced upon or sued out against, any of the undertakings and assets of any Loan Party or any Material Subsidiary thereof and (if capable of discharge) such possession is not terminated or such attachment or process is not satisfied, removed or discharge within fifteen (15) days.
(l)
Similar Events. Any event occurs or any proceeding is taken with respect to any Loan Party or any Material Subsidiary in any jurisdiction to which it is subject which has an effect equivalent or similar to any of the events set forth in Sections 9.01(i), (j) or (k).
(m)
Judgment. A judgment or order for the payment of money which causes the aggregate amount of all such judgments to exceed $10,000,000 in any fiscal year shall be entered against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof by any court and such judgment or order shall not, within thirty (30) days after entry thereof, be bonded, discharged or stayed pending appeal, or shall not be discharged within thirty (30) days after the expiration of such stay.
(n)
Guaranty. At any time after the execution and delivery thereof, the guaranty given by a Guarantor hereunder or any provision thereof shall cease to be in full force or effect as to such Guarantor, or such Guarantor or any Person acting by or on behalf of such Guarantor shall deny or disaffirm such Guarantor’s obligations under such guaranty or such Guarantor shall default in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or agreement on its part to be performed or observed pursuant to such guaranty.
(o)
ERISA. An event described in each of clause (i), (ii) and (iii) below shall have occurred: (i) any Pension Plan shall fail to satisfy the minimum funding standard required for any plan year or part thereof under Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA or a waiver of such standard or extension of any amortization period is sought or
80
granted under Section 412 of the Code or Section 303 or 304 of ERISA, a Reportable Event shall have occurred, a contributing sponsor (as defined in Section 4001(a)(13) of ERISA) of a Pension Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA shall be subject to the advance reporting requirement of PBGC Regulation Section 4043.61 (without regard to subparagraph (b)(1) thereof) and an event described in subsection .62 , .63, .64, .65, .66, .67 or .68 of PBGC Regulation Section 4043 shall be reasonably expected to occur with respect to such Pension Plan within the following thirty (30) days, any Pension Plan which is subject to Title IV of ERISA shall have had or is likely to have a trustee appointed to administer such Pension Plan, any Pension Plan which is subject to Title IV of ERISA is, shall have been or is likely to be terminated or to be the subject of termination proceedings under ERISA, any Pension Plan shall have an Unfunded Current Liability, a contribution required to be made with respect to a Pension Plan or a Foreign Pension Plan has not been timely made, the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or is likely to incur any liability to or on account of a Pension Plan under Section 409, 502(i), 502(1), 515, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4069, 4201, 4204 or 4212 of ERISA or Section 401(a)(29), 4971 or 4975 of the Code or on account of a group health plan (as defined in Section 607(1) of ERISA or Section 4980B(g)(2) of the Code) under Section 4980B of the Code, or the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries has incurred or is likely to incur liabilities pursuant to one or more employee welfare benefit plans (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) that provide benefits to retired employees or other former employees (other than as required by Section 601 of ERISA) or Pension Plans or Foreign Pension Plans; (ii) there shall result from any such event or events the imposition of a lien, the granting of a security interest or a liability or a material risk of such a lien being imposed, such security interest being granted or such liability being incurred, and (iii) such lien, security interest or liability, individually, and/or in the aggregate, has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
(p)
Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document.
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 the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;
81
(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 or applicable law;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer 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.
After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 9.02 (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 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 Agent in its capacity as such;
Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer 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 and L/C Borrowings and Swap Contracts between any Loan Party and any
82
Lender or Affiliate of any Lender and to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and
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 2.04(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.
ARTICLE X
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Appointment and Authority.
Each of the Lenders and the 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. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.
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.
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:
83
(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 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 the 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 IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
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
84
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 L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the 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.
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.
Resignation of Administrative Agent.
The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer 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 Issuer, 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 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 the 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
85
and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.04 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 L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender. 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 and Swing Line Lender, (b) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender 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 arrangement 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.
Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.
Each Lender and the 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 the 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.
No Other Duties, Etc.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the book managers or arrangers 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 the L/C Issuer hereunder.
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
86
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 Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.04(i) and (j), 2.10 and 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 the 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, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.10 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 the 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.
Guaranty Matters.
The Lenders and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder.
Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 10.10.
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS
Amendments, Etc.
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 unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and
87
each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:
(a)
waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a) without the written consent of each Lender;
(b)
extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 9.02) without the written consent of such Lender;
(c)
postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;
(d)
reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (v) of the second proviso to this Section 11.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) 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 or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;
(e)
change Section 2.14 or Section 9.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;
(f)
change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any 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, without the written consent of each Lender; or
(g)
release all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty without the written consent of each Lender;
and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swing Line Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; (iii) 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; (iv) Section 11.06(h) may not be amended, waived or otherwise
88
modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification; and (v) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto. 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.
Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.
(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 L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, 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, 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 Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or the 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
89
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 L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender 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 L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender. In addition, each Lender agrees to 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 L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Committed Loan Notices and Swing Line 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, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting
90
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.
No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.
No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer 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.
Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a)
Costs and Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, 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 the 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, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the 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, 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), each Lender and the 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 Documents (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom
91
(including any refusal by the 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 (y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower or any other Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, 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 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 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) or the 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) or L/C Issuer in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.13(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 shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.
92
(f)
Survival. The agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.
To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, the 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 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 the 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 Issuer under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
(a)
Successors and Assigns Generally. 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 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, (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section, or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of subsection (h) 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 Issuer 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),
93
participations in L/C Obligations and in Swing Line 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 with respect to a Lender, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding 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 $5,000,000 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 Swing Line Loans;
(iii)
any assignment of a Commitment must be approved by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender 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
(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, 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
94
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 Issuer 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 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 Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer 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)
Limitations upon Participant 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
95
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 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)
Special Purpose Funding Vehicles. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Committed Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Committed Loan, and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Committed Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Committed Loan pursuant to the terms hereof or, if it fails to do so, to make such payment to the Administrative Agent as is required under Section 2.13. Each party hereto hereby agrees that (i) neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Section 3.04), (ii) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable, and (iii) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of a Committed Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Committed Loan were made by such Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation
96
proceeding under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (i) with notice to, but without prior consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and with the payment of a processing fee in the amount of $2,500, assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Committed Loan to the Granting Lender and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Committed Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.
(i)
Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitment and Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, (i) upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer and/or (ii) upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as Swing Line Lender. In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be. If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as 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 2.04(c)). If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line 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 Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(c). Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, 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 to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.
Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.
Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the 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 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
97
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 or (ii) 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 or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.
For purposes of this Section, “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 the 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 the 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.
If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, 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, the 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 the L/C Issuer, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or the 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 the L/C Issuer different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness. The rights of each Lender, the 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, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the 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.
98
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.
Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Amendment and Restatement.
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 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof 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. The Loan Parties and the Lenders (including the L/C Issuer) each hereby agrees that, at such time as this Agreement shall have become effective pursuant to the terms of this Section 11.10, (i) the Existing Credit Agreement automatically shall be deemed amended and restated in its entirety by this Agreement, and (ii) all of the promissory notes executed by the Borrower in connection with the Existing Credit Agreement automatically shall be deemed substituted and replaced by the promissory notes executed in connection with this Agreement, and the Lenders holding such prior notes agree promptly to return them to the Borrower.
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 as
99
long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.
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 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.
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, or if 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.
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.
100
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, 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 THE 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 PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
101
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.
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 the Borrower 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 the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.
11.17
Each Person that becomes a Lender hereunder in compliance with Section 11.06 hereby agrees, promptly upon the request of the Administrative Agent, to execute a joinder agreement, in substantially the form of Exhibit G, to the Existing Intercreditor Agreement. The Credit Parties, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent hereby agree that this Agreement shall constitute the “Credit Agreement” as defined and referred to in the Existing Intercreditor Agreement.
11.18
No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.
.
In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby, the Loan Parties each acknowledge and agree, and acknowledge their respective Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) the credit facility provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) are an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Arranger on the other hand, and each of the Loan Parties is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions
102
contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof); (ii) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, the Administrative Agent and the Arranger is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary, for the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other Person; (iii) neither the Administrative Agent nor the Arranger has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of any Loan Party with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document (irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent or the Arranger has advised or is currently advising any Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates on other matters) and neither the Administrative Agent nor the Arranger has any obligation to the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; (iv) the Administrative Agent and the Arranger and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent nor the Arranger has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the Administrative Agent and the Arranger have not provided and will not provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) and each of the Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate. Each of the Loan Parties hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent and the Arranger with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.
12.01
Each of the Guarantors hereby jointly and severally guarantees to each Lender, each Affiliate of a Lender that enters into a Swap Contract, 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 Swap Contracts, the obligations of each Guarantor under this Agreement and the
103
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.
12.02
The obligations of the Guarantors under Section 12.01 are joint and several, absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or Swap Contracts, 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 12.02 that the obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances. Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution against the Borrower or any other Guarantor for amounts paid under this Article XII 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 Swap Contract 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 Swap Contracts 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 Swap Contract 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 Swap Contracts 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 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).
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
104
Agent or any Lender exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against any Person under any of the Loan Documents, any Swap Contract 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 Swap Contracts, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Obligations.
12.03
The obligations of the Guarantors under this Article XII 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 Agent and each Lender on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of counsel) incurred by the 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.
12.04
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 12.02 and through the exercise of rights of contribution pursuant to Section 12.06.
12.05
The Guarantors agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the 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 12.01 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 12.01. The Guarantors acknowledge and agree that to the extent their obligations hereunder become secured, the Lenders may exercise their remedies thereunder in accordance with the terms of the applicable security documents.
12.06
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
105
of the Guarantors shall exercise any such contribution rights until the Obligations have been Fully Satisfied.
12.07
Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.
The guarantee in this Article XII is a guaranty of payment and not of collection, is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to all Obligations whenever arising.
106
BORROWER:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Senior Vice President, Finance
SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS:
RHINELANDER PAPER COMPANY, INC.,
a Wisconsin corporation
WAUSAU PAPERS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, INC.,
a Delaware corporation
WAUSAU PAPERS XXXX MILL INC.,
a Delaware corporation
MOSINEE PAPER CORPORATION,
a Wisconsin corporation
BAY WEST PAPER CORPORATION,
a Wisconsin corporation
XXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Senior Vice President, Finance
WAUSAU PAPER OF MINNESOTA, LLC
a Minnesota limited liability company
XXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Senior Vice President/Manager
S-1
ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT:
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Vice President
LENDERS:
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender,
L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender
XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXXXX
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Managing Director
M&I XXXXXXXX & ILSLEY BANK, as a Lender,
XXXXXX X. XXXXX
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Vice President
XXXXX X. XXXXXX
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Senior Vice President
XXXXXX X.X., as a Lender,
XXXXX X. XXXXXX
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Director
XXXXX FARGO BANK N.A., as a Lender,
XXXXXX X. XXXXXXX
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Vice President
NORTHWEST FARM CREDIT SERVICES, PCA, as a Lender,
XXX X. XXXXX
Xxx X. Xxxxx
Xx. Vice President
S-2