AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT DATED AS OF MAY 20, 2022 AMONG PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO, AS BORROWER, THE LENDERS, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, AND BOKF, NA dba BANK OF ALBUQUERQUE, AS SYNDICATION AGENT...
EXECUTION COPY
Deal CUSIP 00000XXX0 Revolving Loan CUSIP 00000XXX0 |
AMONG
PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO,
PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO,
AS BORROWER,
THE LENDERS,
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT,
THE LENDERS,
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT,
AND
BOKF, NA dba BANK OF ALBUQUERQUE,
AS SYNDICATION AGENT
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
AND
BOKF, NA dba BANK OF ALBUQUERQUE,
AS JOINT LEAD ARRANGERS AND CO-BOOK MANAGERS
AS JOINT LEAD ARRANGERS AND CO-BOOK MANAGERS
![image_0a.jpg](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/81023/000110842622000036/image_0a.jpg)
Table of Contents
Page
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS | 1 | ||||
1.1.Β Β Β Β Definitions | 1 | ||||
1.2.Β Β Β Β Loan Types | 25 | ||||
1.3.Β Β Β Β Computation of Time Periods | 25 | ||||
1.4.Β Β Β Β Accounting | 25 | ||||
1.5.Β Β Β Β Other Definitional Terms; Interpretative Provisions | 26 | ||||
1.6.Β Β Β Β Divisions | 26 | ||||
1.7.Β Β Β Β Term SOFR Notification | 26 | ||||
ARTICLE II THE CREDITS | 27 | ||||
2.1.Β Β Β Β Commitments | 27 | ||||
2.2.Β Β Β Β Determination of Amounts; Required Payments; Termination | 27 | ||||
2.3.Β Β Β Β Ratable Borrowings; Types of Borrowings | 27 | ||||
2.4.Β Β Β Β [Reserved] | 28 | ||||
2.5.Β Β Β Β Commitment Fee | 28 | ||||
2.6.Β Β Β Β Minimum Amount of Each Borrowing | 28 | ||||
2.7.Β Β Β Β Termination of and Reductions in Aggregate Commitment; Voluntary Prepayments | 28 | ||||
2.8.Β Β Β Β Borrowing Notices | 28 | ||||
2.9.Β Β Β Β Conversion and Continuation of Outstanding Borrowings; Maximum Number of Interest Periods | 29 | ||||
2.10.Β Β Β Β Interest Rates | 30 | ||||
2.11.Β Β Β Β Rates Applicable After Event of Default | 30 | ||||
2.12.Β Β Β Β Method of Payment | 30 | ||||
2.13.Β Β Β Β Evidence of Indebtedness | 31 | ||||
2.14.Β Β Β Β Oral Notices | 31 | ||||
2.15.Β Β Β Β Interest Payment Dates; Interest and Fee Basis | 32 | ||||
2.16.Β Β Β Β Notification of Borrowings, Interest Rates, Prepayments, and Commitment Reductions | 32 | ||||
2.17.Β Β Β Β Lending Offices | 32 | ||||
2.18.Β Β Β Β Non-Receipt of Funds by the Administrative Agent | 32 | ||||
2.19.Β Β Β Β Sharing of Payments | 33 | ||||
2.20.Β Β Β Β [Reserved] | 33 | ||||
2.21.Β Β Β Β Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders | 33 | ||||
2.22.Β Β Β Β Interest Rate Limitation | 35 | ||||
2.23.Β Β Β Β Defaulting Lenders | 35 | ||||
ARTICLE III YIELD PROTECTION; TAXES | 36 | ||||
3.1.Β Β Β Β Increased Costs | 36 | ||||
3.2.Β Β Β Β Certificates for Reimbursement; Delay in Requests | 37 |
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3.3.Β Β Β Β Availability of Types of Borrowings; Adequacy of Interest Rate; Benchmark Replacement | 38 | ||||
3.4.Β Β Β Β Funding Indemnification | 40 | ||||
3.5.Β Β Β Β Taxes | 41 | ||||
3.6.Β Β Β Β Illegality | 45 | ||||
ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT | 46 | ||||
4.1.Β Β Β Β Initial Credit Extension | 46 | ||||
4.2.Β Β Β Β Each Credit Extension | 48 | ||||
ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 48 | ||||
5.1.Β Β Β Β Existence and Standing | 48 | ||||
5.2.Β Β Β Β Authorization and Validity | 48 | ||||
5.3.Β Β Β Β No Conflicts | 48 | ||||
5.4.Β Β Β Β Financial Statements | 49 | ||||
5.5.Β Β Β Β Material Adverse Change | 49 | ||||
5.6.Β Β Β Β Taxes | 49 | ||||
5.7.Β Β Β Β Litigation | 49 | ||||
5.8.Β Β Β Β [Reserved] | 50 | ||||
5.9.Β Β Β Β [Reserved] | 50 | ||||
5.10.Β Β Β Β [Reserved] | 50 | ||||
5.11.Β Β Β Β Enforceable Obligations | 50 | ||||
5.12.Β Β Β Β Disclosure | 50 | ||||
5.13.Β Β Β Β Compliance with Law | 50 | ||||
5.14.Β Β Β Β Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions | 50 | ||||
5.15.Β Β Β Β Environmental Matters | 51 | ||||
5.16.Β Β Β Β Investment Company Act | 51 | ||||
5.17.Β Β Β Β Use of Proceeds; Margin Stock | 51 | ||||
5.18.Β Β Β Β Consents | 51 | ||||
5.19.Β Β Β Β Solvency | 52 | ||||
5.20.Β Β Β Β No Default | 52 | ||||
5.21.Β Β Β Β Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions | 52 | ||||
5.22.Β Β Β Β EEA Financial Institution | 52 | ||||
ARTICLE VI AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS | 52 | ||||
6.1.Β Β Β Β Financial Reporting | 52 | ||||
6.2.Β Β Β Β Use of Proceeds | 55 | ||||
6.3.Β Β Β Β Preservation of Existence and Franchises | 55 | ||||
6.4.Β Β Β Β [Reserved] | 55 | ||||
6.5.Β Β Β Β Payment of Taxes and Obligations | 55 | ||||
6.6.Β Β Β Β Insurance | 56 | ||||
6.7.Β Β Β Β Compliance with Laws | 56 | ||||
6.8.Β Β Β Β Performance of Obligations | 56 | ||||
6.9.Β Β Β Β Books and Records | 56 | ||||
6.10.Β Β Β Β Audits and Inspections | 56 | ||||
6.11.Β Β Β Β Financial Covenant | 57 |
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ARTICLE VII NEGATIVE COVENANTS | 57 | ||||
7.1.Β Β Β Β Nature of Business | 57 | ||||
7.2.Β Β Β Β Consolidation and Merger | 57 | ||||
7.3.Β Β Β Β Sale or Lease of Assets | 57 | ||||
7.4.Β Β Β Β Affiliate Transactions | 57 | ||||
7.5.Β Β Β Β Liens | 57 | ||||
7.6.Β Β Β Β Accounting Changes | 59 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES | 59 | ||||
8.1.Β Β Β Β Events of Default | 59 | ||||
8.2.Β Β Β Β Acceleration; Remedies | 61 | ||||
8.3.Β Β Β Β Application of Funds | 62 | ||||
ARTICLE IX THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT | 62 | ||||
9.1.Β Β Β Β Appointment and Authority | 62 | ||||
9.2.Β Β Β Β Rights as a Lender | 63 | ||||
9.3.Β Β Β Β Exculpatory Provisions | 63 | ||||
9.4.Β Β Β Β Reliance by Administrative Agent | 64 | ||||
9.5.Β Β Β Β Delegation of Duties | 64 | ||||
9.6.Β Β Β Β Resignation of Administrative Agent | 64 | ||||
9.7.Β Β Β Β Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders | 65 | ||||
9.8.Β Β Β Β No Other Duties | 66 | ||||
9.9.Β Β Β Β Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim | 66 | ||||
9.10.Β Β Β Β [Reserved] | 66 | ||||
9.11.Β Β Β Β [Reserved] | 66 | ||||
9.12.Β Β Β Β Certain ERISA Matters | 66 | ||||
9.13.Β Β Β Β Erroneous Payments | 67 | ||||
ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS | 69 | ||||
10.1.Β Β Β Β Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication | 69 | ||||
10.2.Β Β Β Β Amendments and Waivers | 70 | ||||
10.3.Β Β Β Β Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver | 72 | ||||
10.4.Β Β Β Β Successors and Assigns | 74 | ||||
10.5.Β Β Β Β Setoff | 78 | ||||
10.6.Β Β Β Β Payments Set Aside | 78 | ||||
10.7.Β Β Β Β Survival | 78 | ||||
10.8.Β Β Β Β Governmental Regulation | 79 | ||||
10.9.Β Β Β Β Headings | 79 | ||||
10.10.Β Β Β Β Entire Agreement | 79 | ||||
10.11.Β Β Β Β Several Obligations | 79 | ||||
10.12.Β Β Β Β Severability of Provisions | 79 | ||||
10.13.Β Β Β Β Treatment of Certain Information | 79 | ||||
10.14.Β Β Β Β Nonreliance | 81 | ||||
10.15.Β Β Β Β No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility | 81 | ||||
10.16.Β Β Β Β PATRIOT Act | 82 |
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10.17.Β Β Β Β Counterparts; Effectiveness | 82 | ||||
10.18.Β Β Β Β Electronic Execution of Assignments | 82 | ||||
10.19.Β Β Β Β Document Imaging; Telecopy and PDF Signatures; Electronic Signatures | 82 | ||||
10.20.Β Β Β Β Governing Law | 83 | ||||
10.21.Β Β Β Β Jurisdiction | 83 | ||||
10.22.Β Β Β Β Waiver of Venue | 83 | ||||
10.23.Β Β Β Β Service of Process | 83 | ||||
10.24.Β Β Β Β WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL | 83 | ||||
10.25.Β Β Β Β [Reserved] | 83 | ||||
10.26.Β Β Β Β Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions | 84 | ||||
10.27.Β Β Β Β Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs | 84 | ||||
10.28.Β Β Β Β Amendment and Restatement. | 85 |
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SCHEDULE 1Β Β Β Β Commitments
EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT AΒ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Form of Assignment and Assumption
EXHIBIT BΒ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Form of Compliance Certificate
EXHIBIT C-1Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Form of Borrowing Notice
EXHIBIT C-2Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Form of Conversion/Continuation Notice
EXHIBIT C-3Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Form of Prepayment Notice
EXHIBIT DΒ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Form of Revolving Note
EXHIBITS E-1 to E-4Β Β Β Β Forms of U.S. Tax Compliance CertificateΒ Β Β Β
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AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT
This Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 20, 2022 is among Public Service Company of New Mexico, a New Mexico corporation (the βBorrowerβ), the Lenders and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, as Administrative Agent and is made with reference to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of December 12, 2017 (as amended through the date hereof, the βExisting Credit Agreementβ) among the Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent. The parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
DEFINITIONS
1.1.Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
βAdjusted Term SOFRβ means, for purposes of any calculation, the rate per annum equal to (a) Term SOFR for such calculation plus (b) the Term SOFR Adjustment; provided that if Adjusted Term SOFR as so determined shall ever be less than the Floor, then Adjusted Term SOFR shall be deemed to be the Floor.
βAdministrative Agentβ means U.S. Bank in its capacity as contractual representative of the Lenders pursuant to Article IX, and not in its individual capacity as a Lender, and any successor Administrative Agent appointed pursuant to Article IX.
βAdministrative Questionnaireβ means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
βAffected Financial Institutionβ means (a) any EEA Financial Institution or (b)Β any UK Financial Institution.
βAffiliateβ of any Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person, including, without limitation, such Personβs Subsidiaries. A Person shall be deemed to control another Person if the controlling Person owns 10% or more of any class of Equity Interests of the controlled Person or possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of the controlled Person, whether through ownership of Equity Interests, by contract or otherwise.
βAggregate Commitmentβ means the aggregate of the unexpired Commitments of all the Lenders, as reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof. As of the Closing Date, the Aggregate Commitment is $40,000,000.
βAggregate Outstanding Credit Exposureβ means, at any time, the aggregate of the Outstanding Credit Exposure of all the Lenders.
βAgreementβ means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time.
βAlternate Base Rateβ means, for any day, a fluctuating rate per annum equal to, the highest of (a)Β the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b)Β the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
day plus 0.50% and (c) Adjusted Term SOFR for a one-month tenor in effect on such day plus 1.00%; each change in the Alternate Base Rate shall take effect simultaneously with the corresponding change or changes in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or Adjusted Term SOFR, as applicable (provided that clause (c) shall not be applicable during any period in which Term SOFR is unavailable or unascertainable). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Alternate Base Rate be less than 1.0%.
βAnti-Corruption Lawsβ means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.
βApplicable Lawβ means, as to any Person, all applicable Laws binding upon such Person or to which such a Person is subject.
βApplicable Marginβ means, at any time, with respect to Loans of any Type and commitment fees, the applicable percentages per annum determined by reference to the Debt Rating applicable on such day (each a βCalculation Dateβ) as set forth below:
Level | Debt Rating | Term SOFR Rate | Base Rate | Commitment Fee Rate | ||||||||||
1 | A-/A3 or better | 1.000% | 0.000% | 0.125% | ||||||||||
2 | BBB+/Baa1 | 1.125% | 0.125% | 0.175% | ||||||||||
3 | BBB/Baa2 | 1.250% | 0.250% | 0.200% | ||||||||||
4 | BBB-/Baa3 | 1.500% | 0.500% | 0.250% | ||||||||||
5 | BB+/Ba1 | 1.750% | 0.750% | 0.300% | ||||||||||
6 | <BB or unrated/Ba2 or unrated | 2.000% | 1.000% | 0.350% |
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,
(a)if only one Debt Rating is in effect, the Level shall be determined by reference to the available Debt Rating;
(b)if, at any time, there is a split in the Borrowerβs Debt Rating between S&P and Xxxxxβx, the Applicable Margin shall be determined by the higher of the two Debt Ratings (i.e. the lower pricing), provided that if the two Debt Ratings are more than one level apart, the Applicable Margin shall be based on the Debt Rating which is one level lower than the higher rating; and
(c)if the Borrower does not have a Debt Rating, Level 6 shall apply.
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Each Applicable Margin shall be effective from one Calculation Date until the next Calculation Date. Any adjustment in the Applicable Margin shall be applicable to all existing Term SOFR Loans as well as any new Term SOFR Loans made. The applicable Pricing Level for the Applicable Margin, as of the Closing Date, is Pricing Level 3.
Each change in the Applicable Margin resulting from a publicly announced change in the Debt Rating after the Closing Date shall be effective during the period commencing one (1) Business Day after the date of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change.
βApplicable Percentageβ means, with respect to any Revolving Lender, the percentage of the total Revolving Commitments represented by such Revolving Lenderβs Revolving Commitment. If the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Revolving Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments.
βApproved Fundβ 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.
βArrangerβ means U.S. Bank and BOKF, NA dba Bank of Albuquerque, and their respective successors, in their capacities as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Co-Book Managers.
βArticleβ means an article of this Agreement unless another document is specifically referenced.
βAssignment and Assumptionβ 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 SectionΒ 10.4(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of ExhibitΒ A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
βAuthorized Officerβ means any of the president, vice president, chief executive officer, chief financial officer or treasurer of the Borrower, acting singly.
βAvailable Aggregate Revolving Commitmentβ means, at any time, the aggregate Revolving Commitments then in effect minus the aggregate Revolving Exposures at such time.
βAvailable Tenorβ means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, (a) if such Benchmark is a term rate, any tenor for such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining the length of an interest period pursuant to this Agreement or (b) otherwise, any payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining any frequency of making payments of interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark, in each case, as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of βInterest Periodβ pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(iv).
βAvangridβ means Avangrid, Inc.
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βBail-In Actionβ means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.
βBail-In Legislationβ means (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, regulation, rule or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).
βBase Rateβ means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to (a) the Alternate Base Rate for such day plus (b) the Applicable Margin for such day, in each case changing when and as the Alternate Base Rate or the Applicable Margin changes.
βBase Rate Borrowingβ means a Borrowing that, except as otherwise provided in SectionΒ 2.11, bears interest at the Base Rate.
βBase Rate Loanβ means a Loan that, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.11, bears interest at the Base Rate.
βBase Rate Term SOFR Determination Dayβ has the meaning assigned thereto in the definition of βTerm SOFRβ.
βBenchmarkβ means, initially, the Term SOFR Reference Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event has occurred with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate or the then-current Benchmark, then βBenchmarkβ means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to Section 3.3(b).
βBenchmark Replacementβ means with respect to any Benchmark Transition Event, the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement to the then-current Benchmark for U.S. Dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities and (b)Β the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment; provided that, if such Benchmark Replacement as so determined would be less than the Floor, such Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
βBenchmark Replacement Adjustmentβ means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for any applicable Available Tenor, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread
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adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for U.S. Dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities.
βBenchmark Replacement Dateβ means the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(1)Β Β Β Β in the case of clause (1) or (2) of the definition of βBenchmark Transition Event,β the later of (a) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (b) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or
(2)Β Β Β Β in the case of clause (3) of the definition of βBenchmark Transition Event,β the first date on which such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) has been determined and announced by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) or the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) to be non-representative or non-compliant with or non-aligned with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Principles for Financial Benchmarks; provided that such non-representativeness, non-compliance or non-alignment will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication referenced in such clause (3) and even if any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date.
For the avoidance of doubt, the βBenchmark Replacement Dateβ will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (1) or (2) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).
βBenchmark Transition Eventβ means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(1)Β Β Β Β a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);
(2)Β Β Β Β a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the FRB, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such
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component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or
(3)a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) or the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) announcing that all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are not, or as of a specified future date will not be, representative or in compliance with or aligned with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Principles for Financial Benchmarks.
For the avoidance of doubt, a βBenchmark Transition Eventβ will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).
βBenchmark Transition Start Dateβ means, in the case of a Benchmark Transition Event, the earlier of (a) the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date and (b) if such Benchmark Transition Event is a public statement or publication of information of a prospective event, the 90th day prior to the expected date of such event as of such public statement or publication of information (or if the expected date of such prospective event is fewer than 90 days after such statement or publication, the date of such statement or publication).
βBenchmark Unavailability Periodβ means the period (if any) (x) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 3.3(b), and (y) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 3.3(b).
βBeneficial Ownership Certificationβ means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
βBeneficial Ownership Regulationβ means 31 C.F.R. Β§ 1010.230.
βBenefit Planβ means any of (a) an βemployee benefit planβ (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a βplanβ as defined in and subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (c)Β any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such βemployee benefit planβ or βplan.β
βBHC Act Affiliateβ of a party means an βaffiliateβ (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. Β§ 1841(k)) of such party.
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βBoardβ means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
βBorrowerβ is defined in the opening paragraph hereof.
βBorrower Materialsβ is defined in Section 10.13(b).
βBorrowingβ means a borrowing hereunder (a) made by some or all of the Lenders on the same Borrowing Date or (b) converted or continued by the Lenders on the same date of conversion or continuation, consisting, in either case, of the aggregate amount of the several Loans of the same currency and Type and, in the case of Term SOFR Loans, for the same Interest Period.
βBorrowing Dateβ means a date on which a Borrowing is made.
βBorrowing Noticeβ is defined in Section 2.8.
βBusiness Dayβ means a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks generally are open in New York City, New York for the conduct of substantially all of their commercial lending activities and interbank wire transfers can be made on the Fedwire system; provided that, when used in connection with SOFR, Term SOFR, Adjusted Term SOFR or Term SOFR Rate, the term βBusiness Dayβ excludes any day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.
βCapital Stockβ means (a) in the case of a corporation, all classes of capital stock of such corporation, (b) in the case of a partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited), (c) in the case of a limited liability company, membership interests and (d) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person; including, in each case, all warrants, rights or options to purchase any of the foregoing.
βChange in Lawβ 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, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements, or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or implementation thereof and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements, or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a βChange in Law,β regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued or implemented.
βChange of Controlβ means the failure of PNM Resources to own and control 100% of the Voting Stock of the Borrower.
βClosing Dateβ means the first date on which the conditions in Section 4.1 are satisfied.
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βCodeβ means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
βCommitmentβ means, for each Lender, the obligation of such Lender to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower, in an amount not exceeding the amount set forth in Schedule 1, as it may be modified (a) pursuant to Section 2.7, (b) as a result of any assignment that has become effective pursuant to Section 10.4(b) or (c) otherwise from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof.
βCommitment Fee Payment Dateβ means fifteen days after the end of each Fiscal Quarter.
βCommodity Exchange Actβ means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. Β§1 et seq.).
βCompliance Certificateβ means a compliance certificate in substantially the form of ExhibitΒ B.
βConforming Changesβ means, with respect to either the use or administration of Term SOFR or the use, administration, adoption or implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of βAlternate Base Rate,β the definition of βBusiness Day,β the definition of βU.S. Government Securities Business Day,β the definition of βInterest Periodβ or any similar or analogous definition (or the addition of a concept of βinterest periodβ), timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, the applicability and length of lookback periods, the applicability of Section 3.4 and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of any such rate or to permit the use and administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of any such rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).
βConnection Income Taxesβ means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.
βConsolidated Capitalizationβ means the sum of (a) all of the shareholdersβ equity or net worth of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as determined in accordance with GAAP plus (b) Consolidated Indebtedness minus (c) Securitization Equity.
βConsolidated Indebtednessβ means, as of any date of determination, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the difference of (a) an amount equal to all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such date (other than reimbursement obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with respect to surety bonds in an aggregate amount not to exceed $500,000) minus (b) Non-Recourse Securitization Indebtedness.
βContingent Obligationβ means, with respect to any Person, any direct or indirect liability of such Person with respect to any Indebtedness, liability or other obligation (the βprimary obligationβ) of another Person (the βprimary obligorβ), whether or not contingent, (a) to purchase,
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repurchase or otherwise acquire such primary obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (b) to advance or provide funds (i) for the payment or discharge of any such primary obligation or (ii) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency or any balance sheet item, level of income or financial condition of the primary obligor, (c) to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor in respect thereof to make payment of such primary obligation or (d) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of any such primary obligation against loss or failure or inability to perform in respect thereof; provided, however, that, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, the term Contingent Obligation shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The amount of any Contingent Obligation of any Person shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the maximum amount of such Personβs liability with respect to the stated or determinable amount of the primary obligation for which such Contingent Obligation is incurred or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof (assuming such Person is required to perform thereunder).
βConversion/Continuation Noticeβ is defined in Section 2.9.
βCorresponding Tenorβ with respect to any Available Tenor means, as applicable, either a tenor (including overnight) or an interest payment period having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as such Available Tenor.
βCovered Entityβ means any of the following:
(a)a βcovered entityβ as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(b)a βcovered bankβ as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(c)a βcovered FSIβ as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
βCovered Partyβ is defined in Section 10.27.
βCredit Extensionβ means a Borrowing.
βDebt Ratingβ means the long term unsecured senior non-credit enhanced debt rating of the Borrower by S&P and/or Moodyβs; provided, however, that if neither S&P nor Moodyβs issues a long-term, unsecured, senior non-credit enhanced rating of the Borrower, then the Debt Rating shall be the Borrowerβs issuer corporate credit rating by S&P and/or Moodyβs.
βDebtor Relief Lawsβ means the Bankruptcy Code, 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.
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βDefaultβ means an event that with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would be an Event of Default.
βDefault Rightβ has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. Β§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
βDefaulting Lenderβ means, subject to Section 2.23(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i)Β fund all or any portion of its Loans within two Business Days after the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lenderβs good faith determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within two Business Days after the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, in writing that it does not intend to comply with any of its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lenderβs obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lenderβs good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity, or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.23(b)) upon delivery of written notice of such determination to the Borrower and each Lender.
βDeparting Lenderβ means each lender under the Existing Credit Agreement that executes and delivers to the Administrative Agent a Departing Lender Signature Page.
βDeparting Lender Signature Pageβ means the signature page to this Credit Agreement on which it is indicated that the Departing Lender executing the same shall cease to be a party to the Existing Credit Agreement on the Closing Date on the conditions set forth on such signature page.
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βDepositsβ is defined in Section 10.5.
βDollarβ and β$β mean the lawful currency of the United States of America.
βE-SIGNβ means the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute, and any regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.
βEEA Financial Institutionβ means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country that is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country that is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country that is a subsidiary of an institution described in clause (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.
βEEA Member Countryβ means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
βEEA Resolution Authorityβ means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.
βEligible Assigneeβ means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.4(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under SectionΒ 10.4(b)(iii)).
βEnvironmental Claimsβ means any and all administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, accusations, allegations, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations (other than internal reports prepared by any Person in the ordinary course of its business and not in response to any third party action or request of any kind) or proceedings relating in any way to any actual or alleged violation of or liability under any Environmental Law or relating to any permit issued, or any approval given, under any such Environmental Law (collectively, βClaimsβ), including, without limitation, (a) any and all Claims by Governmental Authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages pursuant to any applicable Environmental Law and (b) any and all Claims by any third party seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief resulting from Hazardous Substances or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to human health or the environment.
βEnvironmental Lawsβ means any and all federal, state and local laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, permits, licenses, approvals, rules of common law and orders of courts or Governmental Authorities, relating to the protection of human health or occupational safety or the environment, now or hereafter in effect and in each case as amended from time to time, including, without limitation, requirements pertaining to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation, handling, reporting, licensing, permitting, investigation or remediation of Hazardous Substances, and an βEnvironmental Lawβ means any of the foregoing.
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βEnvironmental Liabilityβ means any liability or obligation, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), directly or indirectly, resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment, disposal or permitting or arranging for the disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
βEquity Interestsβ means all shares, interests or other equivalents, however designated, of or in a corporation, limited liability company, or partnership, whether or not voting, including but not limited to common stock, member interests, partnership interests, warrants, preferred stock, convertible debentures, and all agreements, instruments and documents convertible, in whole or in part, into any one or more of the foregoing.
βERISAβ means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute, and all rules and regulations from time to time promulgated thereunder.
βERISA Affiliateβ means any Person who together with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is treated as a single employer within the meaning of Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.
βERISA Eventβ means the occurrence of any of the following which, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result, within a reasonable period of time, in liability of the Borrower in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount: (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Single Employer Plan or a Multiemployer Plan, (b) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan if withdrawal liability is asserted by such plan, or the receipt by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate of notice from a Multiemployer Plan that it is in reorganization or insolvency pursuant to Section 4241 or 4245 of ERISA or that it intends to terminate or has terminated under Section 4041A of ERISA, (c) the distribution by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate any Single Employer Plan or Multiemployer Plan or the taking of any action to terminate any Single Employer Plan or Multiemployer Plan if the plan assets are not sufficient to pay all plan liabilities, (d) the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Single Employer Plan, or the receipt by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate of a notice from any Multiemployer Plan that such action has been taken by the PBGC with respect to such Multiemployer Plan, (e) the determination that any Single Employer Plan or Multiemployer Plan is considered an at-risk plan or plan in endangered or critical status within the meaning of Sections 430, 431 or 432 of the Code or Sections 303, 304 or 305 of ERISA; (f) the imposition upon the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, or the imposition or threatened imposition of any Lien upon any assets of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate as a result of any alleged failure to comply with the Code or ERISA in respect of any Single Employer Plan or Multiemployer Plan, or (g) the withdrawal of
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the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as such term is defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA), or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal or the termination of a Multiple Employer Plan, where the Borrower, a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate has liability under Section 4062 or 4063 of ERISA.
βErroneous Paymentβ is defined in Section 9.13(a).
βEUβ means the European Union.
βEU Bail-In Legislation Scheduleβ means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor thereto), as in effect from time to time.
βEvent of Defaultβ is defined in Article VIII.
βExcluded Taxesβ means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient: (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.21(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.5, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lenderβs assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipientβs failure to comply with Section 3.5(g) and (d) any withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.
βExhibitβ refers to an exhibit to this Agreement, unless another document is specifically referenced.
βExisting Revolving Credit Agreementβ means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 31, 2011, among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto, and Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, as amended by the First Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of January 28, 2012, by the Second Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of December 17, 2014, by the Third Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of November 2, 2016, by the Fourth Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of October 9, 2018, by the Fifth Amendment to and Restatement of Credit Agreement dated as of May 20, 2022 and as otherwise amended, modified or supplemented prior to the Closing Date.
βExisting Term Loan Agreementβ means that certain Term Loan Agreement, dated as of June 18, 2021, among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, as amended, modified or supplemented prior to the Closing Date.
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βFacility Termination Dateβ means May 20, 2026, or any earlier date on which the Aggregate Commitment is reduced to zero or otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms hereof.
βFATCAβ means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities entered into in connection with the implementation of the foregoing.
βFederal Funds Effective Rateβ means, for any day, the greater of (a) zero and (b) the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day, provided that if such rate is not so published for any day which is a Business Day, the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day shall be the average of the quotations at approximately 10:00 a.m. (Central time) on such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.
βFederal Reserve Bank of New Yorkβs Websiteβ means the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York at xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxx.xxx, or any successor source.
βFinancial Officerβ means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer or treasurer of the Borrower.
βFiscal Quarterβ means each of the calendar quarters ending as of the last day of each March, June, September and December.
βFiscal Yearβ means the calendar year ending December 31.
βFloorβ means a rate of interest equal to 0.00%.
βForeign Lenderβ means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.
βFRBβ means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
βFundβ 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.
βGAAPβ means generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time in the United States, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the financial statements referred to in Section 5.4, subject to Section 1.4.
βGovernmental Authorityβ means any domestic or foreign nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof and any central bank thereof, any municipal, local, city or county government, and any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or
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administrative functions of or pertaining to government and any corporation or other entity owned or controlled, through stock or capital ownership or otherwise, by any of the foregoing.
βHazardous Materialβ means any explosive or radioactive substances or wastes, any 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 any other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
βHazardous Substancesβ means any substances or materials (a) that are or become defined as hazardous wastes, hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants or toxic substances under any Environmental Law, (b) that are defined by any Environmental Law as toxic, explosive, corrosive, ignitable, infectious, radioactive, mutagenic or otherwise hazardous, (c) the presence of which require investigation or response under any Environmental Law, (d) that constitute a nuisance, trespass or health or safety hazard to Persons or neighboring properties, (e) that consist of underground or aboveground storage tanks, whether empty, filled or partially filled with any substance, or (f) that contain, without limitation, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, petroleum hydrocarbons, petroleum derived substances or wastes, crude oil, nuclear fuel, natural gas or synthetic gas.
βHedging Agreementsβ means, collectively, interest rate protection agreements, equity index agreements, foreign currency exchange agreements, option agreements or other interest or exchange rate or commodity price hedging agreements (other than forward contracts for the delivery of power or gas written by the Borrower to its jurisdictional and wholesale customers in the ordinary course of business).
βIndebtednessβ means with respect to any Person (without duplication), (a) all indebtedness and obligations of such Person for borrowed money or in respect of loans or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, (c) all reimbursement obligations of such Person with respect to surety bonds, letters of credit and bankersβ acceptances (in each case, whether or not drawn or matured and in the stated amount thereof), (d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services, (e) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person, (f) all obligations of such Person as lessee under leases that are or are required to be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases, to the extent such obligations are required to be so recorded, (g) the net termination obligations of such Person under any Hedging Agreements, calculated as of any date as if such agreement or arrangement were terminated as of such date in accordance with the applicable rules under GAAP, (h) all Contingent Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations and liabilities of such Person incurred in connection with any transaction or series of transactions providing for the financing of assets through one or more securitizations or in connection with, or pursuant to, any synthetic lease or similar off-balance sheet financing, (j) the aggregate amount of uncollected accounts receivable of such Person subject at the time of determination to a sale of receivables (or similar transaction) to the extent such transaction is effected with recourse to such Person (whether or not such transaction would be reflected on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP) and (k) all indebtedness referred to in clauses (a) through (j) above secured by any Lien on any property or asset owned or held by such Person regardless of whether the indebtedness
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secured thereby shall have been assumed by such Person or is nonrecourse to the credit of such Person.
βIndemnified Taxesβ means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a), Other Taxes.
βIndemniteeβ means each of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and each Related Party of any of the foregoing.
βInformationβ is defined in Section 10.13(a).
βInterest Differentialβ is defined in Section 3.4.
βInterest Periodβ means, with respect to a Term SOFR Borrowing, a period of one, three or six months (in each case, subject to the availability thereof) commencing on a Business Day selected by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement and ending on the day that corresponds numerically to such date one, three or six months thereafter; provided that
(d)any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such succeeding Business Day falls in a new calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;
(e)any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the 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;
(f)no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Facility Termination Date; and
(g)no tenor that has been removed from this definition pursuant to SectionΒ 3.3(b)(iv) may be available for selection by the Borrower.
βLawβ means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state, provincial, 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 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.
βLender Partyβ is defined in Section 9.13(a).
βLendersβ means the lending institutions listed on the signature pages of this Agreement and their respective successors and assigns. For the avoidance of doubt, the term βLendersβ excludes the Departing Lenders.
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βLienβ means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, security interest, lien (statutory or otherwise), preference, priority, charge or other encumbrance of any nature, whether voluntary or involuntary, including, without limitation, the interest of any vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, title retention agreement, capital lease or any other lease or arrangement having substantially the same effect as any of the foregoing.
βLoanβ means a Revolving Loan.
βLoan Documentsβ means this Agreement, any Notes, and any other document or agreement, now or in the future, executed by any Person for the benefit of the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with this Agreement.
βMargin Stockβ has the meaning ascribed to such term in Regulation U.
βMaterial Adverse Effectβ means a material adverse effect upon (a) the business, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent), operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or (c) the legality, validity or enforceability of this Loan Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder and thereunder; provided, however, that a Material Adverse Effect shall not include the effect of (i) a shutdown or closure of the San Xxxx Generating Station or the Four Corners Power Plant, provided that the Borrower remains in compliance with Section 6.11 of this Agreement or (ii) the failure of the Merger Transactions to be consummated.
βMerger Transactionsβ means (i) the entering into of that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 20, 2020, as amended by that certain Amendment to Merger Agreement, dated as of January 3, 2022 (together with the exhibits and disclosure schedules thereto, but without giving effect to any further amendment, waiver or consent that is materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders in their respective capacities as such without the consent of the Administrative Agent, the βMerger Agreementβ), among Avangrid, NM Green Holdings, Inc. (βMerger Subβ) and PNM Resources, pursuant to which Merger Sub will be merged with and into PNM Resources, PNM Resources will be the surviving entity in the merger and PNM Resources will become a subsidiary of Avangrid, and (ii) the consummation of the transactions set forth in the Merger Agreement.
βMoodyβsβ means Xxxxxβx Investors Service, Inc.
βMultiemployer Planβ means any βmultiemployer planβ within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate makes, is making or is accruing an obligation to make contributions or has made or been obligated to make contributions within the preceding seven (7) years.
βMultiple Employer Planβ means a Single Employer Plan to which the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one employer other than the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate are contributing sponsors.
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βNMPRCβ means the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission or any successor commission.
βNon-Consenting Lenderβ means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 10.2(b) and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.
βNon-Defaulting Lenderβ means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.
Non-Recourse Securitization Indebtednessβ means, as of any date of determination, all Indebtedness related to State Approved Securitizations up to a maximum amount of $750,000,000 at any one time; provided that such Indebtedness is non-recourse to the Borrower, other than with respect to Standard Securitization Undertakings.
βNoteβ is defined in Section 2.13(d).
βObligationsβ means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, all accrued and unpaid fees, and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations of the Borrower to the Lenders or to any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any indemnified party arising under the Loan Documents (including interest and fees accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding).
βOFACβ means the U.S. Department of the Treasuryβs Office of Foreign Assets Control, and any successor thereto.
βOther Connection Taxesβ means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).
βOther Taxesβ means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.21(b)).
βOutstanding Credit Exposureβ means, as to any Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount of its Revolving Exposure outstanding at such time.
βParticipantβ is defined in Section 10.4(d).
βParticipant Registerβ is defined in Section 10.4(d).
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βPATRIOT Actβ means the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).
βPayment Dateβ means the third Business Day after the end of each Fiscal Quarter.
βPayment Recipientβ is defined in Section 9.13(a).
βPBGCβ means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or any successor thereto.
βPeriodic Term SOFR Determination Dayβ has the meaning assigned thereto in the definition of βTerm SOFRβ.
βPersonβ means any natural person, corporation, firm, joint venture, partnership, limited liability company, association, enterprise, trust or other entity or organization, or any Governmental Authority.
βPlanβ means an employee pension benefit plan covered by Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA as to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability.
βPNM Resourcesβ means PNM Resources, Inc., a New Mexico corporation.
βPrepayment Noticeβ is defined in Section 2.7(b).
βPrime Rateβ means a rate per annum equal to the prime rate of interest announced from time to time by U.S. Bank or its parent (which is not necessarily the lowest rate charged to any customer), changing when and as such prime rate changes.
βPro Rata Shareβ means, with respect to a Lender, a portion equal to a fraction the numerator of which is such Lenderβs Revolving Outstanding Credit Exposure and the denominator of which is the Aggregate Outstanding Credit Exposure.
βPropertyβ of a Person means all property, whether real, personal, tangible, intangible, or mixed, of such Person, or other assets owned, leased or operated by such Person.
βPTEβ means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as amended from time to time.
βPublic Lenderβ is defined in Section 10.13(b).
βQFCβ has the meaning assigned to the term βqualified financial contractβ in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. Β§ 5390(c)(8)(D).
βQFC Credit Supportβ is defined in Section 10.27.
βRecipientβ means (a) the Administrative Agent or (b) any Lender, as applicable.
βReference Timeβ with respect to any setting of the then-current Benchmark means (1) if such Benchmark is Term SOFR, 10:00 a.m. (Central time) on the day that is two Business Days
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before the date of such setting, and (2) if such Benchmark is not Term SOFR, the time determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.
βRegisterβ is defined in Section 10.4(c).
βRegulation Dβ means Regulation D of the Board and any or other regulation or official interpretation of the Board relating to reserve requirements applicable to member banks of the Federal Reserve System.
βRegulation Uβ means Regulation U of the Board and any other regulation or official interpretation of the Board relating to the extension of credit by banks for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stocks applicable to member banks of the Federal Reserve System.
βRelated Partiesβ means, with respect to any Person, such Personβs Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, members, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Personβs Affiliates.
βRelevant Governmental Bodyβ means the FRB or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the FRB or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or any successor thereto.
βRemoval Effective Dateβ is defined in Section 9.6(b).
βRequired Lendersβ means, at any time, Lenders having Total Credit Exposures representing more than 50% of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders. The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time.
βResignation Effective Dateβ is defined in Section 9.6(a).
βResolution Authorityβ means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.
βRevolving Commitmentβ means, for each Revolving Lender, the obligation, if any, of such Revolving Lender to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower, expressed as an amount representing the maximum possible aggregate amount of such Revolving Lenderβs Revolving Exposure. The initial amount of each Revolving Lenderβs Revolving Commitment is set forth on Schedule 1 and may be modified (a) pursuant to Section 2.7, (b) as a result of any assignment that has become effective pursuant to Section 10.4(b), or (c) otherwise from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof. As of the Closing Date, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Lendersβ Revolving Commitments is $40,000,000.
βRevolving Exposureβ means, with respect to any Revolving Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount of such Revolving Lenderβs Revolving Loans outstanding at such time.
βRevolving Lenderβ means, as of any date of determination, a Lender with a Revolving Commitment or, if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, a Lender with Revolving Exposure.
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βRevolving Loanβ means, with respect to a Revolving Lender, such Revolving Lenderβs loan made pursuant to its commitment to lend set forth in Section 2.1(a) (or any conversion or continuation thereof).
βS&Pβ means S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global Inc. and any successor thereto.
βSanctionsβ means sanctions administered or enforced from time to time by the U.S. government, including those administered by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majestyβs Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority.
βScheduleβ refers to a specific schedule to this Agreement, unless another document is specifically referenced.
βSectionβ means a numbered section of this Agreement, unless another document is specifically referenced.
βSecuritization Equityβ means, as of any date of determination, with respect to a Subsidiary of the Borrower formed for the purpose of entering into a State Approved Securitization, all of the equity of such Subsidiary, as determined in accordance with GAAP.
βSingle Employer Planβ means any βemployee pension benefit planβ (within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA) which is covered by Title IV of ERISA, but which is not a Multiemployer Plan and which the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate has maintained, funded or administered for employees at any time within the preceding seven (7) years.
βSOFRβ means a rate equal to the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the SOFR Administrator.
βSOFR Administratorβ means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).
βSOFR Administratorβs Websiteβ means the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, currently at xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxx.xxx, or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the SOFR Administrator from time to time.
βSolventβ means, with respect to any Person as of a particular date, that on such date (a) such Person is able to pay its debts and other liabilities, Contingent Obligations and other commitments as they mature in the normal course of business, (b) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Personβs ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature in their ordinary course, (c) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which such Personβs assets would constitute unreasonably small capital after giving due consideration to the prevailing practice in the industry in which such Person is engaged or is to engage, (d) the fair value of the assets of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including, without limitation, Contingent Obligations, of such Person and (e) the present fair saleable value of the
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assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured.
βStandard Securitization Undertakingsβ means representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities entered into by the Borrower or a Subsidiary thereof that are reasonably customary in non-recourse securitization transactions.
βState Approved Securitizationβ means a securitization financing entered into by the Borrower pursuant to existing or future New Mexico statutory authority and regulatory approval by the NMPRC authorizing the imposition on electric customers of a charge to permit the recovery over time of costs identified by a financing order issued by the NMPRC pursuant to statutory authority.
βSubsidiaryβ means, as to any Person, (a) any corporation more than 50% of whose stock of any class or classes having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time, any class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time owned by such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries, and (b) any partnership, association, joint venture or other entity in which such person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries has more than a 50% equity interest at any time. Any reference to Subsidiary herein, unless otherwise identified, shall mean a Subsidiary, direct or indirect, of the Borrower. Any reference to a Subsidiary of the Borrower herein shall not include any Subsidiary that is inactive, has minimal or no assets and does not generate revenues.
βSupported QFCβ is defined in Section 10.27.
βSwapβ 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, fixed-price physical delivery contracts, whether or not exchange traded, 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, including any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a βswapβ within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, that 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, including any such obligations or liabilities under any such master agreement.
βSwap Obligationβ means, with respect to any Person, any and all obligations, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (a)Β any and all Swaps and (b) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap.
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βSyndication Agentβ means BOKF, NA dba Bank of Albuquerque and its successors, in its capacity as Syndication Agent.
βTaxesβ means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
βTerm SOFRβ means,
(a)Β Β Β Β for any calculation with respect to a Term SOFR Loan, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for a tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period on the day (such day, the βPeriodic Term SOFR Determination Dayβ) that is two (2) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not occurred, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day, and
(b)for any calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any day, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for a tenor of one month on the day (such day, the βBase Rate Term SOFR Determination Dayβ) that is two (2) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such day, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not occurred, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day.
βTerm SOFR Adjustmentβ means a percentage equal to 0.10% per annum.
βTerm SOFR Administratorβ means CME Group Benchmark Administration Ltd. (or a successor administrator of Term SOFR).
βTerm SOFR Administratorβs Websiteβ means xxxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx/xxxxxx-xxxx/xxx-xxxxx-xxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxx/xxxx-xxxx, or any successor source for Term SOFR identified as such by the Term SOFR Administrator from time to time.
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βTerm SOFR Borrowingβ means a Borrowing that, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.11, bears interest at the applicable Term SOFR Rate.
βTerm SOFR Rateβ means, for the relevant Interest Period, the sum of (a) Adjusted Term SOFR applicable to such Interest Period, plus (b) the Applicable Margin.
βTerm SOFR Reference Rateβ means the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR.
βTerm SOFR Loanβ means a Loan that, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.11, bears interest at the applicable Term SOFR Rate other than pursuant to clause (c) of the definition of Alternate Base Rate.
βThreshold Amountβ means $20,000,000.
βTotal Assetsβ means all assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as shown on its most recent quarterly consolidated balance sheet, as determined in accordance with GAAP.
βTotal Credit Exposureβ means, as to any Lender at any time, the unused Commitments and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Lender at such time.
βTypeβ means, with respect to any Borrowing, its nature as a Base Rate Borrowing or a Term SOFR Borrowing and with respect to a Loan, its nature as a Base Rate Loan or a Term SOFR Loan.
βU.S. Bankβ means U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, in its individual capacity, and its successors.
βU.S. Personβ means any Person that is a βUnited States Personβ as defined in SectionΒ 7701(a)(30) of the Code.
βU.S. Special Resolution Regimesβ is defined in Section 10.27.
βU.S. Tax Compliance Certificateβ is defined in Section 3.5(g)(ii)(B)(3).
βUETAβ means the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act as in effect in the State of New York, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute, and any regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.
βUK Financial Institutionβ means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended form time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person falling within IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.
βUK Resolution Authorityβ means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.
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βUnadjusted Benchmark Replacementβ means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
βU.S. Government Securities Business Dayβ means any day except for (a) a Saturday, (b) a Sunday or (c) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities; provided, that for purposes of notice requirements in Sections 2.8 and 2.9 in each case, such day is also a Business Day.
βVoting Stockβ means the Capital Stock of a Person that is then outstanding and normally entitled to vote in the election of directors and other securities of such Person convertible into or exercisable for such Capital Stock (whether or not such securities are then currently convertible or exercisable).
βWithholding Agentβ means the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
βWrite-Down and Conversion Powersβ means, (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.
The foregoing definitions apply equally to both the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.
1.2.Loan Types. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a βTerm SOFR Loanβ). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a βTerm SOFR Borrowingβ).
1.3.Computation of Time Periods. In this Agreement, in the computation of a period of time from a specified date to a later specified date, unless otherwise stated the word βfromβ means βfrom and includingβ and the words βtoβ and βuntilβ mean βto but excluding.β
1.4.Accounting.
(a)Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all accounting terms used herein or incorporated herein by reference shall be interpreted, and all financial statements and certificates and reports as to financial matters required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders hereunder shall be prepared, in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, for purposes of calculation of the financial covenant set forth in Section 6.11, all accounting determinations and computations thereunder shall be made in accordance with GAAP as in effect as of the date of this Agreement applied on a basis consistent with the application used in preparing the most recent financial
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statements of the Borrower referred to in Section 5.4. In the event that any changes in GAAP after such date are required to be applied to the Borrower and would affect the computation of the financial covenant contained in Section 6.11, such changes shall be followed only from and after the date this Agreement shall have been amended to take into account any such changes.
(b)Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made (i) without giving effect to any election under Accounting Standards Codification 000-00-00 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at βfair valueβ, as defined therein, (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and, except as specifically provided in the definitions of βConsolidated Capitalizationβ and βConsolidated Indebtednessβ, such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof and (iii) in a manner such that any obligations relating to a lease that was accounted for by a Person as an operating lease before January 1, 2019 and any similar lease entered into after January 1, 2019 by such Person shall be accounted for as obligations relating to an operating lease and not as a financing lease.
1.5.Other Definitional Terms; Interpretative Provisions. The words βhereof,β βhereinβ and βhereunderβ and words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision. References to Sections, Articles, Exhibits, and Schedules are to this Agreement unless otherwise expressly provided. The words βinclude,β βincludesβ and βincludingβ shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase βwithout limitation.β The terms βshallβ and βwillβ have the same meaning as the term βmust.β Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, βorβ has the inclusive meaning represented by the phrase βand/or.β All covenants, terms, definitions or other provisions incorporated by reference to other agreements are incorporated into this Agreement as if fully set forth herein, and such incorporation includes all necessary definitions and related provisions from such other agreements, but includes only amendments thereto agreed to by the Lenders, and survives any termination of such other agreements until the Obligations are irrevocably paid in full (other than inchoate indemnity obligations), and the Commitments are terminated. Any reference to any Law includes all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such Law and, unless otherwise specified, refers to such Law as amended, modified, supplemented, replaced, or succeeded from time to time. References to any document, instrument or agreement (a) include all exhibits, schedules and other attachments thereto, (b)Β include all documents, instruments or agreements issued or executed in replacement thereof, to the extent permitted hereby and (c)Β mean such document, instrument or agreement, or replacement or predecessor thereto, as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time to the extent not otherwise stated herein or prohibited hereby and in effect at any given time.
1.6.Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdictionβs laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred
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from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Equity Interests at such time.
1.7.Term SOFR Notification. The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, (a) the continuation of, administration of, submission of, calculation of or any other matter related to Adjusted Term SOFR, the Term SOFR Reference Rate or Term SOFR, or any component definition thereof or rates referred to in the definition thereof, or with respect to any alternative, successor or replacement rate thereto (including any Benchmark Replacement), including whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement), as it may or may not be adjusted pursuant to Section 3.3(b), will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, or have the same volume or liquidity as, Adjusted Term SOFR, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR or any other Benchmark prior to its discontinuance or unavailability, or (b) the effect, implementation or composition of any Conforming Changes. The Administrative Agent and its Affiliates or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of Adjusted Term SOFR, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR, any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) or any relevant adjustments thereto and such transactions may be adverse to the Borrower. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain Adjusted Term SOFR, the Term SOFR Reference Rate or Term SOFR, or any other Benchmark, any component definition thereof or rates referred to in the definition thereof, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service. In connection with the use or administration of Adjusted Term SOFR or Term SOFR, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the effectiveness of any Conforming Changes in connection with the use or administration of Adjusted Term SOFR or Term SOFR.
ARTICLE II
THE CREDITS
THE CREDITS
2.1.Commitments.
(a)From the Closing Date until the Facility Termination Date, each Revolving Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, to make revolving loans to the Borrower only if, after giving effect to the making of each such loan,
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(i)the amount of such Revolving Lenderβs Revolving Exposure does not exceed its Revolving Commitment; and
(ii)the aggregate Revolving Exposures do not exceed the aggregate Revolving Commitments.
All Base Rate Loans shall be made in Dollars. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow the Revolving Loans at any time before the Facility Termination Date. Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Facility Termination Date.
2.2.Determination of Amounts; Required Payments; Termination. The Administrative Agent will determine the amount of: (a) each Credit Extension as of the date two Business Days before the Borrowing Date, and (b) all outstanding Loans on and as of the last Business Day of each quarter and on any other Business Day elected by the Administrative Agent in its discretion or upon instruction by the Required Lenders. If at any time the amount of the aggregate Revolving Exposures exceeds the aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Borrower shall immediately make a payment on the Loans in an amount sufficient to eliminate such excess. The Borrower shall pay in full on the Facility Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of all Loans, all interest thereon, all fees and expenses due hereunder, and all other unpaid Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
2.3.Ratable Borrowings; Types of Borrowings. Each Revolving Borrowing shall be made from the several Revolving Lenders ratably according to their Applicable Percentages. The Borrowings may be Base Rate Borrowings or Term SOFR Borrowings, or a combination thereof, selected by the Borrower in accordance with Sections 2.8 and 2.9.
2.4.[Reserved].
2.5.Commitment Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender according to its Applicable Percentage a commitment fee at a per annum rate equal to the Applicable Margin on the average daily Available Aggregate Revolving Commitment from the Closing Date until the Facility Termination Date, payable in arrears on each Commitment Fee Payment Date and on the Facility Termination Date.
2.6.Minimum Amount of Each Borrowing. Each Term SOFR Borrowing shall be in the minimum amount of $3,000,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000,000, and each Base Rate Borrowing shall be in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 and in integral multiples of $100,000, except that any Base Rate Borrowing may be in the amount of the Available Aggregate Revolving Commitment.
2.7.Termination of and Reductions in Aggregate Commitment; Voluntary Prepayments.
(a)The Borrower may terminate the unused portion of the Commitments or from time to time permanently reduce the Revolving Commitments ratably among the Revolving Lenders in integral multiples of $1,000,000, upon at least five Business Daysβ irrevocable prior written notice to the Administrative Agent by 10:00 a.m. (New York City
28
time) specifying the amount of any such reduction. In no event may the amount of the Revolving Commitments be reduced below the aggregate Revolving Exposures.
(b)The Borrower may from time to time prepay, without penalty or premium, all outstanding Base Rate Loans, or, in a minimum aggregate amount of $500,000 and in integral multiples of $100,000 (or the aggregate amount of the outstanding Loans at such time), any portion of the aggregate outstanding Base Rate Loans, upon same-day notice by 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) to the Administrative Agent in the form of Exhibit C-3 (a βPrepayment Noticeβ). The Borrower may from time to time prepay, subject to the payment of any funding indemnification amounts required by SectionΒ 3.4 but without penalty or premium, all outstanding Term SOFR Loans, or, in a minimum aggregate amount of $1,000,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000,000 (or the aggregate amount of the outstanding Loans at such time), any portion of the aggregate outstanding Term SOFR Loans upon at least two Business Daysβ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent by 10:00 a.m. (New York City time).
2.8.Borrowing Notices. The Borrower shall select the Type of Borrowing and, in the case of each Term SOFR Borrowing, the Interest Period applicable thereto from time to time. The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable notice in the form of Exhibit C-1 (a βBorrowing Noticeβ) not later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the Borrowing Date of each Base Rate Revolving Borrowing and two U.S. Government Securities Business Days before the Borrowing Date for each Term SOFR Revolving Borrowing, specifying:
(a)the Borrowing Date, which shall be a Business Day, of such Borrowing;
(b)the aggregate amount of such Borrowing;
(c)the Type of Borrowing selected; and
(d)in the case of each Term SOFR Borrowing, the Interest Period applicable thereto.
Not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the selected Borrowing Date, each Revolving Lender shall make available its Loan or Loans in funds immediately available to the Administrative Agent at its address specified pursuant to Section 10.1. The Administrative Agent shall make the funds so received from the Revolving Lenders available to the Borrower at such address.
2.9.Conversion and Continuation of Outstanding Borrowings; Maximum Number of Interest Periods. Base Rate Borrowings shall continue as Base Rate Borrowings unless and until such Base Rate Borrowings are converted into Term SOFR Borrowings pursuant to this SectionΒ 2.9 or are prepaid in accordance with Section 2.7. Each Term SOFR Borrowing shall continue as a Term SOFR Borrowing until the end of the then applicable Interest Period therefor, at which time such Term SOFR Borrowing shall be automatically converted into a Base Rate Borrowing unless (a) such Term SOFR Borrowing is or was prepaid in accordance with Section 2.7 or (b) the Borrower has given the Administrative Agent a Conversion/Continuation Notice requesting that, at the end of such Interest Period, such Term SOFR Borrowing or a portion thereof shall continue as a Term SOFR Borrowing for the same or another Interest Period. Subject to
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Section 2.6, the Borrower may elect from time to time to convert all or any part of a Base Rate Borrowing into a Term SOFR Borrowing. The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable notice in the form of Exhibit C-2 (a βConversion/Continuation Noticeβ) of each conversion of a Base Rate Borrowing into a Term SOFR Borrowing, conversion of a Term SOFR Borrowing to a Base Rate Borrowing, or continuation of a Term SOFR Borrowing not later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) at least two U.S. Government Securities Business Days before the date of the requested conversion or continuation, specifying:
(a)the requested date, which shall be a Business Day, of such conversion or continuation;
(b)the Type of the Borrowing and whether it is to be converted or continued; and
(c)the amount of such Borrowing to be converted or continued and, in the case of a Term SOFR Borrowing, the duration of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Borrowings from one Type to another and all continuations of Borrowings of the same Type, there shall be no more than seven (7) Interest Periods in effect hereunder.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Lender may exchange, continue or roll over all or a portion of its Loans in connection with any refinancing, extension, loan modification or similar transaction permitted by the terms of this Agreement, pursuant to a cashless settlement mechanism approved by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Lender.
2.10.Interest Rates; Interest on Loans Outstanding Prior to the Closing Date.
(a)Each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof, for each day from the date such Loan is made or is automatically converted into a Base Rate Loan pursuant to Section 2.9, to the date it is paid or is converted into a Term SOFR Loan pursuant to Section 2.9, at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate for such day. Changes in the rate of interest on each Base Rate Borrowing will take effect simultaneously with each change in the Alternate Base Rate. Each Term SOFR Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the first day of the Interest Period applicable thereto to the last day of such Interest Period at the interest rate determined by the Administrative Agent as applicable to such Term SOFR Loan based upon the Borrowerβs selections under Sections 2.8 and 2.9 and the Applicable Margin.
(b)Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, interest on all Loans outstanding prior to the Closing Date shall continue to accrue and be paid in accordance with the terms of the Existing Credit Agreement until the expiration of the current Interest Period applicable thereto.
2.11.Rates Applicable After Event of Default. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 2.8, 2.9 or 2.10, during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Required Lenders may, at their option, by notice from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice can
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be revoked at the option of the Required Lenders notwithstanding Section 10.2(b)), declare that no Borrowing may be made as, converted into or continued as a Term SOFR Borrowing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 2.8, 2.9 or 2.10, during the continuance of an Event of Default, at the option of the Required Lenders (or, in the case of an Event of Default under SectionΒ 8.1(b) or (f), automatically), the Loans shall bear interest at the rate otherwise applicable thereto plus 2.00% per annum.
2.12.Method of Payment.
(a)Each Loan shall be repaid, and each payment of interest thereon shall be paid, in the currency in which such Loan was made. All payments of the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be made, without setoff, deduction, or counterclaim, in immediately available funds to the Administrative Agent at its address specified pursuant to Section 10.1, or at any other address specified in writing by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, by noon (New York City time) on the date when due and shall (except as otherwise specifically required hereunder) be applied ratably by the Administrative Agent among the Lenders. Each payment delivered to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Lender shall be delivered promptly by the Administrative Agent to such Lender in the same type of funds that the Administrative Agent received at its address specified pursuant to Section 10.1. The Administrative Agent is hereby authorized to charge the account of the Borrower maintained with U.S. Bank for each payment of principal, interest, and fees as it becomes due hereunder.
(b)The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Facility Termination Date. The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay such amounts when due.
2.13.Evidence of Indebtedness.
(a)Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the Indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.
(b)The Administrative Agent will also maintain accounts in which it will record (i) the amount of each Borrowing and the Type thereof and the Interest Period with respect thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder, and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from the Borrower and each Lenderβs share thereof.
(c)The entries maintained in the accounts maintained pursuant to SectionΒ 2.13(a) and (b) shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the Obligations therein recorded; provided that the failure of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to pay the Obligations in accordance with their terms.
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(d)Any Lender may request that its Loans be evidenced by a promissory note substantially in the form of ExhibitΒ D, (each a βnoteβ). In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender each applicable Note payable to the order of such Lender in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such Note and interest thereon shall at all times (before any assignment pursuant to SectionΒ 10.4(b)) be represented by one or more Notes payable to the order of the payee named therein, except to the extent that any such Lender subsequently returns any such Note for cancellation and requests that such Loans once again be evidenced as described in clauses (i) and (ii) of SectionΒ 2.13(b).
2.14.Oral Notices. The Borrower hereby authorizes the Lenders and the Administrative Agent to extend, convert or continue Borrowings, to effect selections of Types of Borrowings, and to transfer funds based on oral or written requests, including Borrowing Notices and Conversion/Continuation Notices via telephone. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders may rely upon, and shall incur no liability for relying upon, any oral or written request the Administrative Agent or any Lender believes to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or made by an authorized person. Upon request by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower must promptly confirm each oral notice in writing (which may include email), authenticated by an Authorized Officer. If the written confirmation differs in any material respect from the action taken by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, the records of the Administrative Agent shall govern absent manifest error.
2.15.Interest Payment Dates; Interest and Fee Basis. Interest accrued on each Base Rate Loan shall be payable on each Payment Date, commencing with the first Payment Date to occur after the Closing Date, on the date of any prepayment of such Loan (whether or not as a result of acceleration) on the amount prepaid, and on the Facility Termination Date. Interest accrued on each Term SOFR Loan shall be payable on the last day of its applicable Interest Period, on the date of any prepayment of such Loan (whether or not as a result of acceleration) on the amount prepaid, and on the Facility Termination Date. Interest accrued on each Term SOFR Loan having an Interest Period longer than three months shall also be payable on the last day of each three-month interval during such Interest Period. Interest accrued pursuant to Section 2.11 is payable on demand. Interest and fees hereunder shall be calculated for actual days elapsed on the basis of a 360-day year, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate shall be calculated for actual days elapsed on the basis of a 365/366-day year. All interest hereunder on any Loan shall be computed on a daily basis based upon the outstanding principal amount of such Loan as of the applicable date of determination. Interest shall be payable for the day a Loan is made but not for the day of any payment on the amount paid if payment is received before noon (New York City time). If any payment of principal of or interest on a Loan becomes due on a day that is not a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the immediately succeeding Business Day unless such succeeding Business Day falls in a new calendar month, in which case such interest or principal shall be payable on the immediately preceding Business Day.
2.16.Notification of Borrowings, Interest Rates, Prepayments, and Commitment Reductions. Promptly after receipt thereof, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the contents of each Commitment reduction notice, Borrowing Notice, Conversion/Continuation Notice, and Prepayment Notice received by it hereunder. The Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the interest rate applicable to each Term SOFR Loan promptly upon determination
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of such interest rate and shall give each Lender prompt notice of each change in the Alternate Base Rate.
2.17.Lending Offices. Each Lender may book its Loans at any lending office it selects and may change its lending office from time to time. All terms of this Agreement shall apply to any such lending office, and the Loans and any Notes shall be deemed held by the relevant Lender for the benefit of any such lending office. Each Lender may, by written notice to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in accordance with Section 10.1, designate replacement or additional lending offices through which it will make Loans and for whose account payments with respect to Loans will be made.
2.18.Non-Receipt of Funds by the Administrative Agent. Unless the Borrower or a Lender notifies the Administrative Agent before the date on which it is scheduled to make payment to the Administrative Agent of (a) in the case of a Lender, the proceeds of a Loan or (b)Β in the case of the Borrower, a payment of principal, interest or fees to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders, that it does not intend to make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that such payment has been made. The Administrative Agent may, but is not obligated to, make the amount of such payment available to the intended recipient in reliance upon such assumption. If such Lender or the Borrower, as the case may be, has not in fact made such payment to the Administrative Agent, the recipient of such payment shall, on demand by the Administrative Agent, repay to the Administrative Agent the amount so made available together with interest thereon in respect of each day during the period commencing on the date such amount was so made available by the Administrative Agent until the date the Administrative Agent recovers such amount at a rate per annum equal to (x) in the case of payment by a Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (y) in the case of payment by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to the relevant Loan.
2.19.Sharing of Payments. If any Lender, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtains payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or other obligations hereunder resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and accrued interest thereon or other such obligations greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (x) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (y) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and such other obligations from the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as are equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments is shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective and other amounts owing them; provided that:
(a)if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and
(b)the provisions of this Section 2.19 shall not be construed to apply to (i) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), or (ii) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the
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assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary (as to which the provisions of this Section 2.19 shall apply).
The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under Applicable Law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
2.20.[Reserved].
2.21.Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a)Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.1, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.5, then such Lender shall (at the request of the Borrower) use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.1 or 3.5, as the case may be, in the future, and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b)Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under SectionΒ 3.1, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to SectionΒ 3.5 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 2.21(a), or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting 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 in, and consents required by, SectionΒ 10.4), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to SectionΒ 3.1 or 3.5) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that:
(i)the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in SectionΒ 10.4;
(ii)such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents
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(including any amounts under SectionΒ 3.4) 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);
(iii)in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under SectionΒ 3.1 or payments required to be made pursuant to SectionΒ 3.5, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;
(iv)such assignment does not conflict with Applicable Law; and
(v)in the case of any assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.
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.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.21 to the contrary, the Lender that acts as the Administrative Agent may not be replaced hereunder except in accordance with the terms of SectionΒ 9.6.
2.22.Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts that are treated as interest on such Loan under Applicable Law (collectively, βchargesβ), exceeds the maximum lawful rate (the βMaximum Rateβ) that may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with Applicable Law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate. To the extent lawful, the interest and charges that would have been paid in respect of such Loan but were not paid as a result of the operation of this Section 2.22 shall be cumulated and the interest and charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the amount collectible at the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate for each day to the date of repayment, has been received by such Lender.
2.23.Defaulting Lenders.
(a)Defaulting Lender Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law:
(i)Waivers and Amendments. Such Defaulting Lenderβs right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of Required Lenders and Section 10.2(b).
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(ii)Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.5 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata to satisfy such Defaulting Lenderβs potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement; fourth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lenderβs breach of its obligations under this Agreement; fifth, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lenderβs breach of its obligations under this Agreement; sixth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent, distributed to the Lenders other than the Defaulting Lender until the ratio of the Revolving Exposures of such Lenders to the Aggregate Outstanding Credit Exposure equals such ratio immediately prior to the Defaulting Lenderβs failure to fund any portion of any Loans; and seventh, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.2 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Credit Extensions of all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Credit Extensions of such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Revolving Commitments. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this Section 2.23(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.
(iii)Certain Fees. No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any commitment fee for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).
(b)Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower and the Administrative Agent agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein, that Lender will, to the extent applicable,
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purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans to be held pro rata by the Lenders in accordance with the Revolving Commitments, whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that (i) no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and (ii) except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lenderβs having been a Defaulting Lender.
ARTICLE III
YIELD PROTECTION; TAXES
YIELD PROTECTION; TAXES
3.1.Increased Costs.
(a)Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:
(i)impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement reflected in the Term SOFR Rate);
(ii)subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or
(iii)impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender,
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount), then, upon request of such Lender or other Recipient, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b)Capital Requirements. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any lending office of such Lender or such Lenderβs holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements, has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lenderβs capital or on the capital of such Lenderβs holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, held by, such Lender, to a level below that which such Lender or such Lenderβs holding company could have achieved but for such Change in
37
Law (taking into consideration such Lenderβs policies and the policies of such Lenderβs holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lenderβs or holding company for any such reduction suffered.
3.2.Certificates for Reimbursement; Delay in Requests; Similarly Situated Customers. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in Section 3.1 and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to Section 3.1 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lenderβs right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to Section 3.1 for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions, and of such Lenderβs 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). Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, a Lender or other Recipient shall not be entitled to any compensation pursuant to Section 3.1, or to exercise the rights under Section 3.2 to the extent that such Lender or other Recipient is not generally imposing such charges or requesting such compensation from, or is not exercising such rights against, as applicable, other similarly situated borrowers under similar circumstances. Each Lender or other Recipient shall make any determination to request compensation under Section 3.1 in good faith (and not on an arbitrary or capricious basis) and consistent with similarly situated customers of the applicable Lender or Recipient after consideration of such factors as such Lender or Recipient then reasonably determines to be relevant.
3.3.Availability of Types of Borrowings; Adequacy of Interest Rate; Benchmark Replacement.
(a)Availability of Term SOFR Borrowings. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, but subject to Section 3.3(b), if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have determined, that:
(i)for any reason in connection with any request for a Term SOFR Borrowing or a conversion or continuation thereof that Adjusted Term SOFR for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Term SOFR Borrowing does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of the funding such Loans, or
(ii)the interest rate applicable to Term SOFR Borrowings for any requested Interest Period is not ascertainable or available and such inability to ascertain or unavailability is not expected to be permanent, or does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost of making or maintaining Term SOFR Borrowings,
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then the Administrative Agent shall suspend the availability of Term SOFR Borrowings and require any affected Term SOFR Borrowings to be repaid or converted to Base Rate Borrowings, subject to the payment of any funding indemnification amounts required by Section 3.4.
(b)Benchmark Replacement Setting.
(i)Benchmark Replacement.
(A)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace the then-current Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement. Any such amendment with respect to a Benchmark Transition Event will become effective at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the Administrative Agent has posted such proposed amendment to all affected Lenders and the Borrower so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such amendment from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders. No replacement of a Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement pursuant to this Section 3.3(b)(i)(A) will occur prior to the applicable Benchmark Transition Start Date.
(B)No Hedging Agreement shall be deemed to be a βLoan Documentβ for purposes of this Section 3.3(b).
(ii)Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. In connection with the use, administration, adoption or implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(iii)Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (A) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, and (B) the effectiveness of any Conforming Changes in connection with the use, administration, adoption or implementation of a Benchmark Replacement. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower of the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(iv). Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 3.3(b), including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party
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to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 3.3(b).
(iv)Unavailability of Tenor of Benchmark. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including the Term SOFR Reference Rate) and either (A) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion or (B) the administrator of such Benchmark or the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is not or will not be representative or in compliance with or aligned with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Principles for Financial Benchmarks, then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of βInterest Periodβ (or any similar or analogous definition) for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable, non-representative, non-compliant or non-aligned tenor and (ii) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (A) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (B) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is not or will not be representative or in compliance with or aligned with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Principles for Financial Benchmarks for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of βInterest Periodβ (or any similar or analogous definition) for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.
(v)Benchmark Unavailability Period. Upon the Borrowerβs receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, (A) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of a Term SOFR Borrowing to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period, and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein and (B) any outstanding affected Term SOFR Loans will be deemed to have been converted into Base Rate Loans at the end of the applicable Interest Period. During any Benchmark Unavailability Period or at any time that a tenor for the then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of the Alternate Base Rate based upon the then-current Benchmark or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of the Alternate Base Rate.
3.4.Funding Indemnification. If
(a)any payment of a Term SOFR Borrowing occurs on a date that is not the last day of the applicable Interest Period, whether because of acceleration, prepayment or otherwise;
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(b)a Term SOFR Borrowing is not made on the date specified by the Borrower for any reason other than default by the Lenders;
(c)a Term SOFR Borrowing is converted other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto;
(d)the Borrower fails to borrow, convert, continue or prepay a Term SOFR Borrowing on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto; or
(e)a Term SOFR Borrowing is assigned other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.21(b);
then the Borrower shall indemnify each Lender for such Lenderβs costs, expenses and Interest Differential (as determined by such Lender) incurred as a result of such prepayment. The term βInterest Differentialβ means the greater of zero and the financial loss incurred by the Lender resulting from prepayment, calculated as the difference between the amount of interest such Lender would have earned (from like investments as of the first day of the Interest Period) had prepayment not occurred and the interest such Lender will actually earn (from like investments as of the date of prepayment) as a result of the redeployment of funds from the prepayment. Because of the short-term duration of any Interest Period, the Borrower agrees that the Interest Differential shall not be discounted to its present value.
The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the Borrower shall be required to pay Interest Differential with respect to any portion of the principal balance accelerated or paid before the end of the Interest Period for such Term SOFR Borrowing, whether voluntarily, involuntarily, or otherwise, including without limitation any principal payment required upon maturity when the Borrower has elected an Interest Period that extends beyond the scheduled maturity date of such Loan and any principal payment required following default, demand for payment, acceleration, collection proceedings, foreclosure, sale or other disposition of collateral, bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings, eminent domain, condemnation, application of insurance proceeds, or otherwise. Such Interest Differential shall at all times be an Obligation as well as an undertaking by the Borrower to the Lenders whether arising out of a voluntary or mandatory prepayment.
A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 3.4 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
3.5.Taxes.
(a)Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 3.5, the term βApplicable Lawβ includes FATCA.
(b)Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by Applicable Law. If any Applicable Law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires
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the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with Applicable Law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.5) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.
(c)Payment of Other Taxes. The Borrower shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with Applicable Law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.
(d)Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify each Recipient, withinΒ 10Β days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.5) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(e)Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, withinΒ 10Β days after demand therefor, for (i)Β any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (ii)Β any Taxes attributable to such Lenderβs failure to comply with the provisions of SectionΒ 10.4(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii)Β any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this Section 3.5(e).
(f)Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 3.5, 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
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such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(g)Status of Lenders.
(i)Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by Applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.5(g)(ii)(A), (B) and (D)) shall not be required if in the Lenderβs reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.
(ii)Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if the Borrower is a U.S.Β Borrower,
(A)any Lender that is a U.S.Β Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or about the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS FormΒ W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S.Β federal backup withholding tax;
(B)any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as is requested by the recipient) on or about the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:
in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x)Β with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS FormΒ W-8BEN or IRS FormΒ W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S.Β federal withholding Tax pursuant to the βinterestβ article of such tax treaty and (y) Β with
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respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS FormΒ W-8BEN or IRS FormΒ W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S.Β federal withholding Tax pursuant to the βbusiness profitsβ or βother incomeβ article of such tax treaty;
executed copies of IRS FormΒ W-8ECI;
in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under SectionΒ 881(c) of the Code, (x)Β a certificate substantially in the form of ExhibitΒ E-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a βbankβ within the meaning of SectionΒ 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a β10Β percent shareholderβ of the Borrower within the meaning of SectionΒ 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, or a βcontrolled foreign corporationβ related to the Borrower as described in SectionΒ 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a βU.S.Β Tax Compliance Certificateβ) and (y)Β executed copies of IRS FormΒ W-8BEN or IRS FormΒ W-8BEN-E; or
to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS FormΒ W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS FormΒ W-8ECI, IRS FormΒ W-8BEN, IRS FormΒ W-8BEN-E, a U.S.Β Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of ExhibitΒ E-2 or E-3, IRS FormΒ W-9, or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S.Β Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of ExhibitΒ E-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;
(C)any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as is requested by the recipient) on or about the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by Applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S.Β federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by Applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and
(D)if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those in SectionΒ 1471(b) or 1472(b) of
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the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by Applicable Law (including as prescribed by SectionΒ 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lenderβs obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount, if any, to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.5(g)(ii)(D), βFATCAβ includes any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.
(h)Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this SectionΒ 3.5 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.5), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 3.5 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this Section 3.5(h) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) if such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 3.5(h), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this Section 3.5(h) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This Section 3.5(h) shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.
(i)Survival. Each partyβs obligations under this Section 3.5 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.
3.6.Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable lending
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office to make, maintain, or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Term SOFR Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Term SOFR Rate, then, upon notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower (through the Administrative Agent), (a)Β any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Term SOFR Borrowings or to convert Base Rate Borrowings to Term SOFR Borrowings shall be suspended, and (b)Β if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Borrowings the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Term SOFR Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Term SOFR Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case 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, (x)Β the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert each Term SOFR Loan of such Lender to a Base Rate Loan (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loan shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Term SOFR Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender can lawfully continue to maintain such Term SOFR Loan to such day, or immediately, if such Lender cannot lawfully continue to maintain such Term SOFR Loan, and (y)Β if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Term SOFR Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Term SOFR Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Term SOFR Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to SectionΒ 3.4.
ARTICLE IV
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
4.1.Initial Credit Extension. The Lenders shall not be required to make the initial Credit Extension unless each of the following conditions is satisfied:
(a)The Administrative Agent shall have received executed counterparts of each of the following:
(i)this Agreement;
(ii)any Notes requested by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.13;
(iii)a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower certifying (A) that there have been no changes in the charter document of the Borrower, as attached thereto and as certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State (or analogous governmental entity) of the jurisdiction of its organization, since the date of the certification thereof by such governmental entity, (B) as to the bylaws, operating agreement or other organizational document, as attached thereto, of the Borrower as in effect on the date of such certification, (C)Β as to resolutions of the board of directors or other governing body of the Borrower
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authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of each Loan Document to which it is a party, (D) as to a good standing certificate (or analogous documentation if applicable) for the Borrower from the Secretary of State (or analogous governmental entity) of the jurisdiction of its organization as of a recent date, to the extent generally available in such jurisdiction, and (E) the names and true signatures of the incumbent officers of the Borrower authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and authorized to request a Credit Extension;
(iv)a certificate, signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower, stating that on the date of the initial Credit Extension (A) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (B) the representations and warranties in ArticleΒ V are (1)Β with respect to any representations or warranties that contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all respects as of such date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all respects on and as of such earlier date and (2)Β with respect to any representations or warranties that do not contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all material respects as of such date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all material respects on and as of such earlier date; and
(v)written opinions of counsel from counsel to the Borrower (which may include in-house counsel with respect to matters of New Mexico law), in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent, addressed to the Administrative Agent and Lenders and dated as of the Closing Date. The Borrowerβs counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
(b)The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or before the Closing Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
(c)The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence of all governmental, equity holder and third-party consents and approvals necessary in connection with the contemplated financing, all applicable waiting periods shall have expired without any action being taken by any authority that would be reasonably likely to restrain, prevent or impose any material adverse conditions on the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no Law applies that in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent could have such effect.
(d)No action, suit, investigation or proceeding shall be pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened in any court or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or that seeks to prevent, enjoin or delay any Credit Extension.
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(e)The Administrative Agent shall have received a copy of (i) the annual consolidated financial statements (including balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021, audited by independent public accountants of recognized national standing, (ii) the consolidated balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the Fiscal Quarter ended March 31, 2022 and (iii) such other financial information regarding the Borrower as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request. The Administrative Agent acknowledges that the items described in clauses (i) and (ii) above have been posted on the Borrowerβs website at the website address listed Section 10.1 and are therefore deemed to have been received by the Administrative Agent.
(f)Upon the reasonable request of any Lender made at least 10 days before the Closing Date, the Borrower shall have provided to such Lender the documentation and other information so requested in connection with applicable βknow your customerβ and anti-money-laundering Laws, including the PATRIOT Act, in each case at least five days before the Closing Date.
(g)At least five days before the Closing Date, if the Borrower qualifies as a βlegal entity customerβ under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, the Borrower shall have delivered a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower.
(h)The Administrative Agent shall have received such other agreements, documents, instruments and certificates relating to Borrower, the Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby as are reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and its counsel, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
4.2.Each Credit Extension. The Lenders shall not be required to make any Credit Extension unless on the applicable Borrowing Date:
(a)There exists no Default or Event of Default, nor would a Default or Event of Default result from such Credit Extension.
(b)The representations and warranties in Article V are (i)Β with respect to any representations or warranties that contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all respects as of such Borrowing Date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all respects on and as of such earlier date and (ii)Β with respect to any representations or warranties that do not contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all material respects as of such Borrowing Date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all material respects on and as of such earlier date.
(c)The Administrative Agent shall have received a Borrowing Notice in accordance with the requirements hereof.
Each Borrowing Notice constitutes a representation and warranty by the Borrower that the conditions in Section 4.2(a) and (b) have been satisfied.
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ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
5.1.Existence and Standing. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (b) is duly qualified and in good standing as a foreign entity authorized to do business in every other jurisdiction where the failure to so qualify would have a Material Adverse Effect and (c) has the requisite power and authority to own its properties and to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted.
5.2.Authorization and Validity. The Borrower (a) has the requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to incur the obligations herein and therein provided for and (b) has been authorized by all necessary action to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
5.3.No Conflicts. Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, nor performance of and compliance with the terms and provisions hereof and thereof by the Borrower will (a) violate or conflict with any provision of its organizational documents, (b) violate, contravene or conflict with any law, regulation (including without limitation, Regulation U and Regulation X), order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or permit applicable to it, (c) violate, contravene or conflict with contractual provisions of, or cause an event of default under, any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, contract or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it may be bound, the violation of which would have or would be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (d) result in or require the creation of any Lien upon or with respect to its properties.
5.4.Financial Statements. The financial statements delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 4.1(e) and pursuant to Sections 6.1(a) and (b): (i) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP except that the quarterly financial statements are subject to year-end adjustments and have fewer footnotes than annual statements and (ii) present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such date and for such periods. No opinion provided with respect to the Borrowerβs financial statements pursuant to Section 4.1(e) or 6.1 (or as to any prior annual financial statements) has been withdrawn.
5.5.Material Adverse Change.
(a)Since December 31, 2021, except as disclosed in the Borrowerβs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2021 or in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the Fiscal Quarter ended March 31, 2022, there has been no development or event relating to or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries which would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b)Since December 31, 2021, except as disclosed in the Borrowerβs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2021 or in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the Fiscal Quarter ended March 31, 2022, there has been no sale,
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transfer or other disposition by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any material part of its business or property, and no purchase or other acquisition by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any business or property (including the Capital Stock of any other Person) material in relation to the financial condition of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case which is not (i) reflected in the most recent financial statements delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 4.1(e) or 7.1 or in the notes thereto or (ii) otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement and communicated to the Lenders.
5.6.Taxes. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has filed, or caused to be filed, all material tax returns (federal, state, local and foreign) required to be filed and paid all amounts of taxes shown to be due (including interest and penalties) and has paid all other taxes, fees, assessments and other governmental charges (including mortgage recording taxes, documentary stamp taxes and intangibles taxes) owed by it, except for such taxes (i) the amount of which, individually or in the aggregate, is not material or (ii) which are not yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings, and against which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance with GAAP.
5.7.Litigation. Except as disclosed in the Borrowerβs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2021 or in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the Fiscal Quarter ended March 31, 2022, there are no actions, suits, investigations or legal, equitable, arbitration or administrative proceedings, pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries which would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.8.[Reserved].
5.9.[Reserved].
5.10.[Reserved].
5.11.Enforceable Obligations. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents have been duly executed and delivered and constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Borrower enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with their respective terms, except as may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws or similar laws affecting creditorsβ rights generally or by general equitable principles.
5.12.Disclosure. Neither this Agreement nor any financial statements delivered to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders nor any other document, certificate or statement furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders by or on behalf of the Borrower in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained therein or herein, taken as a whole, not misleading.
5.13.Compliance with Law. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, rules, regulations, orders and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, unless such failure to comply would not have or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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5.14.Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions. Except as would not result or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect:
(a)Each Single Employer Plan has been maintained, operated, and funded in compliance with its own terms and in material compliance with the provisions of ERISA, the Code, and any other applicable federal or state laws, regulations and published interpretations thereunder, except for any required amendments for which the remedial amendment period as defined in Section 401(b) of the Code has not yet expired. Each Single Employer 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 except for such plans that have not yet received determination letters but for which the remedial amendment period for submitting a determination letter has not yet expired. No liability has been incurred by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate which remains unsatisfied for any taxes or penalties assessed with respect to any Single Employer Plan or any Multiemployer Plan except for a liability that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(b)No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur;
(c)No prohibited transaction (within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) or breach of fiduciary responsibility has occurred with respect to a Single Employer Plan which has subjected or would be reasonably likely to subject the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to any liability under Sections 406, 409, 502(i), or 502(l) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or under any agreement or other instrument pursuant to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has agreed or is required to indemnify any person against any such liability.
(d)No proceeding, claim (other than a benefits claim in the ordinary course of business), lawsuit and/or investigation is existing or, to the best of the knowledge of the Borrower after due inquiry, threatened concerning or involving (i) any employee welfare benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) currently maintained or contributed to by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate (a βWelfare Planβ), (ii) any Single Employer Plan or (iii) any Multiemployer Plan.
(e)Each Welfare Plan to which Sections 601-609 of ERISA and Section 4980B of the Code apply has been administered in compliance in all material respects with such sections.
5.15.Environmental Matters. Except as would not result or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect: (a) each of the properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (the βPropertiesβ) and all operations at the Properties are in substantial compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, (b) there is no undocumented or unreported violation of any Environmental Law with respect to the Properties or the businesses operated by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (the βBusinessesβ) that the Borrower is aware of, and (c) to the Borrowerβs knowledge, there are no conditions relating to the Businesses or Properties that have given rise to or would reasonably be expected to give rise to a liability under any applicable Environmental Law or to any Environmental Claim.
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5.16.Investment Company Act. The Borrower is not an βinvestment companyβ registered or required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or controlled by such a company.
5.17.Use of Proceeds; Margin Stock. The proceeds of the Borrowings hereunder will be used solely for the purposes specified in Section 6.2. None of such proceeds will be used (a)(i) for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock or (ii) for the purpose of reducing or retiring any Indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry Margin Stock, or (iii) for any other purpose that might constitute this transaction a βpurpose creditβ within the meaning of Regulation U or (b) for the acquisition of another Person unless the board of directors (or other comparable governing body) or stockholders, as appropriate, of such Person has approved such acquisition.
5.18.Consents. Other than the filing of annual short-term financing plans with the NMPRC in the normal course of business, and the NMPRCβs actions thereon, no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any court or Governmental Authority or third party is required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents that has not been obtained or completed.
5.19.Solvency. The Borrower is and, after the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, will be Solvent.
5.20.No Default. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default in any respect under any contract, lease, loan agreement, indenture, mortgage, security agreement or other agreement or obligation to which it is a party or by which any of its properties is bound which default would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default or Event of Default presently exists and is continuing.
5.21.Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions. The Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, and employees and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, the agents of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and all applicable Sanctions in all material respects. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have implemented and maintain in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions. None of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any director, officer, employee, agent, or affiliate of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is an individual or entity that is, or is 50% or more owned (individually or in the aggregate, directly or indirectly) or controlled by individuals or entities (including any agency, political subdivision or instrumentality of any government) that are (a) the target of any Sanctions or (b) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (currently the Crimea Region of Ukraine, the Donetsk Peopleβs Republic, the Luhansk Peopleβs Republic, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).
5.22.EEA Financial Institution. The Borrower is not an EEA Financial Institution.
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ARTICLE VI
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated, all Obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents have been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
6.1.Financial Reporting. The Borrower will maintain, for itself and each Subsidiary, a system of accounting established and administered in accordance with GAAP, and furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders:
(a)as soon as available, and in any event within one hundred twenty (120) days after the close of each Fiscal Year of the Borrower commencing with the 2022 Fiscal Year, a consolidated balance sheet and income statement of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as of the end of such Fiscal Year, together with the related consolidated statements of income and of cash flows for such Fiscal Year, setting forth in comparative form figures for the preceding Fiscal Year, all such financial information described above to be in reasonable form and detail and, in each case, audited by independent certified public accountants of recognized national standing reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders and whose opinion shall be furnished to the Lenders, and shall be to the effect that such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except for changes with which such accountants concur) and shall not be limited as to the scope of the audit or qualified in any respect;
(b)as soon as available, and in any event within sixty (60) days after the close of each Fiscal Quarter of the Borrower commencing with the Fiscal Quarter ending MarchΒ 31, 2022 (other than the fourth Fiscal Quarter), a consolidated balance sheet and income statement of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such Fiscal Quarter, together with the related consolidated statement of income for such Fiscal Quarter and a year to date statement of cash flows, in each case setting forth in comparative form figures for the corresponding period of the preceding Fiscal Year, all such financial information described above to be in reasonable form and detail and reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders, and, in each case, accompanied by a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower to the effect that such quarterly financial statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of such Person and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, subject to changes resulting from audit and normal year-end audit adjustments and except that the quarterly financial statements have fewer footnotes than annual statements;
(c)at the time of delivery of the financial statements provided for in Sections 6.1(a) and 6.1(b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer substantially in the form of Exhibit B: (i) setting forth calculations demonstrating compliance by the Borrower with the financial covenant set forth in Section 6.11 as of the end of such fiscal period and (ii) stating that no Default or Event of Default exists, or if any Default or Event of Default does exist, specifying the nature and extent thereof and what action the Borrower proposes to take with respect thereto;
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(d)notice of the filing by the Borrower of any Form 10-Q, Form 10-K or Form 8-K with the SEC promptly upon the filing thereof and copies of all financial statements, proxy statements, notices and reports as the Borrower shall send to its shareholders concurrently with the mailing of any such statements, notices or reports to its shareholders;
(e)upon the Borrower obtaining knowledge thereof, the Borrower will give written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) days of (i) the occurrence of a Default or Event of Default, specifying the nature and extent thereof and what action the Borrower proposes to take with respect thereto and (ii) the occurrence of any of the following with respect to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (A) the pendency or commencement of any litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries which, if adversely determined, would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (B) one or more judgments, orders, or decrees shall be entered against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries involving a liability of $20,000,000 or more, in the aggregate or (C) the institution of any proceedings against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to, or the receipt of notice by such Person of potential liability or responsibility for violation or alleged violation of, any federal, state or local law, rule or regulation (including, without limitation, any Environmental Law), the violation of which would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(f)upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate obtaining knowledge thereof, the Borrower will give written notice to the Administrative Agent promptly (and in any event within ten (10) days) of any of the following which would result in or reasonably would be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect: (i) any unfavorable determination letter from the IRS regarding the qualification of a Single Employer Plan under Section 401(a) of the Code (along with a copy thereof), (ii) all notices received by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of the PBGCβs intent to terminate any Single Employer Plan or to have a trustee appointed to administer any Single Employer Plan, (iii) with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the receipt of notice as prescribed in ERISA or otherwise of any withdrawal liability assessed against the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates, or of a determination that any Multiemployer Plan is insolvent (within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA); or (iv) the Borrower obtaining knowledge or reason to know that the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has filed or intends to file a notice of intent to terminate any Single Employer Plan under a distress termination within the meaning of Section 4041(c) of ERISA. Promptly upon request, the Borrower shall furnish the Lenders with such additional information concerning any Single Employer Plan as may be reasonably requested, including, but not limited to, copies of each annual report/return (Form 5500 series), as well as all schedules and attachments thereto required to be filed with the Department of Labor and/or the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to ERISA and the Code, respectively, for each βplan yearβ (within the meaning of Section 3(39) of ERISA);
(g)prompt notice of any change in its Debt Ratings; and
(h)with reasonable promptness upon any such request, such other information regarding the business, properties or financial condition of the Borrower as the Lenders may reasonably request.
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Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(a), (b) or (d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) 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 Borrowerβs website on the Internet at the website address listed in Section 10.1 or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrowerβs behalf on an Internet or intranet 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: (A) 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 (B) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by telecopier or electronic mail) 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 Officerβs Certificate required by Section 6.1(c) to the Administrative Agent. Except for such Officerβs Certificate, 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.
If any information required to be furnished to the Lenders under this Section 6.1 is required by Applicable Law to be filed by the Borrower with a government body on an earlier date, then the information required hereunder must be furnished to the Lenders at such earlier date.
6.2.Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Borrowings may be used solely (a) to repay amounts under the Existing Credit Agreement, (b) to pay fees and expenses required by the Loan Documents and (c) for general corporate purposes of the Borrower (including, but not limited to, working capital and capital expenditures). The Borrower will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Loans, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person, (a) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws or (b)(i) to fund any activities or business of or with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or (ii) in any other manner that would result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the Loans, whether as Administrative Agent, Arranger, Lender, underwriter, advisor, investor, or otherwise).
6.3.Preservation of Existence and Franchises.
(a)The Borrower will do (and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to do) all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence and all material rights, franchises and authority.
(b)The Borrower will maintain (and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain) its properties in working order and condition and not waste or otherwise permit such properties to deteriorate, reasonable wear and tear excepted; provided that this Section
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6.3(b) shall not prevent the Borrower or any Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation and the maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is desirable in the conduct of its business and the Borrower has concluded that such discontinuance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.4.[Reserved].
6.5.Payment of Taxes and Obligations. The Borrower will (and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to) pay, settle or discharge (a) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it, or upon its income or profits, or upon any of its properties, before they shall become delinquent, (b) all lawful claims (including claims for labor, materials and supplies) which, if unpaid, might give rise to a Lien upon any of its properties, and (c) all of its other Indebtedness as it shall become due (to the extent such repayment is not otherwise prohibited by this Agreement); provided, however, that the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall not be required to pay any such tax, assessment, charge, levy, claim or Indebtedness which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which adequate reserves therefor have been established in accordance with GAAP, unless the failure to make any such payment (i) would give rise to an immediate right to foreclose or collect on a Lien securing such amounts or (ii) would have or would be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.6.Insurance. The Borrower will (and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to) at all times maintain in full force and effect insurance (including workerβs compensation insurance and general liability insurance) in such amounts, covering such risks and liabilities and with such deductibles or self-insurance retentions as are in accordance with normal industry practice.
6.7.Compliance with Laws.
(a)The Borrower will comply (and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply) with all laws (including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws and ERISA laws), rules, regulations and orders, and all applicable restrictions imposed by all Governmental Authorities, applicable to it and its properties, if the failure to comply would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b)Without limiting clause (a) above, the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, ensure that no person who owns a controlling interest in or otherwise controls the Borrower or any Subsidiary is or shall be a Sanctioned Person.
(c)The Borrower will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers and employees with the Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.
(d)The Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, provide such information and take such actions as are reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in order to assist the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in maintaining compliance with the PATRIOT Act.
6.8.Performance of Obligations. The Borrower will perform (and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to perform) in all material respects all of its obligations under the terms of all
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agreements, indentures, mortgages, security agreements or other debt instruments to which it is a party or by which it is bound, the failure to perform which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.9.Books and Records. The Borrower will keep (and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to keep) complete and accurate books and records of its transactions in accordance with good accounting practices on the basis of GAAP (including the establishment and maintenance of appropriate reserves).
6.10.Audits and Inspections. Upon reasonable notice and during normal business hours and subject to the Borrowerβs applicable safety protocols, the Borrower will permit representatives appointed by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, including, without limitation, independent accountants, agents, attorneys, and appraisers to visit and inspect the Borrowerβs property, including its books and records, its accounts receivable and inventory, the Borrowerβs facilities and its other business assets, and to make photocopies or photographs thereof and to write down and record any information such representative obtains and shall permit the Administrative Agent or such Lender or its representatives to investigate and verify the accuracy of information provided to it and to discuss all such matters with the officers, employees and representatives of the Borrower; provided, that an officer or authorized agent of the Borrower shall be present during any such discussions between the officers, employees or representatives of the Borrower and the representatives of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
6.11.Financial Covenant. The Borrower will maintain as of the last day of any Fiscal Quarter a ratio of (a) Consolidated Indebtedness to (b) Consolidated Capitalization of not less than or equal to 0.65 to 1.0.
ARTICLE VII
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated, all Obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents have been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
7.1.Nature of Business. The Borrower will not materially alter the character of its business from that conducted as of the Closing Date.
7.2.Consolidation and Merger. The Borrower will not (a) enter into any transaction of merger or (b) consolidate, liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution); provided that, so long as no Default or Event of Default shall exist or be caused thereby, a Person may be merged or consolidated with or into the Borrower so long as the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person.
7.3.Sale or Lease of Assets. The Borrower will not (nor will it permit its Subsidiaries to) sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of, any of its assets (including, without limitation, all or substantially all of its assets, whether in one transaction or a series of related transactions) except (a) sales or transfers of accounts receivable and related rights to payment in connection with a State Approved Securitization and other sales and transfers of accounts receivable and related rights to payment so long as such other sales and transfers are non-recourse to the Borrower (other
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than with respect to Standard Securitization Undertakings) and are otherwise on commercially reasonable terms; (b) sales of assets (excluding those permitted in clause (a) hereof) for fair value, if the aggregate value of all such transactions in any calendar year, does not exceed 25% of the book value of Total Assets, as calculated as of the end of the most recent Fiscal Quarter; and (c) the sale, lease, transfer or other disposition, at less than fair value, of any other assets, provided that the aggregate book value of such assets shall not exceed $20,000,000 in any calendar year.
7.4.Affiliate Transactions. The Borrower will not enter into any transaction or series of transactions, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, with any Affiliate other than on terms and conditions substantially as favorable as would be obtainable in a comparable armβs-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate.
7.5.Liens. The Borrower will not (nor will it permit its Subsidiaries to) contract, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien with respect to any of its property or assets of any kind (whether real or personal, tangible or intangible), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, securing any Indebtedness other than the following: (a) Liens securing the Borrower Obligations, (b) Liens for taxes not yet due or Liens for taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves determined in accordance with GAAP have been established (and as to which the property subject to any such Lien is not yet subject to foreclosure, sale or loss on account thereof), (c) Liens in respect of property imposed by law arising in the ordinary course of business such as materialmenβs, mechanicsβ, warehousemenβs, carrierβs, landlordsβ and other nonconsensual statutory Liens which are not yet due and payable, which have been in existence less than ninety (90) days or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves determined in accordance with GAAP have been established (and as to which the property subject to any such Lien is not yet subject to foreclosure, sale or loss on account thereof), (d) pledges or deposits made in the ordinary course of business to secure payment of workerβs compensation insurance, unemployment insurance, pensions or social security programs, (e) Liens arising from good faith deposits in connection with or to secure performance of tenders, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business (other than obligations in respect of the payment of borrowed money), (f) Liens arising from good faith deposits in connection with or to secure performance of statutory obligations and surety and appeal bonds, (g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), minor defects or irregularities in title and other similar charges or encumbrances not, in any material respect, impairing the use of the encumbered property for its intended purposes, (h) judgment Liens that would not constitute an Event of Default, (i) Liens arising by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to bankerβs liens, rights of setoff or similar rights as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution, (j) any Lien created or arising over any property which is acquired, constructed or created by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, but only if (i) such Lien secures only principal amounts (not exceeding the cost of such acquisition, construction or creation) raised for the purposes of such acquisition, construction or creation, together with any costs, expenses, interest and fees incurred in relation thereto or a guarantee given in respect thereof, (ii) such Lien is created or arises on or before one hundred eighty (180) days after the completion of such acquisition, construction or creation, (iii) such Lien is confined solely to the property so acquired, constructed or created and any improvements thereto and (iv) the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness secured by such Liens shall not exceed $50,000,000 at any one time outstanding, (k) any Lien on Margin Stock, (l) the assignment of, or Liens on,
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accounts receivable and related rights to payment in connection with (i) a State Approved Securitization or (ii) any other accounts receivable securitization so long as such other securitization is non-recourse to the Borrower (other than with respect to Standard Securitization Undertakings) and is otherwise on commercially reasonable terms, and the filing of related financing statements under the Uniform Commercial Code of the applicable jurisdictions, (m) the assignment of, or Liens on, demand, energy or wheeling revenues, or on capacity reservation or option fees, payable to the Borrower with respect to any wholesale electric service or transmission agreements, the assignment of, or Liens on, revenues from energy services contracts, and the assignment of, or Liens on, capacity reservation or option fees payable to the Borrower with respect to asset sales permitted herein, (n) any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements), as a whole or in part, of any Liens referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) through (m), for amounts not exceeding the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by the Lien so extended, renewed or replaced, provided that such extension, renewal or replacement Lien is limited to all or a part of the same property or assets that were covered by the Lien extended, renewed or replaced (plus improvements on such property or assets), (o) Liens on Property that is subject to a lease that is classified as an operating lease as of the Closing Date but which is subsequently converted to a capital lease, (p) Liens securing obligations under Hedging Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes, (q) Liens granted by bankruptcy remote special purpose Subsidiaries to secure stranded cost securitization bonds in connection with the San Xxxx Generating Station, (r) Liens upon any property in favor of (i) the administrative agent for the benefit of the lenders (the βRevolving Loan Administrative Agentβ) under the Existing Revolving Credit Agreement (or any refinancing thereof) securing Indebtedness thereunder and/or (ii) the administrative agent for the benefit of the lenders (the βTerm Loan Administrative Agentβ) under the Existing Term Loan Agreement (or any refinancing thereof, including any increases in the amount thereof) securing Indebtedness thereunder; provided that (i) the Borrower Obligations shall concurrently be secured equally and ratably with (or prior to) such Indebtedness under the Existing Revolving Credit Agreement and the Existing Term Loan Agreement (or any refinancing thereof, including any increases in the amount thereof) so long as such other Indebtedness shall be secured and (ii) the Borrower, the Revolving Loan Administrative Agent and the Term Loan Administrative Agent (or the administrative agent under any refinancing of the Existing Revolving Credit Agreement or any refinancing of the Existing Term Loan Agreement) and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, shall have entered into such security agreements, collateral trust and sharing agreements, intercreditor agreements and other documentation deemed necessary by the Administrative Agent in respect of such Lien on terms and conditions acceptable to the Administrative Agent (including, without limitation, with respect to the voting of claims and release or modification of any such Lien or all or any portion of the collateral thereunder), and (s) Liens on Property, in addition to those otherwise permitted by clauses (a) through (r) above, securing, directly or indirectly, Indebtedness or obligations arising pursuant to other agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business which do not exceed, in the aggregate at any one time outstanding, $50,000,000.
7.6.Accounting Changes. The Borrower will not (nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to) make or permit, any change in accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required by GAAP, or as permitted by GAAP, if the amounts involved are not material.
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ARTICLE VIII
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
8.1.Events of Default. The occurrence of any one or more of the following events is an Event of Default (each, an βEvent of Defaultβ):
(a)any representation, warranty or statement made or deemed to be made by the Borrower herein, or in any of the Loan Documents, or in any statement or certificate delivered or required to be delivered pursuant hereto or thereto shall prove untrue in any material respect on the date as of which it was deemed to have been made;
(b)nonpayment of (i) principal of any Loan when due or (ii) interest upon any Loan or any commitment fee or any other obligation under any of the Loan Documents within three Business Days after it becomes due;
(c)default in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or agreement contained in Sections 6.1(e)(i), 6.2, 6.3(a) (solely with respect to the existence of the Borrower) or 6.11 or Article VII;
(d)default in the due performance or observance by the Borrower of any term, covenant or agreement (other than those referred to in subsections (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 8.1) contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of at least 30 days after the earlier of an Authorized Officer becoming aware of such default or notice thereof given by the Administrative Agent;
(e)(i) the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall default in the due performance or observance (beyond the applicable grace period with respect thereto) of any material obligation or condition of any contract or lease to which it is a party, if such default would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) with respect to any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness outstanding under this Agreement) in excess of $40,000,000 in the aggregate (A) the Borrower or such Subsidiary shall (x) default in any payment (beyond the applicable grace period with respect thereto, if any) with respect to such Indebtedness, or (y) default (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) in the observance or performance of any covenant or agreement relating to such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event or condition shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause or permit the holder or the holders of such Indebtedness (or any trustee or agent on behalf of such holders) to cause (determined without regard to whether any notice or lapse of time is required) such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity; or (B) such Indebtedness shall be declared due and payable, or required to be prepaid other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment prior to the stated maturity thereof; or (C) such Indebtedness shall mature and remain unpaid;
(f)the occurrence of any of the following with respect to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) a court or governmental agency having jurisdiction in the premises
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shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in an involuntary case under any applicable Debtor Relief Law now or hereafter in effect, or appoint a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or for any substantial part of their property or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs; or (ii) an involuntary case under any applicable Debtor Relief Law now or hereafter in effect is commenced against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and such petition remains unstayed and in effect for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days; or (iii) the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall commence a voluntary case under any applicable Debtor Relief Law now or hereafter in effect, or consent to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or consent to the appointment or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of such Person or any substantial part of its property or make any general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (iv) the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due or any action shall be taken by any Person in furtherance of any of the aforesaid purposes;
(g)any judgment, order or decree involving a liability of $40,000,000 or more, or one or more judgments, orders, or decrees involving a liability of $80,000,000 or more, in the aggregate, shall be entered against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and such judgments, orders or decrees shall continue unsatisfied, undischarged and unstayed for a period ending on the first to occur of (i) the last day on which such judgment, order or decree becomes final and unappealable and, where applicable, with the status of a judicial lien or (ii) sixty (60) days; provided that if such judgment, order or decree provides for periodic payments over time then the Borrower or such Subsidiary shall have a grace period of thirty (30) days with respect to each such periodic payment;
(h)any of the following events or conditions: (i) an ERISA Event or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to make full payment when due of all amounts which, under the provisions of any Single Employer Plan or Sections 412 or 430 of the Code, the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is required to pay as contributions thereto and which are in excess of the Threshold Amount;
(i)any Change of Control; or
(j)any Loan Document fails to remain in full force or effect or the Borrower shall so assert or any Credit Document shall fail to give the Administrative Agent or the Lenders the material rights, powers, liens and privileges purported to be created thereby.
8.2.Acceleration; Remedies.
(a)If any Event of Default described in Section 8.1(f) occurs with respect to the Borrower:
(i)the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans shall automatically terminate; and
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(ii)the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall immediately become due and payable without any election or action by the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
(b)If any other Event of Default occurs, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, take any or all of the following actions:
(i)terminate the Commitments; and
(ii)declare the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to be due and payable, whereupon the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall become immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind, all of which the Borrower hereby expressly waives.
(c)Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, exercise all rights and remedies under the Loan Documents and enforce all other rights and remedies under Applicable Law.
8.3.Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in SectionΒ 8.2 (or after the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents have automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in SectionΒ 8.2(a)), the Administrative Agent shall apply any amounts it receives on account of the Obligations in the following order:
(a)first, to payment of 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;
(b)second, to payment of fees, indemnities and other reimbursable expenses (other than principal, interest, and commitment fees) payable to the Lenders (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Lenders as required by SectionΒ 10.3 and amounts payable under Article III);
(c)third, to payment of accrued and unpaid commitment fees and interest on the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the amounts described in this Section 8.3(c) payable to them;
(d)fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this Section 8.3(d) payable to them;
(e)fifth, to payment of all other Obligations ratably among the Administrative Agent and the Lenders based upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Obligations owing to them in accordance with the respective amounts thereof then due and payable; and
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(f)last, the balance, if any, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by law.
ARTICLE IX
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
9.1.Appointment and Authority. Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints U.S. Bank 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. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.6(c), the provisions of this Article IX are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third-party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term βagentβ herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any Applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties.
9.2.Rights as a Lender. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder has the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise them as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and the term βLenderβ or βLenders,β unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, includes the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, 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.
9.3.Exculpatory Provisions.
(a)The Administrative Agent has no duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder are administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:
(i)is not subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;
(ii)has no 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 is expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents); provided that the Administrative Agent is not required to take any action that, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent or its counsel, could expose the Administrative Agent to liability or is contrary to any
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Loan Document or Applicable Law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that could be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that could effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and
(iii)does 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.
(b)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 is necessary, or as the Administrative Agent believes in good faith is necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 8.2 and 10.2(b)), or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. 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 in writing by the Borrower or a Lender.
(c)The Administrative Agent is not responsible for and has no 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.
9.4.Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Credit Extension that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent has received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan. 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.
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9.5.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 their duties and exercise their rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this ArticleΒ IX apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent and apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the facilities hereunder as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent is not responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.
9.6.Resignation of Administrative Agent.
(a)The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders may, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor has been so appointed by the Required Lenders and has accepted such appointment 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as is agreed by the Required Lenders) (the βResignation Effective Dateβ), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but is not obligated to), on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent; provided that in no event may any such successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.
(b)If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor has been so appointed by the Required Lenders and has accepted such appointment 30 days after the Administrative Agent receives notice of its removal (or such earlier day as is agreed by the Required Lenders) (the βRemoval Effective Dateβ), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.
(c)With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (ii)Β except for any indemnity payments owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, 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 directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successorβs 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 removed Administrative Agent (other than any rights to indemnity payments owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent),
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and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents. 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 or removed Administrative Agentβs resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article IX and Section 10.3 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed 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 or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
9.7.Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders. Each Lender 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 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 from time to time deems 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.
9.8.No Other Duties. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Arrangers and the Syndication Agent listed on the cover page hereof has 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 or a Lender.
9.9.Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan is then due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent has made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) 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, and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Section 10.3) 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 to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, if the Administrative Agent consents to the making of such payments
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directly to the Lenders, 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 Section 10.3.
9.10.[Reserved].
9.11.[Reserved].
9.12.Certain ERISA Matters.
(a)Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower that at least one of the following is and will be true:
(i)such Lender is not using βplan assetsβ (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to such Lenderβs entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments or this Agreement;
(ii)the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lenderβs entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement;
(iii)(A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a βQualified Professional Asset Managerβ (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B)Β such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lenderβs entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement; or
(iv)such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.
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(b)In addition, unless either (i) clause (i) of Section 9.12(a) is true with respect to a Lender or (ii) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with clause (iv) of Section 9.12(a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower that the Administrative Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lenderβs entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).
9.13.Erroneous Payments.
(a)If the Administrative Agent notifies a Lender or other holder of any Obligations (each, a βLender Partyβ), or any Person who has received funds on behalf of a Lender Party (any such Lender Party or other recipient, a βPayment Recipientβ), that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion (whether or not after receipt of any notice under Section 9.13(b)) that any funds received by such Payment Recipient from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates were erroneously transmitted to, or otherwise erroneously received by, such Payment Recipient (whether or not such error is known to any Payment Recipient) (any such funds, whether received as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees, distribution or otherwise, individually and collectively, an βErroneous Paymentβ) and demands the return of such Erroneous Payment (or a portion thereof), such Erroneous Payment shall at all times remain the property of the Administrative Agent and shall be segregated by the Payment Recipient and held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, and such Payment Recipient shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made, in same day funds (in the currency so received), together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Payment Recipient to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent in same day funds at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Payment Recipient under this clause (a) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(b)Without limiting Section 9.13(a), if any Payment Recipient receives a payment, prepayment or repayment (whether received as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees, distribution or otherwise) from the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) that (x) is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment, prepayment or repayment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment, (y) was not preceded or accompanied by a notice of payment, prepayment or repayment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates), or (z) such
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Payment Recipient otherwise becomes aware was transmitted, or received, in error (in whole or in part):
(i)(A) in the case of immediately preceding clause (x) or (y), an error shall be presumed to have been made (absent written confirmation from the Administrative Agent to the contrary) or (B) in the case of immediately preceding clause (z), an error has been made, in each case, with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment; and
(ii)such Payment Recipient shall promptly (and, in all events, within one Business Day of its knowledge of such error) notify the Administrative Agent of its receipt of such payment, prepayment or repayment, the details thereof (in reasonable detail) and that it is so notifying the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 9.13(b).
(c)Each Lender Party hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off, net and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender Party under any Loan Document, or otherwise payable or distributable by the Administrative Agent to such Lender Party from any source, against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under Section 9.13(a) or under the indemnification provisions of this Agreement.
(d)An Erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any Obligations, except to the extent such Erroneous Payment comprises funds received by the Administrative Agent from the Borrower for the purpose of paying such Obligations.
(e)To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Payment Recipient hereby agrees not to assert any right or claim to an Erroneous Payment, and hereby waives, and is deemed to waive, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment, including without limitation any defense based on βdischarge for valueβ or any similar doctrine, with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Erroneous Payment.
(f)Each partyβs agreements under this Section 9.13 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of a Lender, the termination of the Commitments, or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of any or all Obligations.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
10.1.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 Section 10.1(b)) and notices pursuant to the definition of βObligationsβ (which shall be given via email in accordance with Section 10.1(b)), all notices and other communications provided for herein
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shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows:
(i)if to the Borrower, to it at 000 Xxxxxx Xxx. XX, XX0000, Xxxxxxxxxxx, New Mexico 87102-3289, Attention: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Vice President and Treasurer, Facsimile: (000) 000-0000, Email: Xxxxxxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx, Website: xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx;
(ii)if to the Administrative Agent, to it at 0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Xxxxxx Hon, Telephone: (000) 000-0000, Email: xxxxxx.xxx@xxxxxx.xxx; and
(iii)if to a Lender, to it at its address (or facsimile number) set forth 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 facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (or, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient), except that notices to the Administrative Agent or a Lender under Article II shall not be effective unless and until actually received. Notices delivered through electronic communications pursuant to Section 10.1(b) shall be effective as provided in SectionΒ 10.1(b).
(b)Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including email and internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent or as otherwise determined by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing does not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under Article II 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 or as it otherwise determines. Such determination or approval may be limited to particular notices or communications.
Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an email address shall be deemed received upon the senderβs receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the βreturn receipt requestedβ function, as available, return email or other written acknowledgement), or, if not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, 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 email address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.
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(c)Change of Address, etc. Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number above by notice to the other parties hereto as provided in this SectionΒ 10.1.
10.2.Amendments and Waivers.
(a)No delay or omission of the Lenders or the Administrative Agent to exercise any right under the Loan Documents will impair such right or be construed to be a waiver of any Event of Default or an acquiescence therein, and any Credit Extension notwithstanding an Event of Default or the inability of the Borrower to satisfy the conditions precedent to such Credit Extension shall not constitute any waiver or acquiescence. Any single or partial exercise of any such right shall not preclude other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. All remedies in the Loan Documents or afforded by Applicable Law shall be cumulative and all shall be available to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders until (a) the Obligations have been irrevocably paid and performed in full and (b) the Lenders no longer have any commitment to provide any financial accommodations to the Borrower under any Loan Document.
(b)Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, no amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or consent to any departure therefrom by the Borrower shall be effective unless in writing executed by the Borrower and the Required Lenders, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders, and then such amendment, modification, waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided that no such amendment, waiver or consent may:
(i)extend or increase any Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender (it being understood that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Article IV or the waiver of any Default or Event of Default is not an extension or increase of any Commitment of any Lender);
(ii)reduce the principal of, or rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby (provided that only the consent of the Required Lenders is necessary (i) to amend Section 2.11 or to waive the obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the rate imposed pursuant thereto or (ii) to amend any financial covenant (or any defined term directly or indirectly used therein), even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or other Obligation or to reduce any fee payable hereunder);
(iii)postpone any date scheduled for any payment of principal of, or interest on, any Loan or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;
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(iv)change the definition of βApplicable Percentageβ or Section 2.19 or 8.3 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby; or
(v)change any provision of this Section 10.2(b) or the definition of βRequired Lendersβ 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. βRevolving Lendersβ may be changed with the written consent of each Revolving Lender.
provided, further, that no such amendment, waiver or consent may amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties hereunder or under any other Loan Document of the Administrative Agent, unless in writing executed by the Administrative Agent.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Defaulting Lender has any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent that by its terms requires the consent of all the Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders, except that (x)Β a Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended, the maturity of any of its Loans may not be extended, the rate of interest on any of its Loans may not be reduced and the principal amount of any of its Loans may not be forgiven, in each case without the consent of such Defaulting Lender and (y) any amendment, waiver or consent requiring the consent of all the Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than the other affected Lenders requires the consent of such Defaulting Lender.
In addition, notwithstanding anything in this Section 10.2(b) to the contrary, if the Administrative Agent and the Borrower jointly identify an obvious error or any error or omission of a technical nature, in each case, in any provision of the Loan Documents, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend such provision, and, in each case, such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Document if the such amendment is not objected to in writing by the Required Lenders to the Administrative Agent within 10 Business Days following receipt of notice thereof.
10.3.Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a)Costs and Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i)Β 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 facilities hereunder, 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 are consummated) and (ii)Β all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender
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(including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender) in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A)Β in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section 10.3, or (B)Β in connection with the Loans, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.
(b)Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify each 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 Person (including the Borrower) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i)Β 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, (ii)Β any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii)Β 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)Β 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, 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)Β 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, (y)Β result from a claim brought by the Borrower against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemniteeβs obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if the Borrower has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or (z)Β result from a claim not involving an act or omission of the Borrower and brought by an Indemnitee against another Indemnitee (other than against the Arrangers or the Administrative Agent in their capacities as such). This Section 10.3(b) does not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.
(c)Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under Section 10.3(a) orΒ (b) to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lenderβs Pro Rata Share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender); 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 against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in
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connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this Section 10.3(c) are subject to Section 10.11.
(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 the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee 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 10.3 are payable promptly after demand therefor.
(f)Survival. Each partyβs obligations under this Section 10.3 shall survive the termination of the Loan Documents and payment of the obligations hereunder.
10.4.Successors and Assigns.
(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 the Borrower may not 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)Β to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.4(b), (ii)Β by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.4(d), or (iii)Β by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of Section 10.4(e) (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 SectionΒ 10.4(d) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent 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 assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
(i)Minimum Amounts.
(E)in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lenderβs Commitment and Loans at the time owing to it or
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contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds (determined after giving effect to such assignments) that equal at least the amount specified in Section 10.4(b)(i)(B) in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and
(F)in any case not described in Section 10.4(b)(i)(A) the aggregate amount of Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if such Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment or (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if βTrade Dateβ 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).
(ii)Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lenderβs rights and obligations under this Agreement.
(iii)Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by Section 10.4(b)(i)(B) and, in addition:
(G)the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, or (2)Β such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it objects thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five Business Days after having received notice thereof and provided, further, that the Borrowerβs consent shall not be required during the primary syndication of the credit facilities hereunder; and
(H)the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender.
(iv)Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
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(v)No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment may be made to (A)Β the Borrower or any of the Borrowerβs Affiliates or Subsidiaries or (B)Β any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender, would constitute a Defaulting Lender or a Subsidiary thereof.
(vi)No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment may be made to a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person).
(vii)Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment make additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (A)Β pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent and each other Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (B)Β acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder becomes effective under Applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this SectionΒ 10.4(b)(vii), then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 10.4(c), from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the 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 Lenderβs 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 SectionsΒ 3.1 and 10.3 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lenderβs having been a Defaulting Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 10.4(b) 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 Section 10.4(d).
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(c)Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in the United States of America 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 (and stated interest) of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the βRegisterβ). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(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 a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person, or the Borrower or any of the Borrowerβs Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a βParticipantβ) in all or a portion of such Lenderβs rights or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i)Β such Lenderβs obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii)Β such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and (iii)Β the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lenderβs rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under SectionΒ 10.3(c)Β with respect to any payments made by such Lender to its Participant(s).
Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in SectionΒ 10.2(b)(i) through (viii) that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of SectionsΒ 3.1, 3.4, and 3.5 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under SectionΒ 3.5(g) (it being understood that the documentation required under SectionΒ 3.5(g) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 10.4(b); provided that such Participant (x)Β agrees to be subject to the provisions of SectionΒ 2.21 as if it were an assignee under Section 10.4(b); and (y)Β shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under SectionΒ 3.1 or 3.5, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrowerβs request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of SectionΒ 2.21 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section Β 10.5 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section Β 2.19 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose
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as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participantβs interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the βParticipant Registerβ); provided that no Lender has any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participantβs interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under SectionΒ 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) has no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(e)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 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 may release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
10.5.Setoff. The Borrower hereby grants each Lender a security interest in all deposits, credits and deposit accounts (including all account balances, whether provisional or final and whether or not collected or available) of the Borrower with such Lender or any Affiliate of such Lender (the βDepositsβ) to secure the Obligations. In addition to, and without limitation of, any rights of the Lenders under Applicable Law, if the Borrower becomes insolvent, however evidenced, or any Event of Default occurs, the Borrower authorizes each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates, with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, to offset and apply all such Deposits toward the payment of the Obligations owing to such Lender, whether or not the Obligations, or any part thereof, are contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch office or Affiliate of such Lender different from the branch office or Affiliate holding such Deposit, and regardless of the existence or adequacy of any collateral, guaranty or any other security, right or remedy available to such Lender or the Lenders; provided that if any Defaulting Lender exercises such right of setoff, (a) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.23(d) and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and (b) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff.
10.6.Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent 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 or such Lender in its
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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 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 Effective Rate from time to time in effect.
10.7.Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower in any Loan Document or other documents delivered in connection therewith or pursuant thereto shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof and the making of the Credit Extensions, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its 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 long as any Loan or any other Obligation remains unpaid or unsatisfied and so long as the Revolving Commitments have not expired or been terminated. The provisions of Sections 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 10.3, and 10.7 and Article IX shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the payment in full of the Obligations, and the Revolving Commitments or the termination of any Loan Document or any provision thereof.
10.8.Governmental Regulation. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, no Lender shall be obligated to extend credit to the Borrower in violation of any limitation or prohibition provided by any applicable statute or regulation.
10.9.Headings. Section headings in the Loan Documents are for convenience of reference only and shall not govern the interpretation of any of the provisions of the Loan Documents.
10.10.Entire Agreement. The Loan Documents embody the entire agreement and understanding among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and supersede all prior agreements and understandings among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders relating to the subject matter thereof other than those in any fee letter entered into in connection with the transaction that is the subject of this Agreement, which shall survive and remain in full force and effect during the term of this Agreement.
10.11.Several Obligations. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder are several and not joint and no Lender is the partner or agent of any other (except to the extent the Administrative Agent is authorized to act as such). The failure of any Lender to perform any of its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender from any of its obligations hereunder.
10.12.Severability of Provisions. Any provision in any Loan Document that is held to be inoperative, unenforceable, or invalid in any jurisdiction shall, as to that jurisdiction, be inoperative, unenforceable, or invalid without affecting the remaining provisions in that jurisdiction or the operation, enforceability, or validity of that provision in any other jurisdiction, and to this end the provisions of all Loan Documents are declared to be severable.
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10.13.Treatment of Certain Information.
(a)Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree to maintain the confidentiality of the Information, except that Information may be disclosed
(i)to its Affiliates and to its Related Parties (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);
(ii)to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners);
(iii)to the extent required by Applicable Laws or by any subpoena or similar legal process;
(iv)to any other party hereto;
(v)in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder;
(vi)subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 10.13(a), to (A) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or (B) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder;
(vii)on a confidential basis to (A) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities contemplated hereby or (B) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to the facilities hereunder;
(viii)with the consent of the Borrower; or
(ix)to the extent such Information (A) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 10.13(a) or (B) 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 who did not acquire such information as a result of a breach of this Section 10.13(a).
In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Administrative Agent, the
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Arrangers, or any Lender in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the Commitments.
For purposes of this Section 10.13(a), βInformationβ means all information received from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries 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 10.13(a) 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.
(b)Public Information. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that certain of the Lenders (each, a βPublic Lenderβ) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Personsβ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify that portion of the materials and information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (collectively, βBorrower Materialsβ) that may be distributed to the Public Lenders and that (i) all such Borrower Materials shall be clearly and conspicuously marked βPUBLIC,β which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word βPUBLICβ shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (ii) by marking Borrower Materials βPUBLIC,β the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of U.S. federal and state securities Laws (provided that to the extent that such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be subject to Section 10.13(a)); (iii) all Borrower Materials marked βPUBLICβ are permitted to be made available through a portion of the applicable electronic submission system (e.g., DebtX) designated βPublic Side Informationβ; and (iv) the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked βPUBLICβ as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the applicable electronic submission system (e.g., DebtX) not designated βPublic Side Information.β Each Public Lender will designate one or more representatives that shall be permitted to receive information that is not designated as being available for Public Lenders.
10.14.Nonreliance. Each Lender hereby represents that it is not relying on or looking to any margin stock (as defined in Regulation U) for the repayment of the Credit Extensions.
10.15.No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliatesβ understanding, that (a)(i) no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and any Arranger, any Bookrunner, the Administrative
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Agent or any Lender is intended to be or has been created in respect of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents, irrespective of whether any Arranger, the Administrative Agent or any Lender has advised or is advising the Borrower or any Subsidiary on other matters, (ii) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders are armβs-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, on the other hand, (iii) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate and (iv) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; and (b)(i) each of the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any other Person; (ii) none of the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged, for their own accounts or the accounts of customers, in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and none of the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by Law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against any of the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
10.16.PATRIOT Act. Each Lender subject to the PATRIOT Act hereby notifies the Borrower that, pursuant to the requirements of the PATRIOT Act, it may be required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the PATRIOT Act.
10.17.Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Except as provided in ArticleΒ IV, this Agreement shall become effective when it has been executed by the Administrative Agent, and when the Administrative Agent has received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.
10.18.Electronic Execution of Assignments. The words βexecution,β βsigned,β βsignature,β 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 E-SIGN, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on UETA.
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10.19.Document Imaging; Telecopy and PDF Signatures; Electronic Signatures. Without notice to or consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Lender may create electronic images of any Loan Documents and destroy paper originals of any such imaged documents. Such images have the same legal force and effect as the paper originals and are enforceable against the Borrower and any other parties thereto. The Administrative Agent and each Lender may convert any Loan Document into a βtransferrable recordβ as such term is defined under, and to the extent permitted by, UETA, with the image of such instrument in the Administrative Agentβs or such Lenderβs possession constituting an βauthoritative copyβ under UETA. If the Administrative Agent agrees, in its sole discretion, to accept delivery by telecopy or PDF of an executed counterpart of a signature page of any Loan Document or other document required to be delivered under the Loan Documents, such delivery will be valid and effective as delivery of an original manually executed counterpart of such document for all purposes. If the Administrative Agent agrees, in its sole discretion, to accept any electronic signatures of any Loan Document or other document required to be delivered under the Loan Documents, the words βexecution,β βsigned,β and βsignature,β and words of like import, in or referring to any document so signed will deemed to include electronic signatures and/or the keeping of records in electronic form, which will be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature and/or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including UETA, E-SIGN, or any other state laws based on, or similar in effect to, such acts. The Administrative Agent and each Lender may rely on any such electronic signatures without further inquiry.
10.20.Governing Law. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any claims, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except, as to any other Loan Document, as expressly set forth therein) and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.
10.21.Jurisdiction. The Borrower irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that it will not commence any action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Related Party of the foregoing in any way relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, in any forum other than the courts of the State of New York sitting in New York County, and of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the jurisdiction of suchΒ courts and agrees that all claims in respect of any such action, litigation or proceeding may be heard and determined in such 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, litigation 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 or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
10.22.Waiver of Venue. The Borrower irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the
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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 Section 10.21. 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.
10.23.Service of Process. Each party hereto irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in SectionΒ 10.1. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by Applicable Law.
10.24.WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER HEREBY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING INVOLVING, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ANY MATTER (WHETHER SOUNDING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) IN ANY WAY ARISING OUT OF, RELATED TO, OR CONNECTED WITH ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED THEREUNDER.
10.25.[Reserved].
10.26.Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:
(a)the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder that may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an Affected Financial Institution; and
(b)the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:
(i)a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;
(ii)a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or
(iii)the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.
10.27.Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for Swap Obligations or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, βQFC Credit Supportβ and each such QFC
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a βSupported QFCβ), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the βU.S. Special Resolution Regimesβ) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States):
In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a βCovered Partyβ) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.
10.28.Amendment and Restatement.
(a)Amendment and Restatement. The parties hereto agree that, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4.1, from and after the Closing Date, the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as set forth in this Agreement.
Β Β Β Β (b)Β Β Β Β Reallocation. On the Closing Date, the loans and commitments made by the Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement shall be re-allocated and restated among the Lenders so that, and the loans and commitments shall be made by the Lenders so that, as of the Closing Date, the respective commitments of the Lenders shall be as set forth on Schedule 1.1 attached hereto.
(c)Β Β Β Β No Novation of Existing Credit Agreement. It is the intent of the parties hereto that, from and after the Closing Date, this Credit Agreement (i) shall re-evidence the Borrowerβs obligations and indebtedness under the Existing Credit Agreement, (ii) is entered into in substitution for, and not in payment of, the obligations and indebtedness of the Borrower under the Existing Credit Agreement, and (iii) is in no way intended to constitute a novation of any of the Borrowerβs obligations and indebtedness which were evidenced by the Existing Credit Agreement or any of the other βCredit Documentsβ (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) (including any fee letters or Notes delivered in connection therewith). All Loans made and
85
βBorrower Obligationsβ under and as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement which are outstanding on the Closing Date shall continue as Loans and Obligations under (and shall be governed by the terms of) this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, upon the effectiveness hereof, the Administrative Agent shall make such reallocations of each Lenderβs share of the outstanding Loans under the Existing Credit Agreement as are necessary in order that each such Lenderβs share of the outstanding Loans hereunder reflects such Lenderβs ratable share of the Revolving Committed Amount hereunder as specified on Schedule 1.1. On the Closing Date, (i) the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders then party to the Existing Credit Agreement, (A) accrued and unpaid facility fees under the Existing Credit Agreement through the Closing Date, (B) accrued and unpaid interest on Loans under (and as defined in) the Existing Credit Agreement through the Closing Date and (ii) the revolving loans previously made to the Borrower by the Departing Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement which remain outstanding as of the date of this Credit Agreement shall be repaid in full (accompanied by any accrued and unpaid interest and fees thereon), the Departing Lendersβ βCommitmentsβ under the Existing Credit Agreement shall be terminated and no Departing Lender shall be a Lender hereunder.
(d)Β Β Β Β References to This Credit Agreement in Credit Documents. All references herein to βhereunder,β βhereof,β or words of like import and all references in any other Loan Document to the βCredit Agreementβ or words of like import shall mean and be a reference to the Existing Credit Agreement as amended and restated hereby (and any section references in such Loan Documents to the Existing Credit Agreement shall refer to the applicable equivalent provision set forth herein although the section number thereof may have changed).
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed, all as of the date first above written.
PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxxx X. XxxxΒ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Name:Β Β Β Β Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxx
Title:Β Β Β Β Vice President and Treasurer
Name:Β Β Β Β Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxx
Title:Β Β Β Β Vice President and Treasurer
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent and Lender | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||||||
Β Β Β Β Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Β Β Β Β Title: Senior Vice President | ||||||||
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
BOKF, NA D/B/A BANK OF ALBUQUERQUE, as Lender | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |||||||
Β Β Β Β Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Β Β Β Β Title: Senior Vice President |
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
FOUR CORNERS COMMUNITY BANK, as Lender | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |||||||
Β Β Β Β Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx Β Β Β Β Title: Chief Lending Officer |
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
THE CITIZENS BANK OF CLOVIS, as Lender | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |||||||
Β Β Β Β Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Β Β Β Β Title: President |
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
NEW MEXICO BANK & TRUST, as Lender | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||||||
Β Β Β Β Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx Β Β Β Β Title: Vice President |
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
WESTERN BANK, as Lender | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||||||
Β Β Β Β Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx Β Β Β Β Title: CEO / Chairman |
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
WESTERN COMMERCE BANK, as Lender | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx Xxxx | |||||||
Β Β Β Β Name: Xxxx Xxxx Β Β Β Β Title: Division President |
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
SCHEDULE 1
COMMITMENTS
Lender: | Revolving Commitment: | ||||||||||
U.S.Β BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | $16,000,000 | ||||||||||
BOKF, NA dba BANK OF ALBUQUERQUE | $15,000,000 | ||||||||||
WESTERN COMMERCE BANK | $3,000,000 | ||||||||||
FOUR CORNERS COMMUNITY BANK | $2,000,000 | ||||||||||
WESTERN BANK | $2,000,000 | ||||||||||
NEW MEXICO BANK AND TRUST | $1,000,000 | ||||||||||
THE CITIZENS BANK OF CLOVIS | $1,000,000 | ||||||||||
TOTAL COMMITMENTS | $40,000,000 | ||||||||||
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
This Assignment and Assumption (the βAssignment and Assumptionβ) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between []1 (the βAssignorβ) and []2 (the βAssigneeβ). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, the βCredit Agreementβ), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.
For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below, the interest in and to all of the Assignorβs rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto that represents the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of the Assignorβs outstanding rights and obligations under the respective facilities identified below (including without limitation any letters of credit and guaranties included in such facilities and, to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims (including without limitation contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity), suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor against any Person whether known or unknown arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby) (the βAssigned Interestβ). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.
1. | Assignor: | [] | |||||||||
2. | Assignee: | [] [and is an Affiliate/ Approved Fund of []]3 | |||||||||
3. | Borrower: | [] | |||||||||
1 Insert name of Assignor.
2 Insert name of Assignee.
3 Select as applicable and identify Lender.
A-1
4. | Administrative Agent: | U.S. Bank National Association, as the agent under the Credit Agreement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5. | Credit Agreement: | The $40,000,000 Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 20, 2022 among the Borrower, the Lenders party thereto, and U.S. Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6. | Assigned Interest: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Facility Assigned | Aggregate Amount of Commitment/Loans for all Lenders4 | Amount of Commitment/Loans Assigned5 | Percentage Assigned of Commitment/Loans6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[]7 | $[] | $[] | []% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[] | $[] | $[] | []% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[] | $[] | $[] | []% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7. | Trade Date: | []8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8. | Effective Date: | [], 20[]9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to: |
ASSIGNOR | ||||||||
[] | ||||||||
By:_________________________________ Name: [] Title: [] ASSIGNEE [] | ||||||||
4 Amount to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.
5 Amount to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.
6 Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.
7 Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment (e.g. βRevolving Commitmentβ etc.).
8 Insert if satisfaction of minimum amounts is to be determined as of the Trade Date.
9 Administrative Agent must insert the effective date of recordation of the transfer by the Administrative Agent.
A-2
By:____________________________ | ||||||||
Name: [] Title: [] | ||||||||
[Consented to and] Accepted:10 | ||||||||
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent | ||||||||
By:____________________________ | ||||||||
Name: [] Title: [] | ||||||||
[Consented to:]11 | ||||||||
[] | ||||||||
By:____________________________ | ||||||||
Name: [] Title: [] | ||||||||
10 To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.
11 To be added only if the consent of the Borrower and/or other parties is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.
A-3
ANNEX 1
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
1.Β Β Β Β Representations and Warranties.
1.1Β Β Β Β Assignor. The Assignor represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. Neither the Assignor nor any of its officers, directors, employees, agents or attorneys shall be responsible for (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency, perfection, priority, collectibility, or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document, (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Documents, (v) inspecting any of the Property, books or records of the Borrower, or any guarantor, or (vi) any mistake, error of judgment, or action taken or omitted to be taken in connection with the Loans or the Loan Documents.
1.2.Β Β Β Β Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iii) agrees that its payment instructions and notice instructions are as set forth in Schedule 1 to this Assignment and Assumption, (iv)Β confirms that none of the funds, monies, assets or other consideration being used to make the purchase and assumption hereunder are βplan assetsβ as defined under ERISA and that its rights, benefits and interests in and under the Loan Documents will not be βplan assetsβ under ERISA, (v) agrees to indemnify and hold the Assignor harmless against all losses, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneysβ fees) and liabilities incurred by the Assignor in connection with or arising in any manner from the Assigneeβs non-performance of the obligations assumed under this Assignment and Assumption, (vi) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of financial statements and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and (vii) attached as Schedule 1 to this Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by the Assignee with respect to its tax status pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based
A-4
on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations that by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.
2.Β Β Β Β Payments. The Assignee shall pay the Assignor, on the Effective Date, the amount agreed to by the Assignor and the Assignee. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts that have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts that have accrued from and after the Effective Date.
3.Β Β Β Β General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy, PDF or electronic communication as contemplated by Section 10.1(b) of the Credit Agreement shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.
A-5
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
To:Β Β Β Β The Lenders party to the Agreement described below
This Compliance Certificate is furnished pursuant to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 20, 2022 (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the βAgreementβ) among Public Service Company of New Mexico (the βBorrowerβ), the Lenders party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent for the Lenders. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Compliance Certificate have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Agreement.
THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT:
1.Β Β Β Β I am the duly elected [] of the Borrower.
2.Β Β Β Β I have reviewed the Agreement and I have made, or have caused to be made under my supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and conditions of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements.
3.Β Β Β Β The examinations described in paragraph 2 did not disclose, and I have no knowledge of, any Default or Event of Default during or at the end of the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements or as of the date of this Certificate, except as set forth below.
4.Β Β Β Β Schedule I hereto sets forth financial data and computations evidencing the Borrowerβs compliance with certain covenants of the Agreement, all of which data and computations are true, complete and correct in all material respects.
[5. Β Β Β Β Schedule II hereto sets forth the various reports and deliveries required at this time under the Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the status of compliance.]
Described below are the exceptions, if any, to paragraph 3 by listing, in detail, the nature of the condition or event, the period during which it has existed and the action the Borrower has taken, is taking, or proposes to take with respect to each such condition or event:
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
B-1
The foregoing certifications, together with the computations set forth in Schedule I and Schedule II hereto and the financial statements delivered with this Certificate in support hereof, are made and delivered this [] day of [], 20[].
By:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
B-2
SCHEDULE I TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
Compliance as of [], 20[] with Section 6.11 of the Agreement
FINANCIAL COVENANT CALCULATIONS
A.Β Β Β Β Debt Capitalization
Β Β Β Β 1. Consolidated IndebtednessΒ Β Β Β $___________
2. Consolidated CapitalizationΒ Β Β Β $___________
3. Ratio (Line A1, A2)Β Β Β Β Debt to Capitalization
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β ________to 1.0
Maximum PermittedΒ Β Β Β .65 to 1.0
B-3
[SCHEDULE II TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE]
Required Reports and Deliveries
B-4
EXHIBIT C-1
FORM OF BORROWING NOTICE
FORM OF BORROWING NOTICE
TO:Β Β Β Β U.S. Bank National Association, as administrative agent (the βAdministrative Agentβ) under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the βAgreementβ), dated as of May 20, 2022, among Public Service Company of New Mexico (the βBorrowerβ), the Lenders, and the Administrative Agent.
Capitalized terms used herein have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement.
The Borrower hereby gives to the Administrative Agent a request for borrowing pursuant to Section 2.8 of the Agreement, and the Borrower hereby requests to borrow on [], 20[] (the βBorrowing Dateβ) from the Revolving Lenders, on a pro rata basis, an aggregate principal amount of $[] in Revolving Loans as:
1. βΒ Β Β Β a Base Rate Borrowing
2. βΒ Β Β Β a Term SOFR Borrowing have an Interest Period of []
The undersigned hereby certifies to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that (a) the representations and warranties in Article V of the Agreement are (i) with respect to any representations or warranties that contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all respects as of the date hereof, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all respects on and as of such earlier date and (ii) with respect to any representations or warranties that do not contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all material respects on and as of such earlier date; (b) at the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; and (c) all other relevant conditions set forth in Section 4.2 of the Agreement have been satisfied.
******
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has executed this Borrowing Notice as of the date set forth below.
Dated: [], 20[]
[]
By:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
X-0-0
XXXXXXX X-0
XXXX XX XXXXXXXXXX/XXXXXXXXXXXX NOTICE
XXXX XX XXXXXXXXXX/XXXXXXXXXXXX NOTICE
TO:Β Β Β Β U.S. Bank National Association, as administrative agent (the βAdministrative Agentβ) under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the βAgreementβ), dated as of May 20, 2022, among Public Service Company of New Mexico (the βBorrowerβ), the Lenders, and the Administrative Agent.
Capitalized terms used herein have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement.
Pursuant to Section 2.9 of the Agreement, the Borrower hereby requests to [continue][convert] the interest rate on a Revolving Borrowing in the outstanding principal amount of $[] on [], 20[], as follows:
βΒ Β Β Β to convert such Term SOFR Borrowing to a Base Rate Borrowing as of the last day of the current Interest Period for such Term SOFR Borrowing.
βΒ Β Β Β to convert such Base Rate Borrowing to a Term SOFR Borrowing with an Interest Period of [] month(s).
βΒ Β Β Β to continue such Term SOFR Borrowing on the last day of its current Interest Period as a Term SOFR Borrowing with an Interest Period of [] month(s).
The undersigned hereby certifies to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that (a) the representations and warranties in Article V of the Agreement are (i)Β with respect to any representations or warranties that contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all respects as of the date hereof, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all respects on and as of such earlier date and (ii)Β with respect to any representations or warranties that do not contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all material respects on and as of such earlier date; (b) the Borrower is in full compliance with all of the terms and conditions hereof, and no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a result of the [continuation][conversion] contemplated hereby; and (c) all other relevant conditions set forth in Section 4.2 of the Agreement have been satisfied.
C-2-1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has executed this Conversion/Continuation Notice as of the date set forth below.
Dated: [], 20[]
[]
By:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
C-2-2
EXHIBIT C-3
FORM OF PREPAYMENT NOTICE
FORM OF PREPAYMENT NOTICE
TO: U.S. Bank National Association, as administrative agent (the βAdministrative Agentβ) under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the βAgreementβ), dated as of May 20, 2022, among Public Service Company of New Mexico (the βBorrowerβ), Lenders, and the Administrative Agent.
Capitalized terms used herein have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement.
Pursuant to Section 2.7 of the Agreement, the undersigned Borrower hereby notifies the Administrative Agent of its intent to make a prepayment of a portion of its [Term SOFR][Base Rate] Revolving Loans in the amount of $[] on [], 20[].
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Prepayment Notice to be executed on its behalf by its authorized officer as of the date set forth below.
Dated: [], 20[]
[]
By:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF REVOLVING NOTE
FORM OF REVOLVING NOTE
[], 20[]
PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO, a New Mexico corporation (the βBorrowerβ), promises to pay to the order of [] (the βLenderβ) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Revolving Loans made by the Lender, in immediately available funds at the applicable office of U.S. Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent, together with interest on the unpaid principal amount hereof, at the rates and on the dates set forth in the Agreement. The Borrower shall pay the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Revolving Loans in full on the Facility Termination Date.
This Revolving Note is one of the Notes issued pursuant to, and is entitled to the benefits of, the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 20, 2022 (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the βAgreementβ) among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto, including the Lender and U.S. Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent. Reference is made to the Agreement for a statement of the terms and conditions governing this Revolving Note, including the terms and conditions under which this Revolving Note may be prepaid or its maturity date accelerated. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein are used with the meanings attributed to them in the Agreement.
In the event of default hereunder, the undersigned agrees to pay all costs and expenses of collection, including reasonable attorneysβ fees. The undersigned waives demand, presentment, notice of nonpayment, protest, notice of protest and notice of dishonor.
This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.
PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO
By:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
EXHIBIT E-1
FORMΒ OF U.S.Β TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
(For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S.Β Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 20, 2022 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the βCredit Agreementβ) among Public Service Company of New Mexico, as Borrower, U.S. Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
Pursuant to the provisions of SectionΒ 3.5 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i)Β it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii)Β it is not a βbankβ within the meaning of SectionΒ 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii)Β it is not a βten percent shareholderβ of the Borrower within the meaning of SectionΒ 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv)Β it is not a βcontrolled foreign corporationβ related to the Borrower as described in SectionΒ 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.
The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with a certificate of its non-U.S.Β Person status on IRS FormΒ W-8BEN or IRS FormΒ W-8BEN-E. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1)Β if the information provided in this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2)Β the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
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By:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
Date: ________Β __,Β 20[ ]
EXHIBIT E-2
FORMΒ OF U.S.Β TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
(For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S.Β Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 20, 2022 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the βCredit Agreementβ) among Public Service Company of New Mexico, as Borrower, U.S. Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
Pursuant to the provisions of SectionΒ 3.5 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i)Β it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii)Β it is not a βbankβ within the meaning of SectionΒ 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii)Β it is not a βten percent shareholderβ of the Borrower within the meaning of SectionΒ 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv)Β it is not a βcontrolled foreign corporationβ related to the Borrower as described in SectionΒ 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.
The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S.Β Person status on IRS FormΒ W-8BEN or IRS FormΒ W-8BEN-E. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1)Β if the information provided in this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2)Β the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
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By:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
EXHIBIT E-3
FORMΒ OF U.S.Β TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
(For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S.Β Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 20, 2022(as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the βCredit Agreementβ) among Public Service Company of New Mexico, as Borrower, U.S. Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
Pursuant to the provisions of SectionΒ 3.5 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i)Β it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii)Β its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii)Β with respect such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a βbankβ extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of SectionΒ 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv)Β none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a βten percent shareholderβ of the Borrower within the meaning of SectionΒ 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v)Β none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a βcontrolled foreign corporationβ related to the Borrower as described in SectionΒ 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.
The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS FormΒ W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i)Β an IRS FormΒ W-8BEN or IRS FormΒ W-8BEN-E or (ii)Β an IRS FormΒ W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS FormΒ W-8BEN or IRS FormΒ W-8BEN-E from each of such partnerβs/memberβs beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1)Β if the information provided in this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender and (2)Β the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
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By:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
EXHIBIT E-4
FORMΒ OF U.S.Β TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
(For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S.Β Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 20, 2022 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the βCredit Agreementβ) among Public Service Company of New Mexico, as Borrower, U.S. Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent, and each lender from time to time party thereto.
Pursuant to the provisions of SectionΒ 3.5 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i)Β it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii)Β its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii)Β with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to this Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a βbankβ extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of SectionΒ 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv)Β none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a βten percent shareholderβ of the Borrower within the meaning of SectionΒ 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v)Β none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a βcontrolled foreign corporationβ related to the Borrower as described in SectionΒ 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.
The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with IRS FormΒ W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i)Β an IRS FormΒ W-8BEN or IRS FormΒ W-8BEN-E or (ii)Β an IRS FormΒ W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS FormΒ W-8BEN or IRS FormΒ W-8BEN-E from each of such partnerβs/memberβs beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1)Β if the information provided in this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2)Β the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
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By:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []
Name:Β Β Β Β []
Title:Β Β Β Β []